- I'm wondering how this system works. IS it silicone d in place..?
I have seen other mount's that People have done.. using Al angle..["L type"]
Just wondering what is the most popular method..
Juergen
native pepper said
04:13 PM Dec 16, 2013
On our bus, built light angle iron frames and riveted and glued them down. A mate who has a caravan, used aluminum angle, welded them together before fixing them to the roof with rivets and epoxy glue. He tried sikaflex and wasn't happy with the results after a year or so as they started to come off, the same as we weren't happy when we used it on our motorsailer to cork her. Would have used aluminum for our frames, but not didn't want the outlay to get gas to weld them, so used very light angle iron and its been there for years. Caravans I reckon would be better to use aluminum.
valiant81 said
04:30 PM Dec 16, 2013
I have 2x 120 Watt panels that are pop rivited together and i used 25mm aluminium that was pop rivited to the roof of my caravan. Cable run through the roof and in to the solar controler that was mounted in the cupboard and onto the house battery. Pop rivits every 100mm.
Hard part was drilling the hole for the cable in the roof. Contacted the manufacture to find out were the wireing is in the roof.
mr glassies said
06:30 PM Dec 16, 2013
4 x 200 what panels on sort of roof racks gives about 70 ml air gap to help keep them cool the mounts come down the side of the van about 100 ml with 2 bolts holding each side .
dibs
DarylC said
07:53 AM Dec 17, 2013
I just installed an additional 80w solar panel (all up now 200w) using 50mm x 50mm aluminium angle.
This gives a good air space between the panel & the roof as well as a good area for a good coverage of sikaflex to hold the angle to the roof.
NO rivets at all. No rivets = no holes to leak.
The 2 solar panels that had been pre installed were glued only. They have been there for several years & seen some rough country in strong winds & are still very secure.
Good luck.
brian said
10:56 AM Dec 17, 2013
Be very careful when fixing panels to caravans.
Many vans have a floating roof sheath in that the aluminium is fixed only to the outer edges of the van and at penetration points such as hatches etc.
If you simply glue or pop rivet your panels to that floating aluminium, then you have a good chance that movement will cause the sheeting to fatigue and tear.
The main problem with those individual panel corner mounts is that you are unlikely to get good fixing to the under structure should you need to do so.
Better to use sign channel or similar to bridge between solid fixing points thus ensuring that the panels don't cause damage to the roof membrane.
george57 said
06:48 AM Dec 18, 2013
SnowT wrote:
How have people had solar Panels mounted to their Caravan's, Buses and Motor-home's.
- I'm wondering how this system works. IS it silicone d in place..?
I have seen other mount's that People have done.. using Al angle..["L type"]
Just wondering what is the most popular method..
Juergen
Hi Juergen,
I have a 200w solar panel fixed to my roof using a set of the mounts from ebay secured by sikaflex glue. Easy and no holes. No holes, no leaks!
Cheers
George
grae and deb said
09:26 PM Dec 20, 2013
HI SNOW T WE USED AS PER EBAY 2 SETS CNRS AND SIDE MOULDS , GOOD SET UP BUT REALLY GOOD ALLY ANGLE AND GOOP , ETC PROBALLY JUST AS GOOD ,WE GOOPED AND SCREWED OURS DOWN JUST TO BE SURE
Mr B2 said
01:07 AM Dec 22, 2013
I just made up two Frames out of Stainless Angle, Panels are about 80 mm off the roof, Glued and Screwed down,
2 X 50 Watts and 2 X 85 Watts, Total 270 Watts,
Piccy tomorrow,
Vanderee said
11:45 AM Dec 22, 2013
Mine are mounted on 80 mm x 30 mm aluminium angle with SS screws into the frames.
I use only Parfix n cure high flex silicone sealant best product, for UV resistance, leaks and permanent
fixtures. I found that regular silicone and sikaflex cracks up very quick.
(Some things don't do what they're supposed to do)
-- Edited by Vanderee on Sunday 22nd of December 2013 11:52:16 AM
Ontos45 said
09:28 AM Dec 23, 2013
When I installed 2x80Watt panels on my old Millard, which had a curved roof line, I used 2x75mm aluminium channel strips down each edge of van then 2x75mm lengths going across van to raise above roof bow. I then mounted panels to them. Cross members screwed to van edges. Used an 240VAC electrical/through wall connector to feed cables through roof. Did over 10,000km around Central Qld. and no problems.
How have people had solar Panels mounted to their Caravan's, Buses and Motor-home's.
I have seen a few different method's..
- one of the methods is..
Mounts from Ebay
- I'm wondering how this system works. IS it silicone d in place..?
I have seen other mount's that People have done.. using Al angle..["L type"]
Just wondering what is the most popular method..
Juergen
I have 2x 120 Watt panels that are pop rivited together and i used 25mm aluminium that was pop rivited to the roof of my caravan. Cable run through the roof and in to the solar controler that was mounted in the cupboard and onto the house battery. Pop rivits every 100mm.
Hard part was drilling the hole for the cable in the roof. Contacted the manufacture to find out were the wireing is in the roof.
dibs
This gives a good air space between the panel & the roof as well as a good area for a good coverage of sikaflex to hold the angle to the roof.
NO rivets at all. No rivets = no holes to leak.
The 2 solar panels that had been pre installed were glued only. They have been there for several years & seen some rough country in strong winds & are still very secure.
Good luck.
Be very careful when fixing panels to caravans.
Many vans have a floating roof sheath in that the aluminium is fixed only to the outer edges of the van and at penetration points such as hatches etc.
If you simply glue or pop rivet your panels to that floating aluminium, then you have a good chance that movement will cause the sheeting to fatigue and tear.
The main problem with those individual panel corner mounts is that you are unlikely to get good fixing to the under structure should you need to do so.
Better to use sign channel or similar to bridge between solid fixing points thus ensuring that the panels don't cause damage to the roof membrane.
Hi Juergen,
I have a 200w solar panel fixed to my roof using a set of the mounts from ebay secured by sikaflex glue. Easy and no holes. No holes, no leaks!
Cheers
George
I just made up two Frames out of Stainless Angle, Panels are about 80 mm off the roof, Glued and Screwed down,
2 X 50 Watts and 2 X 85 Watts, Total 270 Watts,
Piccy tomorrow,
Mine are mounted on 80 mm x 30 mm aluminium angle with SS screws into the frames.
I use only Parfix n cure high flex silicone sealant best product, for UV resistance, leaks and permanent
fixtures. I found that regular silicone and sikaflex cracks up very quick.
(Some things don't do what they're supposed to do)
-- Edited by Vanderee on Sunday 22nd of December 2013 11:52:16 AM