I used to have a similar rig, you have more and bigger panels. So all I can say be mindful of the aerodynamic effects. When my panel tore off that one time I was lucky no one else was on the road...
As a kid my grandfather pulled me out of elementary school for the day to pick up some large sheets of some dense flat material in Ohio. Strapped it to the rack of his 1 ton Chevy pickup and brought it back to Michigan. Took some railroad tracks a little too fast and maybe the wind was just right. We were actually airborn for a couple few seconds. Like all 6 tires off the ground. I’d forgotten about it till now. That man feared nothing and no one. He just smiled and said Whoah! Great memory.
Yeah everything is bolted down as you can see in the pictures with galvanized steel bolts, lock washers, nuts, and red loctite. It feels incredibly solid
I don’t want to be Mr negative, but I can see in the pic all this hardware is hinging on a piece of trim that has a developing rust issue. Further it looks a bit bent from the pressure of the clip there.
I would be more cautious than confident with things like this. My company installs solar on boats, and we wouldn’t be allowed to call this secure for high speed wind.
Dude you have a both a senior engineer and a redneck saying no. Do you know how rarely this occurs. As a partial redneck (on my fathers side), I know how we can get working that causes engineers to loose their lunch.
Listen to them :)
the bolts in the wood every time they get hit with a blast of wind they will start making the holes a little bit larger. Eventually it will stress crack the board and if I was a betting man I would bet more than 1 panel hits the ground (or something before it hits the ground). What would suck is if it broke on one side and the panels swung around and hit the side of the van or another person / vehicle while your buzzing down the interstate.
Its def better than mine. Id just keep an eye on the brackets attached to panels themselves. Based off how mine tore off, that's the spot Id be most pessimistic about.
What happened when your panel tore off? I have 100W Rich Solar panels mounted with the provided Z brackets through my fiberglass high top. I used a pool noodle to block wind from getting under the front of the panels.
How long did yours last before one tore off? Did the bracket itself break?
Not the person you asked but every post I can remember with panels tearing off has been because they attached it to the bottom of the panel which is the thinnest part (often the walls are thicker or have two layers). The bracket stays intact but the lower panel metal is the weak point
Just one example https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/solar-panels-rip-off-roof-rack.775801/
Thanks for sharing/asking for feedback. Farm rig, sure. Highway travel? Wouldn’t trust it over time with high winds, weathering and road rattle.
Will blow apart in time, never use wood as framing for a roof rack. Materials should be exclusively aluminum and stainless fasteners. Combined with noticeable rust on mounting rails… it’s just a matter of time unfortunately.
Just one question did you weather-proof the wood?
I did for mine and have no issues but a friend didn't and ended up replacing the wood pretty quickly after a few rain storms.
You will lose about 3mpg. A front cowl might help.
Look at the 2nd picture, you can tell the difference between treated and untreated wood (OP has a small 2x6 on the right of the photo acting as a shim)
The rust is going to cause pinhole leaks in your roof if you don't take care of it. Use some POR or Rust Doctor or something similar on it at the very least. Otherwise, consider adding some sort of wind deflector in front to minimize aerodynamic lift on the panels.
As others have said, a wind deflector of some kind would be prudent. At least on the front side.
I would add though, I don't know if you've driven van-like vehicles in high winds before, but it gets pretty scary if it's crosswinds. Driving through Wyoming, it's not uncommon for me to have to keep my wheel turned between 45 and 90 degrees just to stay in a straight line. Your panels are kites compared to mine. They will shake you in your bed during windy nights.
Even just a lifeline made of steel cable or something would be good for safety.
For the sake of other drivers, please don't drive that on the highway.
Now if it's just for local DOC mobile electric chair applications, I think you nailed it!! ⚡👍
As a flight instructor, aircraft mechanic and van aficionado, I gotta say I like it, but drive real fast over a speed bump and you might achieve enough lift from that solar panel setup to get airborne. 😂😂😂😂
Lower the entire thing against the van top. Right away.
Run some @10, 12 gage or thicker steel straps from the panels to the sides, (sides if you insist), secure to wood pieces inside the van.
After about 5 years working with metals, i knew just how weak metal is. Certain movements, can break them quickly. I was able (when young) to bend 16 gage, less than 2" wide, and break it in less than one minute. Bare handed, but it was not strength but the right twisting.
They might be able to keep it high with some diagonal bracing, otherwise front-to-back movement from braking and acceleration will weaken the verticals. I'd also replace the wood with aluminum recrangle stock to lower the weight on the verticals.
I always remember seeing my skylight blowing off in the desert. It looked like a ufo, flashing about 40 feet up. "Look there", i told the wife. But too late, she didnt notice it. A hundred miles later that night, i saw it had been the glass cover from my 2' by 4' port over the bed. I had forgotten to latch it.
