In short: The Maple Leaf Universal Rooftop Inverter Stand is a ballasted, non-penetrating, bolt-together steel rack that holds one commercial string or hybrid inverter upright on a flat roof, with no holes in the membrane. It fits most wall-bracket inverters, including Solis, Sol-Ark, Fox ESS, SMA, Sungrow, SolarEdge, CPS (Chint), Huawei and Fronius. Prices start at $2,859 CAD, with an optional shade awning (+$699) and a site-specific P.Eng stamped design (+$900). Designed and supported by Solar Power Store Canada in Barrie, Ontario.
DOWNLOADS:
- Datasheet
- Assembly Guide
- Build Video: in the photo gallery above
A Non-Penetrating Rooftop Inverter Stand for Commercial String and Hybrid Inverters
The Maple Leaf Universal Rooftop Inverter Stand is a ballasted, bolt-together flat roof inverter rack that holds one wall-mount inverter upright, with no holes in the roof. It sits on six rubber blocks and is held down by concrete block ballast, so nothing goes through the membrane. Every member is 1-5/8 in galvanized strut channel (Unistrut style) at a stock length, so there is no cutting on the roof.
The inverter rails move up and down the posts and the bracket bolts slide along the rails, so one kit fits most commercial string inverters and hybrid inverters, including Solis, Sol-Ark, Fox ESS, SMA, Sungrow, SolarEdge, CPS (Chint), Huawei and Fronius. Add a shade awning or a P.Eng stamped design for your roof.
MADE TO ORDER. INVERTER AND BALLAST NOT INCLUDED. A P.ENG MUST REVIEW YOUR SITE BEFORE INSTALL, OR ADD OUR P.ENG STAMPED DESIGN.
KEY FEATURES:
- No Roof Penetrations: Six drilled rubber blocks and concrete block ballast. Suits TPO, EPDM, modified bitumen and built-up roofs, with your roofer's approval.
- Adjustable For Any Inverter: Bracket bolts go into strut channel nuts that slide anywhere along the 48 in rails. Rail height and spacing are set on the posts. No drilling.
- Room For Your Disconnect: The strut frame can also carry an AC disconnect, combiner or junction box with standard strut fittings.
- Inverter Held Off The Roof: Set the inverter height to the clearance your manual asks for. Reference build: about 829 mm (32.6 in) under the inverter.
- Nothing To Cut: Stock 60 in and 48 in strut, bought braces and brackets. You bolt it together on the roof.
- Stainless Hardware: 18-8 stainless screws, nuts and washers, with galvanized and zinc-plated channel nuts.
- Dimensions: 1524 mm (D) x 1219 mm (W) x 1667 mm (H), 60 x 48 x 65.6 in.
- Weight: About 45 kg (99 lbs), frame only.
OPTIONS:
- Shade Awning / Solar Inverter Shade Cover (+$699): A sloped corrugated metal roof panel, about 1219 x 965 mm, on two strut purlins with post extensions, splices, two diagonal braces, brackets and fasteners. It works as a solar inverter shade cover and sun shield, keeping direct sun and rain off the inverter. Overall height becomes about 2.08 m (82 in). The awning catches wind, so it raises the ballast needed. Have it included in your engineering review.
- P.Eng Stamped Design (+$900): A site-specific design stamped by a professional engineer licensed in the province where the building is. It covers the frame, the ballast amount and layout, sliding on your roof surface and the load on your roof, for your inverter, with or without the awning. After you order, we will ask for your building details (list below). We confirm the timeline once we have them.
INVERTER COMPATIBILITY
The stand fits one wall-bracket string or hybrid inverter mounted upright. It is built and checked around a 50 kg inverter. Heavier units fit the rails, but need the ballast and members confirmed by an engineer, so order them with the P.Eng stamped design. Checked against each maker's published size and weight. Always check your own inverter manual for clearances.
