Little Project - Roof Rack and Solar Panel Supports

[Wissel]

I'm gradually getting the van how I want it now. The interior is "almost" finished and a lot of the exterior jobs are done.

Something I haven't been happy with since I added more panels a few years ago is our roof. I really liked how it was when I first built it (7 years ago). It looked so clean (IMO):

But the extra panels just looked awful and besides, the panels were getting shadows

So I decided to change it all. At first I was going to remove the front roof-lights, move the MaxxFan back 30cm and fill the roof with solar. But, I think we would have missed the light. Instead we decided to work with the keeping the roof-lights where they are, but swap the panels to larger ones.

Then it was working out how to mount them. I wanted them higher so no shadows from anything else on the roof, but wanted it to look nice as well. This is what I came up with:

3 x 180w solar fits my roof perfectly. I swapped the tired looking Mini-Heki's to SkyMaxx and removed the ugly wind deflector.
To each side of the MaxxFan would be roof rack and the whole rack would sit 150mm to the top, from the roof, with the solar panels set inside the frame.

I decided to use 3030 extrusion to make the frame for ease and came up with this to hold the structure to the roof:

All of the parts are now here, so I started to mock it up this morning:



Pretty happy with it so far. Next job it to scribe the legs to the shape of the van roof, then scribe the above brackets. These will be glued with Sika and fixed with 4mm Galvanised Steel rivets. Once that's all done it will come down and be painted to match the wheels and bike rack.

PS - Ignore the state of the bodywork - I'm in the middle of restoring it

 

[Minxy]

Whilst your at it could you incorporate some storage between the panels and the PVC roof for long stuff?

 

[Wissel]

Whilst your at it could you incorporate some storage between the panels and the PVC roof for long stuff?

Was planning on it

Hoping we can fit surfboards underneath - if not bodyboards will be fine

(If I'm honest this wasn't my idea. I was thinking that bodyboards would strap to the top beside the MaxxFan. It was Claira that said about underneath. Smugly )

 

[Minxy]

Was planning on it

Hoping we can fit surfboards underneath - if not bodyboards will be fine

(If I'm honest this wasn't my idea. I was thinking that bodyboards would strap to the top beside the MaxxFan. It was Claira that said about underneath. Smugly )

You simply cannot beat a women for seeing the 'wood' when a man just sees the trees ...

 

[Wissel]

You simply cannot beat a women for seeing the 'wood' when a man just sees the trees ...

Yep - she was about that smug

After posting I realised an inflatable kayak would fit - always fancied one, but - space.

Could fit a kayak one side and two bodyboards the other. Note to self - earn some money

EDIT: Just read her your post. New smug and laughing level achieved.

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[Wissel]

This should have been a bigger update. But missing a £4 tool that stopped play. It's ordered

I've now got everything cut, had it up on the roof to dry-fit and now back on the floor to check everything fits as it should.



I didn't bother clamping the third panel in place as if the other two fit, I know it does as well



Quite like the front,



The right side roof-rack is a little larger due to the awning (the MaxxFan is central in the roof)



Behind the rack are two LED spots,



And waiting for a lightbar for the front,



These are the fittings I'm mainly using. It's a long t40 Torx I'm missing,



The bolt on the right fits by drilling an 8mm hole through the profile from the other side and feeding a Torx through to tighten. I could have drilled it wider but think the structure would suffer. All of the bolts will have strong threadlock and all joints Marine Weld.

Once the tool is here it will go back on the roof for a final check (with the other 6 legs, 4 on side and 2 on roof rack inner corners), then off to be powder coated.

Once it's back then the only remaining fairly big job. The flaking paint issue is being sorted properly by a paint shop. Then a few small cosmetic items going on and the van should then look like new again

 

[Minxy]

Are you putting cross-beams on the other side of the solar panels too (ie the parts nearest the centre) so that they can't flex?

 

[Wissel]

Are you putting cross-beams on the other side of the solar panels too (ie the parts nearest the centre) so that they can't flex?

