Options for solar on class b

[vagari]

What are the options for installing solar on a class B van like these? It's a fiberglass roof, there is an A/C unit on top in the rear and a fantastic fan right in the middle.

 

[SternWake]

You'd need to measure the open space on the roof and fit the biggest panel, or two smaller panels within that space.

Can't really help without seeing a pic from above showing the open space.

The Fiberglass is not an insurmountable Obstacle

 

[GrayWhale]

How do you mount regular solar panels on fiberglass roofs? I'm afraid that they'd loosen and fly off.

Would flexible panels that glues on be better? They're just so expensive.

 

[SternWake]

The Fiberglass is at least 1/4 inch thick, so Drilling a hole clean through and putting a large Stainless steel washer on the underside, with Nut and bolt to secure is plenty strong but this requires access from below to install, which might be difficult or undesirable.

Always use Stainless steel fasteners

If a precise diameter hole is drilled for a matching Sheet metal or wood screw, fiberglass can hold a screw very securely, but I would use a strong adhesive sealant on the foot in addition to the screwl, like 3m 5200.

Fiberglass either has a gel coat, or is painted. The gel coat Bonds to the fiberglass below much stronger than paint to fiberglass.

Any adhesive should be attached to the fiberglass, not the paint on top of it. So one should sand through the paint and gel coat where the foot is to be attached, but the area should be scrubbed with acetone of Denatured alcohol first to keep the sandpaper from pushing contaminants into the sanded area, possibly compromising the bond.

If it is a Gel coat, 3m VHB double sided tape (very high bond) is holding many solar panels to RV roofs.

I made 4 plywood feet for the corners, and used my fiberglass skills to adhere them to my roof with thickened polyester resin
after I sanded off the excess thickened resin around the base I then used several layers of fiberglass to bridge the plywood to the Fiberglass roof, then painted it white

Here you can see I sanded through both paint and gel coat to reach the bare fiberglass for maximum bond and strength. I had not finished painting it when this photo was taken.

I can tilt this panel 90 degrees toward either side of the van.

I now have an Unisolar pvl 68 adhered on the other side of the roof.

 

[SoulRaven]

You can't count on that top being 1/4 inch, many of that vintage and newer are 1/8 inch or less. Some are so thin you could almost read a newspaper through them.

What are your camping plans, most people don't need solar panels anyway if they can charge their house battery(s) while driving.

My rule of thumb is that my house battery should last a week, and most everybody is going to be driving somewhere within a week, which could recharge your battery(s).

I've got a 12v generator but only use it if I'm not moving for over week, which is getting fairly rare.

 

[LeeRevell]

You can also use portable panels on a tripod or lean-to mount, off the vehicle. Then you could park the "B" under shade. Security would be a concern though - don't want the panels to 'sprout legs'......

 

[fablefox]

You can also use portable panels on a tripod or lean-to mount, off the vehicle. Then you could park the "B" under shade. Security would be a concern though - don't want the panels to 'sprout legs'......

Yeah. Nomadic Fanatic uses this technique.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

We kept the solar panels portable with the RV so we could park in the shade (when available). I'm going to mount them on top of the van tho. I plan to use a "pull pin" system on 1 panel so I can remove it easily if I want to go "portable" in a shaded space. I'm thinking of incorporating a simple tilt also.

 

[Donedirtcheap]

Stern, those mounts put you in the over achiever category too. Nice job