solar on a bigfoot

[GULFMAN]

Looking for some ideas about placement of solar panels on a 9-6 2500 Bigfoot TC.

Are there any Bigfoot owners out there that have any information that may help me with the installation of a solar system? placement of panels, wiring, controller. I have two yellow top Optima's presently.

I was thinking about using the roof rack for a mounting location for the panel or panels.

Thanks

[thundercloud]

Paradox123 wrote:

thundercloud wrote:
I mounted two 100 watt panels on the roof over the overhead bunk. One on each side of the Fantastic Vent. I ran the wires to a combiner box mounted to the side and under the refrigerator vent cover. The wires then run down inside the camper behind the refrigerator. The panels were mounted to the roof using stainless steel L style Rocker Feet Mounts and two-sided 3M VHB(vary high bond)tape. I bought the kit from AM Solar awhile ago but I believe they still sell the Rocker Feet. Am Solar also recommends covering the mounts in self-leveling sealant.

This is the approach I took with my install. The VHB tape is pretty impressive. My panels have been on for seven years and are still tight as the day I put the panels on. AM Solar has several videos on YouTube.

My panels have been on the roof for 7 years as well and I have had no problems. When I added the second panel the folks at AM Solar suggested to put Dicor self-leveling sealant around the base of the Rocker Feet to keep dirt and water out. The first panel did not get the Dicor for the first year of it being installed. Still no problems.

[Paradox123]

thundercloud wrote:
I mounted two 100 watt panels on the roof over the overhead bunk. One on each side of the Fantastic Vent. I ran the wires to a combiner box mounted to the side and under the refrigerator vent cover. The wires then run down inside the camper behind the refrigerator. The panels were mounted to the roof using stainless steel L style Rocker Feet Mounts and two-sided 3M VHB(vary high bond)tape. I bought the kit from AM Solar awhile ago but I believe they still sell the Rocker Feet. Am Solar also recommends covering the mounts in self-leveling sealant.

This is the approach I took with my install. The VHB tape is pretty impressive. My panels have been on for seven years and are still tight as the day I put the panels on. AM Solar has several videos on YouTube.

[GoinThisAway]

How about attaching some brackets to the handrails and create your own luggage rack using unistrut to mount the panels to?

[GULFMAN]

Thank you to everyone for your replies!!
It was a lot of good information.

[bigfootford]

thundercloud wrote:
I mounted two 100 watt panels on the roof over the overhead bunk. One on each side of the Fantastic Vent. I ran the wires to a combiner box mounted to the side and under the refrigerator vent cover. The wires then run down inside the camper behind the refrigerator. The panels were mounted to the roof using stainless steel L style Rocker Feet Mounts and two-sided 3M VHB(vary high bond)tape. I bought the kit from AM Solar awhile ago but I believe they still sell the Rocker Feet. Am Solar also recommends covering the mounts in self-leveling sealant.

I found that I wanted to be able to get to the front of the camper roof so I mounted my panels in line... Like my pictures on the link I provided.

After I installed the panels I decided to replace the vent over the bed with a 24x24 hatch...
Could not have done that without having the narrow panels...

I was not comfortable with just the VHB tape so I bedded in my homemade brackets with Geocell proflex and then screws into the fiberglas.

Jim

[HMS_Beagle]

Here Is a link to a post on my installation. The different models and floorplans of Bigfeet will have vents and obstructions in different places, so you need to get up there with a couple of solar panel sized pieces of cardboard and see where they fit. I paid attention to also being able to climb around them when I was up there, and the potential to wipe them off on tree branches etc. before deciding on what I thought was the best compromise.

[thundercloud]

I mounted two 100 watt panels on the roof over the overhead bunk. One on each side of the Fantastic Vent. I ran the wires to a combiner box mounted to the side and under the refrigerator vent cover. The wires then run down inside the camper behind the refrigerator. The panels were mounted to the roof using stainless steel L style Rocker Feet Mounts and two-sided 3M VHB(vary high bond)tape. I bought the kit from AM Solar awhile ago but I believe they still sell the Rocker Feet. Am Solar also recommends covering the mounts in self-leveling sealant.

[bigfootford]

Heres mine.

I measured the roof free space. Reserched the various size panels.... Found 100 watt 27X58".... Cut out cardboard templates and determined how I could place them and still get around on the roof.

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/24783458/srt/pa/pging/1/page/2.cfm

Jim

[GULFMAN]

HMS Beagle,
Did they both mount behind the Air conditioner?
Where did you locate your charge controller?

I was hoping to use the roof rack as a base so i could make them tilt.

[HMS_Beagle]

I installed two 100W Renogy on my Bigfoot 10.4. I glued ABS corner mounts to the roof using 3M5200, and ran the wires down the refrigerator vent. No new holes in the roof. One of the major advantages of the Bigfoot is a roof not designed to leak (like other construction methods), and I was keen to keep it that way.

[work2much]

I recommend watching this youtube video on solar basics. It describes how to size a system, wire the panels and types of charge controllers available. The video appears to be sponsored by Renogy. All the useful info applies to all brands of panels and charge controllers.

Worth 45 minutes of your time if you have these basic questions for adding solar to your camper.

Solar basics

Greg

[RoyB]

Be sure to read up on Mello Mike's blog on solar panels on his Truck camper...

Mike has be at it for many years based in AZ near Phoenix and regularly runs the trails in the High country of AZ NM Utah etc...

Roy Ken