Mudge Fasteners prides itself on being your one-stop shop for fasteners, but did you also know you can get all of your tools, bits and personal protective equipment from Mudge too? Not only that, but you can buy these items online at FastenerExpert.us from the comfort of your home or office, 24/7/365.

Tools & Bits

• Adapter
• Adjustable Wrench
• Aviation Snips
• Cable Ties
• Combination Wrench
• Drive Extension Bar
• Flex Handle
• Hammers
• Hand And Tool Wipes
• Hex Keys
• Hex Key Set
• Pipe Wrench
• Pliers

• Ratchet Handle
• Saws And Blades
• Screwdrivers
• Screwdriver Set
• Socket Rail
• Sockets
• Socket Set
• Staples
• Tape Measures
• Tapes
• Universal Joint
• Utility Knives

Safety / Personal Protective Equipment

• Anchorage
• Devices
• Extenders
• Eyewear
• Gloves
• Harnesses
• Kits
• Positioning Lanyards
• Restraint Lanyards
• Safety Vests
• Self-Retracting Lifelines
• Shock Absorbing Lanyards
• Vertical Lifelines

The California Solar Power Expo, powered by SEIA and SEPA, is an interactive marketplace designed specifically for the California solar supply chain, including installers, developers, manufacturers, and service providers.

Mudge Fasteners will be exhibiting at Booth #87, and if you'd like to come visit us, you can receive FREE registration with the promo code EXCAEXPO17M.

As a full service provider to the solar power industry, Mudge Fasteners offers solutions to installers of all sizes, as well as manufacturers, EPCM firms and maintenance technicians.

One of the largest areas of innovation within solar involves the mounting system. Probably the most competitive solar pro­­duct market, mounting systems are an important element of solar arrays—they secure solar panels to the roof or the ground. Here, we go over the basic categories of roof-mounted solar systems to help new installers get a grasp on installation.

Sloped Roof Mounting Systems
When it comes to residential solar installations, solar panels are often found on sloped rooftops. There are many mounting system options for these angled roofs, with the most common being railed, rail-less and shared rail. All of these systems require some type of penetration or anchoring into the roof, whether that’s attaching to rafters or directly to the decking.

Flat Roof Mounting Systems
Commercial and industrial solar applications are often found on large flat rooftops, like on big-box stores or manufacturing plants. These roofs may still have a slight tilt but not nearly as much as sloped residential roofs. Solar mounting systems for flat roofs are commonly ballasted with few penetrations.

Solar Shingles and BIPV
As the general public becomes more interested in aesthetics and unique solar installations, solar shingles will rise in popularity. Solar shingles are part of the building-integrated PV (BIPV) family, meaning that solar is built-in to the structure. No mounting systems are needed for these solar products because the product is integrated into the roof, becoming part of the roofing structure.

Read the full article at Solar Power World.

Overall growth expected, with slowing in multifamily and institutional

Construction starts will continue to grow in many, but not all, construction segments in 2017, according to the Institute for Trend Research Trends 10 Report, which looks at major benchmarks of microeconomic activity, including construction. Commercial construction is poised for increased year-over-year growth, while institutional and multifamily construction will begin to slow, according to the report.

The ITR report charts the location of various economic segments on the business cycle curve. Benchmarks in Phase A are at the early stages of recovery; those in Phase B are above year-ago levels; those in Phase C are still above year-ago levels, but the rate of growth has slowed; and those in Phase D are in recession, or below year-ago levels.... (Click here to read the full article at Glass Magazine.)

The second gathering of the solar industry’s leading solar mounting manufacturers, installers and other players took place in early February in Anaheim, California. The 2017 Solar Mounting Training Conference (SOMO), hosted by S-5!, SEIA, OSEIA, CALSEIA and NABCEP, was a three-day event for solar installers to learn best mounting practices.

While many of the courses served as refreshers, there were still a few tips to pick up. Here are a couple:

Wire management is incredibly important. Wire management is important to the lifespan of projects, and there’s a real need for integrated wire management right now. It’s difficult to match wire management life expectancy with the lifespan of the solar array, but if you do your homework, you can find systems that comply.

Proper flashing installation. The lazy way to install flashings on an asphalt shingle roof is to slide in the flashing until you hit the nails above (example on the left). The correct way is to remove the nails and position the flashing above the third course.

Read the full article at Solar Power World.

The family of I-codes published by the International Code Council (ICC) is the most widely used in the history of U.S. construction codes. Townhouses, condominiums more than four stories high, and apartment buildings, hotels and motels are considered commercial buildings in these codes. The requirements for commercial buildings are set forth in the International Building Code (IBC), the International Existing Building Code (IEBC) and the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).

