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Old 07-26-2015, 09:28 PM   #281
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Originally Posted by Jubal View Post
The screw anchors are also called jack nuts and would provide backing on the inside of the 3/16" fiberglass roof. They are avaliable for different material thickness.
Also called nutserts or threaded inserts. When installed properly they are very strong. I used them once to hold a marine head onto 1/8" f.g. Consider the forces at play when some one flops down on it. No problems.

The only problem that I can see is drilling the hole from the outside. You can use a collar to prevent the drill from going through the vinyl but all the drilling debris would need to be cleaned out etc. otherwise you might end up with an unsightly bump.

My view would be; if you're going to drill a hole through the roof you might as well then use a through bolt.

Drilling f.g.; honestly, I don't know why there's so much discussion about drilling f.g. I've drilled countless thousands of holes in f.g. over the last 40 years and I don't even think about it as being different than drilling a hole in wood or most metals. Aside from making sure it's in the correct location

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Old 07-26-2015, 10:43 PM   #282
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Also called nutserts or threaded inserts. When installed properly they are very strong. I used them once to hold a marine head onto 1/8" f.g. Consider the forces at play when some one flops down on it. No problems.

The only problem that I can see is drilling the hole from the outside. You can use a collar to prevent the drill from going through the vinyl but all the drilling debris would need to be cleaned out etc. otherwise you might end up with an unsightly bump.

My view would be; if you're going to drill a hole through the roof you might as well then use a through bolt.

Drilling f.g.; honestly, I don't know why there's so much discussion about drilling f.g. I've drilled countless thousands of holes in f.g. over the last 40 years and I don't even think about it as being different than drilling a hole in wood or most metals. Aside from making sure it's in the correct location

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Ron are you in a bad mood ? The problem is not drilling a hole in the fiberglass anyone should be able to do that . Pat
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Old 07-27-2015, 12:49 AM   #283
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I'm going to take a pass on this question. I just searched drilling holes in fiberglass and there are as many opinions as people... How about running your drill backward? Lot's of controversy there too.


I wish you all the best in your hole drilling ... I didn't drill any yet!
No, I'm in a great mood, fantastic sailing today. Just offering my opinion that drilling f.g. seems to intimidate some folks. Probably a form of analysis paralysis based on a fear of drilling into their shiny new trailer but once you're past that, go for it.

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Old 07-27-2015, 01:15 AM   #284
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No, I'm in a great mood, fantastic sailing today. Just offering my opinion that drilling f.g. seems to intimidate some folks. Probably a form of analysis paralysis based on a fear of drilling into their shiny new trailer but once you're past that, go for it.

Ron
Ron it is not the fear of drilling into the fiberglass . It is the fear of what happens to the fiberglass later . I give up . Pat
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Old 07-27-2015, 10:44 AM   #285
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I'm not sure of the answer to this question:


IF the epoxied mount starts to come loose will the bolted mount create more damage by cracking the fiberglass if the washer on the inside pulls through?


At 1/8" +/- fiberglass the inner washer may be 'floating' on the foam/reflectix and dig in an edge if 'wiggled' by the hold down above?
My original cracking question was - would the 8 new 1/8" holes result in more damage from cracks (like ripping fiberglass cracks) if the original panel mounts worked loose.

Somehow the responses became centered on single hole drilling not the big picture?
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Old 07-27-2015, 11:19 AM   #286
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Ron it is not the fear of drilling into the fiberglass . It is the fear of what happens to the fiberglass later . I give up . Pat
There's a lot of holes in as Escape trailer already that nobody seems too concerned about.
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Old 07-27-2015, 11:34 AM   #287
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There's a lot of holes in as Escape trailer already that nobody seems too concerned about.
The potential stress placed on these several pairs of closely spaced holes, without any internal bracing is I THINK different from the other holes in the trailer. Thus the concern....
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Old 07-27-2015, 11:44 AM   #288
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The potential stress placed on these several pairs of closely spaced holes, without any internal bracing is I THINK different from the other holes in the trailer. Thus the concern....
Yes, this is the concern. For our 19 with two 95W solar panels it would be sixteen holes and buttons dimpling the ceiling. I might just solely rely on my earlier panel mount fix (post 247) while I was waiting too see what the mounting hardware was like for the 95 W panels on the escape 19. The promised instructional video was never posted.
I really like the panel mounting system that Klem designed. 3M 5200 is messy to clean up so use masking tape and just leave the adhesive that is squeezed out during the mounting process.
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Old 07-27-2015, 11:52 AM   #289
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There's a lot of holes in as Escape trailer already that nobody seems too concerned about.
The point is the a/c has a large backing plate in the build right up to the fiberglass covered later with vinyl etc. the fan is also preplanned in build . You are now talking about adding bolts that were never added in original build for panels that are not going to be up on underneath fiberglass unless you cut up your ceiling vinyl anfd get good backing . Not the same . The a/c and fan and other protrusions do not have a air space underneath like the solar panels . Pat
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Old 07-27-2015, 12:35 PM   #290
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many of these trailers have front windows that take the full impact of the tows miles per hour with out cracking the fiber glass. The awnings, although bolted into glassed-in blocks during the build, don't seem to produce cracks, likewise the bathroom vent, sewer vent and side windows. If the airspace under the solar panel is suspected as a contributor then install a fairing. With all the modifications done on these trailers I fail to see how an attractive, yet safe solution cant be made.
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Old 07-27-2015, 12:57 PM   #291
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many of these trailers have front windows that take the full impact of the tows miles per hour with out cracking the fiber glass. The awnings, although bolted into glassed-in blocks during the build, don't seem to produce cracks, likewise the bathroom vent, sewer vent and side windows. If the airspace under the solar panel is suspected as a contributor then install a fairing. With all the modifications done on these trailers I fail to see how an attractive, yet safe solution cant be made.
I would say yes if it was engineered and tested before being put into use . Pat
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Old 07-27-2015, 01:05 PM   #292
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I would say yes if it was engineered and tested before being put into use . Pat
if your referring to a fairing, I think one of the members has already done a test on that.
If your referring to an attractive, interior and exterior solution to screw mounting a solar panel onto a fiberglass trailer I believe thats also been handled by a member. 5200 glue mount a backing plate to the roof, then screw mount to the backing plate.
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Old 07-27-2015, 02:58 PM   #293
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many of these trailers have front windows that take the full impact of the tows miles per hour with out cracking the fiber glass. The awnings, although bolted into glassed-in blocks during the build, don't seem to produce cracks, likewise the bathroom vent, sewer vent and side windows. If the airspace under the solar panel is suspected as a contributor then install a fairing. With all the modifications done on these trailers I fail to see how an attractive, yet safe solution cant be made.
I agree those are all good examples of what appears to be properly mounted components. Has anyone reported any of your examples that have flown off the trailer and damaged the structure?

