Solar panels fitting kit

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Badapple
Junior Bongonaut
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2020 9:49 pm

Solar panels fitting kit

Post by Badapple » Thu Jul 30, 2020 8:25 am

I'm going to fit two 100w panels to my tin top bongo planning on doing so at the weekend. I had thought using the roof bars would be the most secure however I 've been advised against that idea. Has anyone bonded them using silkaflex or similar or perhaps screwed them directly into the roof then sealed over the screws? There are mounting kits which can be fixed in this way but you then have only 6 points of contact as opposed to the entire panel. In an ideal world I wanted to be able to take them off in the future to re paint.

Any thoughts on this or what has been done would be greatly appreciated from a new owner.
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g8dhe
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Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 10:06 pm
Location: Worthing, West Sussex.

Re: Solar panels fitting kit

Post by g8dhe » Thu Jul 30, 2020 10:22 am

Why do you need two 100 Watt panels ? What massive power demand do you have that needs such a capacity ? What size leisure battery do you have that won't be charged by a 100 Watt panel in 8 hours or so ?

If you glue the panel(s) to paint work, how good is your paintwork ? After 20+ years a lot of paint work is powdery or peeling especially on the roof! Silkaflex is fine but its only bonding the panel to the paintwork ......

Screwing into the roof, not for me thanks!
Geoff
2001 Aero V6, AFT, full side conversion.
Badapple
Junior Bongonaut
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2020 9:49 pm

Re: Solar panels fitting kit

Post by Badapple » Thu Jul 30, 2020 10:44 am

I'm using 200w because I will be going off grid for a long time and I'd rather have more than I need especially in the darker months. I'm using it as a race van so lots of heavy draw items. I was asking for others opinions on fixing not what I'm using it for.
cwilliams255
Bongolier
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Joined: Wed Feb 21, 2018 11:04 pm
Location: Sheffield

Re: Solar panels fitting kit

Post by cwilliams255 » Thu Jul 30, 2020 2:20 pm

Does the tin top have roof bar mounting points like the AFT? I just made some brackets and attached - did this the same way on previous one too - I’m not keen on the stick down with glue approach. Thought about single 200w panel as it would just fit but despite best efforts couldn’t really find anywhere suitable for 2nd leisure battery - would just fit where rear heater was and vent through holes but accessibly difficult after side conversion.
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Badapple
Junior Bongonaut
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2020 9:49 pm

Re: Solar panels fitting kit

Post by Badapple » Thu Jul 30, 2020 10:23 pm

Unfortunately not they attach to the gutter rails, thinking of trying to fabricate a bracket of some sort. The panels I have look smaller than yours and has a controller which tells me what condition the battery is in and shuts off the supply to prevent overcharging. Luckily my friend is an electric wizard and recently built a 60mph e bike but we're both a bit stumped on the best way to fix them safely.
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