I can't, no space sadly. I can't even fit one side in. I literally have 2cm free between the roof lights and MaxxFan so they all still open unrestricted

Instead I've ordered 5mm thick aluminium bar which will be bonded and riveted on the sides that are just panel. I figure as most panels on a PVC are only fixed each end (due to roof curve) this with be fine. Plus the bars can be powder coated along with the rest of it. I could have fitted bars either side of the front panel (instead of just at the front), but then the lightbar would sit proud and annoy the s#&t out of me

I really have maxed out what will fit. Width wise, it's tight against the awning. The other side it's just on the roof. Then the full length of van. Does look nice (IMO) though dry-fitted

Find out how much the vans body paint will be this week. Hoping it's not to bad - otherwise I'll have to do it myself

 

[Wissel]

Getting somewhere now

Still need to fit the light bar to the front (had to make up some brackets which are drying), the rear floods (waiting for bolts), fit the strengthening bars (in place, next job), add the tie-down points to the rack parts and a bit of cable management. And fit a couple of grommets.

Happy with it though

 

[Wissel]

And done

Still waiting for the bolts to fit the tie-down points, but that doesn't stop it being fitted tomorrow.

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[Jamesh]

Looking good mate!
I guess when you finish the van you start looking for other little jobs!!!

Cheers James

 

[TheBig1]

looks lovely, but I bet it howls going up the road pushing wind underneath the rack. You may need a deflector plate behind the light bar

 

[TheBig1]

having spent years driving vans with roof racks carrying ladders and all sorts, it annoys

 

[Wissel]

looks lovely, but I bet it howls going up the road pushing wind underneath the rack. You may need a deflector plate behind the light bar

Tbh we don't drive that far, we tend to only move a few miles each day.

Think you're right though if we did have a multi-hour motorway drive. Although I bet I could drown it out with the stereo

 

[Wissel]

I never got around to showing this project finished (ish), so a good excuse to try my new Mavic Mini
(after moaning about drones for years and saying I'd never have one - did get grief for buying it )

Anyway, not great images and the roof is filthy, but here they are:

The idea was to have nothing on the roof that could cast a shadow on any of the solar. So I built the rack to sit inline with the top of the awning, with the panels inset to keep them secure and protected. The rooflights can sit in their middle position without shadows, the MaxxFan is up in the image.

From the side, you can see how little wiggle room I had. Between the MaxxFan and rooflights, I have less than 10mm spare.

Still a few little jobs to do. I want to move the 4G antenna to behind the MaxxFan. This will be above the frame to maximise reception. I'm also going to try running the panels in Series.

The lights work great (makes is so easy to see the cameras when reversing at night now), and the whole structure is rock solid.

TheBig1 - surprising, but no noticeable noise. I've driven at motorway speeds with the window open and not been able to hear a thing, which is a bonus. I'm pretty sure I'm losing about 2 mpg though. Hard to say for sure as was also the first drives with the van fully loaded.

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[Minxy]

Great job, the ONLY thing I would have done is to put a wind deflector piece at the very front and then mounted the lighting bar on that, this would not only prevent the wind getting under the rack/panels thus reducing any buffering but also probably mean your fuel wouldn't be so affected.

 

[Wissel]

Great job, the ONLY thing I would have done is to put a wind deflector piece at the very front and then mounted the lighting bar on that, this would not only prevent the wind getting under the rack/panels thus reducing any buffering but also probably mean your fuel wouldn't be so affected.

I can still do that and considering it

 

[TheBig1]

@TheBig1 - surprising, but no noticeable noise. I've driven at motorway speeds with the window open and not been able to hear a thing, which is a bonus. I'm pretty sure I'm losing about 2 mpg though. Hard to say for sure as was also the first drives with the van fully loaded.

That is a result David, but as above, a wind deflector will help reduce the drag

 

[rhys_o]

Looks absolutely awesome. Am I right in thinking that the whole thing sits slightly higher than the skylights? It's just what I need for upping the solar and not having to remove the bathroom vent.

Would you mind sharing some photos of the feet in the middle? I can't quite understand the digram above.

 

[rhys_o]

Also are your long sections one piece or two joined?

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