Help with Solar..

B

BBZ

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2017
Messages
679
Location
Golden, CO
Hey all..
I would like to add a roof top solar panel to an old granby (so clearly no wiring)..

1. Best wan to attach to roof? Screw directly into metal supports? how many are necessary?

2. How to cut hole in roof to run wiring and not destroy headliner?

Any/All suggestions welcome!

Thanks in advance..
 
BBZ,

Do a search for self-adhesive solar panels. No holes needed and zero aerodynamic drag. This is the way we went with ours, a pair of 100-watt panels. They've never given us any trouble.

8267748122_c5e8e29091_z.jpg
 
The roof on my camper is corrugated so the previous owner screwed some standoffs using 1x1" aluminum stock and mounted a panel to it. The cable runs down the side of the camper by the cab-over and into the side of the camper by the turnbuckle access opening.

I'm going to replace the standoffs and glass panel with a couple of thin, light, and flexible panels and a roof mounted gland like JHanson's above.

Gland:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KV1PFS0/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A7YCV1LK1NBR2&th=1
 
I'm a fan of stand-offs of some kind, and heavy glass panels vs flexible ones designed to be mounted of boat biminis. I mounted T-nut type tracks (Yakima, Thule) that I got from Lee Valley. Mounted panel to that with bits of Aluminum L channel. Super solid. Air flows underneath to keep the panel cool.

I had pre-wiring in mine, but only up to the ceiling, no roof penetration. If you see the wires leading up to the ceiling (driver's side beside/behind the lift panel) you have the same. There is likely a yellow wire for the lights/fan, and a set of red/black for the solar. My first build had that, the 2nd had no solar wires so I ran my own. Not hard, just nerve wracking until you get the hole figured out.

Update us with what you have and I can describe more from there.
 
Vic Harder said:
I'm a fan of stand-offs of some kind, and heavy glass panels vs flexible ones designed to be mounted of boat biminis. I mounted T-nut type tracks (Yakima, Thule) that I got from Lee Valley. Mounted panel to that with bits of Aluminum L channel. Super solid. Air flows underneath to keep the panel cool.

I had pre-wiring in mine, but only up to the ceiling, no roof penetration. If you see the wires leading up to the ceiling (driver's side beside/behind the lift panel) you have the same. There is likely a yellow wire for the lights/fan, and a set of red/black for the solar. My first build had that, the 2nd had no solar wires so I ran my own. Not hard, just nerve wracking until you get the hole figured out.

Update us with what you have and I can describe more from there.


Definitely not pre-wired.. 1980's... I tore the whole thing down to the frame 2 years ago and started over, not sure why I didn't at least install the wires?? poor choices....
Click to expand...
 
JHanson said:
BBZ,

Do a search for self-adhesive solar panels. No holes needed and zero aerodynamic drag. This is the way we went with ours, a pair of 100-watt panels. They've never given us any trouble.

8267748122_c5e8e29091_z.jpg
Click to expand...
I wondered about that, but.. I have a silicone roof coating on my roof as it was in bad shape and wonder if it will stick to that?
 
BBZ said:
I'm a fan of stand-offs of some kind, and heavy glass panels vs flexible ones designed to be mounted of boat biminis. I mounted T-nut type tracks (Yakima, Thule) that I got from Lee Valley. Mounted panel to that with bits of Aluminum L channel. Super solid. Air flows underneath to keep the panel cool.

I had pre-wiring in mine, but only up to the ceiling, no roof penetration. If you see the wires leading up to the ceiling (driver's side beside/behind the lift panel) you have the same. There is likely a yellow wire for the lights/fan, and a set of red/black for the solar. My first build had that, the 2nd had no solar wires so I ran my own. Not hard, just nerve wracking until you get the hole figured out.

Update us with what you have and I can describe more from there.


Definitely not pre-wired.. 1980's... I tore the whole thing down to the frame 2 years ago and started over, not sure why I didn't at least install the wires?? poor choices....
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
OK, so you can do what you want with making holes and running wires. I'd start with pulling the driver's side trim board (about 5" tall) that is next to the cabover area. You will want to run your solar wires (10g) to your electrical area behind this board. From there, it feeds up behind the push boards ( I used strong duct tape to stick them on back there) and then when you get to the ceiling, make a hole in the headliner big enough for your wires (don't hit a cross member) and through your insulation and outside. I aimed for about 4" in from the front and sides ... so I could mount a proper solar access port on the roof at that point.

Make sense? I'm guessing pictures would help?
 
I'm glad Jonathan has had good luck with his panels, but keep in mind we had many people here who experienced a high failure rate with flexible panels. Hopefully those issues have been resolved.
 
When installing wires in places subject to abrasion, such as behind the lift panels, I recommend using the appropriate diameter braided wire loom or even plastic split loom over the wires.
 
Fishyhead said:
The roof on my camper is corrugated so the previous owner screwed some standoffs using 1x1" aluminum stock and mounted a panel to it. The cable runs down the side of the camper by the cab-over and into the side of the camper by the turnbuckle access opening.

I'm going to replace the standoffs and glass panel with a couple of thin, light, and flexible panels and a roof mounted gland like JHanson's above.

Gland:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KV1PFS0/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A7YCV1LK1NBR2&th=1
Click to expand...
Any pics of your setup?
 
Vic Harder said:
I'm a fan of stand-offs of some kind, and heavy glass panels vs flexible ones designed to be mounted of boat biminis. I mounted T-nut type tracks (Yakima, Thule) that I got from Lee Valley. Mounted panel to that with bits of Aluminum L channel. Super solid. Air flows underneath to keep the panel cool.

I had pre-wiring in mine, but only up to the ceiling, no roof penetration. If you see the wires leading up to the ceiling (driver's side beside/behind the lift panel) you have the same. There is likely a yellow wire for the lights/fan, and a set of red/black for the solar. My first build had that, the 2nd had no solar wires so I ran my own. Not hard, just nerve wracking until you get the hole figured out.

Update us with what you have and I can describe more from there.
Click to expand...
Do you have any pics?
 
BBZ,

Regarding your silicone roof coating, hard to say. But the adhesive on our panels is pretty darn sticky.

I did quite a bit of talking with solar experts when I chose our panels, because I was writing it up on our Exploring Overland site and publishing the process in several magazines. The consensus regarding air movement under rigid panels to keep them cool, versus a panel adhered to the roof and thus gaining from conduction cooling, as it were, from the insulation beneath it, was that at least it was a wash and quite possibly favored the direct contact approach. So I wouldn't worry about that. The direct adhesion has so many other benefits that in my opinion they would outweigh any slight difference anyway. Both will certainly work if done properly.
 
JHanson said:
BBZ,

Regarding your silicone roof coating, hard to say. But the adhesive on our panels is pretty darn sticky.

I did quite a bit of talking with solar experts when I chose our panels, because I was writing it up on our Exploring Overland site and publishing the process in several magazines. The consensus regarding air movement under rigid panels to keep them cool, versus a panel adhered to the roof and thus gaining from conduction cooling, as it were, from the insulation beneath it, was that at least it was a wash and quite possibly favored the direct contact approach. So I wouldn't worry about that. The direct adhesion has so many other benefits that in my opinion they would outweigh any slight difference anyway. Both will certainly work if done properly.
Click to expand...
thanks JHanson... which brand did you go with?
 
I assume those would be fairly impervious to hail? Though I have to admit my current panels seem to be pretty tough.
 
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