For sometime now I have been studiously following and reading this section with the intention of putting a solar panel on the roof of my big panel van. Thanks to the help of my eldest son the job has now been completed today. Without the help of this forum I (we) would never have attempted it.
So by way of thanks I thought I ought to post some pictures and some information about it, now I am not claiming this is the cheapest or best value or best way to do it, far from it but I am posting to give anyone who like me was a little nervous about it to take heart that it is doable.
I started buying the bits months ago. But this little fine dry spell has allowed the roof to be drilled and the panel stuck down. Here are the elements of it:
Green Giant 100w panel, I picked this on recommendations on here and also the narrow size would allow a second one next to it if needed in the future, also at 7.5kg reasonably lightweight.
The chicken run is an optional extra. The panel is stuck with Sikaflex 512, as is the gland box (underneath the stone, another optional extra).
I know should have cleaned the roof better, but did sand and clean where the glue was going. One thing surprising was the curvature of the panel van roof, consequently the middle is tighter with less glue than the outer ends, by way of insurance screwed 2 self tappers (one visible above) into roof for peace of mind and another 2 at the back.
I bought this 2nd hand from a fellow funster. Not full sun but a nice day in Yorkshire 3.8amps. Thought the panel would read nearer 100w than 54w.
Between the panel and the controller I have an isolation switch and this fuse link between controller and battery, battery is 120amp Haze gel battery (hence no 3 setting).
Finally some costs:
100w solar panel from Friendly Green Giant £79.99 (its possible to get cheaper if you bid in their ebay auction), Aluminium Angle (ebay sgs132) £12.10, 30a circuit breaker (ebay incarproducts) £6.98, Roof gland (rpsleisure) £14.59, 10m 6mm solar cable (ebay prosolarandelectric) £9.40, Isolator switch (ebay) £5.75, MPPT controller 2nd hand £30.00, Sikaflex (ebay jaymetalworker) £11.20.
Total plus a few screws, crimps etc = £170.01.
Any comments etc, and once again thanks to previous contributors.
So by way of thanks I thought I ought to post some pictures and some information about it, now I am not claiming this is the cheapest or best value or best way to do it, far from it but I am posting to give anyone who like me was a little nervous about it to take heart that it is doable.
I started buying the bits months ago. But this little fine dry spell has allowed the roof to be drilled and the panel stuck down. Here are the elements of it:
Green Giant 100w panel, I picked this on recommendations on here and also the narrow size would allow a second one next to it if needed in the future, also at 7.5kg reasonably lightweight.
The chicken run is an optional extra. The panel is stuck with Sikaflex 512, as is the gland box (underneath the stone, another optional extra).
I know should have cleaned the roof better, but did sand and clean where the glue was going. One thing surprising was the curvature of the panel van roof, consequently the middle is tighter with less glue than the outer ends, by way of insurance screwed 2 self tappers (one visible above) into roof for peace of mind and another 2 at the back.
I bought this 2nd hand from a fellow funster. Not full sun but a nice day in Yorkshire 3.8amps. Thought the panel would read nearer 100w than 54w.
Between the panel and the controller I have an isolation switch and this fuse link between controller and battery, battery is 120amp Haze gel battery (hence no 3 setting).
Finally some costs:
100w solar panel from Friendly Green Giant £79.99 (its possible to get cheaper if you bid in their ebay auction), Aluminium Angle (ebay sgs132) £12.10, 30a circuit breaker (ebay incarproducts) £6.98, Roof gland (rpsleisure) £14.59, 10m 6mm solar cable (ebay prosolarandelectric) £9.40, Isolator switch (ebay) £5.75, MPPT controller 2nd hand £30.00, Sikaflex (ebay jaymetalworker) £11.20.
Total plus a few screws, crimps etc = £170.01.
Any comments etc, and once again thanks to previous contributors.
.