Biard Semi Flexible Solar Panels? (1 Viewer)

Jul 18, 2009
11,037
17,484
Manchester UK + Javea/Xabia Costa Blanca Spain
Funster No
7,543
MH
HYMER B644
Exp
2004
Hi,

Any more users happy/unhappy with semi flexible solar panels, Biard or others?

I have a space on the MH roof that only a flat panel would fit. It would also cover the old screw holes where I removed the Aerial for the Satellite dish.

There is also the weight advantage but the obvious heat issues.

Any suggestions welcome please?

Trev
 
Nov 30, 2009
6,543
148,327
Pickering
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9,521
MH
PVC the PUG
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Since 2009 with motorhomes several caravans then tents before that.
We would have liked to put the thin light weight flexi Solars on. But the Roof is corrugated . So have to put the regular solid ones on.
 
Nov 2, 2014
331
295
Maldon Essex
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34,092
MH
A Class
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2014
I have fitted three 200 W Biard standard kits to mine and 2 friends M /H
There standard kits seem to be good quality.

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friar tuck

Free Member
Nov 15, 2011
196
101
redruth cornwall
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a class rv
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im a newbie
i have just ordered 2 x 100watt panels but im perplexed as to how to fix them to the roof, ie silkaflex them straight on or space them off slightly to allow air flo under them. if spacig them what have others used?
i wish i could type as well as spell
 
Nov 14, 2009
425
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normandy
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9,328
MH
c class
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16 years
i would stay away from flexible panels fixed directly to the roof as you dont get an air gap to cool the panels , more heat=less efficiency. just my take!
 

hilldweller

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Dec 5, 2008
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silkaflex them straight on or space them off slightly to allow air flo under them.

You roof is unlikely to be flat enough anyway. Buy brackets or some aluminium angle and space them.

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friar tuck

Free Member
Nov 15, 2011
196
101
redruth cornwall
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im a newbie
if i give them an air gap are they likely to oscillate (must look up the meaning of that word it sounds good) with air flowing under them?
 

Badknee

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Aug 25, 2014
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Living the dream.
Saw them glued straight onto a Funsters van at the Peterborough show.
 

friar tuck

Free Member
Nov 15, 2011
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redruth cornwall
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sorry just realised i was hijacking someone elses thread.

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Oct 29, 2008
5,024
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West Yorkshire
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4,712
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since 2008
Speak to Chris at Southern Solar Alliance, he had some flexibles on his stand at Peterborough

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Apr 18, 2009
3,569
3,367
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6,340
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Hymer B584, A Class
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Not long enough!
Fitted two 100w Biard ones to my Hymer last year, working well(y)

001.JPG
 
Apr 18, 2009
3,569
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Englishman in Mid Wales
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Not long enough!
I think heat issue is overblown, if its hot and sunny then you don't need so much power from them anyway, I think weight and aero counteract that(y)

And I have stuck mine flat to the roof with sikaflex(y)
 
Dec 6, 2011
11,470
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i have had a 80 watt semi flexible sikaflexed to the roof for the last 3 years with absolutely no issues in terms of performance on negative impact on the roof. i did not want bracket type panel. the only point i would raise is that they are coated in a plastic on the solar surface and this attracts dirt so needs a wipe regularly.

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Apr 18, 2009
3,569
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Englishman in Mid Wales
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Not long enough!
wizzer 59 thats a clean roof you have there love to know how you got it that clean.also where have you run the wiring?

@friar tuck
Sorry I've taken so long to see this, Re roof I use this to get it really clean then just a wash now and again with a good car wash keeps it clean, but use only as per instructions and wax after as it will remove all the crap and any wax ok.
Re wiring, I wanted everything to be as neat as poss so I found that siting the panels where I wanted them on the roof, if I drilled directly down the hole came just inside the cabinet doors, which in the Hymer is ideal cos they have a trim along the inside thats takes a stick on cable trunking so that it is very neat and invisible to the eye(y)
I will try and get some interior pics if I remember;)
 
Nov 2, 2008
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45 years
We've had a Biard 100w semi flexible panel on for about eighteen months but it suddenly became very inefficient and has now stopped working. It looks ok but has gone open circuit and it appears to be a fairly common problem with these units. Going to replace it with a better quality one made by SunPower. Might be due to heat or flexing.