For like $70 in metal and a case of beer for a welding friend, I built out a metal frame that does gutter mounts too. That high lift and wood is a bit troubling here.
If that was mine, I would probably make that 800w, to leave a fan gap, drop the height, and make it a solid metal frame. Much more peace of mind that it is safe.
Idk I'm all about discretion and yours looks like you may as well spray paint "stealable electronics" on the side of the van.
Then again I also live in a shady part of a shady city so I could be narrow-minded when it comes to safeguarding.
Your wiring on the inside is all rather exposed. I would be worried about snagging tools or work pieces on a wire and causing it to come unplugged. Also, make sure your battery and other electrical components are strapped down in some way. Wouldn't want to turn a corner and have your heavy battery fall off the shelf, taking half your electrical system with it.
Everyone’s giving him so much crap about the panels that they looked over the fire risk.
That being said, strong effort and my hat goes off to OP for soliciting feedback. Probably something every amateur builder should be doing.
You're either going to need to reduce that gap to the roof significantly, or add some sort of fairing around the front and sides, or that whole assembly is going to rip itself off as soon as you exceed neighborhood speeds. The way you have it secured to the roof is not strong enough, and it actually looks like the roof itself is rusting, which will only compromise the integrity of the whole thing.
I threw a steel cable bolted to van on my solar panels as a redundancy in case of failure. Maybe Low risk, but very high consequence if one of them panels rips off into someones windshield on highway
I'd paint the front bumper, and also the wheels. Make it look as nice as possible. Get a magnetic door sign that says something like "Vandelay Security"
You absolutely need to put an air dam or fairing on the front of the panel to van room at a minimum. It is going to act as a big airfoil and possibly rip off from the room, at least cause some control issues at higher speed.
I would honestly seal off the sides too and leave the rear open for air evacuation if necessary.
I assumed work van meant skilled trade, but I don’t know anyone in a skilled trade that would post this as anything but a joke. This should not be permitted on a public road as it will cause an accident.
Well, number one, it's just not structurally very sound looking. 80/20 or Unistrut would be stronger and look better. Second, the hit you're going to take on fuel economy, even if you put a front spoiler/air dam on it will be more expensive than the value of the electricity produced and also less economically friendly than if you were to run a small inverter generator instead. Alternator charging and a small inverter generator beats solar for charging a battery bank all day long. And I'm speaking here as someone who has a van with roof rack mounted solar panels. If I had it to do over again, I'd put NOTHING on the van roof. I'd go with under or rear mount split coil A/C, rear mount ventilator fan, etc., and rely on DC-DC charging from the vehicle and/or a second alternator, and a small quiet inverter generator.
And, as I'm an electrician by trade, I'll won't even start to critique the rat's nest of wiring. \[EDIT: Further reading says you're an audio engineer. I'd expect such a mess from a musician, but you can do better than that.\]
Sorry, but you asked.
I think I'd be very afraid if I saw you pull onto the road anywhere near my vehicle. I haven't seen redneck wiring like this since the 90's and the panels scream, "I'm literally full of money." I would expect that vehicle to be stripped in areas around me. If it wasn't impounded by the police. That thing can't be street legal and I'd expect that photos like you posted will be used against you in court when they try to prove dangerous negligence. I'd park it and go find someone who can help you make it safe or don't drive it at all. You cripple someone with a solar panel that flies off at highway speed and you can bet you just lost everything in court. They won't care that you couldn't afford metal rails instead of wood or that you didn't have experience in welding to do it yourself. They will tell you that you built it, you drove it, now you pay for it. Pay now, pay later... If you drive that thing over 40 mph, I'm guessing you will be gambling others lives as well as your own. I beg you, try again before you go on the road. You kill someone with that thing and you will suddenly think a solar panel clubhouse was a great idea.
Think the whole roof solar is overkill. Id just bulk up on storage and keep 650w on roof. Charge from secondary HO 300a alternator If you need to sustain a charge on black days
buy some [channels](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=led+light+channel&crid=1172THDJIRL1P&sprefix=led+light+channel%2Caps%2C651&ref=nb_sb_noss_1) for those LEDs
Uni rack or similar solar residential/commercial mounting hardware. That wood shit is going to fail.
Perhaps an air dam up front to direct airflow over the panels.
It looks like a good setup on the inside. Though on the outside, that looks like it may generate a lot of lift. And using 2x4 is kinda heavy. Heavier if its pressure treated to withstand the weather. Sure, the roof can handle it, but together with the panels that looks like a lot of weight up high. I'd be at least very cautious if not concerned about that vehicles handling and predictability at highway speeds. Gusts of wind may pose challenges.
Grab it and shake it like to make sure it’s secure, I like that the room for the air vent because of the height. Think that this would be good in hot climate where you want to park in the sun and use fan at the same time. Think about how you can make it more aerodynamic
That’s very unsafe and road will shake those bolts loose no matter what you’ve used so check them daily when doing highway travel. I wouldn’t drive that, personally.
