Solar Kit - Which One?

[T6ChrisO]

Pop top will be fitted next month hopefully so whilst I've got a fully empty van (no interior) I thought it would be a good idea to look into the solar options........

I've seen three kits but wanted to know what the guys in the know think?

Option 1 - 175w Victron Kit £352.99

Victron 175W Monocrystalline Solar panel kit with SmartSolar MPPT, Mou

This 175w Solar Panel Kit is designed for off-grid, campervans, motorhomes and yachts/boats. The included Victron SmartSolar MPPT 75/15 charge controller ensures maximum power output and battery charging efficiency. This kit is perfect for those looking to set up a reliable and efficient solar...

vanjunkies.co.uk

Option2 - 200w Victron Kit £279.99 (must be missing something as to why this is cheaper than the above)

Solar Panel Kit 200w Victron MPPT Controller Battery Cables Motorhome, Caravan | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Solar Panel Kit 200w Victron MPPT Controller Battery Cables Motorhome, Caravan at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

Option 3 - 200w Renogy Kit £289.99

200W 12V/24V Monocrystalline Solar Premium Kit w/Rover 20A Charger Controller

Renogy Premium Kit is perfect for installation on an RV, boat, static caravan, or camper. It can also be installed in a ground mount system next to an off-grid campsite.

uk.renogy.com

 

[AdL]

All pretty much the same although I suspect the Victron controller is better than the Renogy one. Personally I am looking at similar but with narrow flexible panels that I will glue onto the Pop Top. I will put up with the cable entry but don't want any more holes than necessary in the fibreglass.

 

[roadtripper]

I suspect the eBay kit is using an unnamed brand panel, while the other two seem to be using their own branded panels.

Do you want a rigid panel?

 

[T6ChrisO]

I suspect the eBay kit is using an unnamed brand panel, while the other two seem to be using their own branded panels.

Do you want a rigid panel?

Not too sure to be honest. I assumed the rigid would be more secure to mount??

 

[AdL]

Not too sure to be honest. I assumed the rigid would be more secure to mount??

Probably more rigid but also will make more wind noise. I also wonder as the panel is very thin, albeit toughened, glass whether opening and closing the pop top might stress the panel. On the other hand there are plenty of threads about the difficulty of removing a glued on flexible panel when it fails (and it will!).

 

[roadtripper]

I don't have any direct experience in vans but the corner mounts I've seen a lot in marine environments. Personally they'd worry me exposed on a roof in 70mph + wind forces, less so on a traditional RV that tends to have a more sheltered roof.

Again no direct reason for or against but it's what stood out to me.

Given that panel lifetimes seem a lot lower on vehicles than houses I'd probably aim for some form of rail.moint if possible to make future servicing or expansion possible, I quite like the one mentioned in this thread:

Rigid solar panels on a SCA 194 pop top roof?

I originally installed a flexible 100W panel on the roof some years ago which lasted about 3 yrs before failing... upgraded the whole system with a german 160W flexible panel feeding into a CTEK DS250SE controller charging a Leisure AGM battery... all has worked fine from 2018 until now (2 weeks...

www.t6forum.com

 

[T6ChrisO]

I don't have any direct experience in vans but the corner mounts I've seen a lot in marine environments. Personally they'd worry me exposed on a roof in 70mph + wind forces, less so on a traditional RV that tends to have a more sheltered roof.

Again no direct reason for or against but it's what stood out to me.

Given that panel lifetimes seem a lot lower on vehicles than houses I'd probably aim for some form of rail.moint if possible to make future servicing or expansion possible, I quite like the one mentioned in this thread:

Rigid solar panels on a SCA 194 pop top roof?

I originally installed a flexible 100W panel on the roof some years ago which lasted about 3 yrs before failing... upgraded the whole system with a german 160W flexible panel feeding into a CTEK DS250SE controller charging a Leisure AGM battery... all has worked fine from 2018 until now (2 weeks...

www.t6forum.com

I’ve been reading about rigid vs flexible and the rigid just seems so much more future proofed, albeit more on show which is a downside

My worry is having to replace a flexible when the time comes……

 

[roadtripper]

The system from SCA uses a flexible panel to keep the profile low and curved but it's mounted on rails so easy to replace.

 

[CJW]

I put two rigid on the roof bars. Solid fix, easy to swap out if they get damaged. Not really visible from the ground. No wind noise at all.

