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oldtamiyaphile · 07-26-2017, 10:00 AM

I'm about to install a pair of 180w panels to my van. My plan is to vinyl wrap my roof in chrome (chrome to help offset the heat gain of having a solar panel on the roof) then silicone the panels to that. That way if I ever want to remove them, I won't have messed up paint to deal with, just peel off the wrap

Here's a good article detailing various installation methods:

How many ways to install the flexible solar panels on the camper’s or caravan’s roof?

The main issue I have is cooling. Those panels get really hot. I'm looking for something like coroplast that would give me a bit of air gap but not just melt in the sun. The roof ribs are already fairly deep, so that's better than 100% contact, but on previous install I found that 10mm isn't really enough.

Any ideas?

07-26-2017, 10:00 AM	#1 (permalink)
oldtamiyaphile Master EcoModder Join Date: May 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 1,510 UFI - '12 Fiat 500 Twinair Team Turbocharged! 90 day: 40.3 mpg (US) Jeep - '05 Jeep Wrangler Renegade 90 day: 18.09 mpg (US) R32 - '89 Nissan Skyline STiG - '16 Renault Trafic 140dCi Energy 90 day: 30.12 mpg (US) Prius - '05 Toyota Prius Team Toyota 90 day: 50.25 mpg (US) Premodded - '49 Ford Freighter 90 day: 13.48 mpg (US) F-117 - '10 Proton Arena GLSi Pickups Mitsubishi 90 day: 37.82 mpg (US) Ralica - '85 Toyota Celica ST 90 day: 25.23 mpg (US) Sx4 - '07 Suzuki Sx4 90 day: 32.21 mpg (US) F-117 (2) - '03 Citroen Xsara VTS 90 day: 30.06 mpg (US) Thanks: 325 Thanked 452 Times in 319 Posts	Mounting Flexible Solar Panels I'm about to install a pair of 180w panels to my van. My plan is to vinyl wrap my roof in chrome (chrome to help offset the heat gain of having a solar panel on the roof) then silicone the panels to that. That way if I ever want to remove them, I won't have messed up paint to deal with, just peel off the wrap Here's a good article detailing various installation methods: How many ways to install the flexible solar panels on the camper’s or caravan’s roof? The main issue I have is cooling. Those panels get really hot. I'm looking for something like coroplast that would give me a bit of air gap but not just melt in the sun. The roof ribs are already fairly deep, so that's better than 100% contact, but on previous install I found that 10mm isn't really enough. Any ideas? __________________ Last edited by oldtamiyaphile; 07-26-2017 at 10:10 AM..