Fixing solar panel to mounting brackets??

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Jimmy

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Hi folks,
Can anyone tell me what they think the best way to fit the plastic type mounting brackets to the aluminium solar panel frame?
I've already drilled the plastic brackets to take M6 socket head bolts and was about to drill the frame as well when it occurred to me that if I bolt it in this manner it would be simple enough to get a 10mm spanner on the inside to hold the nut when the panel was upside down on the bench, but a different story when bonded to the roof of the van. I'm hoping I'll never need to take it off for any reason, but!! Would it be wiser to use large diameter self tapping screws?
Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
Hi Runnach,
Had a quick look on YouTube to see what the avdel fixings were like. You just brought back to memory that I saw a sheet metalworker using something similar a couple of years ago, I think they were called riv nuts maybe.
I'll see if there is anywhere local that uses this type of fixings and get them fitted there. If not I'll have a look on eBay to see if there are any cheap setting tools and do it myself.
Great idea, much better than nuts and bolts. I notice they come in various metals, aluminium, stainless etc, what would be the most suitable in your opinion?
Maybe see you on the road sometime. We are heading to France 2 weeks from today for a 3 week jaunt!
Thanks a lot for your advice , it's much appreciated.
Best regards

Jimmy
 
i bolted my brackets [ or bits of angle ally ] to the panel sides, then glued them to the van roof . then i bottled it and put some roofing screws,like big self tappers,through them.if i need to get the panels off,then it's undo the screws and slice through the glue
 
this is the method i use for rivnuts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfQIYLSKGwI i rarely need one and i'm too tight to buy the setting tool

the only thing i do different is to make a small notch in the side of the hole with a file or jigsaw,so when the rivnut is squeezed up,some metal squeezes into the notch and stops the rivnut turning
 
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I;ve ordered a 150w solar panel. I shall be using stainless self tappers to secure the plastic brackets to the panel. Then sikaflex the brackets to the roof. Only problem is where the wiring comes into the van through a high cupboard there is very little space & close to some other wiring! :scared:
 
campertwo said:
I;ve ordered a 150w solar panel. I shall be using stainless self tappers to secure the plastic brackets to the panel. Then sikaflex the brackets to the roof. Only problem is where the wiring comes into the van through a high cupboard there is very little space & close to some other wiring! :scared:
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drill a small pilot hole through the roof from inside the cupboard to get yourself orientated
 
Progress update

Just to let you know.
So I got some riv nuts M6 aluminium and a cheap setting tool of eBay. Now for tools I use every day I buy the best I can afford, but given that these would most likely not see much use after the solar panel install I thought the £11.99 plier type would do for the dozen riv nuts that were to be fitted. After the fifth rivet was installed the part inside the plier that pulls the back of the rivet up started crunching and crumbling away. What a piece of absolute rubbish this tool is. I wasn't expecting much for the price, but 5 soft ally rivets and knackered. Anyway I managed to bodge the pliers up by packing it with a washer with a slot cut out of it and the riv nuts are all fitted. I did use the idea of filing a small notch in the side of the holes using a small triangular file. Good idea and could make all the difference if I ever have to undo the bolts again, so thanks for that one :cheers: .
So brackets all fitted, just need the bloody rain to stop for a while so I can get the thing on the roof.
One more question. Would methylated spirits (the purple type) do for cleaning the roof and the mounting bracket feet before putting the Sikaflex on?

Thanks to everyone who has helped so far.
 
I'm waiting for this chuffin drizzle to stop so I can dry the roof, clean/key up the area with white spirit & Sikaflex the brackets onto position They are already mounted onto the Solar panel. :juggle:
 
Thank you. But maybe fitting it on St.Swithans day wasn't such a good idea? Ha.
 

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Solar panel fitted on roof eventually and all connected.. Seems to be working well. On a dull overcast morning at 7.45am it was generating 0.9 amps, 2 hours later still overcast it was at 2.1 amps and with a glimmer of sun 5.4 amps. Both battery banks are now sitting on float charge at around 13.6 volts. So I think it's all working as it should for a 100 watt panel. Unless someone tells me differently!
Stills waiting for the Camos Plus satellite dish to come. There would appear to be a shortage of them in the country as nowhere had any in stock. It's been on order for 2 1/2 weeks now, was told when I ordered it that it would take 10 days! Hope it arrives before we leave for France in 6 days time.

Well thanks again for all the advice on fitting the brackets to the panels. Very helpful people on this forum.
 

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Glad you got the panel sorted. Question. Can you get a signal in mid or south of France with the Camos? I tried with an 85cm dish & couldn't receive anything! :mad2:
 
campertwo said:
Glad you got the panel sorted. Question. Can you get a signal in mid or south of France with the Camos? I tried with an 85cm dish & couldn't receive anything! :mad2:
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Hi,
Couldn't say what I'll get with the Camos yet as I'm still waiting for it to be delivered, and I'm not in France yet! With an 85cm dish you should be able to get some English spoken channels, not BBC or ITV though as I believe the footprint for these channels has been reduced recently so that it focuses mainly on the UK. I'm sure I will be able to get something in English in mid and southern France so your dish should have no problem. I hope I'm correct in saying that but someone may tell us otherwise!?
 
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