| Inverter | Size W x H x D (mm) | Weight | Fit |
| Solis S6-GC25K to S6-GC60K-US | 784 x 549 x 320 | 50 kg | Reference build. Rails preset for the Solis bracket. |
| SMA Sunny Tripower X (STP 20, 25, 30-US-50) | 728 x 762 x 266 | 35 kg | Fits. |
| Sungrow SG36CX-US, SG60CX-US | 782 x 645 x 310 plus wire box | 65 kg | Fits. Order with the P.Eng stamped design. |
| CPS (Chint) SCA36KTL to SCA60KTL-DO/US-480 | 600 x 1000 x 260 plus wire box | 71 kg with wire box | Fits. Order with the P.Eng stamped design. |
| SolarEdge SE30K, SE40KUS three phase | 317 x 808 x 300 | 35.5 kg | Fits. |
| SolarEdge Synergy SE50K to SE120KUS | Unit 328 x 558 x 273 | 32 kg per unit | Partial. Multi-unit systems need more than one stand. Ask us. |
| Huawei SUN2000-30KTL to 50KTL-M3 | 640 x 530 x 270 | 49 kg | Fits. Confirm your model is certified for use in Canada. |
| Fronius Symo 15.0 to 24.0-3 480 (US) | 511 x 724 x 226 | 43.4 kg | Fits. |
| Sol-Ark 30K-3P-208V, 60K-3P-480V | 528 x 894 x 295 | 80 kg | Fits the rails. Order with the P.Eng stamped design. |
| Fox ESS H3 Plus (US) | 730 x 1060 x 305 | 120 kg | Fits the rails. Order with the P.Eng stamped design. |
| SMA Sunny Tripower CORE1 | 621 x 733 x 569 | 84 kg | Not a fit. Free-standing on its own feet. |
Four M10 strut channel nuts come in the kit, which suit most commercial brackets. Tell us at order if your bracket needs another bolt size.
HOW ADJUSTABLE IT IS
- Bracket holes, side to side: any spacing up to about 1100 mm along the 1219 mm (48 in) rails.
- Rail height: each rail bolts to the posts through channel nuts in the post face, so it can sit at any height above the braces. Rail centres from about 100 mm to about 700 mm apart.
- Inverter height: set by where the low rail sits on the posts.
- Not adjustable: the footprint, and there is no levelling. On a sloped deck, shim under the low rubber blocks.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX
- 4 x 60 in galvanized strut channel (2 base runners, 2 posts)
- 6 x 48 in galvanized strut channel (2 base cross rails, 2 ballast rails, 2 inverter rails)
- 4 x galvanized strut braces
- 4 x 90 degree galvanized angle brackets (post feet)
- 6 x rubber support blocks, about 241 x 146 x 102 mm (9.5 x 5.75 x 4 in)
- 42 x 3/8 in-16 strut channel nuts
- 4 x M10 strut channel nuts (for the inverter bracket)
- 6 x 3/8 in-16 stainless hex nuts
- 36 x 3/8 in-16 x 1 in stainless hex screws
- 12 x 3/8 in-16 x 4 in stainless hex screws
- 12 x 3/8 in stainless oversized washers, 1.5 in OD
- With the awning option: the shade awning kit described above
Fasteners ship in full packs, so you will have a few spares.
NOT INCLUDED
- The inverter. Its mounting bracket and bolts come in the inverter box.
- Ballast. Our guide shows 22 solid concrete blocks, 8 x 4 x 4 in, about 106 kg, as a starting layout only. Your engineer sets the real amount.
- Roof protection pads or a slip sheet, if your roofer or membrane maker asks for one.
- Strut fittings for a disconnect, combiner or junction box.
- Engineering (unless you add the P.Eng option), permits and installation.
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
| Fits | Wall-bracket commercial string and hybrid inverters, upright (see compatibility table) |
| Frame material | 1-5/8 in galvanized steel slotted strut channel |
| Hardware | 18-8 stainless screws, nuts and washers; galvanized and zinc-plated channel nuts |
| Footprint | About 1.5 x 1.2 m (60 x 48 in) |
| Dimensions | 1524 x 1219 x 1667 mm (60 x 48 x 65.6 in), D x W x H |
| Height | About 1.67 m (66 in) to the post tops; about 2.08 m (82 in) with the awning |
| Inverter rails | 2 x 48 in strut, height and spacing adjustable |
| Roof contact | 6 rubber blocks in 2 rows, 965 mm apart |
| Frame weight | About 45 kg (99 lb), steel only |
| Ballast (guide layout) | 22 solid concrete blocks, 8 x 4 x 4 in, about 106 kg. Indicative only. Not included. |
| Wind, snow and seismic rating | None as sold. Available as a site-specific P.Eng stamped design (option). |
| Shipping (estimate) | About 68 kg (150 lb) in 2 to 3 packages. Longest piece 1.6 m (63 in). |
| SKU | MHSPINVFRM40K |
WHAT THE ENGINEER NEEDS FROM YOUR BUILDING (P.ENG OPTION)
- Site address and building height, including parapet height
- Roof type and membrane, insulation type and roof age
- Roof structure: structural drawings if you have them, or deck and joist details with photos
- Where the stand will sit: distance to the roof edge, nearby equipment, photos of the spot
- Inverter make and model, and whether the awning is fitted
- The ballast block you plan to use, with its weighed mass
INSTALL NOTES
- Get the site engineering done first (see below).
