Recommendations for pergola cover for rain/shade... solar?

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
Post Reply
Topic Author
jplee3
Posts: 1755
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2014 8:15 pm

Recommendations for pergola cover for rain/shade... solar?

Post by jplee3 »

Hey all, what would the best kind of cover be for putting on top of a pergola (attached to side of the house) to shelter from rain and also to provide additional shade?

Something like this?
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Suntuf-26-i ... /206395301

Or is it viable to place some type of solar panel array on top of the pergola instead, which would double as the above + source of power? Something like this?
Image
brad.clarkston
Posts: 1726
Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2014 7:31 pm
Location: Kansas City, MO

Re: Recommendations for pergola cover for rain/shade... solar?

Post by brad.clarkston »

I'm not sure that picture meets any sort of city/county code in the USA.

Solar panels require ether a ground or roof mount system that should be at least a foot or more off of that wood and the mount systems I've seen have never had any wood at all in the build due to weight distribution.

I don't think I would recommend putting solar panels on a pergola. The weight distribution is bad let alone if snow/ice builds up them.
70% AVGE | 20% FXNAX | 10% T-Bill/Muni
User avatar
TomatoTomahto
Posts: 17158
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2011 1:48 pm

Re: Recommendations for pergola cover for rain/shade... solar?

Post by TomatoTomahto »

brad.clarkston wrote: Fri Oct 22, 2021 1:49 pm I'm not sure that picture meets any sort of city/county code in the USA.
Yah, every parking lot I’ve seen that had solar panels above the cars was built of metal and was a serious construction. I can’t imagine that the energy generated on a small “pergola” would be enough to justify the permitting, construction, running of conduit, purchase of inverters, etc involved.
I get the FI part but not the RE part of FIRE.
Post Reply