This article summarizes the major requirements for glazed assemblies, doors, skylights and other fenestration products in commercial buildings in the 2015 edition of the International Codes (I-codes)... (Click here to read the full article at Glass Magazine.)

Solar energy has quickly developed over the last few years, and growing technologies have made going solar more affordable for more homeowners. As customers from a variety of geographical areas make the move to solar it is important to consider their individual energy potential. Areas with the highest energy bills often have the lowest irradiance ratings; however, this doesn’t mean everyone can’t enjoy efficient solar systems with high returns on investment. It’s important to use the right components.

Low irradiance areas should be treated in the same manner as roofs with high shade. Homeowners in these situations are more likely to benefit from microinverter systems over ones with a string inverters. Not only do microinverters have a longer expected lifetime than standard string inverters, their installation process makes it easier to expand the system in the future and allows for easy monitoring. An in-depth look into the operation of the system through monitoring makes troubleshooting easier and also provides insight into how to improve the overall output of the system.

Read the full article at Solar Power World.

With new lawmakers in all levels of government across the US, there has been a lot of talk about solar legislation in the news lately. As the Solar Fastener Expert, we do our best to keep up on the latest, and we're here to help you do the same. Below are a couple articles that may be of interest to anyone in the solar industry:

THE TOP 10 SOLAR BATTLEGROUND STATES OF 2016

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia took some form of action on distributed solar policy and rate design changes during 2016, according to the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center’s (NCCETC) latest edition of its “50 States of Solar” report.

The report says a total of 212 state- and utility-level distributed solar policy and rate changes were proposed, pending or enacted last year. NCCETC says this represents an increase in solar policy activity over 2015, when 46 states plus D.C. took approximately 175 actions.

In its report, NCCETC also ranks what it considers the top 10 most active states in 2016 for solar policy developments, as follows: (Click here to read the full article at Solar Industry Magazine.)

VETO OVERRIDE: MD. LAWMAKERS ENACT CLEAN ENERGY JOBS ACT

Early in February, the Maryland Senate voted to override Gov. Larry Hogan’s veto of the Clean Energy Jobs Act, legislation to increase the state’s renewable energy goals. Following a similar 88-51 House of Delegates vote just a few days ago, the Senate’s 32-13 decision brings the legislation into law.

The Clean Energy Jobs Act (S.B.921/H.B.1106) boosts the state’s renewable portfolio standard (RPS) from 20% by 2022 to 25% by 2020, as well as raises the solar carve-out from 2% by 2022 to 2.5% by 2020. According to the Maryland Climate Coalition, the legislation will lead to roughly 1.3 GW of new clean energy in the state. (Click here to read the full article at Solar Industry Magazine.)

This question has a quick and easy answer of “Yes!” if it’s a standing seam metal roof, the most solar-ready roof out there. Standing seam clamps, such as those offered by S-5! or Solar Connections, let installers mount on roofs without penetrating roofing material. With standing seam metal roofing panels, clamps secure the racks to the seam. Any time installers can avoid penetrating roofing material, they save time and money. This type of mounting also avoids potential leaks.

In addition, Metal Construction Association studies have shown that standing seam metal roofing systems can last 60 years or longer in most environments, when properly installed. Crystalline solar panels have a life expectancy of 25 to 30 years, so the metal roofing system will often outlast the solar panels. Mounting on standing seams with nonpenetrating clamps eliminates concerns about replacing a roof riddled with holes when the solar array becomes dysfunctional.

Article originally published at Solar Power World.

With rail-free racking trending in the market, installers now have many options to choose from in both railed and rail-free solar mounting configurations. But how can an installer know if a rail-free design is right for them? There are a few key differences when determining which system is best for your company and projects. Knowing the benefits of each system can make the process easier and more cost-effective.

Installing rails on an obstacle-filled roof can be tricky, especially when installers need to cut rails on-site. Rail-free provides the advantage of high design flexibility, accommodating otherwise cumbersome and complicated layouts and offering more freedom in the placement of each stanchion. However, if an installer faces a design that is fairly straightforward and simple, such as a two-by-four consistent block of modules, then a railed installation may serve as a more suitable solution, especially if an installer is already familiar with a particular railed system.

Click here to read the full article at Solar Power World.

SOILING ASSESSMENT IN LARGE-SCALE PV ARRAYS

How much revenue is a soiled PV array losing, and at what point does it make sense to wash the array?

Owners, developers, bankers and O&M providers all want to know when it makes sense to clean a PV array to recapture revenue that it would otherwise lose due to soiled modules. On the one hand, an overly soiled array represents a loss of money. On the other, a premature cleaning represents a waste of money. While you must consider many variables to reach a definitive washing decision, the economics of module washing are not complex: If having a clean array saves more money than it costs to wash the array, then washing it probably makes sense.