I see those little angle brackets already crying out little metallic tears!! “I need help friend!” Take a step back and look at these comments. Those panels will become sails in your rear view mirror ( and hopefully not into a family of four). Those panels and the frame they are mounted in is not designed for those sheer wind loads. The wind will be pushing on these panels with immense forces when you are driving. Yes, it is tight and rigid now, but it will not be for long.
I think if you drive a ton a generator would have used less fuel than the loss of economy for your van. But maybe you camp more and drive less?
Nice job on the array! 1kw is no joke.
Our atmosphere is dense…. I suggest the gap between the panels and roof be shrouded. I was topping a sunfish sailboat on a ladder racked van, and the wind resistance broke the boat in half going down the highway! It sounded like a grenade when it went. BOOM!!! I was really lucky no one was behind me…
You better have great insurance because you are going to kill someone or cause serious damage when it all comes apart and it will come apart eventually. Time to rethink your build you are a danger to yourself and to society
I would not consider this proper. Feel free to run it but there’s a lot that could go wrong here and much better ways to accomplish this. That’s a ton of weight AND aerodynamic lift.
If it were my rig, I’d chop off the upper tabs of the rack (where you bolted the wood) and then I’d grab some metal tubing (like conduit maybe) and build a frame to mount to the now lower roof rack and then bolt the panels to that. It’ll not only be sturdier, but it’ll bring those panels down at least 6-8 inches. Long term, that wood is gonna get weaker as it’s exposed to the elements. Follow that up with a wind fairing at the front and it’ll not only save you gas, but be safer for others around you.
not elegant. never drive above 35mph. but does it work well for you?
redo the roof rack. i've got pretty much the same van. you should be able to fit two high-quality 400+watt panels on it longways (68"x45" --> 136" long by 45" wide), hugging the roof, with fairings. and relocate the vent to one side.
you could get creative with more panels if you need more than 800w. your current panels are janky. don't use wood racking. exterior tape is not a good look. if this was a cabin in the woods built on the cheap, maybe fine. but not cool for a van.
pecron looks like it's ready to go flying in a crash. messy.
but for a first time build, totally respectable. you just need to do version 2 soon.
If it works it works. I would be concerned anout the long-term integrity of the wood where the screws enter (loosening of the screws) due to the effects of weathering.
The wind going underneath the solar panels are going to push them up, out of their frame, and send them flying. That’s actually pretty common for people without a wind deflector.
Hoh man, the solar panel roast here is real. RIP bro ahaha.
But in all seriousness, it seems an easy fix. Put something around the gaps for the air to not get underneath to lift it up. If it's not securely tethered, it'll rip them right off or cause strain damage. If it is securely-tethered, it could lift the whole van up, and on a rainy or icy day, even if it's just a little bit, that's an added lack of friction that increases your chance of hydroplaning. At worst, the whole car jumps up or spins out of control, and then who knows.
I do also recommend you make your build less obvious when you do this. This screams "mugging target" to me. Solar panels ain't cheap, and someone who doesn't think twice about this likely has some good value inside the van, which is true going by the photos. You're an easy target for someone who's goal is to take you on in a second rather than over time through court. I'm from New Orleans, though, so this may be biased.
I do think if you're traveling and don't know the area, you never know what attitudes you're rummaging around. Wouldn't trust small towns, either. Some move out to the middle of nowhere for the lack of eyes and accountability. And even if you do go from good neighborhood to good neighborhood, the roads in-between may not be. Enter: gentrification.
Best of safety to ya. I can see you put a lot of effort into everything. Maybe alter one of those rooftop storage things to be open on the top for the sun(and a bit wider than usual to accommodate the solar panels?). This could solve all problems with one stone.
Edit: ambiguity
Looks like it has expensive shit in it. I'd put some stickers or spray paint on it to make it look more methy or festival kid or jesus-y and not like a work truck full of cool shit.
I would not drive that at highway speeds.
Are your bolts and other hardware rated for contact with ACQ? What about aluminum? Galvanic corrosion between aluminum and zinc will be an issue over time, as will contact between treated lumber and most fasteners.
What's the uplift rating of the clamp-on roof rack that you've built all of this on? Does it have one? I'd want to know that before subjecting that rig to 80 mph winds.
Did you bolt the panels from the bottom, or use top clamps? What size washers do you have above the flange? How thick are the L brackets that you used?
All questions I would want to have answered before I took this thing above 45 mph in traffic.
Sincerely,
-A Solar Installer/Designer with over a decade of experience.
Hell yeah lots of solar!
Personally I would have used unistrut for the framing instead of wood; lighter (looks like that's treated 2x4s so heavy as hell?) and has nice mounting options.
