diy solar

diy solar

Any magnetic mounts for solar panels?

Curb71

New Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2019
Messages
44
I have a gazebo type structure over my BBQ and I want to add a couple 200W~ solar panels on top. It's a solid metal roof and I don't want to drill through it. Wondering if some type of magnetic or adhesive mount exists.
 
If you’re using flexible flat panels, you may be able to get away with a two sided eternabond tape, or something like a 2” wide Dicor roofing tape, but once down, that’s not coming off. THe Roof would also need to be prepped really good. WIth it not coming off, that to me is the same as drilling in the roof. I would not trust this adhesive alone to mount a flat panel. I think a squall could still take that flat panel off the roof. The flat panels need a space for air circulation underneath. Even with a flexible panel, the life of those is much shorter than a regular monocrystalline or polycrystalline panel.

I think my flat panel frames are aluminum, so magnets would not stick to those. Perhaps if you secured them somehow, it may stick to the roof. I may trust the Neodynum magnets, but I don’t know how long those will last. Some of those re so strong they may rip from the mount, or warp the roof if pulled off.
 
You can buy strong magnets with holes in the center to screw to something. Make a mount for the panels (low as possible, maybe about the height of the roof ribs) and attach the magnets to the mount. The magnets on the bottom of the mount and the panels attached (bolts) to the top of the mount.
 
You could clamp rails to the ribs of the roof and mount panels to the rails. A combination of VHB tape and eternabond would most likely be effective in a direct mount if care is taken in cleaning and mounting. The structure has a raised center section so you might be able to connect a tether to the panels just in case.
 
You could clamp rails to the ribs of the roof and mount panels to the rails. A combination of VHB tape and eternabond would most likely be effective in a direct mount if care is taken in cleaning and mounting. The structure has a raised center section so you might be able to connect a tether to the panels just in case.
There are various metal roof mounting methods/hardware. One type does clamp to vertical ribs, like on a standing seam roof.
 
For this specific application, I don't see a problem using magnets to hold the panels down, if you use enough magnets.

I bought these magnets 4Pcs of 1.26 Powerful Neodymium Round Base Cup Magnet to hold a small solar panel to the side of my trailer when parked at the storage lot. It's never come undone from wind.

The only concern I have with using magnets is that there may not be enough of an air gap between the mounting surface and the panel to provide adequate cooling.
 
Since the rigid panels I'm looking at using have an aluminum frame, I was going to add some standard solar panel mounting brackets to the panels and then attach a ring shaped magnet to each one. With the magnets being secured to the bottom of the brackets, they'd hopefully be little shoes that hold the panel to the metal roof. Gonna try it out. Thanks for the link HRTKD. I think these are looking even better.
 
I have a gazebo type structure over my BBQ and I want to add a couple 200W~ solar panels on top. It's a solid metal roof and I don't want to drill through it. Wondering if some type of magnetic or adhesive mount exists.
I see a vent area near the top that should be accessible from inside, and gutter at the edge.
Could screw in rails top & bottom. I've used Unistrut that way on a shake roof, didn't want to have to seal any holes in the middle.
 
I bought some rare earth magnets from Lowe's and Home Depot. Very very strong! They are three inches in diameter and hold lots of stuff in my van. I didn't think of solar panels.
 
I am researching a similar project for my metal cabin roof. I am scared to cause long term issues with roof leaks. S5 has some specialized metal roof mounting systems. But I don't have a standing seam to clamp onto. Was considering these magnetic mounts
but since I already have some aluminum z brackets that came with my panels with 6mm mounting holes I didn't want them to go to waste. I am looking for some magnets that will fit that size. My panels are each 16 lbs. The magnets you posted look decent except the post is 8mm. I will be curious how you make out with this project.
 
Back
Top