I've just finished watching all 35 of your conversion videos in the last few days, and I must sad I'm sad the series is over. Excellent, detailed set of videos. I'm a family of 3 and I love the bunk bed still hammocks that are easily removable, I'll definitely be introducing that into my design. Thanks so much for the effort you've put into this!
Installed mine pretty much exactly the same way (although i think i used sika 11fc). its been on for 1 year now and we've done almost 40,000kms around Australia with it on the caravan without issues - i do however regularly check/clean the panel and bonds.
Fixing the brackets to the panel before you put it on the roof made me laugh! I had just watched a 20 minute video on another channel as he measured up to Pythagorean accuracy on how to fit the brackets to the roof first! Brilliant! Great video, you have saved me about 4 hours work!
I was worried there for a moment saw the look on your face before it worked, well done working outside a comfort zone makes the end result just so much better. ☀️
I used the same company for my solar system in my van. Very helpful and great kit. Has made camping cheaper and easier. I used Tiger Seal to fix my flexible panel to the roof and it’s been spot on for two years now, no issues at all. Also impressed how much power you get on cloudy days. Keep up the great videos really enjoy them thank you.
Thanks for you videos Tim. I am doing my own van conversion at the moment and I’ve learned a lot from your videos. You might want to consider replacing those stainless steel screws on your solar panels. I almost did the same until my fixing supplier warned me about dissimilar metals and galvanic corrosion. In brief he told me never to use stainless fixings in aluminum especially if you go anywhere near the beach as the react with each other and cause corrosion of the aluminum. I googled this and he was definitely correct. I have now used zinc fixings rather than stainless to connect my panels to the mounts.
Very valid point! I always have avoided it during the build for that exact reason and just didn't even think about it with the panel! Will swap them out and hope that the fixings themselves last as well as stainless would.
Unfortunately this adhesive idea is recommended on most new panels, which is madness as is the same shit they recommended on roofs for houses that later leaked . So in about 5 years time we’ll see in the news “Solar panel crash crisis!” as solar panels fly off multiple campervans and smash through the windscreens of other motorists
Yep definitely worth being cautious.. I put a cut out on the solar and a big red emergency cut out on the batteries.... Just to be sure... Van is looking great 👌🤙
I put some silver Insulation tape over my cables as they bang like hell at 70mph on the motor way , the tape seems to of striped the cables banging on the roof so it was well worth doing . I have 4 Panals on my roof with 440 wats of power , I still need to fit my charge controller along with the rest of my wiring . The only way you can short a solar panel out is if the live connects to a bigger power sores
In a crash or accident, or even just damage to the solar panel you want to be able to disconnect it. So worth doing. Also handy for maintenance on your system or battery, disconnecting the battery isn't enough, you also have to disconnect the solar otherwise the system is live still. Try not to turn off the solar breaker when it is under load.
Agree with this, I installed one of those big red heavy duty switches (£5 eBay jobbie) on the live feed between the panels and controller. It allows me to isolate the panels from the controller in the event that I want to disconnect the batteries.
Enjoyed the series, I watched it over a couple of days. I liked the way you went into detail about your choices of products. Through watching your series I have decided to jump in. Can you tell me who insured the van for you before, during and after the conversion? Thanks again.
Regarding whether the positive and negative should be attached to opposite battery "corners" .... these batteries are wired in parallel, correct? Then it doesn't matter (a NOP as we say in programming). Those copper wires that couple the batteries in parallel don't care wether you have a wire attached at one end of the wire versus the other.
Great vid explained well, like the idea of just using sika to stick panel down, did you buy all as a kit or buy panel then the mppt? I only have one leisure bat in my van, my dometic fridge kills it, sick of running engine all time ( warm beer ain't good) . Would 150w be enough. Where did you buy yours from? 👍😆
Well done for hooking all of that up. Minor note about the self tapping fixings - have you considered galvanic corrosion? Not sure what the anodic value of stainless steel against aluminium or whatever the frame of the solar panel is, but it might weaken the screws over time, especially in an outdoor environment. I might be talking out my arse.
