paul_richardson Posted March 13, 2020 Share Posted March 13, 2020 Hi Guys, I finally got around to buying myself a Flexible Solar Panel for my Camper Conversion. I plan on sticking it onto the roof using Sikaflex 512, which I have successfully used for sticking all sorts onto the van (Including the roof box I made). The question I have involves the Solar Panel mounting holes, which have reinforcing rings around them. I am not using any screws, but wondered what to do with these reinforcing rings, they lift an area of the panel a couple of millimetres off the roof of the van and I'm not sure what to do about it. Do we think it will be OK to just ignore them (6 in total), or should I try and flatten them off on the underside of the panel. This would give me a flat surface to bond straight to the van. Looking forward to your advice, Regards, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted March 13, 2020 Share Posted March 13, 2020 I usual advice would be not to bond the panel directly to the roof as they work better with an air gap. To achieve this on our old van I used a few squares of 'double sided' bitumen flashing, this allowed the semi flexible panel to follow the contour of the roof and give a small air gap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted March 13, 2020 Share Posted March 13, 2020 reading the instructions for Sika 512 it says " Adhesive thickness should be no less than 2mm (use spacers if required)" so sounds as though you'll be OK. You may need spaces for the remainder of the panel to keep a consistent thickness. https://gbr.sika.com/dms/getdocument.get/81048499-d15c-3eda-923f-148ccae8cd26/Sikaflex%20512%20Caravan.pdf Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_richardson Posted March 13, 2020 Author Share Posted March 13, 2020 colin - 2020-03-13 4:47 PM I usual advice would be not to bond the panel directly to the roof as they work better with an air gap. To achieve this on our old van I used a few squares of 'double sided' bitumen flashing, this allowed the semi flexible panel to follow the contour of the roof and give a small air gap. Hi Colin, That's great advice, which I shall follow. I'll get some flashing as spacers and use the Sikaflex all around the edges. Regards, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_richardson Posted March 13, 2020 Author Share Posted March 13, 2020 Keithl - 2020-03-13 4:48 PM reading the instructions for Sika 512 it says " Adhesive thickness should be no less than 2mm (use spacers if required)" so sounds as though you'll be OK. You may need spaces for the remainder of the panel to keep a consistent thickness. https://gbr.sika.com/dms/getdocument.get/81048499-d15c-3eda-923f-148ccae8cd26/Sikaflex%20512%20Caravan.pdf Keith. Hi Keith, Thanks for the Leaflet (which I have downloaded), I've never seen that before. I'm going to use some "flashing" spacers, as suggested by Colin, and Sikaflex at 2mm thickness. I think I'll get some of the Sika Cleaner 205 and I'll definitely use a fine abrasive to create a key. Hopefully it should stick like poo to a blanket. Regards, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Posted March 14, 2020 Share Posted March 14, 2020 paul_richardson - 2020-03-13 5:12 PM colin - 2020-03-13 4:47 PM I usual advice would be not to bond the panel directly to the roof as they work better with an air gap. To achieve this on our old van I used a few squares of 'double sided' bitumen flashing, this allowed the semi flexible panel to follow the contour of the roof and give a small air gap. Hi Colin, That's great advice, which I shall follow. I'll get some flashing as spacers and use the Sikaflex all around the edges. Regards, Paul I think you leave the side edges open to ventilate. I left a 20mm gap under our rigid panel just at the sides so the wind can't get under it while driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_richardson Posted March 14, 2020 Author Share Posted March 14, 2020 Hi Charles, Good point, I'll leave the sides open for ventilation. Regards, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeamRienza Posted March 14, 2020 Share Posted March 14, 2020 Worth a read. It is about the only article I have come across which has some research into the way to install or fix solar to roof. http://www.aandncaravanservices.co.uk/solar-panels.php Davy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted March 14, 2020 Share Posted March 14, 2020 Can I add a word of caution here. The OP has a flexible panel that will be fixed directly to the roof. Most people will have experience of (fitting) the rather different rigid panels. The recommendations for each type differ quite a lot. I'm not an expert myself, but I have reasonably recently researched both types (the flexible type initially being attractive due to its significantly lower weight). Conventionally, and by recommendation, rigid panels are mounted on brackets, proud of the mounting surface, in order to provide required ventilation underneath (performance and/or life being affected by heat build up below them if they are not so ventilated). Flexible panels, however, are designed to be applied directly to the mounting surface, without a need for ventilation below them. An additional factor, however, that I have seen documented in several places, is that these flexible panels need to be uniformly affixed across their base area, with no air-pockets left remaining once the job is done. (such air-pockets heat up faster than the surface of the panel, and this can damage the cells adjacent). If I had carried my consideration of fitting one further, I would have explored fitting via means of the appropriate industrial adhesive backing tape (a number of flexible panel suppliers will deliver with the appropriate amount of this) since it appeared to me that with a decent mounting surface, it would be easier to ensure no air pockets were left (as opposed to using a large area of Sikaflex, and trying to get it uniformly flat). I wouldn't take my view above as gospel, but it is the result of previous research. Since it will be very difficult to re-do once fixed, I'd spend a little more time doing research on the best way to fit a flexible panel, and be aware that some of the advice in posts above appears to me to reference rigid panels, with their different requirements). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plwsm2000 Posted March 14, 2020 Share Posted March 14, 2020 paul_richardson - 2020-03-14 12:44 PM Hi Charles, Good point, I'll leave the sides open for ventilation. Regards, Paul Paul, This is a bad idea for flexible panels. When you are driving, the air pressure above the panel will be lower than the air trapped underneath it so it will bend downwards. Also any turbulance will cause it to flap about in the middle. In spite of being called "flexible", they don't like being flexed too much. The frame on a rigid panel will stop it bending. I guess you could try to stick it down in several places along the sides (still leaving a gap between the bond points) but you also need to stick it down in the center region to stop it flexing sideways. I don't know how reliable this will be though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witzend Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 I decided against flexible panels and fitted rigid panels with just corner mounts makes removal easy if required for any reason glad I did now with all the associated snags of flexy ones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_richardson Posted March 18, 2020 Author Share Posted March 18, 2020 Hi, Not a useful suggestion in my case, I'm fitting the panel to the only clear space, which curves in two directions. Regards, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.