Wow! Three 180 watt panels..... I'm a bit jealous, since I am making do with a single 175 watt panel. I love the step by step approach to the video - it's very helpful.
Thanks for watching, Andrew. I put 400 watts on my little 6x10 trailer because it is so inexpensive to do these days. Also, adding an additional panel is very easy.
Very nice job, Rick! Other advantages of the branch connectors in the parallel panel setup is improved performance in partially shaded conditions and (if there's an available unused plug) the potential to add a portable panel for extra wattage. Main drawback of parallel setup, due to comparatively lower voltage, is that longer cable runs will have higher power loss -- not too big a concern for most mobile setups. And another way of bringing a cable (up to about 10/2 marine grade) into a vehicle is the junction box entry fitting designed for romex -- has a pair of threaded thin lock nuts internally and a thick captured rubber passthrough on the outside in a galvanized housing. Due to the size of the threaded nipple it would be tricky to use where the roof or wall is more than 1/4 inch thick (and it does look like Frankenstein's neckwear). But for a car, truck, or SUV it is short enough to clear the closed doors on a B pillar, eliminating the need to puncture your roof!
Wow, great information there, Robert! I hadn't given any thought to hooking up a portable panel the way you mentioned, but that's a good idea. By the way, I intend to shorten those cables you saw in the video and also give a little lesson on soldering when I do for those who have never done that.
Hey Bosco here. Hope that you are not offended by a question that will probably be a simple question. I have just installed 4. 310 watt panels on my roof of my trailer. And I need to what should I be reading at my S. controller? My 4 panels are wired in pairs of 2. In series. ( pos+ to. Neg- ) Then parallel through 2 branch connector and fuse on each POS + wire I don't know what reading I should be getting. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Bosco. 😊
Just in support of double sided sticky tape: Many cargo trailers have the sheet metal skins installed with tape only, there are no mechanical fasteners whatsoever. The tape is so strong that if the skin is not lined up perfectly when installed, the skin has to be replaced with a new one because it cannot be removed without damage. Thanks for the excellent tutorial of how to do this, very clear and doable for any of us.
I didn't know that. I can't imagine it lasting very long with all the daily expansion and contraction. Although I installed some solar motion sensor lights to the fiberglass sides of my RV and they've been there for eight years - so what do I know?!
Easy diy brackets- 2" aluminum angle cut at about 2" lengths. Place 1 upside down and back to back so they make kind of a Z, like regular panel mounts. Drill 1-2 1/4" or 5/16" holes to secure them together then mounting holes. Now your panels can be mounted and removed easily for replacement or service. This idea for gluing down is very risky. It's only as good as the adhesive, the roof skin to trailer connection which isn't generally that good. I've seen panels laying in a traffic lane on the interstate, seen roofs peeled off etc. I personally would never do it...and I highly suggest you avoid it too. Cover your panels for making connections.
@@rjvizaka..dprrob1972 Use Dicor like originally used on RV roofs. There self leveling for flat horizontal surfaces or non leveling for vertical. Make your holes etc squirt some Dicor in hole and around it, put bracket in place fasten bolt. Then put Dicor over the bolt head and it will never leak.
Great video Rick!! Check out another YTber info on mixing lithium and lead batteries in a bank. Emily and Clark’s Adventures. Clark is an engineer who lives on a sailboat and has done considerable research on this concept. He has designed a Battery Bank Management System that properly manages both type batteries. Unlike most engineers he does a great job of explaining it.
Thanks for a fun project! That glue stuff is strong enough to stick me to the side of the trailer at highway speeds for at least 5 yrs, I think. 😂 We'll soon replace our old panel to equal 3 of these BougeRV panels and call it good.
They are putting a lot for being mono, Amorphous silicon , Murphy glass , bifacial and poly is the best way to go for panels but either way it’ll work Good job.
That’s the only way to work, do a quality job, something you can step back and look at and be proud of your work. Your a top notch craftsman my friend. Your the kind of person people dream of getting to do a job for them. So few real craftsman around anymore. A long time ago 1/4 inch was close enough for a carpenter now its 1inch and beyond. Good video my friend, take care.
If you have to remove a panel and replace it, I’m assuming you are going to have to screw or rivet it back in since you are not going to be able to glue it like you did the first time since the mounts are stationary and the glue would be push down to the bottom of the mount.
You could do that easily if you had to, but I would use a mold release agent on the bottom side and just force the adhesive into the crack with a putty knife. Good thought though, because stuff happens!
