Solar Install

[Tookey]

This weekend the brackets, controllers and panels got mounted, cables pulled and junction box glued on. Wanted to finish the project but the wiring is going to have to wait as I made mistakes on both the last two fixings, lost concentration so time to quit. Unistrut and some pipework unistrut fixings for my tube rails, 90' angle for the centre and end fixings, unfortunately it wasnt 90', it's a timber fixing (maybe that's why, unsure). Unfortunately this meant that the nut/bolt wasnt an evenly spread load so had to grind some plates to strengthen and distribute load better. Knackered.

 

[Tookey]

 

[wildebus]

Looking good

 

[Tookey]

Learnt that a dab of Sikaflex on the finger and then wiping it gives enough stickiness to hold a nut or washer sideways on your finger for difficult to reach bolts! Very pleased I used locking nuts through the side of the panel as its double skinned and I found it impossible to tell if the bolt was perfectly tight or was I starting to bend the ally! So some might be a tiny bit loose but at least I know they won't loosen any more.

 

[wildebus]

Handy tip. finding a 3rd hand can be very tricky. I've used a bit of duct tape on the end of a ring spanner to keep a nut in place for tightening in the past and that worked well generally.
Good plan to use locking nuts. Did just the same with my solar (also fitted on a round tube rack bit like yours)

 

[mistericeman]

Munsen rings are very handy (range, of sizes/diameters and materials are available.... Rubber insulated or plain...

Nyloc locking nuts are an excellent idea (I've used them on all my solar fixings for belt and braces)

 

[Bouydog]

I bought a pack of those supposed 90 degree brackets last week, as you say nowhere near...... useless.

 

[Greggbear67]

Looks great now, they proper fill the roof space....

 

[Red Dwarf]

Looking good, that’s the hard part done!

 

[trevskoda]

I used fence post brackets from the builders yard, couple of bucks.

 

[Tookey]

Wired the panels last night;

Male bit goes into a female and then the female connector goes onto a male that has a female in it!!

Bent my head a little but was cruising but number 4.

Controllers and battery tonight and the Mrs can sort the Victron app as that is not my strong point!

 

[wildebus]

Putting the MC4 connectors is a bit counter-intuitative.
I have made countless ones but I still check with a made-up one virtually every time as it seems wrong. (I wonder if the person who first designed it screwed it up and then thought "oh sod it, it'll do"?)

 

[Sprinter 1 cup]

That's looks great. Mine is the other way round, unistut on van, tube hold the pannle frame.
Tilts both sides, still, not sorted the hole in the roof tho. Did you put your s on, through a high piont ??

 

[Tookey]

That's looks great. Mine is the other way round, unistut on van, tube hold the pannle frame.
Tilts both sides, still, not sorted the hole in the roof tho. Did you put your s on, through a high piont ??

I didn't go through a high point but choose to keep the cable run as short as possible. You can see the junction box in the last photo on the top of the closest corner.

Apologies for slow reply but I am away enjoying a well charged battery