3 mm gap between panel and roof stops overheating .
Another failed solar panel
- Thread starter Salty Spuds
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- solar
Yeah
Oof! That's nasty! At least mine are on a pop top so, don't need to worry about rust.
@Salty Spuds Thanks for posting your install pictures at the start of the thread. I’m thinking of installing along similar lines.
What are the two longitudinal black stripes under the panel for? I can’t tell clearly from the pictures, but is there another coating/layer under the panel as well (roof protection)? It looks like the rear of the panel is mounted on the raised edge of your pop-top, was that to create an air gap under the panel? What did you do with your cabling after it went through the hole in the back of the pop-top? As far as I can tell you just bonded the aero mounts to the roof and the panel fits into the mounts? And finally, what wattage panel did you got for?
What are the two longitudinal black stripes under the panel for? I can’t tell clearly from the pictures, but is there another coating/layer under the panel as well (roof protection)? It looks like the rear of the panel is mounted on the raised edge of your pop-top, was that to create an air gap under the panel? What did you do with your cabling after it went through the hole in the back of the pop-top? As far as I can tell you just bonded the aero mounts to the roof and the panel fits into the mounts? And finally, what wattage panel did you got for?
1, the 2 black stripes are the remains of the vinyl wrap that was put on the cover the footprint of the original flexible panel that failed. So purely cosmetic.
2, the extra layer that you can see is where I cleaned off the glue from said original panel, the new rigid panel covered it up. Again, cosmetic.
3, the aero brackets sit just inside the raised lip, not on it. The panel sits in the brackets & there is an air gap between the panel & the roof created by the brackets.
4 I reused the original cable that was fitted by Reimo. I put MC4 connectors on the end to connect to the panel. The connections are under the panel & cable tied up out of the way. The cable passes through the roof on the outside of the canvas & passes through the canvas in the OSR corner of the roof.
5, the mounts are bonded to the roof with “sticks like sh*t” which it does. The rear bracket actually sat over the cable exit hole, so I drilled a hole in the bracket foot to match up with the existing hole in the roof to pass the cable through.
6, Panel is 150W
If you zoom in, you can see the air gap between the panel & roof along the side of the panel.
Apart from one of my Renogy flexible panels making a bid for freedom last year and having to be glued back in place to continue the holiday we've been ok with them.
2 X 175 watt panels on a sunny day and after the plastic substrate fractured on one end of one during the escape attempt we get this sort of input...
Busfest club camping back in 2023 shows quite a few flexy fanboys, fair to say many owners just fit and forget.
2 X 175 watt panels on a sunny day and after the plastic substrate fractured on one end of one during the escape attempt we get this sort of input...
Busfest club camping back in 2023 shows quite a few flexy fanboys, fair to say many owners just fit and forget.
just a hole, but I sealed it up with some more Sticks like..
good morning everyone my name is nicola.
I had a professional installer mount a nds light solar lse160 panel on the Reimo roof! the first panel was mounted in December 2023 in early August it stopped working and I replaced it under warranty now in May 2025 another broken nds dometic panel!
as a third attempt I was thinking of mounting a rigid panel.
can the brackets that support it just be glued to the roof or do I also have to screw them? thank you very much
Hi Nicola,
Welcome to the forum.
What I did was I drew around the feet once I had the panel sitting where I wanted it.
Then I keyed the surface of the roof (roughed up paint with course sand paper)
Then I stuck all the feet down with sikaflex.
The front 2 feet I bored holes right through the pop top and fitted a stainless steel bolt to each.
This will make sure the front doesn’t lift at speed and come flying off.
It’s just the front 2 feet that need bolted.
I accelerated up to 80mph recently and traveled 700 miles and my panel is solid.
My brackets are glued. I use “Sticks like sh*t” from Screwfix.
Mines going in to Tamworth Transporters today to have a rigid 270 watt Victron panel fitted. (Too cowardly to fit it myself).
They are using 'stealth' brackets to fit it, quite low and thin, the front two only are being bolted through the roof.
After 2 failed flexi panels in 3 years it's time to go rigid!
This is a picture of a 185 watt panel on TT's van, my solar cables will be hidden going through the roof under the panel, through the old flexi which will be more than covered by the new 270.
Temporarily this last weekend at Bala we used a Renogy 220 watt suitcase panel array which performed really well (until it got flipped by the wind!), last Friday it captured over 1.2 kWh and a max 244 watts. I did spend time tracking the sun though.
They are using 'stealth' brackets to fit it, quite low and thin, the front two only are being bolted through the roof.
After 2 failed flexi panels in 3 years it's time to go rigid!
This is a picture of a 185 watt panel on TT's van, my solar cables will be hidden going through the roof under the panel, through the old flexi which will be more than covered by the new 270.
Temporarily this last weekend at Bala we used a Renogy 220 watt suitcase panel array which performed really well (until it got flipped by the wind!), last Friday it captured over 1.2 kWh and a max 244 watts. I did spend time tracking the sun though.
Thanks for the advice. I was thinking of screwing only front brackets.
How did you hide the bolts inside the roof?
Thank you! I’m a little scared to tit the brackets just with glue! Mabye I bolt down the front and of course glue
Thankyou i think i will do the same!
Not that I am trying to sell the Renogy 220 watt suitcase panel or anything, but this is the last 7 days data from it.
I was impressed!
I was impressed!
The bolts aren’t hidden inside.
I got bolts that were just long enough so you barely notice them.
Make sure the bolts are stainless steel so they don’t rust.
Do you want a pic of the bolts inside?
One bolt in each front foot is enough
I'd love to see a picture of those bolts Gord, but wouldn't expect you to go ootside in this pouring rain we have down here...
Oh wait, you're in Dundee, seemingly much closer to the equator than we are!
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