Why my solar project isn’t done yet. VHB tape, custom mounting, tilting, and other problems

Why my RV solar installation isn’t done yet. I tried to design a low profile solar panel tilting mechanism, 3D printed sunpower mounting brackets, and tested VHB tape to attach the panels to see if I could trust it to hold them going down the road at freeway speeds. Did it work? Learn from my mistakes.

[@mdcbert]

The latch design worked GREAT!

[@joabtrust]

I made our Solar system for our home in late 2017 and now have designed 3 different systems and will be building our solar system for our Coach/RV and from my personally experience monitoring our systems over the last five years I have moved our panels now where there are tow sections, one for winter and the other for summer and it did help. I have thought about making something where I could slide out extra panels from underneath another panel but after years of monitoring the solar production etc..., I do not believe it is really worth it, I will just be installing the most powerful panels say 400 watts each, maybe 8 or 10. It may be cool to have a system that has movement but really just spend the extra money on a bigger battery bank, like we use BMW and Ford C-Max Energi battery banks for our systems. I used the Ford cells so that I could make each cell 16.8 volts that way it may Inverter can charge to 16 volts and I am safe plus I have over 2 volts then most other systems that use the Lithium batteries sold, which can only be charged to 14 volts or so, not mine it goes to 16 volts and that is Huge so built a smarter system that works to specs and you will be better off then trying to make more power on the panels side of things.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

I went through some similar trials when designing my system as well. I did a similar test with he VHB and decided not to use it. The force of the wind is AMAZINGLY strong - there are a couple videos online that show those "Z" brackets getting completely destroyed after a wind-storm. Instead bolted our rails up with about 70 class 8 bolts with huge backing plates tied to every rib in the bus. The panels on our roof are about 55lbs each - if those came flying off at freeway speeds that would certainly do a lot of damage and it just was not worth the risk in my opinion. In the end I ended up ditching the tilting in favor of the sliders we are using. I couldn't make the mounting system "robust" enough for my liking with the tilting. I have a couple suggestions. #1 is that the aluminum you are using is far too small and thin (which is why it bends so easily). I use two "push bars" on my double panel slide outs and I ended up using 1/4" thick structural aluminum angle (you can tell the difference because the corners are rounded). #2 the lifting problem can be overcome fairly easily with some gas struts that would help it lift off the roof and "cushion" the retraction. If you haven't solved it by spring-time we may be passing through your area.

[@ThisOldBus]

Thanks Juan. FYI late august / early sept is the best weather here. Spring you’re almost guaranteed rain. We had one heck of an Indian summer last year - it was perfect 70 deg in October. You’re welcome here anytime, though. Plenty of room for you guys here and lots of stuff to see close by. I’m about ready to pay AM solar or someone to do the install. work has been busy and I haven’t had the time to get the progress I’d like.

[@robertj.mckinneysr4724]

Add mini gas shocks to each panel, then you can keep the lift in its center position 😉

[@ron9381]

Good luck on what you’re trying to do. I ate a lot a humble pie doing a similar project on a 1992 Monaco dynasty. I installed a modulating wing on the driver side that when driving down the road is secured on the side of my coach and then used a similar actuator like you’re using one on each end and used hydraulic shocks like Used on a bed lift. I tried to automate it but the actuators speed vary based on the voltage they received and the amount to load on them and I could never make them work in perfect parallel. Ended up putting two separate buttons and manually adjusted it. I also live in Oregon It worked well in summer conditions I could air condition without running the generator with my ductless heat pumps. But in the winter the performance what is the less than satisfying. I’d recommend mounting the panels fixed on the roof 50% sloped One Direction and 50% slope the other and spend the money on more batteries and your generator runs cheaply compared to what you’re trying to do.

[@ThisOldBus]

Thanks for sharing your hard knocks. It is indeed difficult, it would be easier if I did not try to tilt. I may abandon the idea.

[@ron9381]

@@ThisOldBus The tilting or would I try to do actuate to follow the Sun. The added weight and complexity and cost never pay for itself. Actually the flexible solar panels that don’t last that long but cost about $100 apiece are not bad I installed those on the roof of my last coach and then on my hunting trailer. you can use that tape and stick it directly to your roof and they will curve with the curve of your roof. I have those same solar panels that I bought and have not used because of the weight and the size did not make sense for mobile applications .

[@ThisOldBus]

Flexible panels would certainly look better, people say they get hot, need a gap underneath for cooling, and don’t last long. Did yours get hot? How long did they last?

[@ron9381]

@@ThisOldBus I never noticed a loss of performance from them being hot. I put eight of them on and had one fail on the third year. I wired 4 in series then parallel . when one failed I lost 50% of my performance till I changed it out. I mounted mine on the aluminum sheet with the 3M tape.

[@ron9381]

@@ThisOldBus 7 year before I had a battery fire and lost it. 36 V lithium ion system.

[@rodneymiddleton9624]

I wonder if a simple automotive scissor jack, possibly an import which are low profile and better made, with a power window motor to simply lift the panels. Those scissor jacks are designed to pick up a lot of weight and the sideways pressure wouldn't be an issue. Thanks Scott!

[@ThisOldBus]

That’s where my head is at as well.

[@rodneymiddleton9624]

@@ThisOldBus I'm just thinking it's inexpensive and you could print and adapter from the motor to the jack screw. The adapter could be considered a shear part if the mechanism binds up for some reason.

[@ThisOldBus]

If you open up a linear actuator, inside it has all the necessary parts… a leadscrew, limit switches, motor, and gearbox. I thought about using one of these but it’s hard to make it waterproof.

[@PrevostNewbie]

There is no way I would rely on double sided tape to hold anything on my roof. Especially solar panels since they will always be in shear from the wind pulling them up off the roof.

[@ThisOldBus]

I agree. There would also need to be mechanical fasteners.

[@PrevostNewbie]

@@ThisOldBus Are you going to make Quartzsite this year?

[@ThisOldBus]

Yes. Have we met before?