Mounting Flexible Solar Panels To Van Roof

What we used to mount our solar panels.

Mounting flexible solar panels to van roof.

Make sure the drill bit really is the right size for the expansion well nut. We drilled 3 8 holes through the van metal roof for the expansion nuts. That way i can make longer but narrower panels. Dry fit the solar panels on the van roof.

I m thinking of doing 1kw but on a ram pro master. Mark and drill holes in the van roof. But if you do it right it s not a problem. Cut plywood reinforcement strips and drill holes.

6 pre fit solar panels on the roof to define location of cable glands. Cutting holes in the roof of your vehicle is one of the most emotionally freaky things to do. There are various ways disguise this with roof racks and flush mounted flexible panels. The renogy installation manual calls for a 3 8 well nut expansion nut to be used for mounting the panels which can be purchased directly from the home depot.

We ll assume you are mounting on a caravan although similar thoughts apply for mounting on boats boxes campers etc. Attach brackets to the solar panels. I have not seen a diy for flexible panels though only for glass ones. If you re trying to build a stealth camper van any panels mounted to your roof are going to be a giveaway that someone is living in the van.

The mounting hardware you ll use for installing solar panels on your rv too depends on what type of panels you have tempered glass or flexible what type of roof you have typically a rubber tpo roof or fiberglass and whether or not you need your panels to tilt. If you re looking to diy install your rv solar system you ll need to know how to mount solar panels to your rv roof. The panels themselves can take much higher wind speeds but it s all in how you mount them to the roof. This extension cable is not very flexible.

Using flexible solar panels on a stealth camper van. Mark the location of the solar panel to avoid having the measure again afterward. We found it easier to work with if we install the glands at approximately 12 inches from the panels. You have to get the wires into the van somehow so you ll need at least the holes for that.

Bolt solar panels to roof and plywood strips. Attaching solar panels to van roof to determine where our bracket holes would be we brought the panels up to the roof with the brackets already attached and laid out the panels and marked the holes in the brackets. I drilled through it made aluminum brackets for the panels and bolted them to the rack. One thing might do is a diy custom panel.

Clean roof and apply loctite pl adhesive. Flexible solar panels generally a 3 5mm bank of solar cells on some form of flexible backing material are only partially flexible. Mounting solar panels to the roof of a van most solar panels are designed to sit on the roof of a house not to be driving down the road at 70 miles per hour. They can be carefully fitted with the right adhesives around very gentle curves.