How to mount 4 panels to my 16' cargo trailer

[gooby]

So I have a 16' aluminum cargo trailer conversion. I have roughly 168" to utilize long ways and 81.5" across.
I have 4 roof racks that are identical to this photo and bolt into the side of the trailer.

I need to mount 4 405w Jinko panels to the roof. I am trying to decide the best method of mounting to the racks. The panels are 79' x 39.5'
This leaves very little space on either side of the trailer, regardless of the direction in which I mount the panels.

I am confused as to how to do it, though. I can do Z brackets(8 per panel) and drill them into the aluminum roof racks. However, I would much rather not have to drill into the racks dozens of times.

Some sort of U bolt system sounds best, but I can't quite figure out how I would go about doing that. Or maybe some aluminum angle mounted perpendicular to the roof racks which encases the whole rectangle of 4 panels. That requires drilling into the racks as well, so maybe that is inevitable.

Given that there is 4" roughly from the edge of the roof rack to the straight bar due to the angle, the racks are technically about 74" of straight bar, and the panels are either 79' regardless of the direction I put them. So U bolting the panels long ways to the racks won't quite work. I need a different idea. Any help? Thanks all.

 

[featherlite]

I mounted my solar panels on my 16 ft long aluminum trailer roof using 3M 4960 VHB (very high bond) double sided tape. I cut and bolt mounted 1.5 inch wide, 3 inch long, aluminum angle pieces to each of the panel frames. I also cut and attached 2 inch wide, 6 inch long, angle pieces to the roof using the VHB tape. I used the wider 2 inch wide angle pieces on the bottom to maximize surface adhesion.

Each matched set of angle was not mated or bolted together, top mated to bottom, until after the bottom pieces were first attached to the roof and cured for 24 hours. There is no margin for attachment error once the bottom pieces are attached to the roof. As soon as the tape touches the surface, the bottom piece is stuck to the roof and there is no wiggle room.

My roof is bowed side to side and also uneven between the roof bows. Consequently, I could not attach a long piece of angle to the roof with the VHB tape. So, I cut each bottom piece 6 inches long so as avoid any unevenness of the roof. I used 6 paired attachment points for each panel.

Your panels are almost twice the dimensions of my panels. Consequently, If it were me, I would use 12 attachment points for each panel.

If it were me, I would remove the roof racks and use VHB tape as described.

3M 4960 VHB is amazingly strong, if applied properly, with good surface prep, in accordance with the manufacturer's data sheets. My panels have been rock solid now for 5 years, with no sign of give whatsoever.

Hope you figure out a solution to your problem. If you decide to use VHB tape, I would be happy to further explain the process I used, especially to line up the attachment points and to align the bolt holes.

PS: You have a beautiful trailer!

 

[KITROBASKIN]

Can’t say I understood all of your description in the opening post, so please forgive me if I am off:

Having under panel ventilation can make electrical production more efficient. Consider installing (maybe 1/4 inch thick) aluminum square tubing running fore and aft, attached to your racks (given they are sturdy and well attached). Position the panels in the most effective orientation onto the square tubing (maybe 1 1/2 inch or 2 inch square?). Thinking 3 or 4?

Perhaps considered foolish by some, I attached angle aluminum to the leading and trailing edge of of our camper shell solar panels.

Note that all this is experimental and caution is advised.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

I used BougeRV 41in solar panel tilt mount brackets one step with foldable tilt legs, so that in winter time we will dismount and use tilted toward the winter sun.

This is experimental.