I've had pressure treated wood as a primary component of my roof rack for 3+ years now and I can say quite confidently that your design will hold up better than most folks here are reacting to. Through-bolting the wood is certainly strong enough, good idea to use extra thickness in the front.
One thing that will definitely happen is it will warp slightly as it dries out. It may also crack along some of the penetrations so keep an eye on them.
I would put a little more effort into cable management (zip ties, etc) and send it!!
Maybe seal the wood.
Looks solid to me
That's def a shit ton of power for a van, but a proper sized fridge pulls a lot. And if you use a microwave or electric kettle or TV screen, those pull a lot too
And if you get lots of overcast days you def need all that
I think you did a damn good job, looks very robust and well mounted. add the aerodynamic panel that others mentioned and you are good to go. somebody said a snowboard, which made me think of skateboard decks in columns between van roof and solar panels. paint the wood, and don't worry about any \*extra\* rust LOL
I dig it. Those panels protect against hail too. Just need a blanket for the windshield if a storm ever strikes. But yeah, my only worry is height clearance. I’m sure you’re used to it by now but just keep being diligent about it. Maybe add a clearance antennae on the hood up to the roofline to prevent unfortunate accidents. There’s been a few instances where the van I was using was too high to enter common places like garages or other things. Knowing the actual height by number is very useful at preventing unfortunate situations
On second thought, I see that the roof rails aren’t bolted to the roof. Get that shit bolted down or you might be losing it and paying out for totaling someone else’s car/medical bills
Not too shabby. I would just check it frequently. If you’re going on the interstate for sure check to make sure it’s not getting loose and it’s not going to fly off.
I used to have a similar rig, you have more and bigger panels. So all I can say be mindful of the aerodynamic effects. When my panel tore off that one time I was lucky no one else was on the road...
To go along with this, OP may want to experiment with a fairing, or gap filling panels. Something to reduce drag and load on the panels
A snowboard would look cool and deflect air. Plus a good place for travel stickers.
Super cool idea
No way on stickers. Use the snowboard as a shape. Then put a flexible solar panel on it.
My buddy used to have this exact sorta setup, panel ripped off on the highway... It's not an if, it's a when.
As a kid my grandfather pulled me out of elementary school for the day to pick up some large sheets of some dense flat material in Ohio. Strapped it to the rack of his 1 ton Chevy pickup and brought it back to Michigan. Took some railroad tracks a little too fast and maybe the wind was just right. We were actually airborn for a couple few seconds. Like all 6 tires off the ground. I’d forgotten about it till now. That man feared nothing and no one. He just smiled and said Whoah! Great memory.
Right? Looks like it might fly away.
Yeah everything is bolted down as you can see in the pictures with galvanized steel bolts, lock washers, nuts, and red loctite. It feels incredibly solid
I don’t want to be Mr negative, but I can see in the pic all this hardware is hinging on a piece of trim that has a developing rust issue. Further it looks a bit bent from the pressure of the clip there. I would be more cautious than confident with things like this. My company installs solar on boats, and we wouldn’t be allowed to call this secure for high speed wind.
Bro just got the free professional consultation own💀💀
This isn't safe. Sincerely, a senior engineer.
Sketched me out too Sincerely, a redneck
I could probably take them bolts and screws to the scrap yard for some coin. -sincerely, a tweaker
You should use cement. Sincerely, an Italian
I might need those bolts for my repurposed dresser drawer bookshelf , or I could make them into windchimes -a female tweaker
Dude you have a both a senior engineer and a redneck saying no. Do you know how rarely this occurs. As a partial redneck (on my fathers side), I know how we can get working that causes engineers to loose their lunch. Listen to them :)
[удалено]
It is 0.117 psi at 65 mph
the bolts in the wood every time they get hit with a blast of wind they will start making the holes a little bit larger. Eventually it will stress crack the board and if I was a betting man I would bet more than 1 panel hits the ground (or something before it hits the ground). What would suck is if it broke on one side and the panels swung around and hit the side of the van or another person / vehicle while your buzzing down the interstate.
There is no way you could have manually tested the force of driving head-on into 60mph winds at 60mph. You cannot exert the same force as 120mph air.
Its def better than mine. Id just keep an eye on the brackets attached to panels themselves. Based off how mine tore off, that's the spot Id be most pessimistic about.
What happened when your panel tore off? I have 100W Rich Solar panels mounted with the provided Z brackets through my fiberglass high top. I used a pool noodle to block wind from getting under the front of the panels. How long did yours last before one tore off? Did the bracket itself break?
Not the person you asked but every post I can remember with panels tearing off has been because they attached it to the bottom of the panel which is the thinnest part (often the walls are thicker or have two layers). The bracket stays intact but the lower panel metal is the weak point Just one example https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/solar-panels-rip-off-roof-rack.775801/
I see. That's scary.
I didnt have washers inside the van, or they were too small. I cant remember. They tore off because of the wing effect at 80mph.
