Flexible Solar Panels

[Aja]

What is the opinion of fixing flexible solar panels to the coachroof. Screw or adhesive?

Regards

Donald

 

[[3889]]

3m dual lock acrylic tape. Clean panel and gelcoat with acetone before applying. Held my 100w panel for 12 months with the option to remove/ relocate it.

 

[duncan99210]

Screws. Stickum is a pain to remove.

 

[VicS]

What is the opinion of fixing flexible solar panels to the coachroof. Screw or adhesive?

Regards

Donald

The trouble with screws is that if you want to move it or replace it in time with something different you have the old holes to repair.

The trouble with adhesive is that you wont get it off again if you want to without destroying it if it's a good adhesive.

Mine ( semiflexible) is bolted down with nylock nuts inside so that it cannot be nicked

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

I fitted a semi flexible 100 watt panel on my curved coach roof last month. I used very small screws, it was the only practical way to keep it down against the curve.

 

[JumbleDuck]

What is the opinion of fixing flexible solar panels to the coachroof. Screw or adhesive?

Velcro.

 

[johnalison]

Screws. Four small holes wouldn't be hard to fill, and there's the larger hole for the gland anyway.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Screws. Four small holes wouldn't be hard to fill, and there's the larger hole for the gland anyway.

I thought about using screws for mine, but I reckoned I would need them every three inches or so along the long (fore-and-aft) sides to avoid it bulging up and fluttering in the wind. Even a wooden batten on top would have needed intermediate screws.

 

[ghostlymoron]

Velcro? How do you fix it - glue?

 

[JumbleDuck]

Velcro? How do you fix it - glue?

Yup, self-adhesive velcro tape. Pretty strong stuff and I am optimistic that if I ever need to remove it some work with solvent and/or a hot air gun will make it possible.

 

[ghostlymoron]

I used some self adhesive velcro patches to stop my back rests falling down all the time. It stuck well to the GRP but came off immediately from the fabric cushions. Not a well thought out plan. I wouldn't use it externally as I doubt if the adhesive is waterproof. I've bolted my semi rigid panel in place.

 

[LadyInBed]

If you want them semi permanently fitted, I would use semi rigid. More bang per buck!
Coach roof isn't the best place to put them, as they suffer from a lot of shadeing from the boom and when the sails are up.

 

[RAI]

The panels can get very hot. The gell coat underneath does not respond well to such temperature cycling (cracks and crazing). I now prop my flexible panel up on wooden battens.

 

[jakeroyd]

www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?417280-Fixing-solar-panel-to-coachroof

 

[Seajet]

As my hatch garage has compound curves I through bolted the semi-flexible panel, 4 bolts per side - never had any cause to regret that move even though having replaced the panel over the years for an identical one with a different name.

There's no way Velcro or adhesive would hold against the springiness of the alloy plate the panel is built on, though Velcro strikes me as one might as well use it while still on the boat to power an illuminated sign,' free solar panel here ! '