I'm happy to report that my solar project is complete and it's working great! I now have 3 100W panels on the roof, and 1 100W suitcase panel that can be used as needed. I'm using a Renogy MPPT controller and battery monitor (complete with a custom 3D-printed faceplate by Dave from this forum); the trailer already had dual 6V GoPower batteries and a 1500W GoPower inverter.
I'm now on the road but it's been mostly stormy and cloudy for the past week, so although I know that everything is indeed working, I can't give a lot of performance data just yet.
Fastening the panels was something I threw a lot of time and energy towards.
Right about the time I first started planning this project, there was a thread on this forum about solar panels flying off on the highway. Scared of that, I went down the rabbit hole researching how best to attach mine. In the end I ruled out the metal fastener through-the-roof route for various reasons, and instead went with the adhesive method. But I did a ton of research on it and how to avoid a failure; this included speaking directly with a 3M industrial adhesive advisor. Long story short, I prepped the surface with 99% alcohol, then primed it with 3M VHB Tape Primer UV, and attached the feet with 3M VHB 4941 tape. I manually bent all of the feet so that they fit flush onto the curved roof. For good measure, I also used J-B MarineWeld on the 2 feet closest to the front of the trailer that bear the brunt of the wind. Then all of them were covered with self-leveling lap sealant. The feet are rock solid, and I firmly believe they are not going anywhere. I only put one hole in the roof, for the wires going to the controller.
I had pretty much zero knowledge or experience with solar stuff before this, so I had a steep learning curve and am pretty amazed that I did it, honestly. Sooooo many thanks and credit are due to all the folks and posts on this forum that helped me plan and execute this project, and really made it possible at all. I also need to give a shout out to these folks, I watched all their YouTube videos that were a big help, and then when I reached out to them with some questions, they gave me some direct one-on-one help. In return I used their affiliate link to buy mostly Renogy products, both because of the discount and also because they could advise me on the specific products. Love these guys:
Freedom In A Can
I'm starting this thread with just the basics, but I have lots more pictures, info, spreadsheets, diagrams, notes, etc., and I'd love to share with you all if you want...just let me know and ask any questions you may have! I'll also report back on real-word performance once I actually hit some sunny weather.
Cheers,
Joe
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