bikehikebabe asked how the penetrations were made water-tight. The 1/2″ polyurethane ring acts as a gasket covered by the stainless steel cap. When the nut is tightened against the washer and the stainless steel cap, the ring is squished against the roof and makes a water-tight seal around the bolt.
As you can see in this picture, the roof is uneven, which is why the polyurethane gasket needs to be so thick.
The bolts go through the rafter, and the nuts on top are tightened so the legs of the supports are held tightly against the roof. Notice the supports shelter the stainless steel caps and polyurethane gaskets from above.
GREAT! 🙂 Technology at work.
Thanks for asking about it. I think it’s interesting too. The supports do have a downside, which I’ll probably write about.