- Ask the roofer or the roof warranty holder to approve the six bearing points before the frame goes down.
- Build the frame on the roof, following the assembly guide. Mark each rubber block through the runner slots, then drill it.
- Load all the ballast before the inverter goes on. Never hang the inverter on an empty frame.
- Weigh one ballast block before you start. Hollow or lightweight blocks weigh less than the guide assumes.
- Two people to hang the inverter. Torque the bracket bolts to your inverter manual.
- Follow your inverter manual for clearances and shading, your local electrical code for working space, and your inspector.
- Questions? Email hello@solarpowerstore.ca or call 1-888-421-5354.
PLEASE READ: ENGINEERING AND CODE
As sold, this stand is not engineered for any site. It has no wind, snow, seismic or structural rating. The ballast and member sizes in our guide are indicative only.
Before you install, a professional engineer (P.Eng) licensed where the building is must review the frame, the ballast, sliding on the roof surface and the roof structure for your site, or you can add our P.Eng stamped design. For reference, an engineered version of a similar stand needed 233 to 322 kg of ballast, two to three times the guide layout. The ballast rails take 11 blocks per pair, so a higher number may need a different layout.
On the reference build the posts sit about 70 mm from the sides of the inverter. Many inverter manuals ask for more side clearance. Confirm the layout with your inspector before you install, and install to the inverter manual and the code that applies where you are.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I mount an inverter on a flat roof without penetrating the membrane?
Use a ballasted stand like this one. It sits on six rubber blocks and is held down by concrete block ballast, so nothing goes through the roof. The inverter hangs on two adjustable strut rails. It suits TPO, EPDM, modified bitumen and built-up roofs, with your roofer's approval.
Do I need an engineer to install a ballasted inverter stand in Canada?
Yes. As sold, the stand has no wind, snow, seismic or structural rating. A professional engineer (P.Eng) licensed in the province where the building is must review the frame, the ballast, sliding on the roof surface and the roof structure for your site. You can add our P.Eng stamped design (+$900), and we will ask for your building details after you order.
How much ballast does the stand need?
Our assembly guide starts with 22 solid concrete blocks (8 x 4 x 4 in, about 106 kg) as a layout only. The real amount depends on your site and is set by your engineer: an engineered version of a similar stand needed 233 to 322 kg. Ballast is not included.
Which inverters does it fit?
One wall-bracket string or hybrid inverter mounted upright, including the Solis S6-GC25K to 60K (the reference build), SMA Sunny Tripower X, Sungrow SG36CX and SG60CX, CPS (Chint) SCA36KTL to 60KTL, SolarEdge SE30K and SE40K, Huawei SUN2000-30KTL to 50KTL-M3, Fronius Symo, Sol-Ark 30K and 60K, and Fox ESS H3 Plus. It is built around a 50 kg inverter. Heavier units (Sungrow, CPS, Sol-Ark, Fox ESS) fit the rails but should be ordered with the P.Eng stamped design. It does not suit inverters that stand on their own feet, such as the SMA Sunny Tripower CORE1.
Will a ballasted inverter stand void my roof warranty?
It makes no penetrations, but it does put load on six bearing points. Ask your roofer or the roof warranty holder to approve the layout before install, and add protection pads or a slip sheet if they ask for one (not included).
Can I mount an AC disconnect or combiner box on it?
Yes. The strut frame can also carry an AC disconnect, combiner or junction box using standard strut fittings, which are not included.
Is there a solar inverter shade cover for this stand?
Yes. The shade awning option (+$699) is a solar inverter shade cover and sun shield: a sloped metal roof panel that keeps direct sun and rain off the inverter. It raises the overall height to about 2.08 m (82 in). It also catches wind, so it raises the ballast needed. Include it in your engineering review.
What is included, and what is not?
Included: all the galvanized strut channel, braces and brackets, six rubber roof blocks and the stainless hardware (full list above). Not included: the inverter, ballast, roof protection pads, strut fittings for extra equipment, and engineering unless you add the P.Eng option.
How does it ship?
The stand is made to order and ships by freight: about 68 kg (150 lb) in 2 to 3 packages, longest piece 1.6 m (63 in), or about 83 kg with the awning. We confirm the timeline when you order.
Why Choose The Maple Leaf Universal Rooftop Inverter Stand?
- One Kit, Many Inverters: Adjustable rails suit most commercial string and hybrid inverters, so you stock one stand.
- No Roof Holes: Ballasted and non-penetrating, which keeps the roof warranty conversation simple.
- Canadian Support: Designed and supported by Solar Power Store Canada in Barrie, Ontario.
- Engineering On Request: Add a P.Eng stamped design for your roof when the inspector or building owner asks for one.