Advice needed - solar panel disaster ... (2 Viewers)

[TheBig1]

Sadly this did possibly do a lot of damage to following vehicles , there still might be some follow up from police and insurance companies if someone saw it come off

not really sure where you stand on reporting it , personally I would keep my head down and hope nothing more was heard but as you know more or less where it happened that might make you more accountable

hope nothing more comes of the unknown ?

I was hoping not to be the first to mention as above. ALL motorway junctions have cameras that will read your number plate. In effect you have left the scene of a road traffic accident without reporting it. You may well be in deep trouble, even if it didn't hit another vehicle. The police may write to you or knock on your door in the next few weeks.
Sorry

 

[funflair]

Agree.
Always fit my own, I know the standard of workmanship. 3 vans over 11½ years only used adhesive not had one come off so far.

But you would have screwed the panel to the brackets I imagine.

Martin

 

[34127]

There is no reason, if done properly, whilst a chemical weld - for that is what it is, that Sikaflex should not be used. The failures are due to people not following instructions properly.

What about the situation when the paint peeled of the van roof. How can you be sure the paint adhesion is good enough on your van. If it there was an inguiry into a serious incident and it was found that the panel was only glued on then who would be held responsible. It just isn't worth the risk.

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[PhilandMena]

I find it very surprising that some think it is safe to bond a fairly heavy solar panel to the paint work of a vehicle. There have been reports on other forums of solar panels coming loose because the paint has peel away from the roof. It is only sensible in my opinion to screw or bolt them in place as the consequences of a panel falling off on a busy motorway could be disastrous.

Prevented by using sand paper to remove gloss from top layer and introduce a key for the adhesive to bond to. If it's done correctly its quite safe. Mine have been on for several years without any problems I use these brackets too.

 

[34127]

Prevented by using sand paper to remove gloss from top layer and introduce a key for the adhesive to bond to. If it's done correctly its quite safe. Mine have been on for several years without any problems I use these brackets too.

View attachment 351898

Yes but you are only bonding to the paintwork. There have been reports on other forums of solar panels coming off because the paint came away from the van

 

[pelican]

I find it very surprising that some think it is safe to bond a fairly heavy solar panel to the paint work of a vehicle. There have been reports on other forums of solar panels coming loose because the paint has peel away from the roof. It is only sensible in my opinion to screw or bolt them in place as the consequences of a panel falling off on a busy motorway could be disastrous.

Quite agree

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[Reallyretired]

My panels are screwed as well as sikaflex. The top layer of my roof is a sort of textured aluminium which is not bonded to the actual roof below, so just gluing them on didn't seem very secure (A class Rapido.)

 

[pelican]

Yes but you are only bonding to the paintwork. There have been reports on other forums of solar panels coming off because the paint came away from the van

So why take the risk I wonder.
Ok if you are bonding to gelcoat but certainly not to paint.

 

[PhilandMena]

Yes but you are only bonding to the paintwork. There have been reports on other forums of solar panels coming off because the paint came away from the van

There has also been reports that some people are killed using a pelican crossing but I still use them and feel safe.

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[PhilandMena]

So why take the risk I wonder.
Ok if you are bonding to gelcoat but certainly not to paint.

That's what I have too.

 

[Paddywack]

What about the situation when the paint peeled of the van roof. How can you be sure the paint adhesion is good enough on your van. If it there was an inguiry into a serious incident and it was found that the panel was only glued on then who would be held responsible. It just isn't worth the risk.

Well in such a case the proper instructions haven't been followed. And it is not "glued on" think of it as chemical weld or fixing. This roof rack is only glued on!

 

[The Dotties]

I sleep well at night. Mine were van bitzed, so I know they are on to stay.

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[Grianan]

Ok ... following a couple of posts OH on phone reporting to police. She seemed a bit concerned he wanted them to go and retrieve it.

 

[Googlebot]

I was hoping not to be the first to mention as above. ALL motorway junctions have cameras that will read your number plate. In effect you have left the scene of a road traffic accident without reporting it. You may well be in deep trouble, even if it didn't hit another vehicle. The police may write to you or knock on your door in the next few weeks.
Sorry

The Police won’t be interested in the slightest unless someone has been injured. Highways will just be interested in clearing the debris. Only people interested will be insurance companies if there was any damage caused and it doesn’t sound like it was.

I think the OP can sleep safe at night and certainly won’t be in deep trouble.

If the panel fell off, it hasn’t been fitted correctly. I tried removing one on a caravan once, I broke a wire saw designing for surgically removing limbs and left three of the four brackets there after unscrewing the panel.

Sikaflex won’t fail if applied correctly.

 

[Just smiffy]

I wouldn’t worry about panels not glued down when most of our motorhomes are mostly held together with glue/silicone .....

