How to install semi flexible solar panels correctly. More power, longer life, less heat. ep 7
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- čas přidán 15. 03. 2022
- This week we replace our damaged solar panels from the big lap of Australia and while we are at it upgrade to Solar 4 Rvs.
www.solar4rvs.com.au/
I did a lot of research before choosing them and found them to have a great range of panels at a great price while the quality is fantastic. They also offer so much information on their website, so if you are unsure or want to learn a thing or 2 jump on for a read.
while I was chatting to them, I told them what the problem was with our semi flexible panel and they told me exactly what the fix is and have a kit to suit.
So with our maiden voyage with the new panels completed, I have to say the output is significantly improved!
#campinggear #offgridliving #offgridlife #overlandcamping #overlandlife #overland #caravanningaustralia #caravanlife #caravaning #campertrailer #camperlife #offroadtrailer #solarpanel #solarpanels - Auta a dopravní prostředky
It well resolved the heat disipation problem.Great.I would like to recommend more and more customers to watch first,and then install flexible solar panel well with much longer lifesapn.
Correct, it's been nearly 2 years now and panel is holding up fantastic, thinking about removing heavy fixed panel and doing the same thing. Thanks for the support 👍
Great solution if you need to keep the weight down.
You can also fit the solar panel to a sheet of corflute and then to the roof of the van, canopy or trailer.
Hmm, probably could, I was following their directions and imagine they tested a couple of different techniques. Judging from how hard it was to get the old panel off, it is probably overkill glueing the whole panel
Exactly my idea. In the US we call it Coroplast for Corrugated Plastic. If you use the Lexan version (Polycarbonate panels) it is UV resistant and shatter resistant. They use it for greenhouse panels and it has channels going thru. So point in van front to rear direction for cooling while driving. I would install a roof rack. On top of this I would install the flex panel mounted with both silicon, VHB tape, and also some nuts and washers to the polycarbonate corrugated panel for stiffness and windflow. Then mount this panel to the roof rack. Add a wind deflector for less wind shear forces on your roof. Done.
cool video ! the new solar panels look good too ! nice work !
Thanks Brent, they have been such a improvement over the last, but need a lot more testing, but the quality is fantastic. I was I found them before I bought the old panels
Great vid Adam,very ineresting.Thanks mate😎
Thanks Doug, just one of those things, so many different companies out there, good to find one that has good customer support, you should check out how much info they have on their website
Grea work mate, fantastic advice around heat killing your solar panels
Thanks Mark, it's made a huge difference that air gap, as you probably seen from my burnt hand 🤣. Really happy with how they are going but need a lot more testing
Thanks for your video! You bring the idea in my mind to live.
Thank you.
No problems, and after nearly 2 years no issues with the solar panel or mounting. Really happy with how it works 👍
Great advice Adam 👍
Cheers 🍻
Great idea! Keeps it cool now, both solar panel and roof! Very smart.
I would angle that L bracket for better wind flow and less resistance. I would also paint the cord loom (corrugated wire covers) on the roof in brilliant white paint so it stays cool in the heat. Time to repaint your roof too.
It was on the news a while back that they created a paint so very whitey white that it kept structures as cool as if they were air conditioned. Imagine that!
Great vid Adam, Thanks. 🙏
Thanks for watching 👍
Cracking vid Adam,
Thanks Craig 👍
Nice job!
Thanks for the support 👍
Well on your advice I ordered a 100w flexible panel from the same place you got yours from. Cheers for the recommendation. Just have to wait until lat September to get it....
As far as wait times that's not too bad but still annoying when you want something straight away. Seems like everything takes months nowadays and there is nothing anyone can do. But it's been a great solar panel and I'm thinking of replacing the heavy fixed panel on the camper with another flexible panel 😀
Great video. We have the same problem, old flex solar on roof that badly needs replacing. Would like to go flexible again but was not sure. Think you've just convinced me. Really informative like normal.
Yeah we've been running the new panel now for over 6 months and no problems, and when the rear fixed panel needs replacing we'll be getting the same flexi
@@GoingOverland Will Prowse has a good vid on flexible panels. He talks the good and the bad about them.
I have a set I am about to install on my RV. I am kind of stuck with them because my roof is not flat and I didn't want flat panels sticking up and out over the edges.
