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Thread: Going Solar on the GU wagon

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    Expert altech's Avatar
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    Going Solar on the GU wagon

    Hi Guys, my Patrol not doing much these days as I don't use it as daily drive. but every time I go to start and you guess flat battery. not any more with 200w ebay solar panel $76 buck and $20 solar controller. Now as you can see no roof racks, I no, I just used 3in1 Shelly silicone , 1400mm aluminium angel and stuck straight on the roof rails. not all about the looks,but it works for me. Now my battery was flat on Saturday, overcast-ed sky's all weekend, today jump in and she started up first go. doing the dance lol all this under $100 bucks cheers Alex

    Controller
    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MPPT-Aut....c100148.m2813

    Solar panel
    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/GISTA-12...72.m2749.l2649

    20181203_124237.jpg20181203_124248.jpg20181203_124258.jpg20181203_124348.jpg
    97 GU Ti 4.5 on lpg , uhf icom Pro400, Garmin GPS Maps, HD-Lukas Dash Cam with gps tracking. Snorkel , I-Max 12000lb Winch , Twin rear light bracket on wheel carrier for light & uhf antenna,Draws unit, Electric Cargo barrier, HID headlights kit, LED Light Bar, 2 inch lift with HD King springs and Monroe Gas Magnum TDT 4WD Shock Absorbers, BS Dueler 697 Lt 285/75R-16 .

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  3. #2
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    PeeBee's Avatar
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    Heaven help the poor bastard who is travelling behind you when that thing lets go at 100kph. I would recommend you remove before you kill someone to be honest.

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    I am he, fear me the evil twin's Avatar
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    Wot he said X 2 ^^^^

    Unless you took the roof rails back to bare metal and prepped it correctly all you have done is glued the Panel to the Paint Clear Coat
    The adhesive is construction grade but I'd be nervous about the paint letting go
    Dolphins are so smart that within a few weeks of captivity, they can train people to stand on the very edge of the pool and throw them fish.

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    Expert altech's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PeeBee View Post
    Heaven help the poor bastard who is travelling behind you when that thing lets go at 100kph. I would recommend you remove before you kill someone to be honest.
    Hmmm I have 2 slips of 1400mm long beed of Silicone, the good stuff too and 600 mm at front stuck on too, it's seems pretty strong and very little air flow that go under the panel.
    97 GU Ti 4.5 on lpg , uhf icom Pro400, Garmin GPS Maps, HD-Lukas Dash Cam with gps tracking. Snorkel , I-Max 12000lb Winch , Twin rear light bracket on wheel carrier for light & uhf antenna,Draws unit, Electric Cargo barrier, HID headlights kit, LED Light Bar, 2 inch lift with HD King springs and Monroe Gas Magnum TDT 4WD Shock Absorbers, BS Dueler 697 Lt 285/75R-16 .

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    My comments stand. Take it down to VicRoads for an inspection or a VASS engineer for a second opinion, but tie a rope around the body and secure the panel first - believe me the air will peel that thing off your roof in no time. There is heaps of opportunity for air to get under it.

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    Patrol Freak Bidja's Avatar
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    Yeah suggest U mechanically fasten that down and provide some physical stand off clearance, so the back of the PV module can stay cooler (even more efficient than now).
    2008 GU WAG ST Manual CRD - To do the job

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    I don't think it being industrial grade has much to do with it to be honest. The upward lift on the panel will put a massive load on the silicone. Its a sealer predominantly, can take some pressure externally in compression, but tension, not really, will take some shear along the long axis I agree. It needs some mechanical anchoring system like a frame and bolts.

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    Expert altech's Avatar
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    Funny all the Mounting video's on how to mount panels on caravan or Vans seem to use plastic corners .stuck with silicone as shown below, I believe I have more area in silicone than corner blocks.

    97 GU Ti 4.5 on lpg , uhf icom Pro400, Garmin GPS Maps, HD-Lukas Dash Cam with gps tracking. Snorkel , I-Max 12000lb Winch , Twin rear light bracket on wheel carrier for light & uhf antenna,Draws unit, Electric Cargo barrier, HID headlights kit, LED Light Bar, 2 inch lift with HD King springs and Monroe Gas Magnum TDT 4WD Shock Absorbers, BS Dueler 697 Lt 285/75R-16 .

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    Fair argument, maybe you are OK, I did some quick numbers and you have somewhere around 20kgs of lift on a 1m sq panel, depending on drag co-eff of 0.2 and standard air density at 100kphr. If you are certain the silastic will take that load then all good. I would not do it.

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    Legendary GQtdauto's Avatar
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    The Glue they use for those brackets is an expensive Sikaflex type specially made for the job but depends on using a etch primer before application .

    No way would I use anything less ,the three panels on the caravan I substituted the brackets for aluminium for greater coverage and an air gap for cooling .
    Sikaflex for this is about $40 a tube and guaranteed for twenty years ,while we were on our trip earlier in the year I heard there was a fatality near Cairns? From a solar panel coming adrift and going through a car window .
    Other thing I guess about a caravan over a car is it's not going as fast but now I wonder and hope the glue does hold .

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