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06-08-2022, 08:14 PM
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#1
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Apr 2022
Posts: 68
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Solar mount
I have about a week to build and get on the road from az to mi for a funeral! I think I attached a picture of my plan for panel mounting. Give me your advice. Would self tappers into the rubs be strong enough?
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06-09-2022, 02:28 AM
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#2
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Feb 2022
Location: Midwest
Posts: 267
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I will recommend a plane, a rental and a hotel room. The funeral, while unfortunate (and allow me to extend my condolences) is an external event unrelated to your build. Allowing an external event to rush your job will almost certainly waste time and money when you have to redo the rush job. Deal with the funeral, then when it's over worry about your panel install.
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06-09-2022, 02:36 AM
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#3
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Apr 2022
Posts: 68
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Veloc
I will recommend a plane, a rental and a hotel room. The funeral, while unfortunate (and allow me to extend my condolences) is an external event unrelated to your build. Allowing an external event to rush your job will almost certainly waste time and money when you have to redo the rush job. Deal with the funeral, then when it's over worry about your panel install.
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I appreciate the condolences but for a family of 6 the tickets are not offordable right now.
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06-09-2022, 04:33 AM
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#4
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Almost There
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 75
Year: 2004
Coachwork: Thomas Built Freightliner. Allison 2000 tranny
Chassis: Freightliner FS-65 (dognose)
Engine: Mercedes MBE 906 six cylinder diesel
Rated Cap: 35 feet long
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My condolences for your loss.
If the self tapping screws aren't strong enough to withstand the pressure from the wind at highway speeds, the solar panels, angle iron and unistrut could fly off and seriously injure others on the road. With stakes that high, the inclination should be to over-build.
Is the ceiling finished on the inside? If not, consider using grade 8 bolts and nuts to attach the unistrut to the roof. If the holes are not through a reinforced part of the roof, consider adding a few square inches of e.g. 1/8" steel as a "washer" on the inside.
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06-09-2022, 11:07 AM
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#5
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,855
Coachwork: Integrated Coach Corp.
Chassis: RE-300 42ft
Engine: 466ci
Rated Cap: 90
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Solar Panel Priority
Quote:
Originally Posted by Desertsparky
I appreciate the condolences but for a family of 6 the tickets are not offordable right now.
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Sorry for your loss.
First. Do NOT use only self tappers to hold down anything down onto the roof.
Do use both adheasive AND mechanical fasteners.
As mentioned above, grade 8 prefered. Consider Rivnuts, bolt/nut/washer, or drill and tap the ribs.
Fastener spacing ought to be factored when sizing bolts.
Do you already have batteries, wire & inverter safely installed? DC appliances & devices, too. You are just awaiting panels?
‐-------------------------
( The funeral part, you mentioned)
Funeral Mission Goals:
-Transport 6 pax inexpensively
-Avoid unexpected expenses
-Avoid extensive delays
-Arrive ontime
-Return trip: same as above
I'd be more concerned with the vehicle mechanicals & DOT requirements: Charge vehicle A/C, provide six seat belts, new/spare engine belts & fluids, add pyrometer, open 6th gear, change ring&pinion,
new spare tire,w/roadside assistance or jack & torque multiplier, etc.
Forego anything that might actually slow me down or stop the mission entirely.
As far as transporting family to a funeral. For me & mine, solar is right up there with instaling a new subwoofer and chromolized plastic accents.
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06-09-2022, 01:04 PM
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#6
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 1,449
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Crown, integral. (With 2kW of tiltable solar)
Chassis: Crown Supercoach II (rear engine)
Engine: Detroit 6V92TAC, DDEC 2, Jake brake, Allison HT740
Rated Cap: 37,400 lbs GVWR
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The perennial subject of "How Do I Attach Solar Panels?" has been discussed many times here. The consensus is that they must be either through-bolted to or have sound mechanical threads in the roof ribs: anything else is playing with fire. Gluing them to the roof ain't OK, and neither is sticky tape! I attached my eight panels by through-bolting a total of 72 stainless 3/8" and 5/16" bolts and NyLok nuts through the webs of the roof ribs: they're not going anywhere. As others have said, do it right the first time, then you won't need to inevitably redo it after it's failed.
John
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06-26-2022, 12:47 AM
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#7
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Iceni John
The perennial subject of "How Do I Attach Solar Panels?" has been discussed many times here. The consensus is that they must be either through-bolted to or have sound mechanical threads in the roof ribs: anything else is playing with fire. Gluing them to the roof ain't OK, and neither is sticky tape! I attached my eight panels by through-bolting a total of 72 stainless 3/8" and 5/16" bolts and NyLok nuts through the webs of the roof ribs: they're not going anywhere. As others have said, do it right the first time, then you won't need to inevitably redo it after it's failed.
John
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You got any pictures of that? I thought I had seriously overbuilt with 3/8 bolts and aluminum unistrut. You may have me beat.
