Fact Check: Common Misconceptions
1. Misconception: Cutting in flashings is difficult and takes too long.
Truth: Cutting in flashings on asphalt shingles is standard roofing practice- it is easy, takes less than 15 seconds, and saves installers money on every install. ProSolar® has made it even easier with its EZ Cut-In Tool and Milwaukee Long Cut Offset Snips (shown: right).
Cutting in shingles made easy using ProSolar's EZ Cut-In Tool
+ Benefits (Click to expand)
- Money Savings: Takes only 15 seconds using Milwaukee Long Cut Offset Snips and saves installers about $100 per 6kW* job, while adding only 6-10 min to the total install time.
- Sealing: Additional rafter probing holes are sealed by shingle overlap.
- Attachments install flat to roof: When cut in, flashings sit flush against the shingle (left). Cutting in eliminates tilted connections formed when installing attachment over uneven shingles (shown right.)
Cutting In Flashing:
Attachment sits flush against shingle
Without Cutting In:
Attachment sits unevenly across shingles
*6kW system based upon 36 connections
2. Misconception: Drilling through concrete tiles is difficult, time-consuming, and cracks tiles.
Truth: Tile drilling is quick and easy. Low-cost, widely available tile bits (such as the $18 Bosch 1/2 in. natural stone tile bit) drill clean holes in about 10 seconds with a standard drill*. A standard drill can easily drill upwards of 20 holes in a tile without breaking the tile (see picture on right)
*Hammer mode unnecessary
+ Benefits (Click to Expand)
- Money Savings: Average cost reduction of about $18 per attachment, saving installers roughly $650 per each 6kW* install.
- 20 Year Proven Design: TileTrac® has been waterproof tested at a nationally recognized testing laboratory and has never experienced a product failure in its 20 years in the industry.
- Quicker and Easier: Drilling through the tile is much easier and less time consuming than grinding out the underside of tiles for roof hooks or expensive tile replacements.
- Safer Installs: TileTrac®'s design allows attachments to be installed at the crown area of the tile, which does not obstruct water flow through the valley of the tile.
*6kW system based upon 36 connections
+ View the Tools (Click to Expand)
 Standard Milwaukee Drill |
 Bosch 1/2 In. Natural Stone Tile Bit (NS 600) Costs about $18.00 and will drill 60-80 holes |
3. Misconception: Marking and drilling rail holes is difficult and time-consuming.
Truth: The average time to mark and drill is less than 10 seconds per attachment (5 min total for a 6k installation) and can save contractors hundreds of dollars on every 6kW installation.
(ProSolar® even makes low cost tools to make drilling 100% error-free for installers of all skill levels. Using the TileTrac EZ Rail Lock tool and a 1/2" step drill bit makes the process quick and accurate.)
l. Mark using TileTrac EZ Rail Lock
2. Drill Rail at Marked Locations
*6kW system based upon 30 connections
+ Benefits (Click to Expand)
- Cost Savings: ProSolar® RoofTrac® Rail's lightweight c-channel aluminum design offers lower rail costs vs. aluminum-intense T-bolt slotted rail designs. The minimal benefits offered by slotted rails are easily negated by their higher costs. ProSolar® even offers black rail at the same price as clear anodized rail.
Stronger: A drilled/bolted connection provides superior structural strength and greatly reduced parts and installation costs. The ProSolar® system also uses anti-seize free 5/16" SS bolts (vs. competitors' 1/4" bolts.) Larger bolt sizes are impact friendly, stronger, easier to remove, and less likely to seize. Larger bolt sizes do not require installers to manually coat threads with anti-seize.
Time-Tested Design: While competitors continue to change their rail and clamping designs, ProSolar®'s patented rail and clamping system has never had a product failure or a major product redesign.
- TileTrac® Compatibility: TileTrac® is only compatible with ProSolar® rail. The ProSolar® rail mounting system was designed and engineered to work with TileTrac®. When used with ProSolar®, loading is symmetrically centered under the rail, as opposed to being offset when used with an "L" foot. ProSolar®'s design, along with its patented channel nut (which offers 10x the contact area of a T-bolt) offers superior strength and rigidity to the TileTrac® stud.
- Easier Wire Management: RoofTrac®'s open channel design allows for nesting of wires inside the rail and minimizes the need for wire management clips.
4. Misconception: Drilling rail on the roof creates problem-causing rail chips
Truth: Rooftop debris is not limited to ProSolar® installations. All installations deal with debris from rail trimming, conduit cutting, copper wire clippings, etc. Luckily, debris from rooftop drilling and cutting can be easily cleaned up in seconds using a small cordless vacuum.
5. Misconception: TileTrac® does not come with a subflashing.
Truth: TileTrac® includes a low-cost, easy-to-install sub-flashing in every box. The TileTrac® subflashing installs in less than a minute using Eternabond®/Chem Link underlayment sealant tape.
6. Misconception: ProSolar® system requires external grounding clips for module to rail installations.
Truth: ProSolar®'s UL2703 Pre-Assembled Self-Bonding Mid Clamps and Rail Splice assemblies are self-bonding (indicated by green lock washer) and do not need external grounding clips.
7. Misconception: ProSolar® clamps cannot be installed mid-rail.
Truth: Installers have always been able to insert clamps mid-rail using pliers. By installer request, ProSolar® has also developed the RoofTrac Rail Spreader as a dedicated tool to make inserting/removing clamps and channel nuts quicker and easier. ProSolar®'s clamps are also self-standing, which makes it incredibly easy to remove clamps while servicing.
8. Misconception: Using ProSolar rail costs installers a lot of money in extra specialty tools/supplies.
Truth: The only extra tool needed for a quality ProSolar installation is a $20 1/2" Irwin Unibit step drill-bit. Otherwise, extra tools are not necessary, but can allow for high-speed installations (see below for recommended tools.)
(High Speed video for your convenience)
+ Tool Recommendations (Click to Expand)
 $19.86- Irwin Unibit Makes precision 1/2" burr-free drill holes |
 $9.50 - RoofTrac Rail Spreader Allows clamps and microinverter channel nuts to be inserted mid-rail |
 $14.50 - EZ Shingle Cut In Template Allows for easier comp-shingle tile cut-in reference. |
 $20.00 - FastJack Rail Lock Allows installer to lock rail in place while marking/drilling rail holes |
 $20.00 - TileTrac Rail Lock Allows installer to lock rail in place while marking/drilling rail holes |
 $22.00 - Milwaukee Long Cut Offset Snips (Part #438-22-4038) Easily cuts through composition roof tiles |