They dont hold up as long as ridged panels but they are cheap enough for the present time use.
job well done!
Thanks for the support 👍
Using a oscillating multitool with rubbing alcohol is a good way to to remove old panels.
Been reading about some solar panels not liking the heat???? It goes in the sun...?? ... This is a great solution. Thank you.
Yeah it's amazing how something that needs the sun to work also is less efficient in the heat. Catch 22. But from the couple of hot weekends we have been out, the new setup is working great
Just use a actual house panel and weight wise will out work them all... 500w house panel will out do 3 or more of these and weigh less...
House panel has 25 year warranty and is 150 bucks each...
As an alternative to using 'goop' to stick down the panels, you could have used ultra high bonding double sided tape. Not nearly as messy!
I've got those same Solar4RV panels (3 x 100W) on my troopy and they have been great.
They did send me out the tape and I was a little hesitate to use it. Great to hear that it's been working fine for you. Love the troopy, it's definitely one vehicle that is tempting us
But the double sided tape will be still without space to disspate heat.I can not understand why it is with a good condition for long usage.I need to collect more informatin to guide my customers.Thanks
@CrystalChen-mf3yg Put down aluminium strips first (I used 12mm x 6mm) and this stands the panel 6mm off the roof which gives good airflow. From memory I used about 9 or 10 strips under each panel.
You can either use T-Rex or SikaFlex to put the strips onto the roof, and then double sided tape for the panels, or use double sided tape for everything. I've done both and never had any panels lift, or fly off at 110Km/h!
@@spudboy1328 Interesting design. Did you attach the alumnium strips directed front to rear, i.e. so the air channel under the flexible solar panel is front to rear? Also did you put a wind deflector (such as the alumnium L stock) in front of the panel like this video did to prevent too much wind hitting it going down the highway? Since that would reduce air flow and cooling would like to know if that could be avoided. Thank you
@@Dancencamp I put the strips in line with the car direction, so the air could pass through when driving. Not sure it would make a huge amount of difference though. As long as there is an air-gap, the air would still swirl around and have a cooling effect.
I didn't have a wind deflector.
Having replaced two sets of GoPower semi flexible, one under warranty (they explained they had a bad batch) and one with conventional ridged panels, I will wait a few years and see how the tech progresses.
Should paint the van roof with Cool Roof.Will get rid of that heat off the aluminium quicker
Thanks Michael, something I hadn't thought of, great idea 👍
When I had to repair my rv roof, I had the same problem, my metal roof was furnace hot. I had to repair any leaks and recoat the entire roof.
In the sun, the interior of the RV was very hot.
I cleaned the surfance of the roof and bought a product called Kool Seal. Sorry I'm not trying to drop any names, I used another product on another project, I dont recall the name but it was pretty much the same, a Roll on white elasdtemre rubber like roof.
anyhwere you have anything coming through the roof, vents stands for railing, you use a roof cloth, comes on a roll, 6 inches wide, about 25 feet long. Cut to fit, and sturate with the white roof media, go over the seams where they meet the roof, over the screws, do them all.
The Air Con you remove and put 3/4 by 1 1/2 to 2 inch strips around the opening to the cabin, making a frame for the AC seal, this you will also seal the seam along the roof with the roof cloth and roof media.
It was sunny and hot when I was applying the Kool Seal but as the hot metal began to be covered, I could feel the reflection of the sun begin to cool down. where you had sealed the seams with the cloth, go over it also. When done, the cloth should be covered and look like part of the roof material.
You will feel the temperature drop as you are covering the roof. you want to apply at least 2 coats for a good covering of the roof material.
I went inside the RV and instantly felt the temperature difference, cooler. Where anything that was exposed to the sun had been too hot to touch, was now comfortabley warm.
THis is a long term roof, mine lasted tdhe 20 years I had the coach till I sold it and made a huge difference with the heat from the roof.
The only maintenance you will ever need to do is to scrub it clean every year or two as the media can pick up dirt over time.
Seals any leaks you may have had.
Thought I'd mention it...
Thanks mate that sounds like a great solution. I never really thought about it until I seen a ad in a magazine. I might look into it, sounds like a great diy job 😀. Cheers for the positive comment and great idea, keep them coming, love learning new things from like minded people 😀
Heat resistant roofing paint would make that roof 80% cooler
Thank you Adam finding an honest solar review is impossible, also I still want some of the drugs that you’re on, I need the get up and gone that you have.
