Fitting solar panels to grp roof

[Choly]

Just newish to the site,I have a 100 watt panel to fit to my grp roof on my citroen relay,I plan to sikaflex aly u section to the roof for brackets,has anyone had problems with grp roofs cracking or splitting after similar fitting due to flex of roof when driving,also is sikaflex alone strong enough to cope with the lift pressure for example when motorway driving at speeds.thanks for any response

 

[Firefox]

Just use full length angles if any doubt.

Mine are full length (on the short sides of the panel) about 500mm.

 

[flyinghigh]

Or do what I did and fitted flexible solar panels direct to the roof with sikaflex,
A small bead all the way around is more than enough,
I had reason to move one of my panels a couple of months back and using a thin blade palette knife and being careful I removed the panel in half a hour with no damaged to the roof,

 

[QFour]

Why do people want to fit panels on roof that stand up on small towers that have to be fixed to the roof. I have a 100w semi flexible panel and i put double sided tape on the aluminum backing and just stuck it to the roof. I then put a bead of sikaflex round the outside edge and finished it all neatly with some alloy greenhouse tape over the sikaflex. The semi flexible panels weigh about 25% of a fully framed one so why bother with a rigid one. Some say that you need a draft under them to keep them cool on a hot day but the heat from ours is dissipated through the roof. Besides how many hot days do we really have and how much difference does it make. The panel still producers power if its hot or cold.

 

[autotrek]

Why do people want to fit panels on roof that stand up on small towers that have to be fixed to the roof. I have a 100w semi flexible panel and i put double sided tape on the aluminum backing and just stuck it to the roof. I then put a bead of sikaflex round the outside edge and finished it all neatly with some alloy greenhouse tape over the sikaflex. The semi flexible panels weigh about 25% of a fully framed one so why bother with a rigid one. Some say that you need a draft under them to keep them cool on a hot day but the heat from ours is dissipated through the roof. Besides how many hot days do we really have and how much difference does it make. The panel still producers power if its hot or cold.

It makes a big difference in power if it is spaced properly to allow for cooling but like you said how many hot days do we have.

 

[oldish hippy]

sika flex works well at 70mph and stays put mine is curved down over the front of the high top as that was only space i had just put tape over lead edge to make sure it didnt lift and it has done a few miles now up and down motorway and still there looking forward to winter as the angle of the dangle should be better when sun is low in sky

 

[Firefox]

On panel vans due to the ribs and the curvature of the roof, rigid panels on brackets are the best options. With a flat roof from GRP, you have more choices.