Anyone have pix of how they mounted solar panels

[Colin Hughes]

Thanks Crom, Here's a quick shot. It fits perfectly across the top of the LR3. It could sit right on the rails but I thought it might be better to have it up slightly. The cables currently run in the side window and I cut and painted a thin piece of wood (luan) to seal the interior from rain. The wood tucks into the door window track at the top and side and that and the window hold it in place. I'll likely run the wires back in through the rear hatch when I have some free time to make it a bit more permanent.

 

[Crom]

Thanks!

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Thanks. With regards to wiring, I meant where is the junction box?
Normally the "thin" panels have a big ugly box that sticks up, and I like that yours does not.

How did you do that?

-Dan

I dont have a good answer, but I do have a picture:sombrero:

I have been very happy with the off road durability and the performance of the panel. I would recommend it to a friend.

 

[geordie4x4]

In Australia I have finally found a supplier that does almost these exact same panels with the much neater slim cable connection.

I asked if they will do a completely flat connector and they are looking into it.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

In Australia I have finally found a supplier that does almost these exact same panels with the much neater slim cable connection.

I asked if they will do a completely flat connector and they are looking into it.

I agree everything has room for improvements. Looking at the scratches on the front and the top of my popup tells me the panel and junction can take a fair amount of abuse.

 

[slamunion]

I have 160 watts of panels (2x80) on mine, as you see they totally tilt and hold every angle in about 80 degree window.

 

[geordie4x4]

That is an interesting way to get them out from under the roof top tent. Good thinking.
I see there are gas struts but what do you use to hold position from the strut pushung all the way up?

 

[sabconsulting]

When I replaced the roof of my truck camper with Aluminium I welded 25mm square tabs onto various places to support roof rails around the edge of the roof and the central moon roof. I could then simply bolt a pair of solar panels to those rails. I used hinges and little sliding bolts, not so I could adjust the angle, just so I could raise them for access underneath.

 

[slamunion]

That is an interesting way to get them out from under the roof top tent. Good thinking.
I see there are gas struts but what do you use to hold position from the strut pushung all the way up?

The gas struts just hold the position they are just at the perfect weight to hold in any position just about except about 2 inchs from being closed.

 

[Petrolburner]

From my research on solar, important points are:

Face South, not flat on the roof

Big wire in a short run to the charge controller

Controller very close to the battery and temperature compensated

No shadows on the panels. Even a small shadow can drop the panel output to less than half.

Allow air to circulate under the panel, output goes down as temp goes up

 

[100acrehuphalump]

From my research on solar, important points are:

Face South, not flat on the roof

Big wire in a short run to the charge controller

Controller very close to the battery and temperature compensated

No shadows on the panels. Even a small shadow can drop the panel output to less than half.

Allow air to circulate under the panel, output goes down as temp goes up

Good bit O' info, tanks!

 

[wuntenn]

From my research on solar, important points are:

Allow air to circulate under the panel, output goes down as temp goes up

I'm interested this aspect. So many of the slim panels are stuck directly to the roof. I wondered about raising my own slim panel but then realized I would be defeating the point of obtaining a slim one and might as well have got a fat framed one instead (cheaper too!).

However after thinking about it I decided (rightly or wrongly) that sticking it directly to the roof made sense as it was unobtrusive, but that the large white roof it is stuck to would act as a pretty good heat sink and absorb a lot of the heat that the dark-coloured cells generate (as well as any other heat generated in the process of doing its solar voodoo).

Would my line of reasoning be ....er....well....reasonable?


PS it's stuck on now so no going back!

 

[Xterabl]

Your logic sounds pretty good. Steel is not great thermal conductor (compared i.e. to aluminum) but much better than air!
For the standard (thicker) panels, there is an aluminum frame and the cells are recessed with respect to the back surface of the frame.
So if you flush mount the frame there is a pocket of air -- inside the frame and between the cell backing and the mount surface -- that gets very hot if there is no outlet.
Well, time will tell; but I think you're fine.
It would be interesting to see cell performance drop-off as a function of temperature. Wonder if anyone has a good source/link?

 

[wuntenn]

My roof is alloy, 9' long by 4' or so wide so lots of heat-sooking ability methinks.

 

[inter]

It would be interesting to see cell performance drop-off as a function of temperature. Wonder if anyone has a good source/link?

http://www.solar-facts-and-advice.com/solar-panel-temperature.html