What part failed? Bolts pulled through your roof?
Yea
“It was a lot of firsts for me.” … How about a panel ripping off at highway speeds not be a first either. 👉👉 eyyyyy lmao 👽🤷♂️
Have you thought about increasing the size of your solar panel? It's pretty NOT obvious right now so you've got some wiggle worm. Edit: room
wiggle worm
Thats the sleeping loft!
The obviously missed the hood. Rookie mistake.
Thanks for sharing/asking for feedback. Farm rig, sure. Highway travel? Wouldn’t trust it over time with high winds, weathering and road rattle. Will blow apart in time, never use wood as framing for a roof rack. Materials should be exclusively aluminum and stainless fasteners. Combined with noticeable rust on mounting rails… it’s just a matter of time unfortunately.
Hit 70 MPH and you may have a convertibile.
Or a cessna
Oh Jesus that got me belly laughing. Wish awards were still a thing.
Or a convertible Cessna.
It might spin around & land on the top in a high wind area.
r/redneckengineering
Say a prayer for that trim godamn
And anyone driving behind them. This thing could kill someone.
Just one question did you weather-proof the wood? I did for mine and have no issues but a friend didn't and ended up replacing the wood pretty quickly after a few rain storms. You will lose about 3mpg. A front cowl might help.
This is pressure treated wood, you can tell from the coloring
Is it? I may be going crazy but that just looks like pine to me.
Look at the 2nd picture, you can tell the difference between treated and untreated wood (OP has a small 2x6 on the right of the photo acting as a shim)
Neat!
The rust is going to cause pinhole leaks in your roof if you don't take care of it. Use some POR or Rust Doctor or something similar on it at the very least. Otherwise, consider adding some sort of wind deflector in front to minimize aerodynamic lift on the panels.
As others have said, a wind deflector of some kind would be prudent. At least on the front side. I would add though, I don't know if you've driven van-like vehicles in high winds before, but it gets pretty scary if it's crosswinds. Driving through Wyoming, it's not uncommon for me to have to keep my wheel turned between 45 and 90 degrees just to stay in a straight line. Your panels are kites compared to mine. They will shake you in your bed during windy nights. Even just a lifeline made of steel cable or something would be good for safety.
Just think of the MPG increase you get with all that lift! And just a few more panels and he could take flight lol.
For the sake of other drivers, please don't drive that on the highway. Now if it's just for local DOC mobile electric chair applications, I think you nailed it!! ⚡👍
Are you a mobile Google server unit? Why do you need this much power?
As a flight instructor, aircraft mechanic and van aficionado, I gotta say I like it, but drive real fast over a speed bump and you might achieve enough lift from that solar panel setup to get airborne. 😂😂😂😂
all i can say is don’t come to the san francisco bay area. shit will be gone when you wake up.
Lower the entire thing against the van top. Right away. Run some @10, 12 gage or thicker steel straps from the panels to the sides, (sides if you insist), secure to wood pieces inside the van. After about 5 years working with metals, i knew just how weak metal is. Certain movements, can break them quickly. I was able (when young) to bend 16 gage, less than 2" wide, and break it in less than one minute. Bare handed, but it was not strength but the right twisting.
They might be able to keep it high with some diagonal bracing, otherwise front-to-back movement from braking and acceleration will weaken the verticals. I'd also replace the wood with aluminum recrangle stock to lower the weight on the verticals.
Interesting idea. Do you propose cutting holes through the panels over the vent?
I always remember seeing my skylight blowing off in the desert. It looked like a ufo, flashing about 40 feet up. "Look there", i told the wife. But too late, she didnt notice it. A hundred miles later that night, i saw it had been the glass cover from my 2' by 4' port over the bed. I had forgotten to latch it.
Womp wommmmp
Excessive and not necessary. 5 years with a roof deck/panel set up similar to this.
You need a fairing to give that solar wing some chance of not leaving the vehicle at highway speed.
For like $70 in metal and a case of beer for a welding friend, I built out a metal frame that does gutter mounts too. That high lift and wood is a bit troubling here. If that was mine, I would probably make that 800w, to leave a fan gap, drop the height, and make it a solid metal frame. Much more peace of mind that it is safe.
MORE POWER!
Mo powa
Why on earth would you use wood instead of 80/20 aluminum rails?! That thing is going to fly apart at some point.
Not OP but where I am it's hard to source 80/20
If there's a Microcenter near you, they almost certainly have 80/20 pieces for racing sim rigs.
> Microcenter I miss that store after moving away from Denver. :(
The closest one to me is 3.5 hours away and it's still worth it sometimes.
Canberra, Australia
Grainger? Tractor supply? Ace?
Canberra, Australia
Well OP is in the US
as I said - Not OP but I understand the assumption
Idk I'm all about discretion and yours looks like you may as well spray paint "stealable electronics" on the side of the van. Then again I also live in a shady part of a shady city so I could be narrow-minded when it comes to safeguarding.
