Solar Panel

RichyJ91 said:
This is great. I'm in the same boat as you, but without the poptop. I was looking at 2x of those panels as they're currently on offer, but will need to measure up first and check that they would fit. Turning them width ways looks like it might, going from your photo, but it'll need checking.
Click to expand...
You will find it a lot easier fitting roof rails to the steel van roof as the bolt locations are already there with blanking plugs in place. No measuring and drilling like I had to do asvyour roof rail bolts locate straight into the threaded holes in the roof. Yes, if you are fitting x2 solar panels, fitting them crossways next to each other as near to the rear as possible. You will need a link cable to join you 2 panels then run the cables into your van. I ooted for the Renogy Shadowflux because of it's ability to still provide charge in shaded or low light conditions.
Good luck mate.
 
Creamytash said:
You will find it a lot easier fitting roof rails to the steel van roof as the bolt locations are already there with blanking plugs in place. No measuring and drilling like I had to do asvyour roof rail bolts locate straight into the threaded holes in the roof. Yes, if you are fitting x2 solar panels, fitting them crossways next to each other as near to the rear as possible. You will need a link cable to join you 2 panels then run the cables into your van. I ooted for the Renogy Shadowflux because of it's ability to still provide charge in shaded or low light conditions.
Good luck mate.
Click to expand...

Hmm yeah, that's my thoughts. Cutting the van up for the windows was scary enough, I'd rather not put more holes in the roof that I need to. Thanks for your advice regarding that model too, the shadowflux technology sounds good, I just hope it's not mere marketing fluff.
 
RichyJ91 said:
This is great. I'm in the same boat as you, but without the poptop. I was looking at 2x of those panels as they're currently on offer, but will need to measure up first and check that they would fit. Turning them width ways looks like it might, going from your photo, but it'll need checking.
Click to expand...
To get the most out of the UK all year round use, the bigger the panel the better rather then multiple. They will convert low level light more effectively then having multiple smaller panels equalling the same size, and the key is purchasing a better quality panel in the first place
 
Martin Stockwell said:
To get the most out of the UK all year round use, the bigger the panel the better rather then multiple. They will convert low level light more effectively then having multiple smaller panels equalling the same size, and the key is purchasing a better quality panel in the first place
Click to expand...
The down side to that is redundancy. If one large panel fails, you're screwed. If 1 of 2 smaller panels fail, you're only half screwed. If we're talking semi flex panels, as sure as eggs is oeufs, it will fail...
 
Martin Stockwell said:
To get the most out of the UK all year round use, the bigger the panel the better rather then multiple. They will convert low level light more effectively then having multiple smaller panels equalling the same size, and the key is purchasing a better quality panel in the first place
Click to expand...

Do you suggest something like a single 300w panel then? I’d have thought two 200w’s would be better, first for more potential power and also for the redundancy suggestion should one fail when away as the lad before mentioned. I’m all for spending more for the sake of quality too.
 
RichyJ91 said:
Do you suggest something like a single 300w panel then? I’d have thought two 200w’s would be better, first for more potential power and also for the redundancy suggestion should one fail when away as the lad before mentioned. I’m all for spending more for the sake of quality too.
Click to expand...
Whatever you decide on, make sure your solar controller is upto the job. The panels are only half of the equation.
 
RichyJ91 said:
Do you suggest something like a single 300w panel then? I’d have thought two 200w’s would be better, first for more potential power and also for the redundancy suggestion should one fail when away as the lad before mentioned. I’m all for spending more for the sake of quality too.
Click to expand...
2x 200w panels in low light wont be as efficient as say a single 350w single panel. there are maths available to properly calculate this at certain light levels and the lower the light level the large the gap gets in efficiency between the 2 setups.

12V solar panels charging kits for caravans, motorhomes, boats, yachts, marine

12V solar panel solar charging kits for motorhome caravan boat campervan yacht marine off-grid
www.photonicuniverse.com
a panel like this above (newer version to mine) will easily charge and maintain 200ah lithium thoughout the year. During autumn for instance, even with fridges running, phones etc being charged, lights on and heater etc all night dropping the 2x100ah lithiums to 70% overnight will be charged backup to 100% around lunch time. in peak summer they get charged back up by 10am!
 
Salty Spuds said:
Whatever you decide on, make sure your solar controller is upto the job. The panels are only half of the equation.
Click to expand...
yeh agree, something like a Victron mppt or the Votronic Triple are good choices and capable of doing large panels. but always check the specs I've seen people caught out buying a cheaper charger are it cant handle the slightly increased voltage or ampage and goes pop or doesn't work at all....
 
Bigsidavies said:
As above. Flip the brackets and then mount them into the groove on the cross bar using tech screws and the panel will be virtually flush with no nuts and bolts sticking up either.View attachment 318503View attachment 318504View attachment 318505
Also for future reference the cross bars are a uniform cross-section aluminium extrusion so you can pop the plastic ends off, cut to length and then refit the ends.
Click to expand...
hi,what brackets and bolts did you use to get the solar panel that low, i want to do the same, I've got the crossbars tryng to find a solution thanks larry
 
larry13 said:
hi,what brackets and bolts did you use to get the solar panel that low, i want to do the same, I've got the crossbars tryng to find a solution thanks larry
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30mm lip on the z bracket is not wide enough to reach from the centre groove of the crossbar and clear either the back edge(front cross bar) or from the centre groove of the crossbar to the front edge(rear crossbar) to allow you to drop the solar panel lower and flush with the top of the crossbars. I have searched e-bay for suitable z brackets.
CT.
 
larry13 said:
hi,what brackets and bolts did you use to get the solar panel that low, i want to do the same, I've got the crossbars tryng to find a solution thanks larry
Click to expand...
I used the renogy z brackets fitted upside down i think.


They then fit so they are just over the groove in the crossbars. I removed the rubber strip in the groove and bolted the bracket into the groove using tech screws that don't come out of the bottom-they just go through the central piece of the extrusion inside if that makes sense.
I then cut the rubber strip to fit back into the gaps between the brackets.
 
RichyJ91 said:
That's perfect. Exactly what I'm looking to do. Can't seem to find any examples of it on Youtube etc. Do you have a link to which brackets you used exactly mate?
Click to expand...
I fitted to the crossbars riveted and bonded 1000mm x 50.8mm x 25.4mm x 3.18mm aluminium angle sprayed with black Raptor coating. It was then bolted through into the solar panel with black stainless steel pan head torx bolts. I also sprayed the white underside of the solar panel black.
 
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