🤣 thanks John, I guess if I'm not keeping myself busy I get bored. I'll probably give it a full 12 months before I can do a review, but so far they are a big improvement and the flexible panel is holding shape
Looking at how hot your roof gets maybe you should think about painting it. I work out of pantech trucks and whenever I get a new one I paint the roof with acrylmeric weathertuff waterproofing. I did it because my first truck had a small water leak, which it fixed, but also the inside temperature dropped dramatically as it’s white and also a membrane so stretches with the heat. Bloody good stuff.
That sounds like a amazing product, I did consider painting it years ago but was worried that the paint would bake off and leave the roof looking horrible. I'll have to look into it, sounds great 👍. Thanks for the info
Nice vidio freinds.
👍
We have 2 x Solar4RV 120W panels on an aluminium frame that Lifestyle made up for the roof our Breakaway. They work well and will be 6 years old in December.
Thanks Kevin that's great to hear, from the few times if used the panels I can tell they are a big improvement over the old ones.
Useful info about fitting solar panels. Thanks.
Will the new high prices for fuel impact any future touring plans?
I don't think so, we paid $2.80/L at Mt Dare after crossing the Simpson in 2008 during the last fuel crisis and it was just one of those things that you can't control. We just got lucky with doing our lap before the jump in price, but if we had planned to go this year, it wouldn't stop us.
We just minimise how much we drive around home to balance it out the best we can
Thank you. Ignore sarcastic trolls.
happy st patrick day ireland
Thanks David 👍
👍👌❤️🇨🇦, gr8 video
Cheers mate, 🍻 thanks for the support 👍 🤠🇦🇺
Great down to earth and honest video as usual! Wondering why you chose a flexible panel over a rigid? A lot of comments I’ve read (including auto sparky types that have at least some credibility) say no matter what the quality or how well installed the flexible panels don’t have the life of the rigid panels. I do love the low profile nature of the flexible panel though and how they are almost invisible side on, just that lifespan things finally turned me away from them.
Thanks Bug, it's all about weight, lifting the roof is already heavy with the other panel, fan, extra lighting, and then the awnings, so it's on the limits now. Also I don't want to add more drawbar weight if I can. It's on about 160kg now with is 10% off the trailer, but with such a long wheel base, easy to push that weight up.
where to buy these plastic spaces? what is the name of the adhesive?
👍👌❤️🇨🇦, the best methodto get sikoflex offis to start at a corner, use a heavy thin stranded cord and see-saw tge string back and forth, this will cut through the Sikoflex
Great tip, I'll have to remember that, thanks for the tip 😀
Aha that's interesting. So you don't need to have that whole panel sheeting I have seen a few times in vids then, you can use strips of it. Ive got the panel already . Its big and needs to cover the angled roof of our camper so thats going to be a challenge in itself but easier if we dont need full sheeting.
Great video, those plastic spacers are a perfect air gap solution. Do you know if they have a standard product name so I could buy something similar in the US?
Try searching coreflute, that's what we call a similar product in Australia
There is an amazing invention these days its called a ladder. Who Knew?
🤣 yeah but doing things the easy way is just not me
Hi Adam, Did you join the wires when you bypassed their plug or did you get into the outlet on the panel? I am about to install the same panel on our Jayco pop top and am wondering if I should use the MC4 connectors supplied. Any thoughts??
I just cut the plugs off so I could use Anderson plugs. 1 wire off the panel is positive, the other is negative, pretty sure they are both labelled. Just gives us more flexibility using Anderson plugs on everything
Nice job what brand and type of
Silicone did you use.
Thanks
I used Bostik silicone from Sydney Tools
That roof needs Solar Guard paint. The ribs of the panel need to go longitudinally ie. length ways, to catch the wind when moving and ya thongs are to big for ya foot! LOL
Great video on solar, still gearing up for our trip to Mt Moffat in a week's time another question on your 6 month adventure did you have any problem with grey water? eg shower water on ground in National parks or free camping?
