cruz-in

Southern Maryland

Senior Member

Joined: 02/15/2009

View Profile


Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Hi All,
Looking at the Uni-solar PVL line of solar panels. These are the felxable ones that are about 16 inches wide and (depending upon wattage) up to 17 feet long. My question is for anyone that has used these.
Did you just use the self adhesive on the panels and glue directly to the roof?
I ask because the instructions I downloaded show they panel being first mounted to a thin piece of sheet metal (via the self adhesive) and then the metal (with panel attached) mounted to the roof.
Thanks
|
2oldman

Winchester WA

Senior Member

Joined: 04/15/2001

View Profile

Offline
|
A search of uni-solar on here turns up a lot of posts.
|
cruz-in

Southern Maryland

Senior Member

Joined: 02/15/2009

View Profile


Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Thanks. I did the search a while ago and read virtually all the posts. I could not find any that were clear on how they were applied. A few references like "I stuck them on my roof". I started this thread hoping for a bit more detail.
|
hershey

Albuquerque,(fulltime) NM, USA

Senior Member

Joined: 06/04/2003

View Profile

Offline
|
I installed one on a friends Chev Class B. It just glued down directly to the roof. Far as I know, Its still bonded and in use. That was two years ago.
hershey - albuquerque, nm
Someday Finally Got Here
My wife does all the driving - I just get to hold the steering wheel.
Superman was an illegal alien.
Expedition - Suzuki Grand Viagra
NASCAR 14 - 99
|
pianotuna

Regina, SK, Canada

Senior Member

Joined: 12/18/2004

View Profile

Offline
|
Hi,
I believe Wanderman used self adhesive panels. He put them directly on the roof.
Personally, I'd put them on metal roofing panels, and then mount those on the RV.
Regards, Don
Kustom Koach Class C 28'5" 256 watts Unisolar, 875 amp hours in two battery banks 12 volt batteries, 2500 MSW watt inverter.
|
|
|
rexlion

Broken Arrow OK

Senior Member

Joined: 04/01/2005

View Profile

|
If you thought you might want to remove the panels later without ruining them, attaching to a backer plate would be the way to go. Personally I'd just stick 'em right on the roof (if I had room!).
Mike & Sherry
2000 Mercury Mountaineer
2008 Toyota Highlander
2011 KZ Spree Escape E14RB
|
hershey

Albuquerque,(fulltime) NM, USA

Senior Member

Joined: 06/04/2003

View Profile

Offline
|
Just a thought; If you stick them to a sheet of metal so that they could be removed, wouldn't it be much more economical to just go ahead and buy the regular box type solar panels?
|
pianotuna

Regina, SK, Canada

Senior Member

Joined: 12/18/2004

View Profile

Offline
|
Hi Hershey,
Yes, it would be cheaper--but the unisolars are pretty wonderful in the shade tolerance arena.
|
cruz-in

Southern Maryland

Senior Member

Joined: 02/15/2009

View Profile


Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
I would like to put the 124 watt ones on my roof. However I only have 14.5 feet and they requiere 16.5 feet. The last 2 feet would be off horizontal as they round the back of the camper. With last foot being vertical on the back of the camper. I would end up with about 100 watts of the panel horizontal and the rest less than optimally placed. Still beats going to the smaller 64 watt panels...
|
cruz-in

Southern Maryland

Senior Member

Joined: 02/15/2009

View Profile


Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Wonder if mounting on metal panels first would improve performance by dissapating the heat better?
|
|
|