Sticking down solar panels.

[WallaceandGromit]

I fitted hundreds of solar panels in my time using plastic mounts, the only complaint I ever got was the customer couldn't get the panels off, like everything prep is the key to the panels staying put.

 

[Manic]

If you haven't already got the panel mounts, a piece of say 50mm alloy angle cut into suitable lengths and attached to th panel so that the feet sit under the panel and looks as neat a system that I've seen.. That was a tip from Andy (techno)..
Never used the bought mounts again and if you are prepared to use say roofing bolts to attach the panel to the angle they are easily removed for cleaning the roof etc..
I've found that pretty well any pu adhesive from any of the reputable makes is good enough.. Just clean and prep the roof and feet with a bit coarse paper and jobs, a good un..
Andy
View attachment 710313
That sort of thing

That’s how my panels are fixed, probably because I bought the panels off Techno ( RIP) and he had already fitted the brackets and he had put dome headed screws in the part to be stuck to give the correct thickness of adhesive.

 

[Mad dog]

I fitted hundreds of solar panels in my time using plastic mounts, the only complaint I ever got was the customer couldn't get the panels off, like everything prep is the key to the panels staying put.

That's what I was thinking, what happens when the panels fail & you need to replace?

 

[MisterB]

That's what I was thinking, what happens when the panels fail & you need to replace?

if that happened to me, i would try to get the same size panel and unbolt/unscrew the other panel FROM the fixings .... leaving the panel fixings in place and just replacing the panel

 

[Sandancers]

use a pair of these mounts, with Sika522


Amazon product ASIN B09K6FB5RH

How do you fix the panel to the mounts with these ? I see no bolt / screw holes ?

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[dawsey]

If I'd had your experience I would have binned the plastic brackets & used alloy.

My own fault. I’d not cleaned the mould release agent off or sanded them. I suppose it doesn’t help that there’s never any info with that cheap stuff from amazon, but I knew I should have done it. I did the roof but just forgot the brackets. Luckily I realised what I’d done.

 

[MisterB]

How do you fix the panel to the mounts with these ? I see no bolt / screw holes ?

you drill your own, i used rivnuts on the panel frame

 

[Sandancers]

you drill your own, i used rivnuts on the panel frame

Yeah but the outer wall of the mounting is curved, is it detachable while you bolt the panel up ?

 

[MisterB]

Yeah but the outer wall of the mounting is curved, is it detachable while you bolt the panel up ?

not sure what you mean ..... i positioned the brackets on the roof with the panel not secured, then marked the area covered by the brackets, so i knew where to replace the panel. i then drilled through both the bracket and panel frame, adding the riv bolt in the panel frame. quick check to make sure it all fitted back on the roof in the correct position, removed the panel (complete with brackets) and used masking tape (low tack) around the bracket 'footprint'. roughed up the area on the roof and the underside of the panels then added the sikka and some tile spacers to ensure it didnt squeeze all the adhesive out, then placed the assembled panel and brackets on the adhesive and weighted the whole thing down.

i would miss out a couple of stages the next time i do it PLUS i will use the tip re drilling holes in the foot of the bracket to allow adhesive to come over the top in a mushroom effect as was suggested earlier. dont try to drill the brackets after fixing them to the roof, if the surface is curved you might drill into your roof !

i didnt use any mechanical fixings into the roof itself !

dont forget you will need to fix a gland to allow the cable to pass through the roof - some people add a double gland for future proofing...

 

[Sandancers]

In the pictures below there is a flat side which holds the solar panel. The other side is curved, which way do you put the screws in to hold the solar panel ?


Amazon product ASIN B09K6FB5RH

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[MisterB]

The panels fit to the straight/flat edges which leaves an air gap under the panels

 

[fifthwheel]

The last details I now need to consider for fitting of the solar panel involve finding the correct adhesive to fix down the supports for the solar panel. I DO NOT want to use any screw fixings into the roof of the MH at all.