So we bought a 3yr old van and notice there is a leak in the roof - i think it is the seal and i wondered if you came across this? If it is normal for there to be seal all along the edge of the roof and through the middle and then what to do about it. i am wondering if we need to take it back to the garage as we paid for a warranty or just fix it ourselves. any tips greatly appreciated
Lots of panel seals on large vans. I would probably locate the leak and sort yourself as you may take more care and do a better job than a garage anyway but perhaps worth doing if only 3 years old.
@@subspaceanomaly My Mk3 Golf also has some galvanized body panels, that doesn't mean they don't rust. Especially if you just drilled through the metal.
I can’t think of a reason why it would matter. I’d be careful what cable size/fuses is used to connect between the vans alternator and the leisure battery as it is possibly if the van battery was flat you could end up trying to start with the leisure battery.
We use the Sargent system so yes I believe there would be some charge from vehicle like usual at the same time however it is not like a full on split charge steup so minimal anyway.
Hi could I ask did this stay solid now it's been a couple of years. My next job is adding solar to my van but I'm worried as I have no way to screw it down as the ceiling is up in my van and can't remove it now. So would be solely relying on how well it bonds to the roof.
Not that we have noticed. You can get spoilers however after leaving some dry leaves under the front of panelas a test, they remained there after several miles so the front of teh van may well deflect quite alot of the air itself.
Afraid, I'd be bolting the panels down. Spoke to a couple of friends about gluing them on and they sent me links to videos showing them coming off while travelling. Very scary. Also, how did you rate the wires between the MMPT and the battery, they look a bit thin for the distance. What current did you work it out as and what gauge are they?
It certainly is however I will likely run a few tek screws through just for peace of mind. But if done right then adhesives are certainly strong enough, it’s just down to the paint quality, number of brackets and prep.
Hi Tim Please could you tell me because I am also converting a citroen relay van I have removed double front seat so I have to get another single seat So question is will another drivers seat fit apart from armrest being on wrong side Thanks for all your vids Mike
Just cleaned the roof this week and there is no chance I could pull one of those off. That said a mechanical fixing in addition would not hurt and perhaps be a good backup.
I'm looking to get into a super low budget van build and I am currently in the Netherlands. Would you recommend I go to somewhere in the UK to acquire my van? They seem to be so much incredibly cheaper (based on facebook marketplace browsing) and I bet I could get a much better deal out there. I have never driven right hand tho.
Don't think any minor saving would be worth the hassle of the wheel being on the wrong side, unless of course you plan on a tour of the UK. If you don't mind travelling to save a few Euros, I'd think Southern Europe would be the place to go. You'll find rust free vans with the wheel on the correct side and the poor economic situation may produce real bargains.
Your brave just relying on sikaflex to hold it down I know its good stuff but Id be worried when you get a 70mph wind under it. Maybe not straight away but a few months down line when its weathered the adhesive abit.
I though the same however after much research and some testing I am pretty confident. If it went in first I may have bolted through. I will do a follow up with the adhesive tests in a couple of weeks.
There are some spoilers on the market however being so close to the front of the van it appears that helps. I put a handful of dry leaves under the front edge and after several mile round trip 50mph plus they hadn't budged. Not the most scientific test I will agree! :-)
I have attended a number of accidents with vehicles that have panels fitted which have only been bonded on, in everyone the panels went flying, they are literally life threatening. I strongly advise to mechanically secure as well as they can cause carnage in an RTA.
DO NOT GLUE YOUR PANNELS ON!!!! This is literally back to back 2 channels now. There have been instances of these comeing off. I can’t believe you done it too! THIS IS DEADLY AND ALSO ILLEGAL IN SOME PLACES!!!!
I've just finished watching all 35 of your conversion videos in the last few days, and I must sad I'm sad the series is over. Excellent, detailed set of videos. I'm a family of 3 and I love the bunk bed still hammocks that are easily removable, I'll definitely be introducing that into my design. Thanks so much for the effort you've put into this!
Still a couple more videos to share as I have just made some upgrades so keep an eye out next week.
Installed mine pretty much exactly the same way (although i think i used sika 11fc). its been on for 1 year now and we've done almost 40,000kms around Australia with it on the caravan without issues - i do however regularly check/clean the panel and bonds.