In this case 5? panels have come loose which points to a problem. The solutions appear to try to contain the panels so they don't fly off and cause accidents/injuries but doesn't appear to stop the damage to the trailer resulting from the mounts separating from the fiberglass?

I believe the failures of the mount result a number of factors which result in the bond and/or fiberglass failing. If you ask me which is #1 I'd say vibration from wind buffeting, trailer body flexing, temperature changes, etc. The existing mounting rails are simply too narrow and stiff ... that's why I chose a wider more flexible mount.

Time will tell, the variable is the thickness and layup of the fiberglass shell. I have seen solar panel mounts punch through fiberglass 'down' and rip off 'up' .... and we always sandwiched inside/outside support and stiffeners. I have attempted to mount mine considering only one side of fiberglass and trusting my intuition. I am trusting the shell and 160+ square inches of slightly flexible bonding area.
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Old 07-27-2015, 03:58 PM   #294
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Excluding VHB tape installations.
From the pictures that I have seen, the failure of the solar panel mounting has been a result of a poor epoxy bond to the aluminum box channel. One side fails and the other side is stressed resulting in delamination. The failures are limited to factory installed 95 W panels installed through early 2014 on escape 19 trailers.
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Old 07-27-2015, 04:50 PM   #295
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The failures are limited to factory installed 95 W panels installed through early 2014 on escape 19 trailers.
And the OP's 2008 5.0 SA.
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Old 07-27-2015, 05:15 PM   #296
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And the OP's 2008 5.0 SA.
Clarification: Although our trailer is a 2008, the solar panels were installed in the summer of 2013.
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Old 07-27-2015, 05:37 PM   #297
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OOOPS, thank you Bob and Dave. Time for another tall boy. I intended to say thru early 2014.
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Old 08-04-2015, 03:25 PM   #298
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I just received my kit. It is different from what was described before. And I have two problems with it. My brackets include one hole to go through the roof with a 1/4"-20 by 2" screw with a 1-1/4" fender washer to be put inside in the side closets. First problem: the screws should have been 1" as there wasn't enough thread length to secure them. I learned this from Rae who told me she ordered the wrong length screws. I also noted that the top hole to be put into the side of the solar panel was only 1/2" from the top of the panel and I wasn't comfortable that I wouldn't hit the solar panel itself when I screwed through the side frame. Rae checked with Reace who asked that I drill holes in the brackets so that the screws would be centered on the side panel rather than so close to the top. I have to drill them offset from the center of the bracket so that I have some metal between the holes. Since this is a backup to the original epoxy mounting, I am not too worried about the extra hole that is now offset from where it should be.
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Old 08-04-2015, 04:01 PM   #299
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I just received my kit. It is different from what was described before. And I have two problems with it. My brackets include one hole to go through the roof with a 1/4"-20 by 2" screw with a 1-1/4" fender washer to be put inside in the side closets. First problem: the screws should have been 1" as there wasn't enough thread length to secure them. I learned this from Rae who told me she ordered the wrong length screws. I also noted that the top hole to be put into the side of the solar panel was only 1/2" from the top of the panel and I wasn't comfortable that I wouldn't hit the solar panel itself when I screwed through the side frame. Rae checked with Reace who asked that I drill holes in the brackets so that the screws would be centered on the side panel rather than so close to the top. I have to drill them offset from the center of the bracket so that I have some metal between the holes. Since this is a backup to the original epoxy mounting, I am not too worried about the extra hole that is now offset from where it should be.
Is this the hardware bracket kit for the 150/160 W solar panel ?
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Old 08-05-2015, 10:42 AM   #300
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Is this the hardware bracket kit for the 150/160 W solar panel ?
Yes, we have a 150 watt panel.
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