6. Fitting a solar panel to a poptop

[@AJ-qn6gd]

Typical I just did mine last week then this pops up ! Stuck mine down with tiger seal and fed the cables through the grommets in the roof where the bolts for tailgate would go after punching holes in them with a hole punch, stuck a bit of plastic quadrant at the front as a wind deflector. Time will tell ! 👍🏻🇬🇧

[@bigandy9]

Nice video, I'm looking at a panel to go on top of my van to keep the toy batteries charged :) Thought you had had an accident in your trousers in the first few seconds of the video too, ha ha!

[@samgraham4168]

Oh look! A van builder that doesn't feel the need to put two grands worth of Victron electronics into 500 quids worth of van for KZbin approval... Bravo sir!

[@Sam-gm1ro]

As solar panels are always live and producing current, it’s best to keep them covered with something like a blanket until the panel is fully connected to the controller to prevent damage.

[@KBeadle]

Good idea

[@DubiousEngineering]

@@KBeadle To be fair, not a bad idea... 21+vlts at 6amps... that can spark across "real metal" - Thankfully everything is painted on your van and you liekly have insulated and waterproof connectors pre-installed - so medium/low risk...

[@DubiousEngineering]

Exactly 3:00 mins in ... I got a little nervous of that "crack" sound while you use your forearm to push the panel down. A few people I know have broken their panels internal connections by accidentally putting a little too much bend /pressure on them. I've also heard that the "cheap chinese" version of these panels delaminate/mist over a year or two and that glass rigid panels are much better. Thankfully, looks like you have a good one :-) Great instructional video and thanks for installing confidence! :-) Howard (Dubious)

[@KBeadle]

Hi Howard, It sounds worse than it was, the noise is actually the tape grabbing and then letting go. It will be interesting to see how long these last as there more than twice the price of the chinese ones!

[@russcurrie72]

Lovely straightforward job that Karl, considering fitting a panel to my T4 now I've watched your video 👊👊

[@robertlawrence7958]

You gotta just love a bit of Dr Feelgood. 👌

[@paulgriffin4820]

Cool something to watch on a sunday morning cheers mate

[@KBeadle]

Pleased I could help. Too cold to do much else today

[@StephenHartleyBrundrett]

I bought Sensch black A class panels on a very dull day I'm getting 15w they go up to 100w each parallel. I've got 2 100w panels for my Ecoflow river 2 pro & getting 2 more for ctek split charger and lipo battery I just deciding what ah I want yet but might just get another Ecoflow which will be a Delta 2 .

[@PeterPanQuails]

I hope the solar panel can last long. Replacing the solar panel means you have to rip out the sticky tape and possibly the paint on the rooftop.

[@simonmiddleton4977]

Great video as always!

[@sidpf1972]

Top job 👏👌

[@Fekillix]

Was the panel to large to install off to one side between the ribs of the roof? Then it would lay completely flat and you would've had space for a second panel later.

[@KBeadle]

Good tip, yes I think they are

[@simonstork9404]

Informative as always, not sure I could trust that tape to do it’s job at 50-70 mph. Have you thought of getting a wind deflector to protect the leading edge..?

[@KBeadle]

I know what you mean but it should be fine according to the spec. I’ve done a few long journeys with it and so far it seems to be fine

[@nirodper]

@@KBeadle I would use silicone (or butyl or polyurethane) caulking. It can handle a lot of force and is removable

[@simonstork9404]

I’m a lorry driver in Devon and see many of those flexible panels by the wayside..hopefully yours will stay put...specs are one thing real life experience is another..good luck my friend.

[@xtrax38]

​@@simonstork9404 yep this panel should of been bonded on 🤦‍♂️

[@stevebennett6727]

The panel is ok for free but a better long term bet is a framed panel with corner brackets sikaflexed on. 👌🏽

[@markmangan8586]

😊👍

[@barrysoutthere]

Tidy !

[@stefanmargraf7878]

I am afraid you gonna loose the panel due to the characteristic, that double sided tapes cannot withstand a small but steady force. Therefore i recommend to apply Tikalflex or similar around to minimize the air force. And improve the water resistance on the edges of the panel. How many amps you get on a cloudy UK day?

[@KBeadle]

Gonna keep an eye on it but it’s holding up fine so far

[@liamteeling2390]

Hi Karl, where did you get the diesel heater that has the upstand for the fuel tank ? Can’t find the cheaper ones with that

[@aaronharris5275]

I was thinking the same thing, also air could whistle under the edges. I used Tiger seal as also I heard that trapped water under the panel can get heated by the sun and damage the panel. Many theories and ways of doing things I guess.

[@jayleigh7285]

Think that will fly off, sikaflex would be better but then again those flexi panels need an air gap underneath so a tough call

[@alexisjossart404]

Same

[@abcampers2279]

Hey Karl, great video. How is this holding up a year on? Thanks! BArney @ ABC

[@KBeadle]

Not budged at all. So long as you use the 3m branded tape, make sure it’s clean and applied at the correct temperature it should last years

[@palsingh4984]

stick them on before putting the pop top in your case.

[@KBeadle]

That’s not a bad shout

[@JustASadSoul1]

Where’s the new video coming out

[@KBeadle]

3pm

[@paulg5501]

not keen on the bendy panel, recon the solid ones better, and think you would of been better going through the rubber bung than that horrible black box stuck on top of your pop up top. get rid of the gloves when doing silicone can never smooth off with them on, smooth off while tape is in place then take off tape and smooth for final time , much cleaner job

[@Easydread]

I dont rate the flexible panels at all as i have had a few that failed over time including his make sun flower. As you know there great on weight. Its the heat that kills them over time or sometimes they have hairline cracks in when left factory that get worse with the heat & thats when they fail. I have fitted a aluminium rail so if panel fails, i unbolt it and replace. Gluing it is deff a no no as i did that before then i could not get panel off without damaging roof so i had to put the aluminium strip over the failed panel to replace it with new panel. Nightmare