Having been aware that many people use Sikaflex I tried phoning them, on the UK number, to speak to a technical person to ensure I got the best adhesive for the job, I got passed from pillar to post and never got to speak to anyone who could advise. I tried emailing their technical enquiry email, no reply.

So basically, can anyone advise on their preferred adhesive to fix down the solar panel supports, type shown below, and also to a website or official youtube video from the adhesive company showing their correct method of preparation and assembly to use the adhesive ?

I have asked Sika tech dept more than once about doing this. I didnt get any replies to my emails at all. When eventually I did speak to someone they told me no way would they condone the use of adhesive alone and advised me to use mechanical fixings as well as Sika. I wanted to glue aluminium blanks to my van side window apertures and they told me the same. They definitely don't want a court case against them when a panel lets go on the motorway and ends up inside a following car. This was a pet subject of mine a few years ago and I posted many times on self build forums the dangers of using glue only.
Some just ignored me and just stuck them down anyway, some took the advice and did the job right. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-02/tasmania-fatal-crash-midland-highway-near-ross/12726538

 

[Sandancers]

I have asked Sika tech dept more than once about doing this. I didnt get any replies to my emails at all. When eventually I did speak to someone they told me no way would they condone the use of adhesive alone and advised me to use mechanical fixings as well as Sika. I wanted to glue aluminium blanks to my van side window apertures and they told me the same. They definitely don't want a court case against them when a panel lets go on the motorway and ends up inside a following car. This was a pet subject of mine a few years ago and I posted many times on self build forums the dangers of using glue only.
Some just ignored me and just stuck them down anyway, some took the advice and did the job right. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-02/tasmania-fatal-crash-midland-highway-near-ross/12726538

What sort of roof did you use the mechanical fixing on ? As on the plastic roof that I have there is about 3mm of plastic then a couple of inches of foam insulation, then a sheet of hardboard type material. I'd suggest that the screws, be they wood screws or self-tappers, would soon be pulled out of the mounting holes in 3mm plastic by any decent amount of stress on them.

IF I was determined to use mechanical fitting to totally ensure the solar panels would stay in place I'd be looking to put fixing bolts all the way through the roof and spreader plates on the inside. But that would possibly look terrible.

If it was a metal roof I'd do the same, but try and put the fixings in the channel of the roof where it could be hidden.

 

[Cookieboy68]

I have asked Sika tech dept more than once about doing this. I didnt get any replies to my emails at all. When eventually I did speak to someone they told me no way would they condone the use of adhesive alone and advised me to use mechanical fixings as well as Sika. I wanted to glue aluminium blanks to my van side window apertures and they told me the same. They definitely don't want a court case against them when a panel lets go on the motorway and ends up inside a following car. This was a pet subject of mine a few years ago and I posted many times on self build forums the dangers of using glue only.
Some just ignored me and just stuck them down anyway, some took the advice and did the job right. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-02/tasmania-fatal-crash-midland-highway-near-ross/12726538

I followed the ad vice on their websits

I have asked Sika tech dept more than once about doing this. I didnt get any replies to my emails at all. When eventually I did speak to someone they told me no way would they condone the use of adhesive alone and advised me to use mechanical fixings as well as Sika. I wanted to glue aluminium blanks to my van side window apertures and they told me the same. They definitely don't want a court case against them when a panel lets go on the motorway and ends up inside a following car. This was a pet subject of mine a few years ago and I posted many times on self build forums the dangers of using glue only.
Some just ignored me and just stuck them down anyway, some took the advice and did the job right. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-02/tasmania-fatal-crash-midland-highway-near-ross/12726538

How to Install a Solar Panel to the Roof of your Caravan

What’s the best adhesive to use for installing solar panels onto a caravan we hear you ask?Sikaflex of course! Specifically, Sikaflex 252 is the adhesive we would recommend time and time aga…

sikaflexit.wordpress.com

 

[Cookieboy68]

