The ballasted PV mounting system for rooftop photovoltaics mainly relies on concrete blocks, prefabricated counterweights, or other ballast materials to resist wind loads. It usually does not need to penetrate the roof waterproof layer and is suitable for concrete flat roofs, some metal roofs, and other evaluated load-bearing roofs.

The main impact of wind disasters on ballast supports:

1. Wind suction and component lifting

When strong winds bypass the upper and lower surfaces of components, a pressure difference is formed, resulting in upward wind loads. The edges, corners, and parapets of the roof usually require focused evaluation.

2. Insufficient ballast and overall overturning

When the upward pulling force and overturning moment generated by the wind exceed the system's own weight and other effective resistance, the bracket may lift, flip, or even cause components to fall off.

3. Failure of connectors and scattering of components

The weak links in the mid-clamps, end-clamps, rail, bracket beam, and component frame may all be damaged before the ballast.

4. Slip, fatigue, and roof damage

Repeated gusts of wind may cause micro movement of the bracket, wear of the friction pad, displacement of the ballast block, and local compression or wear of the waterproofing membrane.

For solar flat roof projects, it is recommended to use a low inclination, east-west back-to-back solar ballast system.

1. Reduce the windward height and windward area of the components.

2. Adopting an east-west layout is usually beneficial for reducing the inclination angle and increasing the density of roof layout.

3. Control slip and local uplift through systematic connections and reasonable ballast distribution.

The following PowerStone products are suitable for this type of wind resistance solution:

East West Aluminum Ballast Mount （Click to enter）	Steel Ballast Solar Mounting (Click to enter)

Suitable for large-scale commercial flat roofs; The actual wind resistance capability must be verified through specific system calculations or experiments.

You can consult us for more information