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Topic: Seeking advice on several solar install aspects... (Read 2235 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Seeking advice on several solar install aspects...

Reply #25 –
This is my layout on the roof currently taken from just behind the rear air conditioner. There's room for additional panels while still having a space to move around or I could go with higher wattage panels to replace some of my lower wattage older panels and still have room.
'99 U320 40 WTFE
Build #5462,
1500 Watts Solar 600 amp Victron lithium
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Hemi
Instagram bobfnbw
Retired

Re: Seeking advice on several solar install aspects...

Reply #26 –
This is my 2030 watt set up.

final solar upgrad.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: Seeking advice on several solar install aspects...

Reply #27 –
Kidspot, the links below to my approx 1800 watt system may be of help to you, or maybe to others that follow your awesum solar install.

Be careful with your high voltage, you are not dealing with a more safe 12 or 24 volts anymore.

Reply #2
3M VHS tape, brackets, wire, misc parts 2019
Adding solar

Reply #4
added used 600 W, now 1800W in 2019 for $220
Solar Upgrade

Reply #26
Calculating mixed panels 1200 W 2018
Solar Battery Charging

Pictures of my 1200 watts, 4 LG panels  2017
Shared album - John Lewis - Google Photos
97 U295 40, Build #5040, 6C8.3 325 HP
Oregon Continuous Traveler
Samsung Residential #RF20HFENBSR,
Xantrex SW2012, (3)AGM8D Hse, (2)AGM Grp24 Eng, Victron BMV-712, 1800w Solar 4 LG & 2 Sunpower
Extreme Full Body Pt w/hdlmps, new furn/floor, 4 down Lexus 2004 GX470 AWD curb weight 4,740 lbs
Prev: 1990 Barth, 10L 300 2 yrs; 91&92 Monaco Signature, 10 yrs, 10L C 300 &  6C8.3 300; 1997 ForeT 6C8.3 325 since May 2017.  Employed by Guaranty RV 14+ yrs.  Former VW New Car Dlr/Service Dlr, Sales Mgr, Rv Sales, and Service Adviser from 1968-2017
"Don't criticize what you can't understand" Bob Dylan

Re: Seeking advice on several solar install aspects...

Reply #28 –
Quote from: Elliott –
I have found that the sun is so low on the horizon during the winter that tilting the panels moves the needle quite a bit for us. This is with 740 watts + AGM batteries that don't charge as quickly (on our 5er).
True for me too with 720 watts. I get 9 extra amps from tilting my 3 panels. The extra amps help on those short winter days. I also park east west when possible to get the most out of the southern sun.

see ya
ken
The selected media item is not currently available.ken & dori hathaway & Big Agnes
🍺1992 U300 GrandVilla WTBI #4150 FOT FBP 2011
✨6V-92TA DDEC Parlor Coach 350HP Series 92
🏁2011 Nissan XTerra Pro-4X

Re: Seeking advice on several solar install aspects...

Reply #29 –
Thanks for the great pictures and reference links - there are some great systems out there.

btw - I realized if roof access becomes more important than power we can always remove 2-4 panels and ground mount them - the mounts will just be in place, should they ever go back up on the roof and I'll just feed them into the charge controller from the ground - been considering a remote 45 amp powerpole connection for future expansion anyway - I've got lots on hand to do that with. 

Grateful for all the shared wisdom from y'all - many thanks - I started mounting the 3 charge controllers yesterday to a big piece of aluminum (From the old TV mounted up front) to help with heat dissipation.  and hoping to start getting the other components installed inside next week so they are ready for the panels & batteries - I'll keep you posted of the progress (I'll start a new thread for the actual project) 

Thanks again, Tim
Pursuing God's Delicious Unknown
in a 36' 2000 U320

Re: Seeking advice on several solar install aspects...

Reply #30 –

This is an update to my reply #27 in this thread.  After seeing the following video of a solar fail, I wanted to post what I noticed when I did my install.  Also please note I recommend nothing in the following video except, to see how not to install brackets.  It includes a good warning to definitely use larger washers, and also shows a possible shortcoming of using too few inexpensive aluminum brackets compared to the more expensive stainless steel brackets sold by AM Solar.

All VHS is not the same, do your own research.  It is easy to find the 3M spec chart for various VHB 3M tape, which I checked and 4950 excelled in adherence.  Also AM Solar used 4950, included with the stainless steel brackets I purchased from them.  I used a combination of the brackets,  Eight less expensive aluminum brackets on each panel in the rear, with large backing washers, and six stainless steel on each of the front panels, as I did my solar install over a period of two years.  This you can see in my previous reply #27 in this thread.  The front two panels are mounted using six brackets each of the stainless steel AMSolar brackets  I did this following their recommendation because of the size of the panels I used.  After seeing this video below, I am glad I did.  I used primarily VHB 4950 tape only.  I use screws only on the center, side brackets of the front two panels, as they due to the curvature of the roof there, appeared to need them.

He admitted failure due to using only eight brackets total, to hold down three panels, that is fewer than three per panel, which created nothing less that a big sail to be ripped from his roof.  Stainless steel would have helped, however even AM Solar recommended not using too few brackets.

3M 4950/WI15 Scotch 4950 VHB Tape: 1" x 15 ft, White
Amazon.com: 3M 4950/WI15 Scotch 4950 VHB Tape: 1" x 15 ft, White: Industrial...

AMSolar stainless brackets.
Mounting Hardware

My 1200W solar panels before adding another 600W.
Shared album - John Lewis - Google Photos

https://youtu.be/hCtmycZ4zZM


 

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97 U295 40, Build #5040, 6C8.3 325 HP
Oregon Continuous Traveler
Samsung Residential #RF20HFENBSR,
Xantrex SW2012, (3)AGM8D Hse, (2)AGM Grp24 Eng, Victron BMV-712, 1800w Solar 4 LG & 2 Sunpower
Extreme Full Body Pt w/hdlmps, new furn/floor, 4 down Lexus 2004 GX470 AWD curb weight 4,740 lbs
Prev: 1990 Barth, 10L 300 2 yrs; 91&92 Monaco Signature, 10 yrs, 10L C 300 &  6C8.3 300; 1997 ForeT 6C8.3 325 since May 2017.  Employed by Guaranty RV 14+ yrs.  Former VW New Car Dlr/Service Dlr, Sales Mgr, Rv Sales, and Service Adviser from 1968-2017
"Don't criticize what you can't understand" Bob Dylan

Re: Seeking advice on several solar install aspects...

Reply #31 –
Jack, the only thing that is obvious from this video is a failure to prep the surfaces correctly.  When I moved one of my panels I had to cut the caulk off and use a wire saw to cut through the VHB tape and then an half hour or so on each corner to get all,of the remnants of tape off.  If this guy's mounts tore off leaving. Ot VHB tape residue, even the ones with screws then they were done improperly. 
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: Seeking advice on several solar install aspects...

Reply #32 –
That's why I used a stud finder and drilled into the aluminum tubing below to mount the panels. The commercial panels should have at least three mounts on each side of the panel. That goes for the shorter 65 inch panels too.

With just two mounts on a side, if a panel lifts in the front, it will rotate up and destroy any kind of mount in the back of the panel. The middle mount really help distribute the load.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)