The rusting of brackets is typically not caused solely by "water splashing onto them," but rather by the combined effect of multiple factors:

1. Environmental Corrosion (Most Common Cause)

Roof-mounted brackets are more susceptible to environmental factors than ground-mounted ones.

Moisture and Standing Water: Roofs often accumulate water or experience dripping rainwater from eaves. Prolonged dampness creates an ideal breeding ground for metal corrosion.

Salt spray corrosion: If you live near the coast, saline soil, or industrial zones (acid/alkaline gases), airborne salts and chemicals significantly accelerate metal oxidation, causing supports to rust rapidly.

Temperature fluctuations and UV exposure: Daily temperature swings—hot days and cold nights—can crack the anti-corrosion coating on support surfaces. UV radiation accelerates coating degradation. Once the protective layer fails, exposed metal rusts.

2. Construction Damage (Overlooked Details)

Often, rust isn't due to poor bracket quality but rather "minor oversights" during installation.

Drilling/Cutting Damages Coating: When drilling holes or cutting metal during installation, any damage to the coating (exposing the steel) will result in "red rust." This is the most critical issue, as the exposed steel is directly exposed to air and corrodes extremely rapidly.

Zinc Layer Knocked Off: If the solar support structure suffers impacts during transportation or installation that remove the surface zinc coating (rust-proof layer), the exposed steel will rust rapidly.

3. Design and Material Mismatch

Contact Corrosion: If the bracket (or bolts) is galvanized and you use stainless steel fasteners, direct contact between these two metals triggers an electrochemical reaction. This causes the zinc coating to corrode, leaving behind red rust.

Inappropriate Material Selection: In highly corrosive environments (such as coastal areas), using ordinary steel brackets (hot-dip galvanized) results in a very short lifespan and prone to rusting.

Practical Tips for Choosing Mounts

First, consider the environment:

Coastal areas/saline-alkali land → ZAM is the top choice.

Standard urban rooftops → Aluminum alloy is both lightweight and economical.

Pay attention to installation details:

If drilling is necessary during installation, ensure that the drilled bracket is treated with rust prevention (such as rust-proof paint or rust-proof oil). Failure to do so may cause localized rusting, which will affect the overall service life.

Avoid using bolts made of different materials (e.g., stainless steel bolts in direct contact with galvanized brackets) to prevent contact corrosion.

Maintenance and Care:

Regularly inspect the brackets, especially the connection points. If rust spots appear, address them promptly (clean the rust and reapply rust-proof paint). Do not wait until the rusted area expands before repairing.