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diy solar

Quick Connect Brackets for Panels on Cross Bar

c2005

New Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2022
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8
An image of my current setup is below. I drew what's going on under the panels.

20220420_194952~3.jpg

Right now, to mount or remove panels from my camper's roof/cross bars, it's four U-Bolts and several nuts. Not terrible, but feel it can be improved on.

I'd like to find a way to make this more of a quick connect and disconnect bracket. That way the panels can easily be taken down and put in the sun while the camper is in shade. Ideally, I'd like this to be tool-free.

Any thoughts on what I should be looking for?
 
I would make a hook assembly for the front that holds onto the cross bar, then a second hook on the rear cross bar that has either a tensioner or a thumbscrew/hand tightening nut on it. Then to remove you just release the rear tensioner and push the panels forward until the front hook disengages the cross bar.
 
Good thinking. I like that idea. The hook for the front should be easy to figure out.

The rear hook with tensioner will be a little more tricky due to the location of the crossbar. It's under the panel and can't easily be moved.

I think I can figure something out, though.
 
You could have the tensioner/moveable hook in front if that's more convenient. I'd think about using U channel for the hooks.

For the tensioner/moveable hook, you could perhaps have static U channel on one edge of the crossbar, and a moveable L or U channel on the trailing edge, with bolts and wing nuts to draw them together. The moveable channel would slide in a slotted hole on the panel frame.
 
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