Which narrow solar panel?

[AdL]

I have been away for the last week in the van. Everything worked just fine except that every couple of days I had to drive the van or take it to an EHU to charge the leisure battery. So I need a solar panel! I bought a folding panel which I was a bit enthusiastic about and bought a 200W one - turned out to be too large to put in any storage area of the van so I did not take it with me (might be for sale shortly!). I think I would be better off with something stuck to the pop top.

My particular pop top has 4 ridges, forming three channels, the centre channel has a maximum width of 36cm and I think I want a panel stuck in this channel. Been looking around btu can't find anything exactly ideal. So; anyone out there with suggestions of a flexible (stick down) panel less than 36cm wide and I think more than 100W?

Thanks.

 

[drinfinity]

You can stick them across the ribs - that’s a common approach.

 

[Bav]

Why are you wanting to keep the panel in the centre channel?

 

[AdL]

I don't specifically - but being a boring engineer the symmetry appeals. I certainly only want one set of cables through the pop top if I can help it at all.

 

[drinfinity]

Here is mine in the process of being glued across the ribs on the poptop.

 

[Bav]

If you position the panel across the ridges, then you can use the channels to provide ventilation - something that helps reduce the failure rate of flexible panel.

 

[AdL]

That's interesting - I was worried about water being forced down the channels and underneath the panel. How did you then route the cables? I see you have a tailgate rather than barn doors? My pop top is basically black colour so I guess it might heat up more than your white one. That might also be a problem.

 

[drinfinity]

The panel is waterproof. I sealed the front edge to avoid it lifting, and the back edge is open.

For barn doors, you can go in through the blank for the tailgate hinge. My cable run is at this link, and there are lots of other options on this thread

Roof wrap for solar panel- whole roof or panel coverage?

Amazing! Thanks @Grim Reaper I was thinking about clear as I’ve got a colour coded pop top and wanted to not have a contrast colour of vinyl but as I’m going to a completely black solar panel it wouldn’t matter if it was black vinyl. Thank you for the descriptive response.

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[DXX]

Lots of content on the forum regarding this subject

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[CamperBadger]

Here is mine in the process of being glued across the ribs on the poptop.

View attachment 214855

Seems like a good solution to the issue of overheating. Would be very interested in more photos and progress updates. Are you taking the power feed through the pop top of through a gap in the door? Also, who makes the panel and what output. Good luck.

 

[Pete C]

If you were happy with a foldable panel before, why not just buy a smaller one of those ?
We have a 120W panel which works fine for us.

Pete

 

[drinfinity]

Seems like a good solution to the issue of overheating. Would be very interested in more photos and progress updates. Are you taking the power feed through the pop top of through a gap in the door? Also, who makes the panel and what output. Good luck.

The feed goes through a hole in the roof, with a sealed gland, under the back of the poptop (photo at the link). It’s a Renogy panel, 100w. I picked these panel dimensions as it fits behind the roof rack without being shadowed.

 

[Oceanis]

I would really recommend sticking a panel to a carrier of some sort, fitted in the roof-rack channels or on roof bars. I stuck two panels to a carrier plate with sikaflex, one panel failed after about a year and it took me a day to get it off, including lots of scraping and sawing which would destroy the paint finish on a pop-top. Flexible panels will fail eventually and need to be replaced. This has happened on my boat and my van.



Here's how difficult it is to get glued panels off a roof ... it's in German but I can certainly concur it's an awful job and I'm glad they weren't directly attached to my pop-top.

 

[airhoguk]

Or this solution but you need the vw roof rails

Solar Camper Solutions - VW CALIFORNIA (T5 & T6) Solar Panel Kit

*****IMPORTANT - YOUR ORDER WILL SHIP FROM 2ND OCT. Away on holiday ********** Drill free bolt on kit for the VW California, SE/Ocean/Beach, T5 or T6 ...

www.solarcampersolutions.co.uk

 

[roadtripper]

Many folks put a bit of appropriate coloured vinyl or PPF and bond to that to make panel removal easier.

Or this neat roofbar solution for rigid panels from @CJW (if you have bars on)

Solar Kit - Which One?

Pop top will be fitted next month hopefully so whilst I've got a fully empty van (no interior) I thought it would be a good idea to look into the solar options........ I've seen three kits but wanted to know what the guys in the know think? Option 1 - 175w Victron Kit £352.99...

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