I followed the ad vice on their websits

How to Install a Solar Panel to the Roof of your Caravan

What’s the best adhesive to use for installing solar panels onto a caravan we hear you ask?Sikaflex of course! Specifically, Sikaflex 252 is the adhesive we would recommend time and time aga…

sikaflexit.wordpress.com

I followed their advice

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[Cookieboy68]

Still got the primer and Activator, only used a bit out of each bottle ,would pass it on except it had a use by date,

 

[fifthwheel]

I followed their advice

Thanks for the link, this is just the info I was hoping to get from them. I cant believe the U turn they have made. Iv'e checked and it was five years ago I was talking to them. The tech dept was so adamant adhesive alone was not enough they wouldn't even tell me which glue to use. I still would fix with both methods it would help me sleep at night

 

[Cookieboy68]

I stuck my down 3 years ago ,I clean the bus roof every year and I give the solar panel a good tug on each corner when I do. No movement at all so far.Gonna give the roof a clean in a month ,so will check again.

 

[Sandancers]

I followed their advice

I looked at your link and I think it is from Sika Australia. I spoke to a guy at UK Sika last week and he advises Sika 522 with a 2mm bead, not 5mm one as per your link.

I put all the info from Sika in posting #16 this thread.

 

[Cookieboy68]

This is from the comments,the advice I followed as regards an aluminium roof

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[Boldly]

I am just about to fit a panel to my self converted ducato. I am going to make a subframe out of unistrut or similar and use the fiat lugs to mount it proud of the roof like a roof rack. Is this not the best way on pvc?

 

[Lenny HB]

My sat dish is only fixed with Stika but I did use the marine grade adhesive i292, for my panels I use i291.
i291 has twice the grab/grip of 522 & i292 twice as much again.

 

[VXman]

Personally i wouldn't use those plastic brackets... the full width aero ones are vastly better and give a much larger contact area to stick them down too.

View attachment 712259

Do you know where to source this style of mounting bracket?

 

[Lenny HB]

Do you know where to source this style of mounting bracket?

On Post #40

 

[dorkins]

You will find many different recommendations, my two penneth worth.

I fitted a single 415w, 1m x 2m panel weighing 22kg to a GRP roof. I used both the plastic corner brackets but infilled all long edges (leaving sufficient gaps to ventilate under the panel) with the aluminium brackets as from Amazon, the ali were drilled and bolted to the panel using star washers, I also drilled holes in the flat bases of both the plastic and ali brackets to allow the adhesive to push through and "mushroom" (as mentioned in a post already on here), ALL contact surfaces abraded and cleaned with suitable cleaner (one that evaporates) the adhesive used was C.T.1 from Toolstation and Screwfix, (a lot of research went into this choice) being a large panel it was put in place and the areas needing adhesive was marked out on the roof, the panel lifted and supported allowing adhesive to be applied according to areas marked, using tile spacers to achieve a minimum 2mm thickness ensuring whole contact areas received adhesive, you need to be prepared to work very quickly although the drying time of this adhesive is from 12 to 48 hours according to thickness of adhesive bed, it will skin over in warm weather.
My van roof is an old one and I allowed the panel and brackets to settle using its own weight, this means there is no strain on the brackets by being "forced" down, due to the contours in the roof I found the adhesive bed could be between 2mm and 6mm! so make sure you have sufficient adhesive available, nothing worse than running out half way through! it's suprising the amount needed. So far, touch wood, nothing has moved!

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[Jar.v8]

Puraflex40 on my old panels with those same plastic feet - surfaces must be clean but roughed up which will vary depending on what your outer roof surface is currently. Don't mash the panel down onto the roof, 2mm thivkness of adhesive I recall was recommended. You achieve that by placing some small plastic strips into the adhesive on the feet?

