Rails and Posts That Stand Up to the Weather.
Galvanized square rails, round posts and torque tubes for ground-mount and tracker solar racking, clear coated as standard, with conductive clear coat to UL 2703 and slotting to your hole pattern.
Most of the tube we make ends up in a solar field.
Galvanized rails, posts and torque tubes, clear coated as standard.
What Our Tube Becomes.
A solar array has thousands of identical posts and rails, all outdoors for 30 years. Galvanized coil gives every piece zinc protection from the mill, and Heidtman Steel already supplies the solar market with coated coil.
- Front and rear posts
- Panel rails
- Braces and struts
- Torque tubes for trackers
- Fence around the array
A Typical Order.
- Size
- 2 x 2
- Wall
- .095 (13 ga)
- Spec
- A787 / A500
- Finish
- Galvanized
- Length
- Cut to rail length
- Volume
- Project-based, by the truckload
Common Sizes for Solar Racking.
These are typical choices for each part of a fixed-tilt rack. The racking maker's drawing sets the size and wall for wind, snow and span. Every size here is on our standard list.
Panel Rails
Square and rectangular tube, usually in lighter walls, that the panels clamp to.
Walls .083 to .120. Galvanized.
Posts
Round tube at pipe diameters, or square tube, set in the ground or on piers.
Walls .109 to .188. Galvanized.
Braces and Struts
Small square and round tube cut to length, often in large counts of one part.
Walls .083 to .109. Galvanized.
Tracker torque tubes and driven piles are often 4 to 8 inch round. We make round tube from 4.500 to 8.000 OD in walls to .300 and lengths to 48 feet; see large round tube.
Why Racking Builders Buy Tube From a Mill.
A solar project needs thousands of identical pieces on a schedule. Buying from the ERW mill that makes the tube keeps the count, the length and the zinc consistent.
Zinc From the Coil, Clear on Top
Galvanized tube is made from zinc-coated coil, so every piece has its zinc before it is formed. A clear coat over the zinc helps against white rust while bundles wait on site, and conductive clear coat keeps the tube bondable for grounding. Clear Coat
Cut to Your Length
Rails, posts and braces can be cut to the length on the drawing, so they ship ready to stage at the site. The cut-length calculator compares that against mill lengths of 20 to 48 feet.
Known Bundle Counts
A standard bundle of 2 x 2 x .095 holds 50 pieces at 20 or 24 feet, so the piece count per truck is known when the project is bid. See the bundle planner.
Related.
Capabilities and Tools
Questions.
Bidding a solar project? Send the racking bill of material and the delivery schedule.
Why galvanized tube for solar racking?
Racking stands outdoors for decades. Galvanized tube made from zinc-coated coil, with the weld recoated in line and clear or conductive clear coat available over the zinc, resists corrosion without painting.
What sizes do racking systems use?
Square and rectangular rails and round posts in the 2 to 4 inch range are common. The racking maker's drawing sets the size and wall.
Can you ship to the job site?
We can arrange freight to a site or a staging yard; give the ship-to and the dates on the quote form.
Is pre-galvanized tube the same as hot-dip galvanized?
No. Pre-galvanized tube is formed from zinc-coated coil, so the zinc is on before the tube is made. Hot-dip galvanizing dips the finished part in molten zinc, which also coats cut ends and welds but adds a step; cut ends and field welds on pre-galvanized tube are usually touched up with zinc-rich paint.
Can you make tube for solar projects outside the U.S.?
Yes. Heidtman has foreign trade zone capability: we can legally import your material, make it into tube and export it, including the 5 inch sizes common on projects in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
What is the largest tube you make for racking?
Round tube to 8.000 OD, in walls to .300 and lengths to 48 feet. Square tube goes to 6 x 6 and rectangles to 10 x 2.
What do I need to send for a quote?
The racking bill of material and the delivery schedule cover most of it. Beyond that: size and wall, spec and finish, length, quantity, delivery and paperwork. The quote form asks for each one.
Tell Us the Size,
Wall and Footage.
One size or a whole program, in mill lengths or cut to your length. The quote form takes about two minutes.