Mounting a Semi Flex Solar Panel to Hatch Garage????

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thesaintlyone

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So ordered 5m extension cables with Mc4 connections in 4mm which appeared to be the size supplied with the Solar Panel Kits.

Plan is to Mount the Semi Flex Solar panel on the Hatch Garage and feed the cables down to the solar controller mounted above battery compartment in the port rear quater berth. Which will be more storage than sleeping area.

I am looking for ways to mount the solar panel via the six holes on the outside but not sure what to use. Have it in mind to use some form of hook screw

What do you guys think.

Regards
 
thesaintlyone said:
So ordered 5m extension cables with Mc4 connections in 4mm which appeared to be the size supplied with the Solar Panel Kits.

Plan is to Mount the Semi Flex Solar panel on the Hatch Garage and feed the cables down to the solar controller mounted above battery compartment in the port rear quater berth. Which will be more storage than sleeping area.

I am looking for ways to mount the solar panel via the six holes on the outside but not sure what to use. Have it in mind to use some form of hook screw

What do you guys think.

Regards
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Rivnuts/Nutserts maybe.

The hatch garage may be thick enough to drill and tap holes in it.

Take the hatch garage off and bolt the panel to it ? Perhaps not if it means taking the head lining panels down to access nuts on the fixing screws but even that is possible.
 
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JumbleDuck said:
Self-adhesive velcro tape works very well for me.
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I don't have that degree of confidence in self adhesive Velcro. Velcro to Velcro sticks pretty well although, if a corner comes free, I can imagine it rapidly 'shearing' off. The type of adhesive would also concern me.
I once mounted a panel on a hatch garage using through bolts to hold it in place and IP66 nylon cable glands for the cabling. The regulator was tucked out of the way above the quarter berth fairly close to the batteries but with hindsight it would have been better in a more viewable position.
I didn't fit a fuse but I probably should have done.
 
Wow, it aint rocket science. Just fix it down with self tappers, as suggested by Vyv Cox, myself and others in your other thread.
 
It waa more a question of what type of fixing I did consider hook screws meaning it could be repositioned if nessacary. Ideally I fould like something that is permanently fixed to the hatch garage but could have detachable heads that would allow repositioning
 
thesaintlyone said:
It waa more a question of what type of fixing I did consider hook screws meaning it could be repositioned if nessacary. Ideally I fould like something that is permanently fixed to the hatch garage but could have detachable heads that would allow repositioning
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It must only just fit the hatch garage and i can't see where there is anywhere else on your boat that it would reasonably fit. Just screw it down, wire it up and enjoy the free electricity. My flexy panels have been providing free lecky from their home on the hatch garage since 2001, still work fine.

Edit, held on with self tappers.
 
ghostlymoron said:
I don't have that degree of confidence in self adhesive Velcro. Velcro to Velcro sticks pretty well although, if a corner comes free, I can imagine it rapidly 'shearing' off. The type of adhesive would also concern me.
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I have a curved semi-flexible panel stuck to my hatch garage with velcro tape. It has been there for two years and does not show the slightest sign of getting loose; the glue on the tape is extremely fierce. I have shorter lengths of velcro tape holding up a mirror in my toilet compartment; that's solid as a rock too.

PaulRainbow said:
Wow, it aint rocket science. Just fix it down with self tappers, as suggested by Vyv Cox, myself and others in your other thread.
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That's not a good idea if there is much curve, because the panel will bulge up in between the self tappers, catch the wind, flex and fatigue. Of course you can use an awful lot of self tappers, but velcro tape takes minutes, holds the whole side down and is more than adequately strong.
 
JumbleDuck said:
I have a curved semi-flexible panel stuck to my hatch garage with velcro tape. It has been there for two years and does not show the slightest sign of getting loose; the glue on the tape is extremely fierce. I have shorter lengths of velcro tape holding up a mirror in my toilet compartment; that's solid as a rock too.