9
Fixing the brackets to the panel before you put it on the roof made me laugh! I had just watched a 20 minute video on another channel as he measured up to Pythagorean accuracy on how to fit the brackets to the roof first! Brilliant! Great video, you have saved me about 4 hours work!
I was worried there for a moment saw the look on your face before it worked, well done working outside a comfort zone makes the end result just so much better. ☀️
I used the same company for my solar system in my van. Very helpful and great kit. Has made camping cheaper and easier. I used Tiger Seal to fix my flexible panel to the roof and it’s been spot on for two years now, no issues at all. Also impressed how much power you get on cloudy days. Keep up the great videos really enjoy them thank you.
What wattage is your panel and what does it power?
Thanks for you videos Tim. I am doing my own van conversion at the moment and I’ve learned a lot from your videos. You might want to consider replacing those stainless steel screws on your solar panels. I almost did the same until my fixing supplier warned me about dissimilar metals and galvanic corrosion. In brief he told me never to use stainless fixings in aluminum especially if you go anywhere near the beach as the react with each other and cause corrosion of the aluminum. I googled this and he was definitely correct. I have now used zinc fixings rather than stainless to connect my panels to the mounts.
Very valid point! I always have avoided it during the build for that exact reason and just didn't even think about it with the panel! Will swap them out and hope that the fixings themselves last as well as stainless would.
Probably an awesome feeling to be off-grid capable!
Well done good sir. Well done.
I just did 6 bolts and glued it down. As long as you get the good stuff it wont go anywhere and shouldn't leak
Nice !! You have alot of faith in the adhesive. Happy van - ing !!
Unfortunately this adhesive idea is recommended on most new panels, which is madness as is the same shit they recommended on roofs for houses that later leaked . So in about 5 years time we’ll see in the news “Solar panel crash crisis!” as solar panels fly off multiple campervans and smash through the windscreens of other motorists
Thank you for sharing , I have a 2001 e press conversion van that I want to Install solar panels on and your video is very helpful, great job!
Great just what I needed! Literally on the last leg of my van build looking to install solar, but it’s a mine field online with what’s best 😂👍
Yep definitely worth being cautious.. I put a cut out on the solar and a big red emergency cut out on the batteries.... Just to be sure... Van is looking great 👌🤙
Excellent can't wait for more on the van 👍👍👍
Very helpful - got 2 of the same panels to install in parallel next week so good to see all my assumptions confirmed!
I put some silver Insulation tape over my cables as they bang like hell at 70mph on the motor way , the tape seems to of striped the cables banging on the roof so it was well worth doing . I have 4 Panals on my roof with 440 wats of power , I still need to fit my charge controller along with the rest of my wiring . The only way you can short a solar panel out is if the live connects to a bigger power sores
In a crash or accident, or even just damage to the solar panel you want to be able to disconnect it. So worth doing. Also handy for maintenance on your system or battery, disconnecting the battery isn't enough, you also have to disconnect the solar otherwise the system is live still. Try not to turn off the solar breaker when it is under load.
Agree with this, I installed one of those big red heavy duty switches (£5 eBay jobbie) on the live feed between the panels and controller. It allows me to isolate the panels from the controller in the event that I want to disconnect the batteries.
Yeah, well worth doing to keep things future proof.
Very good. Will be doing the same thing on the same model van soon as.
Love your vids. Keep up the good work, I’m hyped for the workshop build!
Just installed mine on my own too! What a pain, this video helped tho so thanks 😊
thanks for sharing your experience
Enjoyed the series, I watched it over a couple of days. I liked the way you went into detail about your choices of products. Through watching your series I have decided to jump in. Can you tell me who insured the van for you before, during and after the conversion? Thanks again.
Adrian Flux did during and just renewed with them now it’s converted. Brentacre were the other option and same price.
@@TheRestorationCouple Thanks for that prompt reply. And the company names. I have also been watching your garden videos and they are excellent also.
Awesome mate. Love the series
Marvellous. I think I should fit one too.