This article shares some of our analyses and observations on array soiling drawn from many years of operational experience. We have had successes and failures, which have led to interesting discoveries and some dead ends. We have based most of our research on utility-scale PV plants with high dc-to-ac ratios in sunny, arid locations. These plants are subject to a unique set of circumstances: They spend a lot of time at full power, have relatively steady soiling rates and are rarely exposed to enough rain to significantly clean the modules.

Click here to read the full article at Solar Pro Magazine.

DIAMON-FUSION NANOTECHNOLOGY

Step One
A chemical fills in the microscopic ridges.

Step Two
This bonding substrate is then capped and sealed, enhancing surface smoothness.

COATING BENEFITS

• Soiling inhibitor
• Scratch resistance
• Impact resistance
• Resistance to leaching of calcium and sodium (etching caused by hard water)
• At least 20% more brilliance - shine in glossy surfaces
• Environmentally friendly
• Improves cleaning with all systems - Manual, Automated, Mobile, Rainfall
• Increased PV efficiency

WARRANTY

• 15 year limited warranty for commercial solar panel application
• Residential (limited lifetime) warranty

Contact us to get started and stop losing money to soiling.

Generations of builders have installed asphalt shingle roofing on homes with chimneys, side walls and other structures that introduce a vertical surface above the roof line. To preserve the integrity of the roof and prevent water leaks, roofers tend to install flashing next to these structures with at least a 4-in. overlap on the horizontal plane. As a manufacturer of roofing and solar photovoltaic systems, CertainTeed recommends that when installers affix modules to the roof, they treat the anchoring system like any other vertical rooftop structure and provide at least a 4-in. horizontal overlap.

Why 4 inches? The specification comes from the latest edition of the National Roofing Contractors Association Roofing Manual: Steep-slope Roof Systems, published in 2013. (NRCA will release a new version of the manual next year.) Though there isn’t necessarily empirical data showing the lateral distance that water can travel on a sloped roof, NRCA members have 45 years of accumulated knowledge and experience since the first publication of the manual. They know weatherproofing for shingle roof systems about as well as anyone.

Click here to read the full article at Solar Power World.

Falls are a major danger in the glass, glazing and construction industries, and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has put forth new efforts to reduce them.

Late last week, OSHA issued a final rule updating its general industry “Walking-Working Surfaces” standards specific to slip, trip and fall hazards. The rule also includes a new section under the general industry “Personal Protective Equipment” standards that establishes employer requirements for using personal fall protection systems.

“The final rule will increase workplace protection from those hazards, especially fall hazards, which are a leading cause of worker deaths and injuries,” David Michaels, OSHA assistant secretary of labor, said in a statement. “OSHA believes advances in technology and greater flexibility will reduce worker deaths and injuries from falls.”

Click here to read the rest of the article at US Glass magazine.

In September, the new NEC 2017 was published and released, giving the industry a glimpse into many new changes and additions in Article 690. As PV systems grow and evolve, the required labeling must change with it to ensure safe and informative installations. Like any evolving process, input from many sources is required to gain a better understanding of what works and what does not, so the process of change can proceed in a way that makes sense for everyday use in real world applications.

Code making panel 4 of the NEC 2017 reviewed hundreds of public inputs. Each suggestion was weighed, reviewed and compared to other similar requests and then voted up or down based on all relevant data and substantiations. Many suggestions were for improved labeling. In the end, the panel addressed a number of inputs; some of the changes are outlined in this article... Read the rest of the article at Solar Power World.

HellermannTyton pre-printed Solar Installation labels are made with durable UV stable materials and adhesives that are designed to stick to both baked enamel and powder coat surfaces. Where applicable, labels are made using reflective materials for first responder safety.

• Features and Benefits
• Made with UV stable inks and materials for durability and weather resistance
• Supplied with aggresive adhesive to ensure long life
• Meets NEC & IFC standards for printed text, character height, color and outdoor UV stability to pass inspections
• Pre-printed labels offer significant time and cost savings over high priced engraved and lead time purchased markers
• Reflective properties to meet applicable NEC code requirements for reflective identification.

*Now available for only $83.50 per 50-pack at solar.fastenerexpert.us

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Cables and connectors are vital parts of a PV array. The selection of cables is an important procedure, but how the cables are managed thereafter also influences how the entire PV system will function. Poor cable management can ultimately lead to problems.

Cables were the culprits in two fires that happened in PV arrays, one in Bakersfield, California in 2008 and one in Mount Holly, North Carolina in 2011. Bill Brooks from Brooks Solar prepared a paper for the Solar America Board for Codes and Standards explaining the causes of the fires. In both cases, cable insulation damage was identified as the root cause. A significant amount of work goes into the complex process of designing and planning a PV power plant, whether on the rooftop of a building or ground-mounted on the field. This then translates into an efficient, working PV power plant in situ. With the rapid uptake of PV, it is also common to see homeowners who design and implement their own small PV rooftop projects. With so much already invested, it would be vexing if careless cable management after installation lead to losses. And dangling, untidy cables are simply unaesthetic.

