Solar Panels on RV

doncom
doncom Registered Users Posts: 3
in Caravan, Recreational Vehicle, and Marine Power Systems #1
I'm about to install two panels on top of my RV. Is there any reason not to install them on top (with clearance) of the grey water vent? TIA
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  • Iceni John
    Iceni John Solar Expert Posts: 103 ✭✭
    #2
    I can't think of any reason to not do so. Finding suitable space on a typical RV's roof for solar panels is never easy! As long as the gray tank can vent to let the aerobic bacteria do their work in it, just like in a poo tank, that should help reduce smells. Often the folk with the smelliest tanks are those who have poor or ineffective venting for them. Just try to make sure that when you're driving, any smells from the tanks' vents don't get sucked back inside the RV due to different airflows and high/low pressure areas - on big buses like mine there is a low-pressure area towards the rear of each side, so if I open a window back there while driving, the outside air will enter through it and come forward and out the front door! I hope that your solar panels won't do anything to change these airflows for the worse.

    John

    40' Crown bus with 2kW of tiltable panels on the roof:

    Eight Sharp 255W, two Morningstar TS-MPPT-60, Magnum MS2000, Champion C46540 generator converted to propane, eight golfcart batteries, and maybe a small Exeltech inverter for the fridger.

    Southern California

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  • doncom
    doncom Registered Users Posts: 3
    #3
    Thanks John. Any thoughts or suggestions on a mounting bracket that would be tall enough to clear the vent?
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  • Iceni John
    Iceni John Solar Expert Posts: 103 ✭✭
    #4
    You'll probably need to custom-make your own brackets. The hardest part will be devising a way to secure them to the roof itself - typical RV construction and design is so different from my bus's that I can't offer you any specifics how to best do it. Whatever you do, don't attach them only to the outer skin material, but instead secure them to the load-bearing structure underneath. Just make sure they're able to withstand 70 MPH wind across or under them. Good luck!

    John

    40' Crown bus with 2kW of tiltable panels on the roof:

    Eight Sharp 255W, two Morningstar TS-MPPT-60, Magnum MS2000, Champion C46540 generator converted to propane, eight golfcart batteries, and maybe a small Exeltech inverter for the fridger.

    Southern California

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  • scrubjaysnest
    scrubjaysnest Solar Expert Posts: 175 ✭✭✭
    #5
    Use 1 5/8 inch aluminum angle, usually the hardware stores sell it in 4 foot lengths. You can the cut to length needed, make a small foot to attach to the up right and the RV. Most RV's have wood sheeting and or ribs of wood or aluminum. If it's an EPDM, rubber, roof best to find the ribs. Dip screws/bolts that go into the roof with 3m 4200 caulking or Dicor. On mine there are no ribs just the aluminum skin over the styrofoam so I used 3m vhb 4941 tape on the feet plus a bead of caulking and pop rivets. Most owners on make RV I have are doing fine with just the VHB tape but the front shell of the camper acts as a bit of a wind break.
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  • grizzzman
    grizzzman Registered Users Posts: 18 ✭✭
    #6
    I went with 3" 3/16 alumimum angle 5" long. Two pieces, the top of the panel is about 5" off the roof. This lessens shading issues , keeps the panel cooler and wont transfer heat into the roof and the shade will help keep the rv cooler. I used 3 screws per bracket and one side towards the edge of the roof. Found material to attatch to there. Used dicor to glue/seal the attatchment bracket.
    Boondocking is my game
    640 Watts Mono Bogart TM2030 and SC2030  Controller GC 6V 208 AH  Costco batteries  300 Watt Inverter and 2000 watt inverter 100AH LIFEPO4 2P4S
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