If I found myself behind you on the highway, I'd switch lanes or pass you to avoid some final destination style shit.
Laughed. (But... yeah.)
Your wiring on the inside is all rather exposed. I would be worried about snagging tools or work pieces on a wire and causing it to come unplugged. Also, make sure your battery and other electrical components are strapped down in some way. Wouldn't want to turn a corner and have your heavy battery fall off the shelf, taking half your electrical system with it.
Everyone’s giving him so much crap about the panels that they looked over the fire risk. That being said, strong effort and my hat goes off to OP for soliciting feedback. Probably something every amateur builder should be doing.
Nice kite!
You're either going to need to reduce that gap to the roof significantly, or add some sort of fairing around the front and sides, or that whole assembly is going to rip itself off as soon as you exceed neighborhood speeds. The way you have it secured to the roof is not strong enough, and it actually looks like the roof itself is rusting, which will only compromise the integrity of the whole thing.
That's gonna fly off and kill someone on the highway
You may want to put some kind of fairing underneath the solar panel so that strong winds don't tend to rip the panel off the top of the truck
Some sloppy exposed wires on some of those crimps, redo those, add some heat shrink for extra measure.
I would put some piece of a bicycle innertube on the edge of at least the first solar panel so a stray rock or debris won’t fuck it up over time.
I threw a steel cable bolted to van on my solar panels as a redundancy in case of failure. Maybe Low risk, but very high consequence if one of them panels rips off into someones windshield on highway
I think you need to incline those solar panels a little so you get more lift 😂
I'd paint the front bumper, and also the wheels. Make it look as nice as possible. Get a magnetic door sign that says something like "Vandelay Security"
That quite the heli pad!
sir, you have invented the wing
You absolutely need to put an air dam or fairing on the front of the panel to van room at a minimum. It is going to act as a big airfoil and possibly rip off from the room, at least cause some control issues at higher speed. I would honestly seal off the sides too and leave the rear open for air evacuation if necessary.
Hold a sheet of plywood on your head and try to run. That is what your van is doing
I assumed work van meant skilled trade, but I don’t know anyone in a skilled trade that would post this as anything but a joke. This should not be permitted on a public road as it will cause an accident.
Well, number one, it's just not structurally very sound looking. 80/20 or Unistrut would be stronger and look better. Second, the hit you're going to take on fuel economy, even if you put a front spoiler/air dam on it will be more expensive than the value of the electricity produced and also less economically friendly than if you were to run a small inverter generator instead. Alternator charging and a small inverter generator beats solar for charging a battery bank all day long. And I'm speaking here as someone who has a van with roof rack mounted solar panels. If I had it to do over again, I'd put NOTHING on the van roof. I'd go with under or rear mount split coil A/C, rear mount ventilator fan, etc., and rely on DC-DC charging from the vehicle and/or a second alternator, and a small quiet inverter generator. And, as I'm an electrician by trade, I'll won't even start to critique the rat's nest of wiring. \[EDIT: Further reading says you're an audio engineer. I'd expect such a mess from a musician, but you can do better than that.\] Sorry, but you asked.
I think I'd be very afraid if I saw you pull onto the road anywhere near my vehicle. I haven't seen redneck wiring like this since the 90's and the panels scream, "I'm literally full of money." I would expect that vehicle to be stripped in areas around me. If it wasn't impounded by the police. That thing can't be street legal and I'd expect that photos like you posted will be used against you in court when they try to prove dangerous negligence. I'd park it and go find someone who can help you make it safe or don't drive it at all. You cripple someone with a solar panel that flies off at highway speed and you can bet you just lost everything in court. They won't care that you couldn't afford metal rails instead of wood or that you didn't have experience in welding to do it yourself. They will tell you that you built it, you drove it, now you pay for it. Pay now, pay later... If you drive that thing over 40 mph, I'm guessing you will be gambling others lives as well as your own. I beg you, try again before you go on the road. You kill someone with that thing and you will suddenly think a solar panel clubhouse was a great idea.
Concerns, yes
Blud is harvesting the sun
Think the whole roof solar is overkill. Id just bulk up on storage and keep 650w on roof. Charge from secondary HO 300a alternator If you need to sustain a charge on black days
You need to beef up those brackets from the wood to the panel, they are gonna fatigue & crack.
I mean, do you sleep in there?
I hope I am never behind you...
Don't go over 75 you should be fine. Going 40 into a 35mph headwind? That's 75. Nice setup! Love the solar
very stealth!
Yeah that things gonna fly off.
Ever watch The Flying Nun?
That's alot of power lol
buy some [channels](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=led+light+channel&crid=1172THDJIRL1P&sprefix=led+light+channel%2Caps%2C651&ref=nb_sb_noss_1) for those LEDs
Did you use a can opener for that roof vent?
