RV SOLAR PANEL INSTALLATION TIPS FOR STARTERS
1st Feb 2022
RV SOLAR PANEL INSTALLATION TIPS FOR STARTERS
Still bummed by our COVID-19 global pandemic? Feeling down about international travel bans? We understand the desire and desperate need to travel and our solution for you is to journey in an RV. This option keeps you safe, distanced, and allows you to get closer to nature while making lifelong memories. We took it a step further so that our travels are more sustainable by using renewable solar energy on our journey. To accomplish this, we first need to be familiar with installing and mounting solar panels. In this article, we go over some simple and practical installation tips. Let's power through this article!
Consider installing a roof rack
When installing rigid solar panels, the biggest concern for many is having to drill a hole onto the roof for the possibility of leakage. Many vehicles and DIYers already have some style of roof rack on top of their vehicles. If you're one of them, simply bolt your rigid panels to the roof rack, or customize the roof rack to fit the panels. Some base model vehicles are pre-designed with a roof-rack option, so why not build a custom rack and use the already existing bolt positions?
Mount directly on the roof of your car
The Newpowa Solar Kit comes with "Z" brackets and other accessories that help mount rigid panels directly on the roof of your vehicle. All you need to do is find a strut as an attachment point. If your roof is strong enough that you can walk on it, consider it sufficient to hold up to 200 pounds of solar panels, while allowing you to zip down the roads as you wish.
Tape it up
Yes, it is possible to attach rigid solar panels to your roof with duct tape. You will need some heavy-duty tape, preferably 3M VHB industrial strength adhesive tape. Once attached, you should have no problems with your RV even after driving thousands of miles. It is however recommended and necessary to change out the tape due to wear and tear over time. This timeframe depends entirely on your own situation and schedule.
Pull the wires and cables through the roof
Even if you choose to limit the number of screws that go through your roof, you will need to pull the wires from the panel to the battery compartment, which may require you to run the wires through the roof of your RV. The cable entry housing is a perfect way to cover and seal any holes you drill to connect your panel to the charge controller. It is easy to seal and apply directly to the surface of your roof.
Sealant Solutions
We recommend using polyurethane which, unlike most caulks, is very easy to use and clean up. We found that this sealant works well for any holes in the fiberglass or membrane of the roof that needs to be sealed, and it does not detract from the appearance. Something to consider is the overall aesthetic appeal of the roof especially if you have a smaller trailer.
If you’re looking for more information, please check out our ambassador Jed and his video on setting up solar panels: