Attaching solar to the RV roof

[T1 Terry]

When we fixed the rooftop solar to RV's, 25mm x 70mm angle 25mm contacting the roof and the 70mm side bolted to the solar panels so the 25mm face was under the panels. Lay it on the roof where the solar panel need to mount and run a line along the edges of the aluminium angle. Use a piece of scrap to get the 25mm width and mark that as well. Now you know where to rough up and to apply the glue.

We then scuffed the roof surface and ran the edge of a thick cutting disc at a 45* angle in the angle grinder up and down the 25mm aluminium contact face to make a good surface for the Selleys Armourflex to stick, then cleaned it all down with metho on a rag to remove any dust. Wait a few minutes for the metho to evaporate, then a bead of Armourflex doing a full loop inside the area marked where the aluminium angle would sit to allow the glue to squeeze out to the edges without wasting if as excess around the aluminium rails ... it also will squeeze toward the centre filling the gap there. Now do the same on the aluminium scuffed up rail.

Carefully place the solar panels with the rails facing down so the two glued faces will meet, a piece of timber or what ever that's a bit bigger than the gap between the underside of the solar panel and the under side of the aluminium rail place at each corner under the solar panel will allow for fine adjustments before the two glue faces meet.

Once the glue faces are together, leave it for 10 to 15 mins, then place a 2 ltr milk bottle full of water on each corner and then two bottles apart along the glued edges.

Give it another 10 mins, then with a cap full of metho within reach, dip a finger in the metho and smooth the bead of glue along the edges .... you can use water with a strong mix of washing up liquid fire if there is a lot of smoothing to do, but finishing off with the metho leaves a smooth finish. Clean off any glue you don't want with metho on a rag while the glue is fresh, or turps on a rag after a few days when it has dried, don't get turps on any glue you want to set solid because it stuffs up the chemical reaction to the air in the glue.

After a few days you can remove the bottles, over night if it has been a hot humid night, but the longer the better. The glue is not fully cured for 7 days to 14 days, depends on the temp and humidity, it needs both to cure, but it is strong enough after 24 hrs that the panel will not come off if you prepared the surfaces as above.

After the Armourflex has cured, you will need a multitool with a sharp edged blade to actually cut between the aluminium rail and the roof to get it off. Be very careful doing this because the Armourflex is stronger than the fibreglass or aluminium sheet that makes up the roof skin and that will cut before the glue does.
No other attaching devices are needed and they will only make holes in the roof that could leak sometime in the future.

T1 Terry

[jon_d]

All my panels and roofy things are glued using Armourflex.

[T1 Terry]

All my panels and roofy things are glued using Armourflex.

The advantage of Armourflex over Sikkaflex 11FC is Armourflex doesn't degrade in sunlight and go powdery the way the Sikkaflex did.
Bostik Simson 70-05 is an extremely good adhesive if high temps are expected, but it is more expensive and requires more prep work, but it is a very good adhesive and sealant as well as being an SMP (silyl Modified Polymer) like Selleys Armourflex is so it also has the UV resistance finish. If, for some reason, you need to attach semi flexible solar panels directly to a surface, this one will hold where Armourflex and Sikkaflex 11FC won't because the extreme temperature seen at the back of the panel will cause the other two adhesives to release ....... on the flip side, you can not get the Simson 70-50 to release by using a heat gun on the joining surfaces because the required heat will dissipate faster than it can be applied over the required area .... and it is a nightmare to remove, even with a very sharp multitool

T1 Terry

[T1 Terry]

We used aluminium rivnuts and 6mm stainless bolts and washers to attach the panel to the aluminium angle, that way the panel can be removed and refitted when ever needed. We found Tek screws were a one use install, the screw holes became worn and loose or lost their thread when tightening on even the second use, absolutely hopeless on a third attempt and aften the reason people lost their solar panels while travelling.
The metal threads also react with the solar panel thin aluminium frame resulting in thread binding and actually tearing the aluminium out around the tek screw. Aluminium rivnuts into the aluminium solar panel frame provide a much larger thread contact patch and the stainless bolts never seem to react with the aluminium. The other advantage, if one stuffs up ore gets cross threaded, they are easy to drill out and replace

T1 Terry

[BernieQ2]

Bunnings Bundy and Maryborough don't have selleys armour flex.
But they have sika fc11.
Bernie.

[jon_d]

It's called 650 FC. The name has changed and the product has been superseded.

bernies treasure hunt.jpg

[BernieQ2]

It's called 650 FC. The name has changed and the product has been superseded.

bernies treasure hunt.jpg

That's a sausage pack jon.

[jon_d]

Yes Bernie, it is.

mumy- i cant tie my shoe laces.jpg

[WarrenK]

You can get Bostik Simson 70-05 from Total Tools and Sydney Tools for $20 a 600ml sausage. You just order it online and click and collect from your desired store. https://www.totaltools.com.au/119505-bo ... e-30132131
I had to remove 650w of light weight solar panels from my caravan that had been installed using Bostik Simson 70-05 that had been there for 10 years, and they didn't want to come off easily. I made sure there was at least a 3mm bead of adhesive.
If you live In the Brisbane area, Sunshine Coast or Gold Coast Adheseal have a product similar to the Selley's product. https://adheseal.com.au/products/adhese ... c2c1&_ss=r

[BernieQ2]

Thanks Warren. BUT the closest one to me is the sunny coast and that's 3 hours from me.
I will have to wait a bit unless I can find a neighbor going to Bundy or Maryborough, her self says too far to go just to spend $20. 200k round trip from here.
Thanks Jon.
Bernie.