Overlooked conduit expansion joints on a long rooftop run... big regret.
The thermal cycling last summer caused a nasty crack in the conduit, leading to water ingress. Always factor in expansion gaps, especially on south-facing exposures, and use flexible couplings at intervals.
Totally agree with that pattern. Skipping expansion joints doesn't just crack conduit, it can lead to full system failures when moisture corrodes connections. Seen it happen on a commercial site where they had to rewire an entire rooftop array after a season of neglect. It's a classic case of penny-wise, pound-foolish, especially with today's material costs.
Seriously, after hearing about that commercial site where they rewired a whole rooftop array, I can't believe anyone would downplay this. In my experience, even minor thermal expansion without joints can warp conduit runs enough to break seals within a year. Your mileage may vary, but I've seen condensation build-up from compromised conduits lead to arc faults in control panels. It's never just a cosmetic issue.