Installing Solar Panels on a Van | Mercedes Sprinter Van Conversion #13

[@MattEstlea2]

Due to the popularity of this Van Conversion series, I am relocating it to a dedicated Van Conversion Channel! youtube.com/@mattsvan The Matt Estlea 2 Channel was originally for shitposting and used as a proving ground for ideas we have, without the risk of damaging the main channels (Matt Estlea) ranking in KZbins search algorythms. Ideally we'd like to continue using it for this purpose, but are concious of clogging up the feeds of people who only signed up for van related content. Hence the dedicated channel. It also means I can use the dedicated channel for travel vlogs and other van related content once the conversion is complete which sounds fun. Go subscribe!

[@thomasfernandez7005]

Those thingies you use for measurements are bolting points for a roof rack. Which would have been another great way of installing solar panels on our roof 😊

[@LindzieBurns]

Was just about to comment this

[@chrishb7074]

I was wondering if a roofrack was either too nick-able or too bendy for rigid solar panels.

[@wilbearworks]

I used these holes to fix a unistrut channel roof rack to hold my three 175 solar panels

[@moneyhunster]

@@wilbearworksdo u have any pics of yours?

[@zachrapoport2569]

Yes! This is how they should be installed.

[@andrewsteele348]

"150mm 's and 2 inch wide" - love it :)

[@conorbrady1839]

Great to see your videos again Matt! Love this series. Fair play on keeping all the hard work up

[@Ms.Frankenbuilder]

Finally a video that actually uses the brackets that come with the panels

[@chm1701]

Great to see you uploading again, Matt. As a side note, you could easily get a nice metal worker to create a metal frame which bolts to the existing rivnuts. This means that a new solar panel could be bolted to it, but it’ll just need to be designed to have areas for the new brackets to bolt to. Does that make sense? Either way, you could can definitely use what you’ve already got. Anyway, it’s coming along nicely. Keep up the good work and I’ll see you in the next one.

[@dougwardle2175]

I used Renogy for all of my motorhome solar stuff, top notch kit

[@tonyludlow2871]

Great to see you back Matt, thought you'd given up the whole youtube thing.

[@bolerkai]

Nice, I like how you take all the extra steps to make things solid, I too am enjoying this series. Keep up the good work.

[@markblagdon]

Good to see you back!

[@colinwilson8747]

Great to See the Progress. My OC was well satisfied by your attention to detail and care.

[@James_Norris]

Really enjoying following this build! Great work! A tip for anyone looking to do this also is to look out for the closed end type of rivet nuts - one less area to worry about sealing.

[@MrHighflyingclive]

it's great to see you back online!

[@noobgamerslegion]

the corcles/holes on the roof are for mounting roof raks to the van

[@johnwarburton7673]

Excellent video, so well explained, cheers👍

[@starobaronen8284]

hey those Circles you talked about are for mounting roofracks, on top of the roof the white circle is often painted plastic, and those are prone ot leaking water over time.

[@tom314]

Always interesting to see how you approach your builds :) And go buy yourself a deburring tool, they're amazing!

[@PAB_OUTDOORS]

I would have spun your cable gland entry 180 degrees, it will keep the DC cables clean so you don’t have to loop them back over. Otherwise great job, I’m liking the progress 👍🔥

[@jimrosson6702]

Great job

[@mariushegli]

I have nothing to say really, but I appreciate your content, and wish to help with the yt-algorithms.

[@kennethnielsen3864]

Thanks for sharing.

[@raymonditi4596]

can you tell me why people dont drill into the top of the ridges and mount brackets to the ridge tops.the frame or some angle line across the van should keep them evenly keeled,.this position should help prevent leaks.

[@alicezumstein7124]

Nice! I also used the rivet nuts! Can i ask you whtehr you wired them in parallel or series and what solar panel cable size did you use? for the cable that goes to the mppt. Thank you from Alice in Surbiton on a ford transit conversion :)

[@helenjohnson7583]

Would you consider some type of temporary cover for the roof (solar panels) to protect them and the entire top of the van when needed? Like a waterproof and perhaps padded cover that can be stowed away.

[@JennZtv]

I feel like you should've had a roof rack and maybe something so you can tilt your panels up instead of drilling directly thru the roof of the van. I'm trying to figure out how much I can fit on my project. I want 800w on the roof but I'm coming to realize it's only possibly to fit about 600w with a fan and possible ac on top also.

[@NickGranville]

Yeah, that’s a risky way of doing it. The issue will be if you go over a road bump or pot hole and the vibration works things loose. It happens over time and then the water will find its way in. For my van I used racks on the roof and mounted the panels on there. Not a single hole in the roof. Good luck

[@kes-UK]

It is also pretty much how most [panels get mounted. Not saying a rack isn't better but the 'risk' is actually minimal

[@christopherroberts22]

😂 .. So why did you care about the ribs !?!?!?! 😂 lits why !?

[@pkaaos]

Those nuts are for roof racks.

[@Rob.1340]

👍🚐😎

[@CareyVandenberg]

Drilling holes in the roof and using rivnuts that will rust and you'll have leaks in your roof??? when you have OEM holes in the channel that runs the whole length of the van for mounting roof rails??? From there you can mount your solar panels. For those of you watching, DON'T MOUNT YOUR SOLAR PANELS LIKE THIS VIDEO SHOWS.

[@sunseeker8457]

Good. But I can't believe you would think about putting any wires / cables in a metal hole you just cut without putting ANY rubber around the metal !!! It's a moving van and the van and cables will rub. And rub and rub against the sharp metal. And then guess what.........

[@MattEstlea2]

Yea defo could have benefitted from that. Although I did soften the edge of the metal to an incredibly fine finish with both files and sandpaper with this in mind

[@antoniozorro3721]

So the roof will never be cleaned again?