nuggetwillow
Member
Can anyone recommend solar panels for roof t6 rippled roof it's not flat
Solar panels
- Thread starter nuggetwillow
- Start date
you can see what other people have here:
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SOLAR:
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the 160W rear junction box semi flexible version is popular
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SOLAR:
- Solar Pwm & Mppt Controllers - How I Done It -
- Mobile Solar Panels ? . . . - How I Did It -
- What Solar Panel & Controller? - How We Done It -
- Solar Panel Cutting Hole In Roof !!! - How We Done It -
- 300w Plus Solar Club -- How I Done It --
- Solar Sheds & Other Non-t6 Solar Projects - How We Done It -
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the 160W rear junction box semi flexible version is popular
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
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nuggetwillow
Member
But can it be used in my T6 kombi roof as it is not a flat roof
Yes. Mobile panels can be used as needed, then packed away.
Semi flexible panels can be stuck on the roof.
And rigid panels can be fixed with brackets.
Semi flexible panels can be stuck on the roof.
And rigid panels can be fixed with brackets.
This guy is very highly thought of on the CaliforniaClub site Solar Camper Solutions - Solar for Campers
Lots of people have them on there and all swear by his products.
Lots of people have them on there and all swear by his products.
It can be beneficial to have gaps under the panels to allow for cooling, so long as they are securely fixed where they do touch, and are not likely to come loose.
Lensun® 120W 12V Black Flexible Solar Panel RV, Boat, Cabin, Van, Truck, Camper
Lensun 120W 12V Black Flexible Solar Panel, Top Quality NOT the Cheap PET Flexible Solar Panel
www.lensunsolar.com
Flexible panel attached to aluminium angle and attached to roof rail runners. Connected to C-tek 250SE so tops up starter battery when leisure battery is full.
nuggetwillow
Member
Do you leave it on permanent.and did the cross bars come with itLensun® 120W 12V Black Flexible Solar Panel RV, Boat, Cabin, Van, Truck, Camper
Lensun 120W 12V Black Flexible Solar Panel, Top Quality NOT the Cheap PET Flexible Solar Panel
View attachment 106097
View attachment 106098
Flexible panel attached to aluminium angle and attached to roof rail runners. Connected to C-tek 250SE so tops up starter battery when leisure battery is full.
nuggetwillow
Member
Would you have a link or what the items were .also did you have to drill a hole in the van for the cables from the panels (ie)the roof
nuggetwillow
Member
Brilliant thanks
Lensun 120w flexible solar panel to provide additional power mainly for fridge during days out, connected to C-tek 250 which also provides top up to starter battery when leisure battery is full. As I don’t intend fitting a pop top and didn’t want to bond a panel to the roof I decided to fit it to the roof rail runners. Because of Covid all the parts were ordered from various suppliers on eBay and cost approx £45. These are the quantities I used
4 x M5 x 12mm CSK S/S Allen bolt
4 x M6 x 19mm Black nylon washers
4 x M6 x 16mm Flanged button head Allen bolt
4 x M6 x 20mm (O/D) x 5mm (L) Black nylon stand-off washer
2 x 1.5m x 20mm x 10mm x 2mm Aluminium angle
1 x 3m x 19mm x 3mm Single sided foam tape
4 x M5 x 15mm Black nylon washers
4 x M5 x 20mm Black nylon washers
4 x M5 Black domed cover cap
4 x M5 Nyloc nuts
4 x M6 Thread for 4040 series Alu extension (T-nut)
1 x 3m x 12mm 3M VHB double sided acrylic foam mounting tape
The following is how I did I it to suit my requirements, you will need to take your own measurements to suit your needs for the aluminium cross rails fixing points
1. Cut the aluminium cross rails to a length to suit. In my case I drilled a 6mm hole approx 10mm from one end of each of the cross rails. I then loosely bolted each piece roughly in place on the van and using the white packing foam that came with the solar panel placed in the middle of the roof under the rails, carefully pressed down the unbolted end, marked it to length to suit the curve and roof rail position and cut to length
2. Drill a 6mm hole at the newly cut end approx 10mm from the end
3. Stick the 3M tape to the back of the solar panel
4. Centralise the panel on the aluminium cross rails and stick down
5. Drill a 5mm hole through the solar panel fixing point in each corner. Countersink the holes in order to fully recess the heads.
