Secure mounting of flexible solar panels?

[Zythophile]

Just poking around the 'net today, looking at possibilities for down the road, and I started digging into the variety of solar panels on the market.

I'd like to go with the flexible panels when the time comes, largely because they're superflat, i.e. don't stand out when looking at a taller vehicle from the ground, unlike rigid panels.

But I just don't get how people mount these on their vehicle roofs. They all seem to have four grommets at the corners - what are folks doing to secure the panels via these grommets? I could see rivet nuts into the vehicle roof being a good solution, if there are thin enough rivet nuts available. I expect there's other hardware out there similar to rivet nuts that could be used, to get a solid threaded nut in place to take a bolt/washers through the grommets from above.

Besides the physical mounting question, I have to wonder - what do people do to keep these flat panels from catching air when travelling and flopping around like mad? I suppose one could just tape the panels down on all four sides, but that doesn't strike me as the best solution. I can't see folks gluing these things down, as that removes the possibility of (easily, at least) removing the panel in case it needs to be replaced.

 

[MrAlvinDude]

For mounting on the roof. I have seen glued, taped and/or velcroed.

 

[Zythophile]

For mounting on the roof. I have seen glued, taped and/or velcroed.

 
Velcro! Of course! (slaps forehead)

That would be perfect. I'd still do some sort of attachment through the grommets, something that can be secured, as velcro isn't exactly the most theft-proof mounting method. But it'd be perfect for if you wanted/needed to pull a panel or two down off the vehicle, throw them on the ground and run cables, in the event of finding a nice shady spot to park under but still want to pull power from the sun.

 

[highdesertranger]

I don't know if you realize this but flexible panels are not as efficient and do not last near as long as ridged panels. highdesertranger

 

[Zythophile]

I don't know if you realize this but flexible panels are not as efficient and do not last near as long as ridged panels.  highdesertranger

See, I had gotten the impression that they were just as efficient. That's certainly something to research further. Thank you!

It may be that for me, when the time comes, the pros of the flexible panels outweigh the cons (or the con - efficiency). Like I said above, I like the low-profile nature of them, and the potential ease of removing them from the roof to set out elsewhere if the situation warrants that move. I'll have to dig around and compare the stats. It may come down to the middle ground, maybe keeping a small flexible panel stored away that can be deployed when needed. I'm so far away from worrying about that stuff at this point, though.

 

[RVTravel]

Some have had good results with the gold standard in flexible panels, made by Sunpower. They cost twice as much as rigid panels though.

 

[Tom_M]

I don't know if you realize this but flexible panels are not as efficient and do not last near as long as ridged panels.  highdesertranger

I have a 180 watt monocrystalline flexible and it is actually more efficient than an equivalent glass panel. Longevity is another issue though. Mine died on me this year after about 5 years. I used it as a portable panel and perhaps it was flexed too much. I replaced it with two 100 watt glass panels.