Hello! I built a roof rack with 4x8 sheet of 3/4” marine plywood. Putting a couple of glands in roof for solar wires and other wires. Bought 4 NewPowa 100 watt panels with misaligned cells for $70 each - hoping they arrive today. I want to go some places without paying for motels, come home between trips. Will post pics as I progress.
Getting started with Transit Connect
- Thread starter OldJimbo
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FilterGuy
Solar Engineering Consultant - EG4 and Consumers
Cool..... I look forward to your updates.
The panels got here yesterday. I got a 17v reading from the first two in partial sun by just checking the wires on the back. They cost $70 each on eBay - but aren’t very pretty because of misaligned cells. I’m not concerned with cosmetics - as verified by the mirror, so it seemed like a good deal. Haven’t bought the battery(s) yet - still trying to figure out if I need to go to 24v.
Question about the solar panels. I would like to mount the plywood and then the panels just so they’re safe and out of the way. That would get all the topside work done and let me work on the inside with the van closed up in the winter. Any cons to this? Don’t want to “age” the panels or hurt them by being in the sun without a battery installed.
FilterGuy
Solar Engineering Consultant - EG4 and Consumers
I am not aware of any issues with your plan.
I’m ready to mount the panels but I have 2 big questions:
1) each one is 20” x 44.5”. Should I mount them fore & aft as pictured or side to side across the top of the plywood. Either way they will fit, but s x s let’s me make an air dam, damage protector combo across the front. That’s why the 2x4 and 4x 4 scraps are in front- just seeing how it goes. The side x side also let’s me screw down the legs more easily.
2) Is it worth waiting for SS screws to come in from Amazon or will #8x1.25 “PrimeGuard” coated construction screws be good enough?
1) each one is 20” x 44.5”. Should I mount them fore & aft as pictured or side to side across the top of the plywood. Either way they will fit, but s x s let’s me make an air dam, damage protector combo across the front. That’s why the 2x4 and 4x 4 scraps are in front- just seeing how it goes. The side x side also let’s me screw down the legs more easily.
2) Is it worth waiting for SS screws to come in from Amazon or will #8x1.25 “PrimeGuard” coated construction screws be good enough?
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FilterGuy
Solar Engineering Consultant - EG4 and Consumers
I am not sure it matters.... so go with SxS so you can do the air dam.
I can't really say SS or PrimeGuard is better.... but I would wait for the SS. Be sure to drill pilot holes. I find SS snaps off easier if they bind while screwing them down.
I’m doing something wrong - I convinced myself to buy most of the stuff I needed so that I could figure out how to shoehorn it all into the rapidly shrinking van interior. Now I’m waiting for the small 2 kw diesel heater and the mattress to arrive. Going without insulation because I’m worried about excessive heat in the summer. Am I planning too far in advance? Can’t even decide if I need two fuse boxes - one for 12v and one for 24v. Help (again) ?
I set my panels opposite to your mounting method, and I regret it. I think side by side allows more rigid mounting. I don’t understand where you will be placing the dam… on top, where the 4x4 is now, or underneath? I think underneath makes a better plan.
Interesting. I was thinking on top, to partially protect the panels from twigs, angry birds, whatever. Also it would help prevent the headwind from getting under the panels. Under the plywood the 4 x 4 would help create a vacuum between the roof and the plywood - maybe? I’m on shaky ground here…
Panels are mounted on top with all 4 in a side by side pattern. I switched to a 12 volt 4P wiring feeding through a Victron SmartSolar 100/30 to 2 each Lossigy 12v 100ah LiFePO4 batteries in parallel. Now I’m planning on an inverter, but it looks like I can only use a 1000 watt true sign wave inverter because the batts can only discharge at a 50 amp rate each. Is this right or can I use a 1500 or 2000 watt inverter? The only reason would be to use a inductive cooktop - and only because it’s tough to carry an LP tank in addition to diesel for the heater. It’s really getting crowded in there, especially since I want a 35 liter refrigerator. So what about the inverter?