 

[Chris Sherwood]

I put two rigid on the roof bars. Solid fix, easy to swap out if they get damaged. Not really visible from the ground. No wind noise at all.

View attachment 213532

Hi, I am thinking of doing the same, moving from a flexible panel to rigid.
Can you please share a close up of how you have attached the panel to the bars?

 

[Captain Quick]

I had these rails put onto my SCA 192 roof so I could attach a single rigid solar panel whilst keeping the overall height of the van to just under 2.0 metres. Two L profile aluminium cross bars will be fitted to these (with channel studs/T-slot bolts), to which the single 200W solar panel run lengthwise will be fixed. The rationale being that this arrangement presents minimal windage with good airflow above and below the panel for cooling along with minimal weight. They can also be used for fixing a couple of Thule roof bars if I need to.

 

[T6ChrisO]

I put two rigid on the roof bars. Solid fix, easy to swap out if they get damaged. Not really visible from the ground. No wind noise at all.

View attachment 213531

View attachment 213532

Nicely executed Chris!

 

[CJW]

Hi, I am thinking of doing the same, moving from a flexible panel to rigid.
Can you please share a close up of how you have attached the panel to the bars?

Absolutely. I used an aluminium Z-section drilled to accept these stainless T-track bolts cut to length and a nyloc stainless nut for the connection to the roof bars:

Then drilled through the Z and the side of the Renogy panel frame to take a pair of short bolts and nylocs (stainless) per panel to connect the Z to the solar panels. Appropriate washers everywhere.

I assembled the whole thing including the roof bars on the ground, then dropped it onto the roof rails, before making the electrical push-in connections and bolting down the roof bars securely.

The leftover Z-section is being flogged helpfully passed on to other forum users here:

I bought a five-pack of this Z-section and only needed 2 of the five for my install. £30 plus postage to any forum member for the other 3. Fits Omtec (OEM) rails and crossbars well.

View attachment 183625

View attachment 183626

 

[roadtripper]

I put two rigid on the roof bars. Solid fix, easy to swap out if they get damaged. Not really visible from the ground. No wind noise at all.

View attachment 213531

View attachment 213532

Without wishing to divert the thread I'm really curious as to what the 2 black round circular items on the diagonally opposite sides of the roof are @CJW

Apologies had a good close look as your solar setup looks like the kind of thing I'd go for on the Caravelle long term

 

[CJW]

Without wishing to divert the thread I'm really curious as to what the 2 black round circular items on the diagonally opposite sides of the roof are @CJW

Apologies had a good close look as your solar setup looks like the kind of thing I'd go for on the Caravelle long term

They are the remnants of this van’s past life as a British Gas fleet van - that’s where the beacons were. The rear hole is soon going to be an extractor vent.

 

[Bigsidavies]

If you don’t want to bond a flexible panel to your roof then I’d say roof rails and cross bars as per @CJW is the way to go.
Bonding those little corner mounts for a rigid panel isn’t much contact area for the amount of force from the wind. Screwing them into a new pop top would make me cry.
My rigid has been on roof bars for 18 months and is fine with no wind noise.
Doing it again I’d put ppf on the roof and bond a flexible on. I’d like to be able to use my roof bars to carry stuff now.

 

[T6ChrisO]

If you don’t want to bond a flexible panel to your roof then I’d say roof rails and cross bars as per @CJW is the way to go.
Bonding those little corner mounts for a rigid panel isn’t much contact area for the amount of force from the wind. Screwing them into a new pop top would make me cry.
My rigid has been on roof bars for 18 months and is fine with no wind noise.
Doing it again I’d put ppf on the roof and bond a flexible on. I’d like to be able to use my roof bars to carry stuff now.

The place where my pop top is being installed on the 27th of this month offer roof bars as an upgrade so im pondering if this will be worthwhile adding so I can mount them like Chris has

 

[Bigsidavies]

I had my pop top fitter put roof bars on just because I like the look. But I then put cross bars on and mounted my solar a couple of years later.

 

[T6ChrisO]

I had my pop top fitter put roof bars on just because I like the look. But I then put cross bars on and mounted my solar a couple of years later.
View attachment 213697

Thats a handy pic to keep hold of. This is exactly what I'll be doing. I currently didnt spec the cross bars but maybe I can add them later like you have

 

[Bigsidavies]

Yeah I got the Omtec from Vanstyle. Had to cut them down from standard length as my bars are a bit closer than original mount points. It’s just an aluminium profile with a plastic foot pushed on so you can cut to any length.