Ideas for simple wind fairing?

[havesomejoe]

I'd like to make some kind of wind fairing to prevent as much wind as I can from going under the panels and pushing up.

I don't want to have to drill anything, since that was the whole point of using VHB with this aluminum mounting rack setup.

There are plenty of decent tutorials showing some ways to do it on youtube, but they don't quite fit my application so I'm wondering if others on here could share any creative ideas they have come up with or can think of now. I also don't really have a workshop so ideally it can be created with minimal tools.

See attached photos for my situation.

I plan to use a piece of ABS plastic that I cut into the rather odd shape at the front of my van roof, but I'm not sure about how to mount it.

There is no more room for a front cross bar, so I can't use the loop style fairing brackets. However, I could mount something brackets onto the underside of the front-most solar panel. Do they make pre-angled brackets or something that could allow me to angle the fairing plastic properly?

My other thought was to VHB-tape a large aluminum door hinge onto that hump, and then just rest the top of the fairing onto the side of the panels and tie it down somehow so it doesn't move.

 

[bpal]

Its hard to tell from the pictures. Is there not space to put an additional rail going across in front of the mounted panel? The panel may have to be pushed back 1/2 inch. If the hump is too high, maybe spacer feet/legs could elevate a cross bar higher?

 

[havesomejoe]

Its hard to tell from the pictures. Is there not space to put an additional rail going across in front of the mounted panel? The panel may have to be pushed back 1/2 inch. If the hump is too high, maybe spacer feet/legs could elevate a cross bar higher?

I may be able to slide them back just a bit, I'll have to check. Either way I can still mount something onto the panel itself, I just
don't know what. Possibly bent door brackets.

The hump isn't that high, it's more the dips on the side that I have to account for. I'll have to cut the plexiglass with the hump in it

 

[chrisski]

Is the intent of this fairing for the front for driving only, or would it be from all four directions?

If its from all four directions, I wonder how this would effect power production by not having the air flow under the panel.

 

[havesomejoe]

Just from the front to reduce wind noise and prevent upward wind force since they are held down with VHB.

 

[chrisski]

Just from the front to reduce wind noise and prevent upward wind force since they are held down with VHB.

It'd be nice to see a solved picture once you get this done.

 

[havesomejoe]

I've got a video in the works that'll be on my youtube when it's done.

 

[grizzzman]

Before you do anything , consider how a plane wing works. If you ramp it before the panel you could cause a vacuum on top of the panel. I have had two family members loose panels due to glueing them on.......

 

[havesomejoe]

Oh yeah I understand the dynamics of wind fairings for roof racks. No one is gluing anything lol.

 

[Freddmc]

I would make a cardboard template to "fill in" the areas on each side of the hump and go to a sheet metal shop and have them bend it up in metal(in my case I would use .050 aluminum) and then glue it(VHB tape) and/or rivets. You can attach it either on the top of the panel edge or the front. Shouldnt cost too much if you get it done as it will be a small panel with only one bend in it(no compound curves). As far as it working like an airplane wing causing lift my understanding is that lift is caused by air flowing over and under the wing at different speeds. If your handy at all you can just buy some aluminum sheet and make it yourself. Making a template out of cardboard allows you to shape it easy using scissors.

 

[havesomejoe]

cardboard template is a good idea, I also hadn't considered making it from a metal sheet, I was going to go with thick ABS plastic. Bent metal would probably look more OEM than plastic with a cutout to account for the hump..

 

[eXodus]

Can't you push the panel further back?

 

[chrisski]

I considered molding my own battery box out of fiberglass. I have no idea how that would hold up to the winds.

Also wondering when this project is said and done if it'd be cheaper to just get a couple of flexible panels and glue or tape those to the roof.

 

[grizzzman]

I would make a cardboard template to "fill in" the areas on each side of the hump and go to a sheet metal shop and have them bend it up in metal(in my case I would use .050 aluminum) and then glue it(VHB tape) and/or rivets. You can attach it either on the top of the panel edge or the front. Shouldnt cost too much if you get it done as it will be a small panel with only one bend in it(no compound curves). As far as it working like an airplane wing causing lift my understanding is that lift is caused by air flowing over and under the wing at different speeds. If your handy at all you can just buy some aluminum sheet and make it yourself. Making a template out of cardboard allows you to shape it easy using scissors.

faster over the top of the wing. When air moves faster, the pressure of the air decreases. So the pressure on the top of the wing is less than the pressure on the bottom of the wing. The difference in pressure creates a force on the wing that lifts the wing up into the air.

NASA (.gov) › grc › StudentSite
Dynamics of Flight - NASA

 

[Freddmc]

Having had a wing on a race car I understand HOW they work.
In order to give lift (or downforce) it needs a speciail shape.Not sure if a flat panel could generate much of either.

 

[HRTKD]

Even if it doesn't generate lift, having it stick out like that it would likely catch a lot of buffeting from the vehicle's airflow.

 

[Freddmc]

Isnt that why he is looking to add fairings?.

 

[Casalino]

I would just jam a pool noodle and be done with it, done it for several different purposes throughout the years.

 

[WSix]

I have a set of square contractor type roof racks for my van. I intend to put a faring on it when I finally do a permanent install.
When I initially tried them, they made a big racket!
I ended up taking 3ea short pieces of 3/4" pvc pipe I had lying around, wire tying them in a bundle, and then wire tied the bundle to the front cross piece. These were only about 18-20" long.
No more noise.