Solar Panel Adhesive

Dilbert

Dilbert

Not All Who Wander Are Lost
VIP Member
T6 Guru
Could anyone please advise what is the best/correct adhesive to securely fix a semi-flexible solar panel to pop top roof. The roof is painted (to match the van).

Need to ensure its bonded well and can survive the heat in southern Spain for example.

Any 'how to' advice would also be welcome; preparation, application, positioning the panel, curing, etc.

Many thanks!

D.
 
Dilbert said:
Could anyone please advise what is the best/correct adhesive to securely fix a semi-flexible solar panel to pop top roof. The roof is painted (to match the van).

Need to ensure its bonded well and can survive the heat in southern Spain for example.

Any 'how to' advice would also be welcome; preparation, application, positioning the panel, curing, etc.

Many thanks!

D.
Click to expand...
Mine is bonded on with lots of PU windscreen adhesive. It hasn’t moved a nats pube in the heat that we’ve had over the last few weeks.
 
Thanks guys.

I had heard Sikaflex mentioned before but there are many variants. Will take a look at the windscreen bonds.

Would appreciate any specific adhesive people can recommend.

Cheers.

D.
 
Put on clear car wrap first and sized larger than your panel and glue into that as those flexible panels don't last long and it's easier to replace without killing your paint work.
 
xswind said:
Put on clear car wrap first and sized larger than your panel and glue into that as those flexible panels don't last long and it's easier to replace without killing your paint work.
Click to expand...
Is this a legit way of doing it? Wouldn't the wrap just pull off the roof?
 
Stayed on my T4 well but it was no speed machine. So much contact surface area and as the panel is stuff it can't pull up. I was more concerned with the sika sticking to the wrap than the wrap coming off.

As always, take no single persons view and always check other's opinions before risking it.

On my t6 I have a rigid panel fixed between the roof rails as it also keeps the panel from heating the inside of the van and carries a far longer fault warranty.

Having solar has been the best mod I have ever done to Any of my VW vans.
 
We are just under 2m high with our new SCA roof and are keen to keep our height as low as we can with a solar panel fitted. Are there any solar panels out there which are less than 5cm high which still allow for some air circulation or don't need any. Lack of this appears to be what causes flexible panels to fail, as they get too hot.
What have other owners with SCA roofs used? I notice the middle section of the new roof is slightly lower than the edge, so this might give us a bit of leeway.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
 
Some panels (ones I have seen are also EFTE coated) are rated to circa 150 deg. C. Guess this should be a high enough temperature rating even if bonded to the roof?

Like you, I wanted to keep below 2m which is what we are with a Reimo easy fit roof and lowered 40mm. The panel fits in the recess at the top with no detriment to the overall height. :thumbsup:

D.
 
Phoebe said:
We are just under 2m high with our new SCA roof and are keen to keep our height as low as we can with a solar panel fitted. Are there any solar panels out there which are less than 5cm high which still allow for some air circulation or don't need any. Lack of this appears to be what causes flexible panels to fail, as they get too hot.
What have other owners with SCA roofs used? I notice the middle section of the new roof is slightly lower than the edge, so this might give us a bit of leeway.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Click to expand...
Flexi panels add just a few millimetres to height and decent ones will include a heat synch to dissipate some of the heat - pictures on mine, on an SCA roof, included in this thread - How've You Installed Your Solar Panel?
 
Here's some friendly advice when fitting a panel:
DO NOT.... :)
.....worry about whether Sikaflex is strong enough to hold your solar panel on safely!
Remember this?

biard.jpg

...well, timing being everything, a couple of weeks after fitting the Baird, my lad decides to go for an Austops pop-top and
we have to decide whether to try & save the panel, or rip it off & smash the cells....

Well, we can safely say that Sikaflex is unreal. All afternoon spent sawing with kevlar thread, nichrome-wire, then finally
success with lock-wire... absolutely gobsmacked as to how well the Sikaflex bonds. This is serious, serious gobbo !

Cheers
Phil

PS ... and the panel is fine :thumbsup:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I wouldn't recommend a stick on solar panel. They are very susceptible to overheating. You might get away with it in the UK but you'll be pushing it in Spain.
The efficiency of the panel drops as the temperature increases and flexible ones are prone to failure, overtime, for this reason. This is why the rigid ones with an air gap underneath are a better option.
I appreciate the stick on ones are far easier to install and fit flush but worth knowing.
 
So long as you buy a decent one with built in heat synch, etc., flexible are fine - mine kept running quite happily over the exceptionally hot summer we’ve just had.
 
Yes, no issues with ours which is bonded to our pop top roof. It is heat-resistant up to circa. 150 °C. I measured the surface temperature of the panel when we had the 28 deg C days with direct sun and it was 62 deg. C.
 
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