Neat, which panels are you using, how do you like them?
That's a neat build. The post mentioned tracker, but it does not have one, does it?
Anyone have pix of how they mounted solar panels
- Thread starter 100acrehuphalump
- Start date
Neat, which panels are you using, how do you like them?
That's a neat build. The post mentioned tracker, but it does not have one, does it?
LandCruiserPhil
Expedition Leader
Andy@AAV
Old Marine
I went simple with goal zero and bolted some scrap steel strap to a boulder 15 and taped some Home Depot magnets to it, then stick it to my roof. I have a nomad 27 I lay out towards the sun and chain into the boulder 15. A guardian charge controller hard wired to the battery completes my setup. It extends my fridge to 4+ days 
On my off road trailer, I mounted my solar panel to a pivoting TV arm/mount. It lies flat in transit, but can be pivoted in any direction to catch maximum sunlight while camping. When on rough gravel roads, the pivot allows the panel to be flipped over for protection.
Attachments
Last edited:
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
100acrehuphalump
Explorer
Tv wall mount solar panel mount fabrication
I posted earlier how I was gonna set my panels up on the trailer, but someone threw out the idea of using a tv wall mount, soo....this is what I'm doing. I picked up a wall mount from China WallMart. It's a full motion made by Sanus Vuepoint part # F215b. It wasn't cheap at $100. I picked up 2 six foot lengths of perforated steel strapping from Lowe's as well as some metric hardware and nylox nuts and wing nuts for quick release/ setup. I had one leftover piece of perforated angle strapping to use for the bottom.
Mounting nuts and bolts:
(8) - Hex Cap Screws M8-1.25x20
(8)- Insert Lock Nuts M8-1.25.( Nylox Nuts)
(4)- Hex Cap Screws. M8 -1.25x40. For use with tv mount supplied spacers
(4)- Wing Nuts M8-1.25
Note: Make sure to read each individual bag they come in as sometimes other sizes get mixed in with the correct bins.
Note when attaching everything to the panel, make sure to set something soft in between inner panel and mounting bracket. It would suck to drop a wrench and crack the panel. I used some 1/4 inch foam used in kayaking.
After everything was mounted I slid the styrofoam back in.
Waiting for painted pole to dry and I need some longer bolts and wing nuts to mount to pole will post that tomorrow.
Next I'm building a carrying case from Masonite, 2x6's, and the 1/4 in foam. To keep them safe in the truck while traveling. Be well!
I posted earlier how I was gonna set my panels up on the trailer, but someone threw out the idea of using a tv wall mount, soo....this is what I'm doing. I picked up a wall mount from China WallMart. It's a full motion made by Sanus Vuepoint part # F215b. It wasn't cheap at $100. I picked up 2 six foot lengths of perforated steel strapping from Lowe's as well as some metric hardware and nylox nuts and wing nuts for quick release/ setup. I had one leftover piece of perforated angle strapping to use for the bottom.
Mounting nuts and bolts:
(8) - Hex Cap Screws M8-1.25x20
(8)- Insert Lock Nuts M8-1.25.( Nylox Nuts)
(4)- Hex Cap Screws. M8 -1.25x40. For use with tv mount supplied spacers
(4)- Wing Nuts M8-1.25
Note: Make sure to read each individual bag they come in as sometimes other sizes get mixed in with the correct bins.
Note when attaching everything to the panel, make sure to set something soft in between inner panel and mounting bracket. It would suck to drop a wrench and crack the panel. I used some 1/4 inch foam used in kayaking.
After everything was mounted I slid the styrofoam back in.
Waiting for painted pole to dry and I need some longer bolts and wing nuts to mount to pole will post that tomorrow.
Next I'm building a carrying case from Masonite, 2x6's, and the 1/4 in foam. To keep them safe in the truck while traveling. Be well!
Attachments
Last edited:
robgendreau
Explorer
I never thought attaching the panel to my van was a good idea. I camp in hot weather; I want the van in the shade as much as possible. So I got some aluminum (actually Harbor Freight 48" aluminum clamps; cheaper than the aluminum at my usual supplier). Made a frame, essentially just two long legs with a couple of shorter ones through a bolt to make a sort of A frame so it could be tilted. Light, movable, cheap. I use a converted extension cord back to the controller, or my 30 amp cord with a converter to attach to the panel. Less voltage drop since it's big wire.
100acrehuphalump
Explorer
Ok I finally got the panel mounted on the trailer. At 1st the pole was just too tall for even me to lift it into position, so I hacked off 1.5 feet of it. It's lower now but I can raise the tube in its mount and tighten it down with the attached threaded bolt. The tv mount allows it a 360* rotation. I am keeping it from blowing around in the wind with a couple of small bungee cords.
Attachments
wrcsixeight
Adventurer
I'm really digging the retasking of this TV swing arm idea for manual solar tracking.
A big thumbs up.
I put a framed kyocera panel on my conversion van roof. I used my woodworking and fiberglass skills to make some somewhat aerodynamic plywood corners, and bond them to the roof( after sanding down through paint and gelcoat. I can tilt the panel upto 90 degrees toward either side of the van, but not front or back. I Rarely do.
I've since adhered a Unisolar pvl-68 to the other side of the roof in parallel with the Kyocera 130 watt panel.
With a couple supports I have made to protect the panels, I can still carry large amounts of plywood on top, for when I do not feel like rearranging interior contents to put them inside.
100acrehuphalump
Explorer
Nice work.
on a FWC pop up, has anyone permanently mounted panels? And how did you run the wiring into the camper. My panel sits on top in the front on the roof where I have a rack and am considering putting a hole in the roof and running it to the inside just behind the hinged panel in the front where it can move up and down as the panel is moved up or down as the top is open/closed.
100acrehuphalump
Explorer
Send a PM to Pappawheely at the top of this page, it looks like he has the same setup your talking about. Good luck!