6. Once all the bolts are fitted, cover the bottom of the aluminium cross rails with the foam tape
7. Insert 2 of the t-nuts to each roof rail runner
8. Loosely fit the aluminium cross bars to one of the roof rail runners using the stand-off washers and 20mm washers. This gave me the spacing I needed as I intended to fit roof bars so needed to keep the rails as low as possible. Using a bigger spacer (maybe 10mm) would keep the aluminium away from the van roof at each end over the ribs
9. In order to get the curve over the roof of the van I used a piece of the white foam packing that came with the solar panel and placed it under the aluminium rails/solar panel in the centre of the van roof. Then carefully press down the unbolted ends of the aluminium cross rails and loosely bolt into the t-nuts. Once the bolts are in the foam should slide out.
10. Make sure everything is positioned and straight and tighten down the bolts into the t-nuts. On my van the foam tape is lightly compressed at each end over the outer ribs of the roof
11. The cables can be fed through the flexible rubber duct between the van and the tailgate. A hole will be required in the bottom to fish out the cables which can then run up the side of the hinge onto the roof. (If the solar panel is taken off for any reason the cables will hang down into the van over the door seal and the door will close onto them)
4 x M5 x 12mm CSK S/S Allen bolt
4 x M6 x 19mm Black nylon washers
4 x M6 x 16mm Flanged button head Allen bolt
4 x M6 x 20mm (O/D) x 5mm (L) Black nylon stand-off washer
2 x 1.5m x 20mm x 10mm x 2mm Aluminium angle
1 x 3m x 19mm x 3mm Single sided foam tape
4 x M5 x 15mm Black nylon washers
4 x M5 x 20mm Black nylon washers
4 x M5 Black domed cover cap
4 x M5 Nyloc nuts
4 x M6 Thread for 4040 series Alu extension (T-nut)
1 x 3m x 12mm 3M VHB double sided acrylic foam mounting tape
The following is how I did I it to suit my requirements, you will need to take your own measurements to suit your needs for the aluminium cross rails fixing points
1. Cut the aluminium cross rails to a length to suit. In my case I drilled a 6mm hole approx 10mm from one end of each of the cross rails. I then loosely bolted each piece roughly in place on the van and using the white packing foam that came with the solar panel placed in the middle of the roof under the rails, carefully pressed down the unbolted end, marked it to length to suit the curve and roof rail position and cut to length
2. Drill a 6mm hole at the newly cut end approx 10mm from the end
3. Stick the 3M tape to the back of the solar panel
4. Centralise the panel on the aluminium cross rails and stick down
5. Drill a 5mm hole through the solar panel fixing point in each corner. Countersink the holes in order to fully recess the heads.
6. Once all the bolts are fitted, cover the bottom of the aluminium cross rails with the foam tape
7. Insert 2 of the t-nuts to each roof rail runner
8. Loosely fit the aluminium cross bars to one of the roof rail runners using the stand-off washers and 20mm washers. This gave me the spacing I needed as I intended to fit roof bars so needed to keep the rails as low as possible. Using a bigger spacer (maybe 10mm) would keep the aluminium away from the van roof at each end over the ribs
9. In order to get the curve over the roof of the van I used a piece of the white foam packing that came with the solar panel and placed it under the aluminium rails/solar panel in the centre of the van roof. Then carefully press down the unbolted ends of the aluminium cross rails and loosely bolt into the t-nuts. Once the bolts are in the foam should slide out.
10. Make sure everything is positioned and straight and tighten down the bolts into the t-nuts. On my van the foam tape is lightly compressed at each end over the outer ribs of the roof
11. The cables can be fed through the flexible rubber duct between the van and the tailgate. A hole will be required in the bottom to fish out the cables which can then run up the side of the hinge onto the roof. (If the solar panel is taken off for any reason the cables will hang down into the van over the door seal and the door will close onto them)