Great video overall! I like that you checked the panels' open circuit voltage and short circuit current because those values do indicate whether a panel is healthy. But, I don't think your power calculation is quite correct since those measurements were taken at different operating conditions (open and short). To calculate power (P=IV) the current (I) and voltage (V) must be measured under the same conditions (V and I must be known simultaneously). Since you took measurements in two different conditions there are actually two different power calculations (although they both result in zero power(!). The open circuit power is zero because the current is zero (P = I*V = 0 amps * 23 volts = 0 watts). The short circuit power is zero because the voltage is zero (P = I*V = 9.54 amps * 0 volts = 0 watts - again!). You'll note that the tag on the panel also tells you what the proper voltage is associated with the maximum power (19.54V in the case of your panel). If you had a big variable resistor that could tolerate (dissipate) 180 watts you could adjust it so the voltage across it was 19.54V and then insert the meter in series and measure the current. Under ideal conditions you'd find the current should be (rearranging P=IV) I = P/V = 180 watts / 19.54 volts = 9.21 amps. In the real world it'd be something less for most panels, since their rated output is only achieved under lab conditions. (The resistor value could be calculated starting with V=IR -> R=V/I -> R= 19.54 volts / 9.21 amps = ~2 ohms) This is why MPPT solar controllers are such a big deal - they can automatically adjust the load so that power is maximized, i.e. the product of I and V at any moment gives the biggest value of P. Another thing is that the solar controllers typically have a display option to show what the voltage and current values are at any given time - if you want to check real output power just hook the controller to each panel one at a time (probably need to have the battery connected - check the manual first). Although, as I said, your checks are probably adequate to make sure the panel is working - you just can't actually get a useful power reading from those measurements.
Thank you! That's a great explanation and I appreciate the time you took to give us that information. Now I know why an MPPT controller is more efficient also.
As a solar professional I really like that the panels are raised ABOVE the roof. It is not much. Looks about an inch. 3 inches would be better. Solar panels NEED air flow beneath to cool them. They are NOT efficient if they get hot in the sun. Plus, IMO, shading the RV is another huge benefit. If the panels sit directly ON the roof -- then not only do they get hot, but they transmit heat into the RV, too. So, please make sure they are raised up.
Nice video! I'm wanting to do this on our 22' new Camper. More details on the fuse & a power cutoff would of been nice. I have a 2000W inverter but yours is probably better. Thank you for your video.
You're always one step ahead of me. I'm thinking I'll mount one port and one starboard of the roof centerline, with tilt on each one. Using a portable panel really impressed how angle affects power, and how much the sun moves in an hour. I've used Sika products for years. Never had a problem. (Other than mispositioning something.)
Hello Jon, I have one roof panel that tilts and one that is fixed. The time when I really notice the difference is in the winter months with a low sun and it makes a HUGE difference!
I use a lot of that 3m double sided tape. I bought one of those 300watt hot air pencil heat guns, use it to warm tape to 150° or so before I press parts together. Then burnish with back of a large spoon (for fabric or flat material), very permanent bond.
You cannot determine the maximum power of your panel by multiplying max voltage by short circuit current. In no way is it 207W. When measuring max voltage, the current is zero => Power is zero. When measuring short circuit current, the voltage is zero => power is zero. Maximum power is normally around a sweet spot of 18V and almost the short circuit current. These values were on the label behind the panel, and THEY do work out close to 180W. The get that power, you really do need to use a MPPT regulator as it will aim to find that sweet spot.
Tell me something sealing the corner panels like you have done doesn't work!! because if you ever have to change it simple job with a stanley knife and the panel will come out! but how are you going to fit a new panel because the sealant on the new panel will get squashed along the bottom and the way round it will be you have to cut out the corner panels from the trailer roof😅😅😅 that's not very clever better to drill and screw the corner panels no need to wait for the glue to go off and gluing the solar panel won't work on the replacement panel.
I still like those solar panels brackets bolted to the frame with adhesive on the trailer. Driving through West Texas and Oklahoma is a challenge with gusty winds 40 to 60 mph even in a parking lot ( February thru May). Always check the top of the roof to see if that adhesive is still holding in windy areas so you don't have the panels fly off unexpectedly. on your trip.
Adding some straps for a "just in case" situation could be a life saver. Since this particular installation is "innovative," vehicle insurance carriers will not pay for property or personal injury damages resulting from a dislodged panel. The glue bonds can also be weakened by flexing, heat, cold, wind, and age, etc.
Just found this video and so glad I did! Helps explain more about the solar panel installation process. Also, happy to see you didn't put holes in the roof as I don't want to do that to my cargo trailer either. Thank you for sharing this with us! Now... to decide between the industrial tape and sikaflex! :). Pros and cons to each I'm sure.
I can see how you would feel that way if you've never used a polyurethane adhesive before, but I can guarantee you that if the panel comes off going down the highway then the roof is coming off with it!
