Side connector for roof rail

Photovoltaic panels sit on metal profiles called mounting rails, fixed on the roof. The rails are produced in fixed lengths, and when the row of panels is longer than a single rail, the two ends must be joined together. The side connector is exactly this joint: a part that goes inside the profile, like a sleeve in a pipe, and turns two separate pieces into a continuous, rigid line.

One piece weighs 0.14 kg, and the factory packing is 60 pieces in a box of 260 x 210 x 200 mm, with a total mass of 8.5 kg. The part fits the CORAB SM 30x50 and SM 31x50 profiles, supplied in lengths of 2080, 3120, 3500, 4160 and 6260 mm, as well as SM 40x80, in lengths of 3400, 3600 and 7200 mm. In practice, instead of ordering a single very long rail, hard to transport and to lift onto the roof, you use standard sections that you join on site, with less material waste. The joint does not remain a weak point: it takes the bending stresses that arise from the weight of the snow and from the wind. It requires no maintenance and can also be used later, if you want to extend an already installed structure.

Manufacturer code Y_L0001, EAN 5904378626372. It is inserted inside the profile and fixed laterally, restoring the continuity and rigidity of the profile line in the span. Compatible with SM 30x50 and SM 31x50 (2080, 3120, 3500, 4160, 6260 mm) and with SM 40x80 (3400, 3600, 7200 mm); mass 0.14 kg/pc, packing 60 pcs/box of 260 x 210 x 200 mm, 8.5 kg. Applicable on pitched and flat roofs; the manufacturer states that the part is a system component and is not intended for stand-alone use in other structures.

Who it suits

Suitable for installations in which the row of modules exceeds the length of a single rail and where working with standard sections, easier to transport and to lift onto the roof, is preferred.

Terms explained

• Mounting rail: The long metal profile, fixed on the roof, on which the panels are fastened with clamps.
• End-to-end joint: Connecting two pieces one as the extension of the other, so that they form a single straight line.
• Bending stress: The tendency of a bar to bend when something presses on it from above, for example the layer of snow.

Technical specifications

Recommended applications

• Extending mounting rails on pitched roofs
• Joining profiles on flat roof systems
• Building long module rows from standard sections
• Repairs and modifications of an existing CORAB structure

Technical details

Specifications confirmed from the manufacturer's datasheet

The Y_L0001 side connector is the linking part that joins two mounting rails end to end, restoring the continuity and rigidity of the profile line. It is inserted inside the profile and fixed laterally, so that the joint takes the bending stresses from the snow load and from the wind without creating a weak point in the span.

The product is compatible with the CORAB SM 30x50 and SM 31x50 profiles (lengths 2080, 3120, 3500, 4160 and 6260 mm), respectively SM 40x80 (lengths 3400, 3600 and 7200 mm). The mass of one piece is 0.14 kg. The factory packing is 60 pieces per box of 260 x 210 x 200 mm, with a total mass of 8.5 kg.

The typical use is on pitched and flat roofs, when the length of a single profile does not cover the row of modules and the mounting line must be extended. Using joined standard sections reduces material waste and simplifies transport onto the roof. The manufacturer states that the part is a system component and is not intended for stand-alone use in other structures.