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Dec 6, 2011
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i have an 80 watt sun power semi flexible panel in its 3rd year now, main thing i have noticed lately while giving the roof a good polish was that the " plastic coating has lost its shine, cant say i have noticed any loss of performance as yet.
 

funflair

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Dec 11, 2013
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I saw some recently where the plastic coating had gone quite opaque, not sure about performance.

Martin
 
Nov 2, 2008
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Apparently the latest ones are a matt finish for more efficiency and back wired.

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Minxy

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Aug 22, 2007
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Whilst at Norfolk show I spoke to 2 traders selling both flexi and rigid panels and asked about the pros and cons of both versions, neither of them said that flexi would cause any problems and could be stuck directly to the roof.

As I've already got a new 60w flexi I'm going to be putting in on the PVC in a day or so as we go on holiday in just over a week's time for 6 weeks!
 
Feb 22, 2008
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After fixing direct with Sikaflex, if the panel subsequently fails removal must be very difficult.

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Minxy

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Aug 22, 2007
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After fixing direct with Sikaflex, if the panel subsequently fails removal must be very difficult.
Cheese wire/guitar string ...
 

Wickolad

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Sep 10, 2013
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Cheese wire/guitar string ...
Good luck with that one. I used same to remove some angle stuck to my roof with sikaflex.......what a job that turned out to be on something 40mm wide. I wouldn't hold out much hope on something 400mm wide. Better off sticking new one directly over old panel. But then again, I think that in itself shows the advantage of using aluminum angle stuck to roof, panels are easily replaced. I am also one with the opinion a ventilated panel should be more efficient. Whether that is or isn't correct matters not really its all down to personal preference I suppose.
One thing I do know though, when stuck with Sikaflex (correctly) it's well and truly stuck. :)

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Minxy

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Aug 22, 2007
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Good luck with that one. I used same to remove some angle stuck to my roof with sikaflex.......what a job that turned out to be on something 40mm wide. I wouldn't hold out much hope on something 400mm wide. Better off sticking new one directly over old panel. But then again, I think that in itself shows the advantage of using aluminum angle stuck to roof, panels are easily replaced. I am also one with the opinion a ventilated panel should be more efficient. Whether that is or isn't correct matters not really its all down to personal preference I suppose.
One thing I do know though, when stuck with Sikaflex (correctly) it's well and truly stuck. :)
Having in the past removed 2 heavily tinted skylights to replace them with clear ones I know just how difficult it can be to remove sealant ... it takes ruddy ages! As we have a PVC in our case the panel would only be stuck on in 'strips' due to the corrugated roof structure so would be easier to remove than on a totally flat surface, however as panels are getting so cheap and we plan on keeping our PVC for quite a while, I doubt in the future whether I'd bother removing it to put on another van anyway.
 

Wickolad

Free Member
Sep 10, 2013
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As we have a PVC in our case the panel would only be stuck on in 'strips' due to the corrugated roof structure so would be easier to remove than on a totally flat surface,
I totally agree, the corrugations would certainly work in your favour and provide a bit of airflow too. My problem wasn't moving panels to a new van, rather, removing the extremely poor botch job brackets strewn across the roof of the new to us van.
I also know what you mean about cost of panels, I have sold my last three caravans having fitted 100W and 200W panels and left them on for the new buyer. :)
 
Jun 10, 2010
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I've changed my Biard 100w panel without much problem, whole job took about 2 hours.

I put the first one on with Sikaflex 2 years ago and it failed at the end of a trip in June. Ive no idea why it failed but it just stopped producing power.

I considered the options and decided to fit another identical one to cover all the silicon. So very carefully got a small block of wood and worked my largest wood chisel under a corner, carefully working more and more loose, once I could get a grip with my hands it came off relatively easily. put the sikaflex around the edges and in a grid on the new one in the same way and fitted it excatly where the old one was and used the old wires to pull the new wires through the gland and joined them back up inside.

No big deal as a job and new one is working fine so far.
Jon

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