How do I mount a solar panel to a curved van roof?

[poot_traveller]

I have a 1999 high roof Toyota Hiace and these vehicles have a curved roof, not a perfectly flat roof.  The roof curves from one side to the other with the highest point in the middle.  I want to mount a solar panel (which is not a flexible solar panel) onto the roof of the van.

The mounting brackets that I have are for mounting to a flat roof surface, so that won't work.   I'm looking for alternative ways to mount a solar panel to a curved roof.  Anyone got any advice please?

 

[ByeBye]

Depends on the dimensions of your panels, how you orient them on your roof and how much curve you're having to work with.

My Bigfoot has a curved roof and I fabricated my mounts from a pieces of thick aluminum angle, 2 for each corner. One for panel and one for roof on each corner. I made them so they mated with a single pivot point so that they were tiltable. Bolted the panel to its mounts and used 3M 5200 marine adhesive to attach mounts to my fiberglass roof (trying to eliminate as many roof holes as possible).

I have more pics in my build thread, link in my signature. 

The height of the mounts has to be greater than the amount of roof curvature so keeping the panel longways on the roof means less height needed. More height means greater chance for wind forces to get under it but also means more ventilation which improves performance of panel. 

My panel is about 65" x 35", for reference

 

[poot_traveller]

3M 5200 marine adhesive is strong enough to hold it?

 

[highdesertranger]

roof rack.

do you have gutters? if you do racks are strong and easy.

highdesertranger

 

[MrNoodly]

With brackets like these, perhaps.

https://amsolar.com/rv-solar-panel-kit/mounting-accessories

 

[highdesertranger]

dang that place is expensive. 40 bucks for tilt bars that might have 5 bucks worth of material in them, that is quite the mark up. highdesertranger

 

[B and C]

3M 5200 marine adhesive is strong enough to hold it?

If you decide to go this route I would suggest using eternabond tape over the top of the bracket mount as additional insurance.

 

[poot_traveller]

roof rack.

do you have gutters?  if you do racks are strong and easy.

highdesertranger

Yes it has gutters but unfortunately it's one of the few vehicles that can't have roof racks mounted due to having a high roof. It looks like this:

https://www.carsguide.com.au/toyota/hiace/price/2000/commuter

 

[MrNoodly]

dang that place is expensive.  40 bucks for tilt bars that might have 5 bucks worth of material in them,  that is quite the mark up.  highdesertranger

Right, but the basic concept of L-brackets (these or less spendy ones) at the corners allows mounting to curved surfaces.

 

[ByeBye]

3M 5200 marine adhesive is strong enough to hold it?

Obviously I think so

 

[highdesertranger]

they make extra tall gutter mounts. if they don't have them down under you can always extend some shorter ones.

yes Mr. Noodly that page you posted is great for seeing what's available.

highdesertranger

 

[maki2]

Renogy sells a set of brackets for using on curved roofs. I will need to use them for my little fiberglass travel trailer mounts as it has a roof that has some slope to it, high in the middle, lower at the edges and some radius at the edges as well.

Here is the link, they are not that expensive and right now they are on sale!
https://www.renogy.com/renogy-solar-panel-mounting-curved-z-bracket-set-of-4/

 

[poot_traveller]

These will take a couple weeks to get to me, I'll see if the local shops sell brackets that are similar. Thanks.

 

[Mrcap]

I have taken the standard brackets. Z brackets and put them in the vice and bent them to fit the contour of the roof. That works if the brackets are parallel to the gutters. Butyl tape under. Going the other direction I have used stainless washers under one side of the Z bracket where it meets the panel for mild curves.

 

[poot_traveller]

Yes, I'll do that....somehow.  I've got this

 

[maki2]

if you have a local sheet metal shop they can bend you some curved aluminum brackets that look similar to the ones sold by Renogy. You can put your own slots in them using a drill motor and a file.

I can do sheet metal work and fabricate brackets but I was not in a screaming hurry so I just went ahead and ordered the ones from Renogy to take advantage of that sale price. They shipped them out the next morning, the 10th, after I placed the order on the 9th.

 

[poot_traveller]

Depends on the dimensions of your panels, how you orient them on your roof and how much curve you're having to work with.

My Bigfoot has a curved roof and I fabricated my mounts from a pieces of thick aluminum angle, 2 for each corner. One for panel and one for roof on each corner. I made them so they mated with a single pivot point so that they were tiltable. Bolted the panel to its mounts and used 3M 5200 marine adhesive to attach mounts to my fiberglass roof (trying to eliminate as many roof holes as possible).

I have more pics in my build thread, link in my signature. 

The height of the mounts has to be greater than the amount of roof curvature so keeping the panel longways on the roof means less height needed. More height means greater chance for wind forces to get under it but also means more ventilation which improves performance of panel. 

My panel is about 65" x 35", for reference

I'm going to give this method a try.  Two L brackets bolted together in a half swastika way.  Then I'm going to try and bend the L brackets to match the curve of the roof.

 

[poot_traveller]

if you have a local sheet metal shop they can bend you some curved aluminum brackets that look similar to the ones sold by Renogy.  You can put your own slots in them using a drill motor and a file.

I can do sheet metal work and fabricate brackets but I was not in a screaming hurry so I just went ahead and ordered the ones from Renogy to take advantage of that sale price. They shipped them out the next morning, the 10th, after I placed the order on the 9th.

I live in NZ , so the brackets won't arrive for weeks.  At least I now know I need thick aluminum L brackets.

 

[poot_traveller]

if you have a local sheet metal shop they can bend you some curved aluminum brackets that look similar to the ones sold by Renogy.  You can put your own slots in them using a drill motor and a file.

I can do sheet metal work and fabricate brackets but I was not in a screaming hurry so I just went ahead and ordered the ones from Renogy to take advantage of that sale price. They shipped them out the next morning, the 10th, after I placed the order on the 9th.

I live in NZ , so the brackets won't arrive for weeks.  At least I now know I need thick aluminum L brackets.

Edit: I purchased some aluminum Z Brackets