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06-26-2022, 07:25 AM
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#8
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Apr 2022
Posts: 68
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I ended up using nutserts/rivnuts and my two 250w panels and a minisplit lasted 1900 miles from AZ to MI
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06-26-2022, 08:19 PM
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#9
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Long Beach, CA
Posts: 1,075
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC2000, 40' MPV
Engine: 5.9 Cummins/B300 trans
Rated Cap: U/K
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Since this thread is up and about....what has everybody been using as spacers, to raise the strut up off the roof? I have a Bluebird and the roof drops off sharply towards the sides. I'd like a more level base for my panels although I have a plan B
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06-26-2022, 09:17 PM
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#10
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Apr 2022
Posts: 68
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rwnielsen
Since this thread is up and about....what has everybody been using as spacers, to raise the strut up off the roof? I have a Bluebird and the roof drops off sharply towards the sides. I'd like a more level base for my panels although I have a plan B
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I wanted to use composit shims but I could not find any and had exactly 14 days to get as much done as I could for the trip. The spacing between the rails by mistake not by design is just far enough that the perpendicular piece with rhe panels rests on the roof in the middle. Id do it differently in the future but oh well it works. I filled the holes with dicor as well as a good dab on top before putting the bolt in. I am happy with the spacing as far as support along the panel I just wish Id have more hight under middle of panel.
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06-27-2022, 07:10 AM
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#11
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Western MT
Posts: 671
Year: 1990
Chassis: Crown Supercoach
Engine: Detroit 6-71TA, 10 sp.
Rated Cap: 90 (40')
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rwnielsen
Since this thread is up and about....what has everybody been using as spacers, to raise the strut up off the roof? I have a Bluebird and the roof drops off sharply towards the sides. I'd like a more level base for my panels although I have a plan B
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I haven't installed yet, but I just bought a bunch of 6° axle/pinion shims for this. They won't raise the strut so much as level it. My roof, the strut, the solar panel frames, and the shims are all aluminum.
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06-27-2022, 08:50 AM
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#12
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Long Beach, CA
Posts: 1,075
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC2000, 40' MPV
Engine: 5.9 Cummins/B300 trans
Rated Cap: U/K
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I like the idea of aluminum strut and I found some at Zoro for around $40 per 10'..
I don't have a clue on axle/pinion shims so I'm still poking around. Thanks for the ideas
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06-27-2022, 08:54 AM
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#13
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Western MT
Posts: 671
Year: 1990
Chassis: Crown Supercoach
Engine: Detroit 6-71TA, 10 sp.
Rated Cap: 90 (40')
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rwnielsen
I like the idea of aluminum strut and I found some at Zoro for around $40 per 10'..
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That's where I got mine. Had to order a minimum of four 10' pieces, but that's about what I needed anyway. More expensive than regular strut, but not unreasonable IMO.
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06-27-2022, 09:30 AM
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#14
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Long Beach, CA
Posts: 1,075
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC2000, 40' MPV
Engine: 5.9 Cummins/B300 trans
Rated Cap: U/K
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I'm leaning towards 1-1/2" pvc bar stock for shims. Drill it, cut an angle on the chop saw. It's a little labor intensive but only has to be done once. Rivnuts, stainless hardware
https://www.eplastics.com/shapes/pvc...od/PVCROD1-500
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06-27-2022, 11:02 AM
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#15
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: SW USA
Posts: 2,064
Year: 2003
Coachwork: IC / Amtran
Chassis: CE300
Engine: International T444e
Rated Cap: 23
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We used Cooper D-Line Dura-Bloks, secured with studs we created that penetrate the roof (2 x 1/2" studs per block). They're about 4" tall, which should give plenty of room for air-flow / cooling under the panels, while still being low enough to keep the panels below the level of the high points (AC). We have panel frames constructed, to which the panels will mount, and these frames themselves will then bolt onto these lengthwise runners of strut.
Due to the curvature of the roof, this makes the strut sections pictured about 6-7 degrees shy of square. So we'll be using a combination of steel shims and leveling washers to make things square at the junction between the pictured strut sections & the aforementioned panel frames.
FWIW, the panels themselves will sit inside their frames. So total height from roof to panel surface is: 4" (dura-blok) + 1-5/8" (length-wise strut section) + 1-5/8" (panel frame) = ~ 7.25". Distance between roof surface and bottom of panels is ~ 5-5/8".
__________________
Go away. 'Baitin.
Our Build: Mr. Beefy
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06-27-2022, 12:25 PM
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#16
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Long Beach, CA
Posts: 1,075
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC2000, 40' MPV
Engine: 5.9 Cummins/B300 trans
Rated Cap: U/K
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I'm going to fab up some brackets so they'll lift up around 45° along with some latching brackets for the other side. I'm only starting with 4 panels.
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