The objective of Heliotex security fasteners is to make removal so difficult that a thief would have to cut the rack assembly itself, which is time consuming and noisy. Burglar alarms do not ensure that your home or business will not be burglarized. Security fasteners cannot guarantee that the solar panels will not be stolen. However, like alarms, the objective is to discourage a thief and make assemblies with security fasteners unattractive.
You need to assess the security risk of your solar panel location. For remote areas, commercial areas that are unattended over weekends, high risk areas or on locations where the owner is gone for a long time, you should consider using security fasteners. The investment is small compared to the loss of your solar panels
In order to provide security fasteners, we will need to know what type of fastener you need. For example,in the U.S. the standard ProSolar rack assembly uses two Stainless steel machine screw fasteners. The first is 5/16 x 18 x 2 ½” for the intermodule clamps and the one for the end caps is 5/16 x 18 x ¾”. There are two choices for patterns. We have a standard Heliotex pattern which is available to any solar panel integrator company. (The solar power dealer or you would retain the key. The key should not be given to the customer, as it compromises security.) The second choice is to cut your own pattern and have it registered to you alone.
Penta head Pattern
There are some advantages to having your own pattern. It increases security that much more as only your personnel can remove the panels. If you handle the security keys as if they were keys to a vehicle and recover and lock them in every night, you increase security that much more. There is no way that the key patterns could be copied by anyone during a work day.
There are also different buttonhead designs available, such as the Penta head. Drivers for these unique head designs are not available in stores or catalogs.
I also think that it is important for clients to understand that they have a large dollar investment in their solar power system. It makes sense to add a few dollars to increase the likelihood that the panels will not be stolen. These costs also qualify for the 30% tax credit when installed with the original installation of the system, for U.S.A. taxpayers.
If your customers have a Uniractype of rack assembly, it usually requires a 1/4-20 stainless steel nut. This nut is concave slightly on the bottom so that it secures tightly and eliminates the need for a washer with the large footprint of the nut. The concave feature also addresses the issue of expansion and contraction due to heat and cooling with non-compatible metals (stainless steel and aluminum solar panel brackets).
Penta Nut and driver
Please forward more information as to the exact type of fastener you require. I can then furnish you with a price list for that fastener. We can make any size or type of fastener for you. If you are uncertain as to the exact description of the fastener you need, I would find the nearest ACE Hardware store and ask them to identify the fastener. They are usually very helpful.
Solar panels take time to install. Removal of them can occur very quickly.
Can you afford to lose them?