Solar Panel Install on rear shell

[Wavery]

I've gotta tell ya...........(I wasn't going to say anything)....I, personally, would not rely on adhesive fasteners alone. They may be great, they may work 100% of the time.....I just wouldn't feel comfortable. If I don't feel comfortable, I find a way to resolve that discomfort.......

If it were me, I would put at least 1-2 rivets in the front legs. I'd much rater risk the possibility of a leak than face the panel flying off because the adhesive failed while I was going down the highway at 60MPH with a 20MPH head wind.

[OneMoBear]

Originally Posted by harveyrv

I didn't realize that the base of your mounting brackets were 30 sq" each. My mounting brackets are only 1.5" x 4" each (I made them myself.......cheap .

That double sided tape should allow you to lift the entire camper off the ground with 120 sq" of grip......... not that I suggest doing that .

Who remembers during the Cuban Missile Crisis when President Kennedy decided to respond to the first letter from Kruschev and pretend the second one didn't exist? I think I'll try that Although, I totally understand the concern.

MudDog thanks so much for the research! That link was great!

Malinda

[OneMoBear]

We have had ENTIRELY too much time to think about this while we are waiting for parts . . . We really need to get this thing glued down!

We are back to planning to mount our solar panel on the rear shell . . . We still think that the front will most likely get more sun but there are so many other things. Wayne made some excellent points about installation on the rear shell and with the TM it is just over the river and through the woods, front or rear shell with the cable. You have to go back to go front and front to go back . . .

The tape is on the way . . . I really hope the final episode airs soon!

Malinda

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by OneMoBear

Who remembers during the Cuban Missile Crisis when President Kennedy decided to respond to the first letter from Kruschev and pretend the second one didn't exist? I think I'll try that Although, I totally understand the concern.

MudDog thanks so much for the research! That link was great!

Malinda

Well......I guess the operative word in the 1st post was "should".
---------------------------------

Malinda,

You remind me too much of ourselves.......I wish that I could put in as much time camping as I do tinkering with this silly trailer.

I'm scared to death that I will run out of things to do........then what???

Oh well, it'll all be over soon, when my inverter blows up my trailer and I get to start all over again....

[OneMoBear]

My money is on you buddy!

Malinda

[OneMoBear]

Houston, let's hope we don't have lift off! Now, if I can just do "no peeky" for a few days

It was a bit of a chore to get the garage up past minimum temperature. The Bob Heater helped as well as another 1500w we have.

Wayne, you are right again. The idea of running down the road with stuff taped to the roof is just, well, FREAKY

Stay tuned and thanks for doing most of the work for us!

Malinda

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by OneMoBear

The idea of running down the road with stuff taped to the roof is just, well, FREAKY



Malinda

Ya!!!!! Just look what happens to the Space Shuttle.....

Every time that thing comes back to Earth the tiles fall off......

Then again.....we don't often tow at 30,000 miles an hour........

I still think that tape will hold........I'm just a little "Old fashion" about mechanical fasteners. It's just a quirk with me.

I used to use 3M5200 for bonding things like stanchions, chain plates etc to the deck of my boat. The devices were also through-bolted to the deck. When it came time to remove them, the bolts would come out easily but it would nearly take dynamite to get that 5200 to let go.

[OneMoBear]

Dang Wayne, do you ever get tired of hearing me tell you that you were right?

I'm still freaking out about driving down the road with the solar panel TAPED ON . . . I think as much as anything because of being right at the minimum temps at install.

I did a search for "roof" and read through the 20 pages of everything ever talked about here and didn't really find an answer. I only found one post about screwing something into the roof. So here's is my brilliant idea of the day and the big question you are waiting anxiously for I'm sure . . .

The edges of the roof seem solid. Does anyone know if they are? We are considering mounting some kind of a ring there with a whatchamacallit - kind of like the cable you would have on a gate diagonally to raise the far end by tightening - with the other end attached to the solar panel frame. One on each side, about 14" long.

I just want to make an appointment with a chiropractor for neck pain everytime I look at it and think of how many times we'll be looking in those rearview mirrors for something we won't be able to see anyway unless things get ugly.

I trust I am clearly open for suggestions.

Malinda

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by OneMoBear

The edges of the roof seem solid. Does anyone know if they are? We are considering mounting some kind of a ring there with a whatchamacallit - kind of like the cable you would have on a gate diagonally to raise the far end by tightening - with the other end attached to the solar panel frame. One on each side, about 14" long.


Malinda

WELL!!!!! That's clear as mud..... Don't have a clew of what you're getting at....

[OneMoBear]

I get why that is clear as mud I guess my real question is "The edges of the roof seem solid. Does anyone know if they are?"

Turnbuckle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnbuckle there ya go! One end attached to the frame of the solar panel and the other to some kind of hoop on the edge of the TM roof with some cable filling in the gap.

Malinda