That's not a good idea if there is much curve, because the panel will bulge up in between the self tappers, catch the wind, flex and fatigue. Of course you can use an awful lot of self tappers, but velcro tape takes minutes, holds the whole side down and is more than adequately strong.
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I reckon a solar panel held by velcro alone would be a gift to the scrotes down south......... but I guess you could go to the next boat jumble and buy it back!

The hatch garage on the W31s is dead flat, IIRC, but the panel the OP posted a link to previously does not appear to have many fixing points. One in each corner and one in the centre of each long side.
 
I stuck mine down with a thin line of sikaflex around the edge. Tape held it in place while the gunge set. It's still firmly attached after two years.

I re-wired mine with a bit of twin-core to a two-pin connector under the spray hood. Mine is only 30 watts, though.
 
A blob of PU40 (sikaflex equivalent) at each fixing hole in the panel. Press the panel down and form a dome of the gunge that extrudes through the hole. I'll let you know later if it works OK.
 
VicS said:
I reckon a solar panel held by velcro alone would be a gift to the scrotes down south......... but I guess you could go to the next boat jumble and buy it back!
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Your pessimism is understandable, but may be unnecessary. I may have to remove one of my panels, as it seems to have stopped working, and it's going to require some serious effort. Two feet each side of 2" wide industrial velcros sticks like thingery.
 
After a lot of soul searching I used a thick blob of silicone under each corner. Its been on for two years now. Its important to use a thick blob as silicone does not work very well in thin films and its easier to slice it through if it needs removing. Its also important that water does not pool near the edges of the panel as I have had problems with water tracking into the panel. I run a film of anerobic sealant round the edge of the panel just to be sure.
 
JumbleDuck said:
That's not a good idea if there is much curve, because the panel will bulge up in between the self tappers, catch the wind, flex and fatigue. Of course you can use an awful lot of self tappers, but velcro tape takes minutes, holds the whole side down and is more than adequately strong.
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Not dismissing your velcro, but his hatch garage doesn't have much of a curve. Mine has a slight curve but my panels have happily resided there since 2001, held down with a self tapper in each corner.
 
Well, perhaps I shouldn't confess, but you don't really need anything !
Lie it on a wet hatch and it won't move if the hatch is flat. The surface tension or whatever keeps it there - promise. Doesnt seem to dry out if you don't move it around.
Only once has it blown about and that was when the boat was ashore.
Not talking about a postage-stamp thing either.
 
Poecheng said:
Well, perhaps I shouldn't confess, but you don't really need anything !
Lie it on a wet hatch and it won't move if the hatch is flat. The surface tension or whatever keeps it there - promise. Doesnt seem to dry out if you don't move it around.
Only once has it blown about and that was when the boat was ashore.
Not talking about a postage-stamp thing either.
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it does make me wonder if we overthink these things sometimes.
 
Poecheng said:
Well, perhaps I shouldn't confess, but you don't really need anything !
Lie it on a wet hatch and it won't move if the hatch is flat. The surface tension or whatever keeps it there - promise. Doesnt seem to dry out if you don't move it around.
Only once has it blown about and that was when the boat was ashore.
Not talking about a postage-stamp thing either.
Click to expand...

Personally, I wouldn't recommend not using any fittings. If there is a week or two of hot sunny weather the panel will dry out and a strong wind with some boat heeling and you could have a moving panel. That's if Vic's scrotes don't move it first. :(

Richard
 
RichardS said:
If there is a week or two of hot sunny weather . :(
Richard
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No chance, I am on the East Coast :encouragement:

RichardS said:
If there is a week or two of hot sunny weather the panel will dry out and a strong wind with some boat heeling and you could have a moving panel. That's if Vic's scrotes don't move it first. :(
Richard
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I would have thought so too (and am not recommending it) but honestly it neither dries out nor moves under heeling. Kept meaning to sort it but....
.....not seen the boat for a while, the panel might be in Holland I suppose :encouragement:
 
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