Which Brand Solar panel?

[BernieQ2]

All three of my 200w panels plus the two three way hatches are only held on with 11fc been there two years now without any "unsticking"
Most of our Summer temps are at the top end of the 30's into the 40's .
Plus the pool fence around our spar at one end is only held with 1fc its attached to the water tank that service's the pool that's been there for around 4 years now .
Bernie .

[Jon and Kay]

My solar panels are all attached via aluminium angles secured with only 11FC, never had any issue in 7 years.

[T1 Terry]

All my big bus roof and side panels are attached with 11FC, the solar on the roof of the Mazda was attached via aluminium angle and 11FC, no problems there, it is the temp these semi flexible panels reach where they mount against the roof that is the problem as it can exceed 70*C Most people don't realise just how hot their solar panels get, the solid panels mounted with a 50mm air gap still heat the roof of a motorhome or caravan. That underside of the panel doesn't actually get a lot of airflow when parked up as the 40mm frame traps the hot air against the underside of the panel. Try putting your hand under the panel at mid day in full sun and feel just how hot it gets, then consider there is a thick blanket of material on the under side of the panel and some air movement and convection into the roof to take some of that heat away. Now think about just how hot the active part of the solar panel must get, it is trapped between a sheet of glass then a sheet of sticky stuff, then an insulating sheet under it. The semi flexible panels don't have that, they transmit the cell temp straight into the backing medium. We trialled a number of different backing materials, one was light gauge checker plate to make light weight portable panels. Even though the panel was sitting at a 60 deg angle and open at the back the temp measure via a thermistor was 75*C, by a laser thermometer 26*C???? the reflective surface throws the laser type units off. We tried to put a couple of strips of tape on the back to see if it could read that better but the heat was too much for the sticky on the tape and it just fell off

[shonky]

Hi, all.

T.I.Terry - looks like I'll be on the roof with a sharp knife or chisel,cutting into the Sikaflex around the edges, then applying Selleys with a thin nozzle. Damn, that sounds like fun.

[T1 Terry]

Hi, all.

T.I.Terry - looks like I'll be on the roof with a sharp knife or chisel,cutting into the Sikaflex around the edges, then applying Selleys with a thin nozzle. Damn, that sounds like fun.

Wait until it starts to lift around the edges, then gently lift it till it reaches an attached section, slide a cloth soaked in acetone under the loose part of the panel and let it sit back on that. Be careful not to force or bend the panel at any shape angles and you won't have any problems, gradually the whole panel will lift off and the acetone will have turned the remaining 11FC to gel and it will scrape off easily.
Clean the 2 surfaces with plenty of metho and give it time to evaporate off, the Simson 70-03 or Selleys Armorflex only needs to be applied as a continuous bead around the edge, or close enough that it will squeeze out the edge, then a cross diagonally from each corner to form a big X, just on the panel and a bead about a pencil thickness is plenty. Water and dishwashing liquid makes a good lubricant for smoothing around the edges where the excess squeezes out, a towel on the panel and a layer of bricks or plastic 2ltr milk bottles filled with water to apply an even pressure and leave it for a day

[Noggins]

I have 4 of the ali backed solar panels on the top of my van.

I've had to replace 2 of the 85W ones already as they just stopped working , took a lot of effort and eventually recourse to the relevant authorities to get the claim thru.
I have 2 X 84W and 2 X 100W ( I originally had 4 x 85W but was given 2 x 100W on settlement of a claim )
The 2 that are still working from the first install are simply stuck to the roof of the van with Sika Pro and are discolouring already and look like 2 headlights of an old plastic lens car.
I have to clean them down with a cutting compound to get max performance from them.

The 2 that were supplied as replacements for the dead ones I Sika'd them to 2 layers of coreflute and then sika'd them to the roof.

After being in the sun they started to un-attach from the coreflute so I carefully squeezed some more under them and prayed they'll stay there till I got back home and had time to deal with them.
It seems that the expansion of the panels is more than the coreflute likes and it simply un glues.

I have since then devised another method of attaching the panels to the roof via a length of sail track down each side of the panels and use 3x 65ml hinge split in half by taking the pin out.
The round section of the hinge fits neatly into the sail track and I'm simply going to attach the panel with a few bolts and nuts to the hinges spacing it up a little for better air flow.
Maybe a small run of "C" section over the ends of the panels will assist in bracing them a little better.
A couple of screws in the ends will stop it from sliding out and flying away in the wind .

My newer theory is that by using the above method it will allow me to raise the panel up from the roof a little for air venting and still allow for expansion of the panel.
It will simply slide up and down the sail track as it needs and bow up a little if the cross section expansion is more, then the "take up" from the hinges in the track should allow that .

In the future if the ali panels do kark it again I'll replace them with either full glass panels or the plastic backed ones, all I'll have to do is to shift one rail and re-attach for the different sized panels.


Ron

BTW the panels now being sold by I Tech are the same as being sold by EcoWorthy and Green Energy on E Bay and are supplied in Au from a ware house at Battery World Belmore Rd Riverwood NSW 2210
I don't know if they're the Au agent for all of Aus but that's where mine came from ,NSW , and I'm in WA.
Since they're an Au sale they do come under the Au laws, just that sometimes you have to remind them about that bit.

xz

[markcraven]

Living here in NZ can't comment on particular Australian brands, but think it is important to make sure they are on the AS/NZS 5033 approved list as this guarantees they have the proper fire rating for roof mounted solar. We recently had a big discussion about the new standard on our local forum.

[Dot]

Hi Mark and welcome Kia Ora, now you go to the Introduce yourself section and blab all about yourself and what rig etc you have and we do like to see pics as well

[dapope]

My two semiflexiblez on the front of the swaggie are also held by sail track and a couple of tech screws. A bit of sail track in the centre of the panels to allow air thru as well. Tested to 125kmh plus ambient wind without coming adrift. Outside temp of 47deg and still stuck with sika254

[shonky]

Hi, all.

T.I.Terry - spent a bit of time on the phone today, and obtained the following recommendations

Sikaflex 252 is great providing there's a 4mm bead (after compression) all the way round. They recommend small spacers made of double-sided tape.

Selleys Armourflex is OK providing the panel is screwed down as well. They're a careful lot.