Great video. I live in Arizona and one of the main concerns using adhesives is their tendency to dry out and and fall off, especially with adhesive tapes. I'm looking to do this on my popup camper which is already pre wired for solar.
Good deal but was wondering why you didn't attach the panel to the brackets with screws instead of adhesive so its even easier to take out and possibly more secure.
A caution on measuring the current across the panel terminal leads with the multimeter. This is one of the very few configurations that you can put your multimeter across a voltage source in amps/ current mode. If you did that across a battery voltage source for example you'd smoke your meter or burn out the protective fuse if it has one. Current is normally measured in series with the load, using the shunt built-in to the meter. Because of the way a solar panel delivers current up to a maximum, it allowed measuring across the panel leads, but across almost any other voltage source would not have ended well. Good video with good explanations and camera work. Thank you.
Nice setup. However i'm scared of adhesive only mounted panels as i've heard of panels coming loose on the highway and killing the person in the vehicle behind. I hope yours don't come loose at all, time will tell. Greetings from sunny Jamaica.
I really enjoy Gonagain adventures but mostly when Rick and Linda are observing the area they are in. Talking about solar panels or a heater in the cargo trailer or anything else about the trailer is less than entertaining to me. But I'm sure others are more interested in what makes a camper more exciting to consider. Gonagain is my most interested online video so that really says something, doesn't it ?
Thank you Alvis, it's good to hear what folks like to see in a video. For me, looking at the RU-vid analytics, it's divided about 50/50 as to which videos are more popular when it comes to the travel ones or the "how to" and product review ones. Good thing I enjoy doing both!
Thank you for your very thorough explanation on how a solar panel system works and how to easily wire and connect it. Until now, everything I've watched on other vlogs still left me clueless. I totally get it now. Again, thank you so much!
How much space between the actual panel and outside of the frame? Enough for self taping screws before damaging the panels? Good vid by the way. Very helpful!
Each mounting situation is different so they don't supply mounting hardware. They are available on Amazon, just find the ones that fit your installation.
Not to sure about using the adhesive if attaching to a rubber roof. As you would be relying on the adhesive that is holding rubber roof to the wood roofing.
Not really. It can be done, but it won't get you the highest efficiency. It's best to stick with the same size and manufacturer. I might use different ones if i just happened to have them already and couldn't afford matching panels. It matters how they are wired, but I'm not an expert on that.
Once again you have given very clear instructions as well as practical advise for solar install. Only thing missing is ALWAYS connect solar charge contoller FIRST to battery and then connect solar panel incoming wires or risk blowing out the controller.
Yep, you're very right, but the batteries were already hooked up on this trailer. Which reminds me that I need to install a cut-off switch on my own rig.
There's so many sources! I get offered products from a half dozen different companies each day for solar panels and power stations, most from China, which are all high quality products.
I love this... but my camper is tiny and short. If I take solar panels off some day to upgrade with better technology or any reason, how do you get these adhesives off...if that is even possible?
Amazing and perfect video. This answered every question I had about installing solar on my RV. I was scared to drill holes in the roof and didn't completely understand how to attach solar panels to a roof rack. This adhesive approach completely eliminates my worries. Thank you!
The volts with no load are higher and the currant at a short circuit is higher but the voltage is zero look on the panel for the loaded voltage and currant and times them and it will give the real power.
Great video but, how do your lights and plugs and fridge tie into all of that? Maybe you could do a video on that to show us. Thanks for the entertainment and information!
Reading reviews on the sika 252 on amazon and everybody complaining the sellers there only have outdated/expired tubes to sell. Stuff is hard to find elsewhere. Any suggestions for fresh tubes?
Hello John, I haven't had any problems with the Sikaflex I've purchased from Amazon. If Sikaflex gets old it won't come out of the tube and you'd be able to get a refund from Amazon. If it comes out of the tube it's fine.
why run them in Parallel, rather than in Series? pushing up your current and wire requirements. is your solar charge controller voltage limited? usually solar prefers a higher voltage for the charge controller to be efficient.
The big problem that I have with running panels in series is that the slightest shadow across one of the panels takes the output down to nothing. Even some dirt across one of the corners seriously affects the output. I know, because I have to run my panels in series to get the proper voltage to charge my Bluetti AC200P. That's one reason that Parallel is preferred.