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[Two on Tour]

Our van roof has the thin floating aluminium outer skin over 6mm ply and then the styrofoam insulation.
Knowing the potential havoc that could be caused by a solar panel coming off the roof and our roof construction being the thin floating aluminium outer skin type, I used the aerodynamic type mounts across the whole of the forward facing edge of the panels, roughened the paint surface and glued the mounts using Sikaflex 292i as well as screwing the mounts to the roof.
For me, I did not trust anyone but myself to fit our solar panels and as such I have no worries about them staying where they are.
My reason for screwing down as well was as stated by Richard and Ann

Grianan what was the dimensions of your panel and how many and what type of mounts were used ?

 

[Grianan]

Our van roof has the thin floating aluminium outer skin over 6mm ply and then the styrofoam insulation.
Knowing the potential havoc that could be caused by a solar panel coming off the roof and our roof construction the thin floating aluminium outer skin type, I used the aerodynamic type mounts across the whole of the forward facing edge of the panels, roughened the paint surface and glued the mounts using Sikaflex 292i as well as screwing the mounts to the roof.
For me, I did not trust anyone but myself to fit our solar panels and as such I have no worries about them staying where they are.
My reason for screwing down as well was as stated by Richard and Ann

Grianan what was the dimensions of your panel and how many and what type of mounts were used ?

View attachment 351903

im not sure of the dimensions and hard to check. It was (Not) held on by 2 plastic brackets. The rear one is in bits and shows evidence of having being attached by screws to the panel ... the front one is intact and shows no evidence of having been screwed to the panel ..

 

[Jaws]

I find it very surprising that some think it is safe to bond a fairly heavy solar panel to the paint work of a vehicle. There have been reports on other forums of solar panels coming loose because the paint has peel away from the roof. It is only sensible in my opinion to screw or bolt them in place as the consequences of a panel falling off on a busy motorway could be disastrous.

All the solar panels and all sat systems I have installed on my vans have been done with Sikaflex or Puraflex40
None have been bolted down.
But then, I have never owned a motorhome with a painted roof

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[Grianan]

Police have called back ... no reports of any incidents but Highways England will keep eye open for the panel ...

 

[Two on Tour]

im not sure of the dimensions and hard to check. It was (Not) held on by 2 plastic brackets. The rear one is in bits and shows evidence of having being attached by screws to the panel ... the front one is intact and shows no evidence of having been screwed to the panel ..

Jesus, was the companies name Bodge-it and Scarper by any chance.

All the solar panels and all sat systems I have installed on my vans have been done with Sikaflex or Puraflex40
None have been bolted down.
But then, I have never owned a motorhome with a painted roof

I screwed ours down more because the 0.5 mm aluminium roof covering is not bonded to the substrate to stop buckling in the strong hot sun and I was worried about the thin aluminium fatiguing and cracking at the panel mounts with vibration and wind buffeting, so I feel its a case of screwing down depending on case to case.
Our satellite dish is just bonded simply because of the large area the base covers.

 

[funflair]

All the solar panels and all sat systems I have installed on my vans have been done with Sikaflex or Puraflex40
None have been bolted down.
But then, I have never owned a motorhome with a painted roof

The brackets are still on the roof though so the question is how was the panel fastened to the brackets, my money is “not” at the front.

Martin

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[Grianan]

The brackets are still on the roof though so the question is how was the panel fastened to the brackets, my money is “not” at the front.

Martin

I think you are right. We will take photos in the morning

 

[Silver-Fox]

The brackets are still on the roof though so the question is how was the panel fastened to the brackets, my money is “not” at the front.

Martin

That’s my guess or not secured correctly.

 

[CazPaul]

The brackets are still on the roof though so the question is how was the panel fastened to the brackets, my money is “not” at the front.

Martin

Why would you fit brackets and then not fasten the panel to them at the front, it's crazy, madness.

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[Silver-Fox]

Why would you fit brackets and then not fasten the panel to them at the front, it's crazy, madness.

Lunch break and forgot, Friday afternoon who knows.

 

[Vipar]

Went to tea break then forgot the front screws.
You beat me to it?

 

[Blue Knight]

This is terrible news Liz. With my previous van the dealer forgot to seal the roof entry points for the solar panel wires. I had a huge leak as a consequence but thereafter I spent my life driving around wondering just what else they had or had not fixed on my panel.

Mistakes happen but the loss of your panel sounds well dodgy to me.

The dealer needs to resolve the issue asap IMO.

Good luck and I hope the roof of the Globie is OK and watertight.

Good luck,

Andrew

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[pelican]

Well in such a case the proper instructions haven't been followed. And it is not "glued on" think of it as chemical weld or fixing. This roof rack is only glued on!View attachment 351900

Only glued on sure I would not drive that around or like to be behind it crazy

 

[Paddywack]

Only glued on sure I would not drive that around or like to be behind it crazy

I said it part in jest and to make a point. The roof rack is fitted by 8cm diameter cores of the roof being cut out and replaced with a plug which is sikaflexed in, the rack is then screwed to the plug. But if the chemical bond between the plug and the roof failed the two would part company.

You'll find most yachts, motorhomes and aircraft are held together with similar chemical fixings.

 

[HandyAndy]

Dealer fitted solar... van a year old...
TAKE IT ****ING BACK! and tell them to sort it

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