Installing Solar Panels On The Roof Of A Van

Solar panels come in two main types.

Installing solar panels on the roof of a van.

How to install solar panel s on a camper van conversion. Van solar panels came in a variety of wattages but most vanlifers use multiple 100w panels for their systems. We just installed an awning on our van and it was a bit of a process to figure out how to attach it without the benefit of a roof rack. The autonomy of our diy camper van conversion depends on power and extracting power from the sun feels a bit like cheating to us.

The 2 solar panels were bolted together solidly using aluminum angle. Without solar panels your van s system will be useless. Given excellent conditions a. If you say freedom we say solar power.

Using aluminum angle stock brackets were made to reach across the rv van roof bolting to the rear 4 attachment brackets located on the roof. A recent event made me very happy i used the vhb tape. Since these are delicate pieces of equipment and they ll just be out and exposed on your roof you definitely want to make sure you re installing them securely. I had the general idea of where i wanted the solar panels to sit on top of my van but without dry fitting them first i would have overlooked how the mounting holes actually lined up on the contoured roof.

The panels themselves are easy to install and the entire guide to installing solar panels can be found on renogy s website. Hi greg yes we would install a roof rack first then attach the solar panels to it. How to install solar panels on a camper van conversion with 3m vhb tape no holes solar panels are a key element for off the grid vanlife. The solar panels after all need to be mounted to the roof in such a way that they are protected from the elements aerodynamic and won t fly off the roof when your vehicle is in motion at high speed.

The electrical system of our campervan is designed to power our appliances fan lights 12v fridge etc and can be charged with solar power alternator or shore. Obviously the solar panels are part of that electrical system but i wanted a separate post just for actually installing the panels on the roof of the van. The most difficult part of equipping your car truck or van with a solar system such as this is figuring out how to safely mount the solar panels to the roof of your vehicle. If you say freedom we say solar panels we listed all the steps in this instructable but head over here for all the m.

Polycrystalline panels are cheaper but they are also less efficient. That way we could easily add on an awning and or a road shower a roof storage box or whatever else we might need. Make sure to put a layer of self leveling sealant over the top of the solar panel feet adhesive pads to prevent dirt and water from compromising the attachment and haven t had any issues. How to install solar panels on the roof of an rv van.