Regarding whether the positive and negative should be attached to opposite battery "corners" .... these batteries are wired in parallel, correct? Then it doesn't matter (a NOP as we say in programming). Those copper wires that couple the batteries in parallel don't care wether you have a wire attached at one end of the wire versus the other.
Great vid explained well, like the idea of just using sika to stick panel down, did you buy all as a kit or buy panel then the mppt? I only have one leisure bat in my van, my dometic fridge kills it, sick of running engine all time ( warm beer ain't good) . Would 150w be enough. Where did you buy yours from? 👍😆
Well done for hooking all of that up. Minor note about the self tapping fixings - have you considered galvanic corrosion? Not sure what the anodic value of stainless steel against aluminium or whatever the frame of the solar panel is, but it might weaken the screws over time, especially in an outdoor environment. I might be talking out my arse.
Yes you are correct. Someone else reminded me. I shall be looking into what are the most suitable metal screws, zinc perhaps.
0:00 "I'm going outside now, I may be some time"
Thank you do not create problem
So we bought a 3yr old van and notice there is a leak in the roof - i think it is the seal and i wondered if you came across this? If it is normal for there to be seal all along the edge of the roof and through the middle and then what to do about it. i am wondering if we need to take it back to the garage as we paid for a warranty or just fix it ourselves. any tips greatly appreciated
Lots of panel seals on large vans. I would probably locate the leak and sort yourself as you may take more care and do a better job than a garage anyway but perhaps worth doing if only 3 years old.
I would've used some rust protective paint on the drilled holes for the solar panel cables, just to prevent any oxidation.
these van bodies are galvanised
@@subspaceanomaly My Mk3 Golf also has some galvanized body panels, that doesn't mean they don't rust. Especially if you just drilled through the metal.
Great help looking to fit solar to my van
So four years later, how well are these adhering?
Great video as usual, can we have a link for the solar panel please?
The panel was only on the Photonic Universe website, it is the 200w panel which looks almost square.
Do you even need the gland? Drill holes put rubber grommet in hole then wires through then just use the Sikaflex around the wire?
Brilliant video with out bolting the solar panels i would be worried some one could nick it
How did years u route the solar cables Dr m roof to wherever
What will happen if you start the car? Will you be charging batteries from the car and the panel at the same time?
I can’t think of a reason why it would matter. I’d be careful what cable size/fuses is used to connect between the vans alternator and the leisure battery as it is possibly if the van battery was flat you could end up trying to start with the leisure battery.
We use the Sargent system so yes I believe there would be some charge from vehicle like usual at the same time however it is not like a full on split charge steup so minimal anyway.
Hi could I ask did this stay solid now it's been a couple of years. My next job is adding solar to my van but I'm worried as I have no way to screw it down as the ceiling is up in my van and can't remove it now. So would be solely relying on how well it bonds to the roof.
Does the panel create a lot of drag and noise when you are driving?
Have you thought about installing a faring or nosing along the leading edge?
Not that we have noticed. You can get spoilers however after leaving some dry leaves under the front of panelas a test, they remained there after several miles so the front of teh van may well deflect quite alot of the air itself.
Besides, you want to have constant/some flow of air in between. Cooling purposes..
Just a quick ? If I may did the bolts for the feet some with the kit or did you buy them separately??
Brilliant thanks
Afraid, I'd be bolting the panels down. Spoke to a couple of friends about gluing them on and they sent me links to videos showing them coming off while travelling. Very scary. Also, how did you rate the wires between the MMPT and the battery, they look a bit thin for the distance. What current did you work it out as and what gauge are they?
So have you put individual fuses in rather than using aa blade fuse board?
One panel isn’t enough, minimum of two. Vinny 🇺🇸
kWh will only show if you have connected your load to it I believe.
It has gone up so think it is cummulative as on 3kwh now.
does this charge your vehicle battery as well?
Hi I'm about to fit solar panels to our van and was wondering are yours still secure using your method ?😷
It certainly is however I will likely run a few tek screws through just for peace of mind. But if done right then adhesives are certainly strong enough, it’s just down to the paint quality, number of brackets and prep.
