Full roof coverage with real + imitation panels

[peakbagger]

One thing to consider is fire code in many areas requires a clear unrestricted access to the ridge line and access to a strip along the ridge line. I do not know how an integrated solar roof deal with it. As Ampster points out the tiles are not the waterproof barrier. If you could work around the fire code issue and you did come up with full coverage solar panels, they would act as a UV barrier for an underlying resilient water proof barrier., like high temp butyl ice and water shield My guess is PV panel glass is tempered for strength and therefore cannot be cut easily. Possibly you could build dummy panels using frame material.

[Ampster]

You will need to give some thought to what waterproof roofing material you want to put under that system. Most people don't realize that a tile roof is not the waterproof barrier. Historically it has been the tar paper and recently other membranes like bituthene or TPO. Your racking or fastening system needs to be able to be comparable with whatever underlayment you choose.

[BlueSun]

Hi all — Solar tile/shingle systems like Tesla's include both real and imitation tiles to complete the roof. The reason is that only part of the roof is needed to hit 8 or 10 kW of capacity, and that going over that and covering the entire roof in real tiles would cost a fortune. It would be potentially something like 18 or more kW, not to mention the cost of an inverter of that size.

I'd like to flip it and explore doing something similar with normal solar panels, which are much cheaper than solar tile systems. Instead of trying to imitate traditional roofs with solar tiles, why not embrace solar panels and complete the roof? Call it solar chic... I think what's sorely missing from traditional solar installs is full roof coverage. I think solar panels actually look pretty good on their own, and that it's the jarring patchiness of partial roof coverage that makes them look less than good.

Like the solar tile systems, this will require some imitation units to complete the roof – covering the entire roof in real panels would cost a fortune, yielding an oversized 20-ish kW system with a mother of an inverter.

So... anyone done this? Thoughts? I've not heard of any imitation panels out there, so I assume I'd have to make them myself?

Secondary idea: Solar panels are surprisingly tough and resilient. I guess it's the quality of the glass – it's incredibly tough stuff. I think there's no need for tiles or shingles underneath solar panels – make the panels your "tile", your roof. I think a roof that consisted of a full coverage panels, over underlayment/felt, over plywood or OSB decking, over rafters would be a very robust roof. In other words, just replace the tile or shingles with the panels, leaving the rest of the structure the same. Anyone done this?

Thanks for your feedback.

p.s. These SunPower panels would look great as an entire roof. Making good imitation panels might be a challenge though.

SunPower.jpg