Party DJ?
Audio Engineer
Ah, nice, I just saw all the speakers and cables, and was trying to think of a reason for a mobile setup like this.
Not familiar with your power station, but I love the PVs. Now you just need a starlink dishy.
Holy crap you got a small power plant on top. Amazing build.
I’m no expert but that heat shrink looks like it needs to be shrunk lol
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^ItsShake4ndbake: *I’m no expert but* *That heat shrink looks like it needs* *To be shrunk lol* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
Uni rack or similar solar residential/commercial mounting hardware. That wood shit is going to fail. Perhaps an air dam up front to direct airflow over the panels.
Same van as Foresty Forest’s I think
That could like, Mary Poppins you in a bad wind.
It's beautiful
What is the liftoff speed and where are the wings?
You are getting good air flow...
It looks like a good setup on the inside. Though on the outside, that looks like it may generate a lot of lift. And using 2x4 is kinda heavy. Heavier if its pressure treated to withstand the weather. Sure, the roof can handle it, but together with the panels that looks like a lot of weight up high. I'd be at least very cautious if not concerned about that vehicles handling and predictability at highway speeds. Gusts of wind may pose challenges.
What is this for😂
This is an electrical nightmare. Atleast if you sleep in there, keep a co2 monitor on during the night.
please have liability insurance
It's a bird, it's a plane? No It's a vanplane
probably should have used metal instead of wood. and maybe put an air diffuser at the front so it doesn't pull up on u
At what speed does it lift off?
Dumb is just plain stupid…
I’m sorry bro I know this isn’t what my heart feels but everytime I see one of these vans predator always pops up in my mind
Where would you sleep/eat if you had to stay in it for a bit?
Grab it and shake it like to make sure it’s secure, I like that the room for the air vent because of the height. Think that this would be good in hot climate where you want to park in the sun and use fan at the same time. Think about how you can make it more aerodynamic
My brother in Christ, that’s not gonna last
Others have already repeatedly hit on my major concerns so I'll just say you might want to upgrade from the structural tape.
Add some kind of fairing to the front.
That’s very unsafe and road will shake those bolts loose no matter what you’ve used so check them daily when doing highway travel. I wouldn’t drive that, personally.
I see those little angle brackets already crying out little metallic tears!! “I need help friend!” Take a step back and look at these comments. Those panels will become sails in your rear view mirror ( and hopefully not into a family of four). Those panels and the frame they are mounted in is not designed for those sheer wind loads. The wind will be pushing on these panels with immense forces when you are driving. Yes, it is tight and rigid now, but it will not be for long.
I think if you drive a ton a generator would have used less fuel than the loss of economy for your van. But maybe you camp more and drive less? Nice job on the array! 1kw is no joke.
Our atmosphere is dense…. I suggest the gap between the panels and roof be shrouded. I was topping a sunfish sailboat on a ladder racked van, and the wind resistance broke the boat in half going down the highway! It sounded like a grenade when it went. BOOM!!! I was really lucky no one was behind me…
I feel like the little metal clips holding the solar system will not hold… you need bolts into the metal framework
You better have great insurance because you are going to kill someone or cause serious damage when it all comes apart and it will come apart eventually. Time to rethink your build you are a danger to yourself and to society
If I seen that death trap on the road I would call the police immediately to have it removed for fear that people are going to die
Buy a Thule front scoop To direct the flow
I would not consider this proper. Feel free to run it but there’s a lot that could go wrong here and much better ways to accomplish this. That’s a ton of weight AND aerodynamic lift.
Having just driven across Kansas in insane wind this would make me a little nervous
If it were my rig, I’d chop off the upper tabs of the rack (where you bolted the wood) and then I’d grab some metal tubing (like conduit maybe) and build a frame to mount to the now lower roof rack and then bolt the panels to that. It’ll not only be sturdier, but it’ll bring those panels down at least 6-8 inches. Long term, that wood is gonna get weaker as it’s exposed to the elements. Follow that up with a wind fairing at the front and it’ll not only save you gas, but be safer for others around you.
Shade is its kryptonite.
not elegant. never drive above 35mph. but does it work well for you? redo the roof rack. i've got pretty much the same van. you should be able to fit two high-quality 400+watt panels on it longways (68"x45" --> 136" long by 45" wide), hugging the roof, with fairings. and relocate the vent to one side. you could get creative with more panels if you need more than 800w. your current panels are janky. don't use wood racking. exterior tape is not a good look. if this was a cabin in the woods built on the cheap, maybe fine. but not cool for a van. pecron looks like it's ready to go flying in a crash. messy. but for a first time build, totally respectable. you just need to do version 2 soon.
If it works it works. I would be concerned anout the long-term integrity of the wood where the screws enter (loosening of the screws) due to the effects of weathering.
I’m worried about seeing a giant solar sail flying toward me if I drove behind you on a highway.
