Solar Distributors: What You Need To Know - EnergySage

For most solar consumers, solar distributors are (and will continue to be) a largely hidden part of the value chain: When you receive quotes from local or national installers on EnergySage, you can compare different types of equipment from other manufacturers. But where do the installers—the companies that provide quotes via EnergySage—get the necessary equipment to complete your solar installation? In many cases, the answer is a solar distributor.

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Distributors play a critical role in the solar industry by helping the right solar solution get to the right installer at the right time. For instance, a solar distributor can alleviate the need for individual solar installers to carry large amounts of equipment inventory. Instead, solar contractors can wait to purchase the necessary equipment until a homeowner moves forward with a project. This helps drive down carrying costs for installers–e.g., less of a need to own and operate their own warehouse & distribution center for solar equipment–which means lower prices for you.

In the early stages of solar in North America, solar distributors often occupied a clearly defined niche within the industry: purchase, house, distribute inventory...repeat. As the solar industry has matured, however, distributors have evolved to meet the changing needs of solar installers. Today, many distributors have expanded their offerings -- seeking to stand out in new ways (beyond just, you know, storing and distributing inventory). These services range from solar panel system design to supply chain management, financing, and information management.

The bottom line for you? It is unlikely you'll know the name of your solar distributor. Still, the distributor your solar installer works with will undoubtedly influence the eventual solar energy solution you select for your home or business, especially the price you pay. To see the cost of different potential solar solutions to meet your needs, get started with a free account on EnergySage today! You'll receive custom quotes from installers in your area without the hassle of having to find and call those installers on your own. When you get quotes, ask your installer who their distributor is – and let us know what you find out in the comments below!

1. Faster and Easier to Install

Suspending solar cables above ground is a much quicker process than your traditional below ground installation.

With no need for heavy equipment to excavate trenches, contractors are free to get on with the cable install as soon as the structure is in place, without worrying about hold ups from unpredictable ground conditions.

Installing cables above ground allows the installer to work at chest height, out in the open, which is much easier and safer than working in a trench. Most above ground systems include a catenary line which can be easily mounted to your existing piles, and a bracket system to carry the electrical/data cables.

Simply install and tension the catenary line and brackets using hand tools, and you’re ready to drop in your cables. It’s that simple.

2. More Cost Efficient

Choosing above ground cable management will come with a big overall cost savings for many projects.

Because above ground systems are usually much quicker to install, your overall labor costs add up to a whole lot less. Even better, with no need to excavate trenches on site, you can eliminate the cost of paying for heavy machinery, the required operators to handle it, and the low loaders to get it to site.

If all the labor savings still isn’t enough, many projects have also saved on materials. When installing cables below ground, they are often over specified to protect against losses from heat that can’t escape. But when you move these cables above ground, the free airflow around the cables means there is no need to de-rate cables, resulting in more savings.

3. Greater Control and Predictability

No one likes uncertainty, especially when we’re talking about a multimillion dollar installation.

By nature, earth is unpredictable. It moves. It floods. It shifts.  It changes. It can even be home to local wildlife which can cause unexpected problems for you and your project.  

Are you interested in learning more about solar cable reseller? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

Moving your cable management out of the earth and above ground comes with a whole range of benefits that will help you sleep better at night.

Routing cables above ground gives you more predictability and control, both during your installation and after. Your project is no longer at risk of delays due to soil conditions or flooding, which will stop your heavy and expensive excavators in their tracks.  And with no need to break ground, you are no longer rolling the dice with the mounting structure and its foundations.

Once your installation is finished, things are much easier to manage too. With your cables suspended above ground, the risk from ground disturbance, nesting / interfering wildlife, and seismic activity is hugely reduced.

4. Easy maintenance and management

One of the main problems with burying your cables in a trench, is that when something goes wrong, your cables are, well, buried in a trench!

Without visibility over your entire system, it can be difficult to locate where the issue is, which can mean excavating large amounts of your site unnecessarily. Even if you do know where the fault lies, getting plant machinery to a remote location and accessing the crowded site isn’t easy once your site is commissioned.

When you move your cable management system above ground, this issue is eliminated. Your O&M teams can quickly find, locate, and repair any potential issues, which means less downtime and revenue lost.  

What’s more, expanding your site or upgrading your cables is easy too, thanks to direct access and visibility.

5. Simpler Logistics

Logistically speaking, moving your cable management system above ground can make life a whole lot easier.

From a transport and handling point of view, you are moving boxes and pallets, versus large pieces of steel and heavy plant machinery. This gives you much more transport flexibility and helps reduce your costs and logistical issues, especially if you’re working in remote or limited access areas. Once delivered, above ground cable systems are generally lightweight and easy to carry by hand, making on site material handing a lot simpler.

As demand for land goes up globally, solar sites are increasingly being commissioned in remote locations, on challenging terrain, and on all types of brownfield sites. These land types make trenching difficult or even impossible in some situations due to access issues, contamination, hard ground, or because it’s a historical site that needs protection. Above ground systems offer a perfect alternative in these scenarios. Not only are above ground kits easier to transport to site, but they can also be installed on any ground type.  

Considering moving above ground?

With all that in mind we can’t blame you.

Trenching still has its place and there are benefits to this traditional way of working, but it’s clear that managing solar power and data cables above ground is becoming more and more popular globally.
If you are considering above ground cable routing be sure to check out our innovative plug and play Gripple CR System. Our above ground cable management system has been designed by engineers to be long lasting, quick to install, easy to maintain and simple to transport.

For more Low Voltage Aerial Bundled Cableinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

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