The Restoration Couple hi thanks I'm hopping to fit them in the next few weeks ready for summer 😷
Hi Tim
Please could you tell me because I am also converting a citroen relay van
I have removed double front seat so I have to get another single seat
So question is will another drivers seat fit apart from armrest being on wrong side
Thanks for all your vids
Mike
Yes the seats are the same, although you will need to move seat belt. Not done it before but lots of info on Boxer/Relay FB group.
The solar will most likely fail on the bond with the bracket, may people have had this happen. Need to be done differently for a long lasting bond.
Hi there.
3 years on in wondering how the adhesive held up on the panel feet?
Just cleaned the roof this week and there is no chance I could pull one of those off. That said a mechanical fixing in addition would not hurt and perhaps be a good backup.
I'm looking to get into a super low budget van build and I am currently in the Netherlands. Would you recommend I go to somewhere in the UK to acquire my van? They seem to be so much incredibly cheaper (based on facebook marketplace browsing) and I bet I could get a much better deal out there. I have never driven right hand tho.
Don't think any minor saving would be worth the hassle of the wheel being on the wrong side, unless of course you plan on a tour of the UK.
If you don't mind travelling to save a few Euros, I'd think Southern Europe would be the place to go.
You'll find rust free vans with the wheel on the correct side and the poor economic situation may produce real bargains.
What size fuse did you put in?
The sikerflex will be good we glue panels on in our insurance bodyshop
Could you use a 3mm tile spacer for the bed of adhesive?
Yes, that is actually recommended on some of the Sika products I think. Much easier to judge on a flat roof!
Why did you use sikaflex 221 for the skylight and 512 for the solar panel? I couldn’t figure out the difference?
No idea, had forgotten that it was different for the skylights.
The Restoration Couple thanks for the reply. I probably just overthink things... expect they do near enough the same job
Interesting that you didn’t appear to file and prime the bare metal of the holes through the roof for the solar panel cables.
He used rubber grommets in the holes which are then under a completely sealed entry gland. Can’t see there being any real issues.
@@TheAffrojutty should still always treat the bare metal to reduce any risk of rusting.
Hi, nice job but tbh ct1 is better for jobs like that because it adheres to the plastic much better.
does anyone know the reason for not earthing the charge controller I've got mine earthed at the mo & it's working fine
i mean the battery terminal should be earthed, so i really dont see the difference
Is this the last video,I thought you said there was more to come
There will be, just busy with other projects. Still lots to do.
What should your batteries cost me
Anyone know to purchase Sikaflex 512 in the United States?
get 5200 marine sealant at any marine supply
Tour soon pls
Is this a clue to the big plans for the house? #OffGrid
Maybe a future house but not this one bearing in mind its on a main road with all services.
Hi there!
What self tappers did you use to attach the solar panels to the plastic feet?
Thanks!
…wondering the same, I guess self drilling ones?….
0:01 is that a fake EPever charge controller? I think it is. Dodge.
)
You've got a flat forward edge, this has to create drag and one wicked whistling noise on the highway
Your brave just relying on sikaflex to hold it down I know its good stuff but Id be worried when you get a 70mph wind under it. Maybe not straight away but a few months down line when its weathered the adhesive abit.
I though the same however after much research and some testing I am pretty confident. If it went in first I may have bolted through. I will do a follow up with the adhesive tests in a couple of weeks.
There are some spoilers on the market however being so close to the front of the van it appears that helps. I put a handful of dry leaves under the front edge and after several mile round trip 50mph plus they hadn't budged. Not the most scientific test I will agree! :-)
@@TheRestorationCouple put a few self tappers in and seal over top, just to be on the safe side
I have attended a number of accidents with vehicles that have panels fitted which have only been bonded on, in everyone the panels went flying, they are literally life threatening. I strongly advise to mechanically secure as well as they can cause carnage in an RTA.
Is there a small dent in the roof?
Many! :-)
The Restoration Couple still looks great tho
DO NOT GLUE YOUR PANNELS ON!!!! This is literally back to back 2 channels now. There have been instances of these comeing off. I can’t believe you done it too!
THIS IS DEADLY AND ALSO ILLEGAL IN SOME PLACES!!!!