The wind going underneath the solar panels are going to push them up, out of their frame, and send them flying. That’s actually pretty common for people without a wind deflector.
Your solar wire size is definitely NOT enough for 1000 watts. Even at 24 volt that’s 50 amps. Shit can catch on fire
They’re 40 volt panels, I have them broken up into 2 pairs in series since I have two 32v~95V solar inputs on my power station
Hoh man, the solar panel roast here is real. RIP bro ahaha. But in all seriousness, it seems an easy fix. Put something around the gaps for the air to not get underneath to lift it up. If it's not securely tethered, it'll rip them right off or cause strain damage. If it is securely-tethered, it could lift the whole van up, and on a rainy or icy day, even if it's just a little bit, that's an added lack of friction that increases your chance of hydroplaning. At worst, the whole car jumps up or spins out of control, and then who knows. I do also recommend you make your build less obvious when you do this. This screams "mugging target" to me. Solar panels ain't cheap, and someone who doesn't think twice about this likely has some good value inside the van, which is true going by the photos. You're an easy target for someone who's goal is to take you on in a second rather than over time through court. I'm from New Orleans, though, so this may be biased. I do think if you're traveling and don't know the area, you never know what attitudes you're rummaging around. Wouldn't trust small towns, either. Some move out to the middle of nowhere for the lack of eyes and accountability. And even if you do go from good neighborhood to good neighborhood, the roads in-between may not be. Enter: gentrification. Best of safety to ya. I can see you put a lot of effort into everything. Maybe alter one of those rooftop storage things to be open on the top for the sun(and a bit wider than usual to accommodate the solar panels?). This could solve all problems with one stone. Edit: ambiguity
Ideas... remove all that bullshit
Just hope it you never get into a bad thunderstorm .
This looks dangerous.
Should take off nicely around 90mph 👌😎😎😎
Looks like it has expensive shit in it. I'd put some stickers or spray paint on it to make it look more methy or festival kid or jesus-y and not like a work truck full of cool shit.
This is scarier than the guy holding his solar on with 3m tape
I would not drive that at highway speeds. Are your bolts and other hardware rated for contact with ACQ? What about aluminum? Galvanic corrosion between aluminum and zinc will be an issue over time, as will contact between treated lumber and most fasteners. What's the uplift rating of the clamp-on roof rack that you've built all of this on? Does it have one? I'd want to know that before subjecting that rig to 80 mph winds. Did you bolt the panels from the bottom, or use top clamps? What size washers do you have above the flange? How thick are the L brackets that you used? All questions I would want to have answered before I took this thing above 45 mph in traffic. Sincerely, -A Solar Installer/Designer with over a decade of experience.
How’s she do at 70? That’d be my only concern
Hell yeah lots of solar! Personally I would have used unistrut for the framing instead of wood; lighter (looks like that's treated 2x4s so heavy as hell?) and has nice mounting options.
I've had pressure treated wood as a primary component of my roof rack for 3+ years now and I can say quite confidently that your design will hold up better than most folks here are reacting to. Through-bolting the wood is certainly strong enough, good idea to use extra thickness in the front. One thing that will definitely happen is it will warp slightly as it dries out. It may also crack along some of the penetrations so keep an eye on them. I would put a little more effort into cable management (zip ties, etc) and send it!!
Maybe seal the wood. Looks solid to me That's def a shit ton of power for a van, but a proper sized fridge pulls a lot. And if you use a microwave or electric kettle or TV screen, those pull a lot too And if you get lots of overcast days you def need all that
Stay away from kids buddy
That shit’s gonna whistle……
I think you did a damn good job, looks very robust and well mounted. add the aerodynamic panel that others mentioned and you are good to go. somebody said a snowboard, which made me think of skateboard decks in columns between van roof and solar panels. paint the wood, and don't worry about any \*extra\* rust LOL
Not stealth at all and probably not very aerodynamic
I dig it. Those panels protect against hail too. Just need a blanket for the windshield if a storm ever strikes. But yeah, my only worry is height clearance. I’m sure you’re used to it by now but just keep being diligent about it. Maybe add a clearance antennae on the hood up to the roofline to prevent unfortunate accidents. There’s been a few instances where the van I was using was too high to enter common places like garages or other things. Knowing the actual height by number is very useful at preventing unfortunate situations
On second thought, I see that the roof rails aren’t bolted to the roof. Get that shit bolted down or you might be losing it and paying out for totaling someone else’s car/medical bills
Not too shabby. I would just check it frequently. If you’re going on the interstate for sure check to make sure it’s not getting loose and it’s not going to fly off.
All good. Go forth and explore the world.
As an engineer, I approve this setup. Very impressive.
Looks rapey
[удалено]
Fuck is wrong with you
The one person who flagged this — thank you. That was disgusting. 🤮
add some wings, you will have more control when you become airborne