No, we took a collapsible water container from tentworld in case but never needed it. We collect the sink water in a bucket and always spread it out away from camp. You won't have any problems at Mt Moffitt
I have been looking for a better approach to avoid the overheating problem for mounting flexible solar panels on camping trailers and I think your approach has a lot of merits. Thank you for posting! However, I do not see the mounting kit at the supplier listed and I am confused as to the plastic spacer material your using between the roof and the flexible solar panel. The video shows that you used about 10 mm thick and 25 mm wide strips of twin wall (probably) polycarbonate sheeting as the spacer. However, one of your replies indicated you used coreflilute (or coreflute) (which is a polyproplene product commonly used in making advertising signs) as the spacers for mounting. Could you be more specific as to the spacer material? Also since any acute bending of the flexible panel could crack and ruin the panel, what do you think of using more plastic spacer strips so that you have narrower open spans incase a person or animal stepped on the panel after mounting? Thank you
Solar4rvs supply a coreflute type product with their flexible solar panels, I don't know if they sell it separately, you might have to ask them. But the panel I got was a light weight and flexible panel so designed to curve with roof profiles, but not designed to take and weight if mounted on a air gap system. If you direct stick panel to a hard surface like they do on yachts, then probably OK to step on panels, but they will be less efficient in hot weather.
@@GoingOverland Thank you. I looked on their web site and did not see the coreflute / twin wall polycarbonate strips or mounting kit. Also live in the US. So I purchased 10 mm twin wall polycarbonate panels, cut and sanded them into strips 58 mm wide for center mounts, 80 mm wide for the end mount (under the
Renogy flexible solar panel electrical hookups) and 62 mm wide for the other end mount under the solar panel. Since there will be shorter unsupported spans under the flexible solar panel hopefully with air flow it will cool almost as well , but hold up better to snow load or in case it gets bumped with a kayak or something when loading the roof rack. Don't plan to step on it. Will see how it holds up. Thank you.
What did you use as spacers, I'm on my 4 flex panel. 1st I think the heat killed it direct mount to 4wd roof, 2nd a renogy was great but hung out of the sunroof a little and a gust of wind while driving bent it back 90 degrees snapping the conductors, 3rd Dead on arrival warranty job, so now I'm the 4th panel and want to get it sorted also what goop to fix did you use
Maybe next you should try solar4rvs, those panels are working great and getting over 8amps out of the 100w panel!
We got some coreflute from solar4rvs and used structural silicone. So far no issues at all
Hey do you have a video of how you have mounted the solar on the front of the gq.
Looking a putting a solar on the roof of my at the moment but I tried to fit it to the floor of the roof rack but the shadows caused but the sides of the rack are stopping the solar from producing power.
Cheers Andy.
I have a aluminium bar u bolted to yhe top rail to get the angle, then 2 short rubber straps holding it down. On the front I have put rivnuts on the solar panel and use wing bolts to secure it to the racks
@@GoingOverland cheers for the reply.
I've just looked through the rig run down video. And seen the set up.
The straps holding the panel did they not reduce the effectiveness of your panel.?.
I have two different companies panels and both didn't like any hard shadow on them. Stopped both panels from producing power. Interesting.
Cheers Andy.
Can you tell me where I can get some of the plastic spacer strips please, my van roof has some awkward ribs running along it and these would sort my problem
They came with the panels from solar4rvs
@@GoingOverland Bunnings sell large sheets of this stuff, you could just cut strips from that sheet.
So almost 12 months on now. How's the panel going, Any issues ?
Going great, no issues at all. I'd definitely recommend installing the flexible panel on coreflilute and would 100% buy from solar4rvs again 😀
@@GoingOverland on corflute or the vented kit?
what is that material that you mounted the panels to called (has air gap)
It's like a coreflute material, but a little more solid then the thin stuff you get from bunnings
What did you use to fix the plastic strips to the roof? Will you be able to remove panel when you need to replace it?
Thats not terrible weather kid, come to Ireland!
🤣 you're right, I shouldn't complain, we are pretty lucky down here. Thanks for the support 👍
That's going to be one big micro chrack , only CIGS technology is suitable for a vehicle
Get a 150 buck house panel... 500w be lighter then all the and out do them easily...
Dont google them online actually go pass a solar place and by one. Online is like double but that the weight and aize in postage
Am I the only one that notice how hard you hit ya head 😅
😅 that was acting, didn't really hurt😆
Noice....
Thanks Mark 👍