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Panel Mount on 2003 Grumman StepVan / Workhorse P42 for Coffee Truck

milehighbob

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Joined
Jul 15, 2021
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Would appreciate suggestions for mounting 4 commercial panels (similar to Will’s recommended Hanwah Q) on energy thirsty coffee truck; each panel would be about 55 lbs, 41” x 82”. The roof is about 7’ x 15 ½‘; fiberglass is 75” wide with aluminum edge rails about 4” each surrounding the fiberglass before wrapping around to side panels, as well as aluminum cross roof bows (photo & schematic attached).

Solar panel length is almost same as roof width, so mounting 4 panels sideways would allow about 6” gap between panels. Mounting panels longitudinally (2 x 2) would mean little or no gap between inside long edge of each pair. Either way the panels would be close to the side edge of the roof.

There are 3 electric boxes about 2” high on roof with 1" conduit, so may need to mount panels 4” or more above roof. Will be either 24v or 48v system, with mostly urban driving at moderate speeds.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions on the following questions or anything else you can think of:
  • are there efficient commercial panel models better for daily driving,
  • mount panels sideways or longitudinally,
  • mount panels directly onto roof vs on lateral rails vs on longitudinal rails,
  • recommended height and mounting hardware,
  • can truck’s aluminum lateral “roof bows” help edge rails support panels?
 

Attachments

  • coffee truck roof_23July2021.jpg
    coffee truck roof_23July2021.jpg
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  • MorganOlson2003 2 Ton Walk In StepVan Roof.jpg
    MorganOlson2003 2 Ton Walk In StepVan Roof.jpg
    119.3 KB · Views: 3
If you can put in a rail system it's going to be easier. A rack system will cost more than the standard Z brackets, but the install of PV panels will be easier/faster. Should you need to remove/replace a panel, the rack system makes that easy. Z bracket remove/replace is not simple.

You could install standard Unistrut, or go with a PV specific rack system.

The typical commercial grade panel should be OK for mobile use. There are thousands of installs of these panels on RV trailers (like mine) that travel at 70 MPH.

Are you in Denver? (Edit: Nevermind, went to your website. I'm local to you.)
 
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