@@gonagain I guess I deliberately choose sunny spots away from trees for solar and satellite reception. My panels are newer with some built in parallelism to themselves. I have even registered 2 watts under full moon before 😱
I used 1/4 bolts and 3/4 washers. The front panel BLEW OFF! BOLTS RIPPED THROUGH THE CHEAP ALUMINUM FRAME! 100 WATT HF CHRAPPY CRAP! 💩💩💩 4 PANELS INSTALLED ON MY STEEL TRUCK UTILITY CAMPER 💩
I'm using 4inch T hinge now & 2 short steel straps 😛😃 it's gonna be reliable & secure traveling 75MPH & Also OFF-ROADING 😊 NOW they can tilt on its Legs.
I was thinking more about the membrane to roof glue....mine is PVC and seems like it's thinner than the old style and possibly not bonded as well as old "rubber" roof
Is there a big advantage to having the second panel loose, not mounted to the roof, so that you could move it around for the best light? If the trailer was under a shade tree, maybe take the (extra) panel out 40 or 50 feet to where there is good sunlight. Also, you could then turn the panel as the sun arced through the sky.
Excellent video production, and like your attention to detail. As an observation, putting those panels in series while not exceeding the maximum DC input to your MPPT solar controller, will result in more current developed by the buck/boost converter in your controller at charging voltage (14.4v), and you will still be able to harvest energy at low sun angles. Shading is not that big of an issue with modern panels due to blocking diodes isolating each cell array, thus preventing partial shading from taking the entire panel down in voltage. Putting panels in parallel worked great during the era of PWM controllers as you could pulse more current. Those days have been superseded by MPPT Controllers, so higher input voltage means more amps at charging voltages.
We wire in parallel because we've had a lot of problems with shading in the past (campgrounds are full of trees!), but I'll try a series connection to see how it goes.
A great video, one of the easiest I’ve seen. I’m going to be fitting Solar to my motorhome soon here in England. Definitely going for a bond rather than screws. Thanks for the entertainment and advice.
Hello Bill, we just got them off of Amazon. I put a link to them in the video description, or you can just search for "solar panel adhesive mounting brackets"
Agreed, You gotta check this out. Another video created by Gonagain that is worth saving and reviewing. Excellent material! Thanks Rick and family for demonstrating.
Keep the pants, you'll need them for some other messy job later. Sikaflex is serious stuff, works great. I assume you add an inverter to provide 120VAC too. BTW, my Renogy charge controller is working correctly now, no error codes. Fixed itself...
A self healing electronic component! Happy to hear it's working properly again. There's an inverter on my daughter's trailer but I don't have one installed on mine and just use my portable power station if the need arises. I don't use too much 110v, mainly to charge my shaver or something.
It has a 2 year warranty and the compressor is made in China by a company that has been in the refrigeration business for many years. Check out the review I did on that refrigerator: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-0iP8EVjjaMY.html
Love your video. Love Sikaflex products used for years in construction and yachting. What is your thoughts about a tilting panel for efficiency ? Not the building that is no problem
It is definitely beneficial to be able to tilt a panel of you are going to use your RV during the colder months when the sun is staying low. You'll get a 30-40% increase in wattage by raising the panel up.
The renogy MMPT charge controller can handle 100 volts input so all the panels can be in series giving 1/3 the power loss in the long wires coming down with no extra conectors on the roof. the higher voltage will give earlier and later charging and more in cloudy weather I get charging from 6 am till 6 pm with 2 x 40 volt panels in series for 80 volts at 5 amps turned into 25 amps at the charge controller with short thick wires to the battery. the x grid tie panels were only $ 20 each 200 watts
Good info and thank you. The only problem I have with my current set-up, which is in series, is the shadow factor, or the problem with a tree branch casting a shadow across one of the panels, or even a build-up of dirt in one corner of a panel Most campsites are located under the trees and this is causing a major problem. It's not as bad if the panels are in parallel.
Do you have a shut off for panels before your charge controller, and a inline fuse? And do you have a circuit breaker between your charge controller and batteries?. I've watched literally a hundred videos and they mostly look like a nightmare to figure out, a schematic for a 1,000 watt system looks like they've wired for a rocket ship lol. I went with 15amp inline fuses for each two panel series and a shut off to controller, and a 100a marine style circuit breaker and that's it. I will be adding on so i can charge via gas generator for any consecutive days with poor sunlight just as a precaution, if you have done that a video would be nice. I haven't looked into it yet, i had enough on my plate just getting a diy solar lift and my panels, charge controller and batteries figured out. I didn't want to add to my confusion. Great video, easy to follow. Thanks and God bless Rick.
Hello GypsyMike! My setup is still a work in progress and i need to install a switch between my panels and controller. I have a 15amp fuse coming off each panel and have a 30amp fuse between the controller and the battery.
Rick, Would love an update on this type of installation. How is it holding up? Any troubles? I just acquired panels for the top of my rig and plan to install them just like this. Thank you for the instructions.