I used sikaflex 522 also, no issues, cleaned whole roof first with soapy water. After marking out with masking tape, cleaned areas where mounts will bond with isopropyl alchohol and let dry. IMHO bolt all the mounting feet to the solar panel and drop the whole panel down onto the wet sikaflex applied to the marked out areas of the roof after aligning one end using second person to help. This method allows all the feet to remain accurately in relation to each other in all planes. Let dry for at least 24 hrs before starting to tidy and terminate the wiring in order to prevent knocking disturbing your still wet panels. Likewise fit separate panels on different days if going for multiple panels. Then mentally prepare for drilling the hole through the roof (measure ten times, drill once!!). The masking tape used for marking the perimeter of the feet area can be removed a few mins after the panel sits down and removes any smears of sikaflx from where you may have had to wiggle the panel in to the correct position, you can then use a soapy wet finger the smooth the fillet bead of sealant around the feet.

 

[Sandancers]

Data sheet from Bostic;

 

[kingspeed]

The last details I now need to consider for fitting of the solar panel involve finding the correct adhesive to fix down the supports for the solar panel. I DO NOT want to use any screw fixings into the roof of the MH at all.

Having been aware that many people use Sikaflex I tried phoning them, on the UK number, to speak to a technical person to ensure I got the best adhesive for the job, I got passed from pillar to post and never got to speak to anyone who could advise. I tried emailing their technical enquiry email, no reply.

So basically, can anyone advise on their preferred adhesive to fix down the solar panel supports, type shown below, and also to a website or official youtube video from the adhesive company showing their correct method of preparation and assembly to use the adhesive ?

The last details I now need to consider for fitting of the solar panel involve finding the correct adhesive to fix down the supports for the solar panel. I DO NOT want to use any screw fixings into the roof of the MH at all.

Having been aware that many people use Sikaflex I tried phoning them, on the UK number, to speak to a technical person to ensure I got the best adhesive for the job, I got passed from pillar to post and never got to speak to anyone who could advise. I tried emailing their technical enquiry email, no reply.

So basically, can anyone advise on their preferred adhesive to fix down the solar panel supports, type shown below, and also to a website or official youtube video from the adhesive company showing their correct method of preparation and assembly to use the adhesive ?

Hello, I have just fitted a motorised sky dish to my Bessacarr, and used Sikaflex 522. They used to say use 512 but 522 is an improved formula.
Apparently it is very important to maintain a thickness of the adhesive to give it the required design strength.
If you imagine putting the adhesive on your vehicle roof, then pressing it down firmly you will squeeze the adhesive out having the effect of sticking the item down on a bed no thicker than a plastic bag.
What I have always done to ensure you have an adequate thickness of adhesive is to first stick stainless steel washers to the bottom of the item to be glued.
When I consulted the sky dish manufacturer I was told to leave a 3mm gap/adhesive to ensure to strength/integrity was maintained.
I fitted the mountings to the device, and then I stuck 3 x 1mm stainless washers under each mounting point. No screws.
You may have experienced trying to remove an item that has been glued. It is so much easier to remove if it has very little glue on it, but so much harder to remove if it is on a thick bed.
Hope this helps.
Regards Trevor.

 

[VXman]

I followed the ad vice on their websits

How to Install a Solar Panel to the Roof of your Caravan

What’s the best adhesive to use for installing solar panels onto a caravan we hear you ask?Sikaflex of course! Specifically, Sikaflex 252 is the adhesive we would recommend time and time aga…

sikaflexit.wordpress.com

Is it really necessary so use both the Sika Primer 206 G+P and the SIKA AKTIVATOR 205? That's more than another £50 on top of the Sikaflex 522

 

[Sandancers]

Is it really necessary so use both the Sika Primer 206 G+P and the SIKA AKTIVATOR 205? That's more than another £50 on top of the Sikaflex 522

I don't think both are called for, I think the primer is only used on certain surfaces. I watched the Youtube video below where someone from Sika showed how to use 522. However, on many videos people just mention cleaning the roof with white spirit or acetone. The real downer is that you'll buy a tin of activator and only use a fraction of the content for doing a one off solar mounting.

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