Read the full story at PV Magazine

HellermannTyton stainless steel ties are designed with a ball bearing locking mechanism to assure high tensile strength and easy insertion when securing hoses, cables, pipes and more.

Features and Benefits

• 304 grade stainless steel offers excellent resistance to corrosion, weather, chemical and fire resistance.
• Ball bearing locking mechanism assures high tensile strength and easy insertion.

*Now available for only $51.15 per 100-pack at solar.fastenerexpert.us

Healthy Advances Forecast Through 2017

Mid-year update projects somewhat slower gains in construction activity for both this year and next.

The national economy seems to be on a slower growth path so far in 2016, in part due to the growing list of national and international vulnerabilities that continue to appear. This slower growth in the broader economy is beginning to put downward pressure on the construction industry. After a solid performance last year, where most commercial and industrial construction sectors grew by 20 percent or more, 2016 was viewed as a year where activity was expected to moderate.

The year has gotten off to a solid start, but the American Institute of Architects’ Consensus Construction Forecast Panel expects growth to begin to moderate as the year progresses. Overall building construction spending is expected to grow around 6 percent this year, and stay in that range for 2017. Commercial construction sectors are projected to be the strongest performers this year, with the institutional categories moving back a bit from their pace of last year. Next year, the commercial sectors are expected to see slower yet still healthy levels of growth, while most institutional sectors will see a somewhat accelerated pace of activity.

Read the entire report on the AIA website.

In celebration of our 8th consecutive year exhibiting at Solar Power International, Mudge Fasteners is pleased to present a special offer on 3M™ Extreme Sealing Tape.

Anyone who places an order for two cases of 3M™ Extreme Sealing Tape during SPI 2016 will receive a FREE 3M™ Application Toolkit.

Visit the 3M page to learn more about 3M Extreme Sealing Tape. If you're at SPI, stop by Booth #1172 or email sales@mudgefasteners.com to learn more!

Everything you need for applying tape successfully.

We're the Expert in Solar Fasteners.
Have a question about what fastener would be best in your application? Need info on custom fasteners, job site direct delivery, material kitting and more? We're here to help, and no one knows solar fasteners like we do.

Test out some new products.
Like the 3M™ Extreme Sealing Tape, a highly conformable acrylic tape specifically designed to get results under exposure to direct sunlight.

Find resources for NEC 2014 requirements.
With California and other states moving to NEC 2014, products available from HellermannTyton can help you meet ANSI and NEC 2014 labeling requirements.

Save some money.
If you're installing solar panels, chances are pretty good that you're using some stainless steel lag bolts, washers, hex nuts & more. With 40+ years experience sourcing fasteners at the most competitive rates, we'll help you leave Vegas with some money-saving ideas, even if you lose your chips at the tables.

Solve a problem.
We all have them, don't we? Whether it's a price problem, engineering difficulty or logistics challenges, if it relates to solar fasteners, we'll help you solve it.

In a new report, the viability of sending solar panels into space to collect a vast quantity of uninterrupted energy has been re-investigated. Although the idea has been around since the 1970’s, space solar power has always been viewed as prohibitively expensive. In the current energy climate down here on Earth with spiraling oil prices and a massive push toward green energy sources, sending massive solar arrays into geosynchronous orbit doesn’t seem like such a strange (or expensive) idea. There are many obstacles in the way of this plan, but the international community is becoming more interested, and whoever is first to set up an orbital array will have a flexible and unlimited energy resource.

It sounds like the perfect plan: build a vast array of solar panels in space. This avoids many of the practical problems we have when building them on Earth such as land availability, poor light conditions and night time, but sending a sunlight farm into space will be expensive to set up. In the 1970’s a plan was drawn up by NASA for the possibility of orbital sunlight “harvesting”, but it was deemed too expensive with a hefty price tag of at least $1 trillion.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

All aspects of life on this planet are affected by solar activity. The sun is constantly active and changing, and this solar variation has the ability to alter things on earth in a variety of ways. Solar variation is defined as disturbances on the sun’s surface, can include a number of things including solar storms and flares. By understanding solar activity, you can also maximize solar energy production by fine tuning your solar panels.

Understanding Solar Activity for Solar Energy Purposes
Solar variation has a great effect on solar energy generating systems. Large solar flares send out huge amounts of photons, which are the actual particles which stimulate the solar cells to generate electricity. This means that solar panels will generate more electricity in periods following large solar storms because of the increased amount of photons.

Click here to read the rest of the article.