Mounting solar on 5.0

[Kevin R]

Can anyone tell me how ETI mounts solar panel on the 5.0. Do they use screws, bolts, or adhesive? If they use mechanical fasteners do they have special mounting points on the roof or do fasteners go all the way through roof? I am trying to decide whether to order with or without the solar option because I have a nice solar set up that I removed from my last trailer and would like to use it but am a little bit nervous about installing on an escape. I would use the good adhesive (can't remember what the name is at this time) that is specifically made for bonding solar panels to fiberglass without any mechanical fasteners to penetrate through the fiberglass. I do have experience installing solar panels on RV but don't know what it's like to install on the 5.0 or how solid the roof is on the rear where solar goes.

[cpaharley2008]

They mount it with bolts through the shell, it is a nice package with dual 6 volts and 160 watts panel and controller.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Kevin R

I would use the good adhesive (can't remember what the name is at this time) that is specifically made for bonding solar panels to fiberglass without any mechanical fasteners to penetrate through the fiberglass.

When the name comes to you... what adhesive would that be?

[Loren & Cathy]

Two years ago after a solar panel blew off, they went from adhesive to bolts. Ours was one of the first to have the solar panel bolted. Loren

[Kevin R]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

When the name comes to you... what adhesive would that be?

The ONLY adhesive that can be trusted to hold up for the long haul is Sikaflex 252. And the area where it will be bonded to MUST be cleaned and then primered with Sika primer 215 prior to installing with the adhesive. There must also be about 1/8 of an inch of spacing foam tape around edges of mount brackets to help maintain the thickness of adhesive and prevent the adhesive from being squeezed out to thin. If this is done correctly the panel will not come off. EVER.

[rbryan4]

Kevin, I think you're right about the Sikaflex 252 being a great adhesive, but in looking at the solar panels that blew off, it wasn't a failure to bond to the fiberglass that caused it, but a failure of the fiberglass itself. The gelcoat came off with the panel. While Sikaflex 252, properly applied, would mean no chance of adhesive failure, I think the epoxy Escape used could claim the same thing.

I would imagine that if ever one of those panels was found, you would see a nice thin strip of fiberglass gelcoat still stuck to the adhesive on the mounting rails.

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[Kevin R]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Kevin, I think you're right about the Sikaflex 252 being a great adhesive, but in looking at the solar panels that blew off, it wasn't a failure to bond to the fiberglass that caused it, but a failure of the fiberglass itself. The gelcoat came off with the panel. While Sikaflex 252, properly applied, would mean no chance of adhesive failure, I think the epoxy Escape used could claim the same thing.

I would imagine that if ever one of those panels was found, you would see a nice thin strip of fiberglass gelcoat still stuck to the adhesive on the mounting rails.

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Ok, I see your point. I guess that I assumed it was adhesive failure and not aware that the gel coat was the blame. With this in mind, I will most likely just go with ETI installed panel for peace of mind
Are the factory installed units sealed good to prevent leaks around the bolts?
Thanks for your input. It helps us newbies

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Kevin R

Ok, I see your point. I guess that I assumed it was adhesive failure and not aware that the gel coat was the blame. With this in mind, I will most likely just go with ETI installed panel for peace of mind
Are the factory installed units sealed good to prevent leaks around the bolts?
Thanks for your input. It helps us newbies

You're welcome.

Escape uses stout brackets to tie the panel to the roof, and they do a good job of sealing both under the bracket and over the bolts. They enter the trailer inside the overhead cabinets, so there's no unsightly hardware visible. It's pretty much like all the other hardware bits on the roof: just inspect them once every blue moon to insure that the sealant isn't deteriorating. When it does, recaulk it with ProFlex or Lexel or another quality non-silicone sealant.

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[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Kevin R

The ONLY adhesive that can be trusted to hold up for the long haul is Sikaflex 252.

Thanks. While I'm sure that several major adhesive manufacturers would disagree with Sikaflex 252 as being the only choice , it's good to know about the Sika approach.

Sikaflex 252 is a polyurethane.

[Kevin R]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

You're welcome.

Escape uses stout brackets to tie the panel to the roof, and they do a good job of sealing both under the bracket and over the bolts. They enter the trailer inside the overhead cabinets, so there's no unsightly hardware visible. It's pretty much like all the other hardware bits on the roof: just inspect them once every blue moon to insure that the sealant isn't deteriorating. When it does, recaulk it with ProFlex or Lexel or another quality non-silicone sealant.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Thanks for your help! All questions are answered
I will go with ETI installed solar panel.