Simple Solar Panel Mount

I vote......no

 

What are you using the solar panel for that it's temporary?

I would be concerned that your placement might eventually screw up the clearcoat on the roof. Even small amounts of wiggling abrade paint over time, and that cord will stretch in the sun and heat. Also, the fact that the cords cross each other make it less secure. You'd probably want each line to come from each corner and angle out at a 45* angle to a tiedown point.

 

This seems like a Darwin Award nominee waiting to happen. For such a small solar panel you can just buy one of those folding ones on Amazon and just store it in the truck and use it when you need it.
What could you possibly need solar power for while you’re driving.....unless you’re developing a solar powered Tacoma. Which now I’m thinking you may be a genius.

 

Sun rot on the line months down the road would be my concern.

 

A huge NO !

 

No, just no. From an engineering standpoint, the basic concept is flawed.

 

Realistically, if you want to mount a solar panel to your roof, you need a rack and some solid mounts that connect to the rack slots and the panel itself. Not to mention, solar panels are meant to be mounted on an angle for optimal performance. Never understood why people feel it necessary to mount a solar panel flat on their roof. Hopefully no one sees this and thinks, great idea, I’ll do the same.

 

This is quite possibly one of the most ridicules ideas I have read on this forum. And that's saying A LOT.
Someone or perhaps an entire family could be killed just so you can have the illusion you are conserving energy.

 

Yes, dumb ass idea!

 

Son of a bitch you guys are harsh.

Perhaps you could give the OP better solutions instead of just calling him an idiot. We often learn by mistakes, but it's better to learn from someone else's. Constructive criticism isn't well received if you're a dick about it.

OP, what are you powering with this panel?

 

It looks like a shitty wiring job too. Are the connections sealed? Your going to leave wire exposed like that? What do you need the solar panel for? You need to secure that or get a portable solar panel if it's really needed. Like other said, you need hardware and cross bars or don't do it at all.

 

Some have put theirs on adjustable mounts. Sure, an angle is better for direct light exposure, but that also means you'd have to adjust the panel to follow the sun through the sky. Seems an advantage to laying it flat, although a slight decrease in input, the panel will get longer sun throughout the day and you don't have to move it, plus you don't have to stow it when heading out. I've had mine flat on a prinsu for years and have not had an issue.

 

Seriously.....Are you serious about it? I thought April 1st, 2021 still has a long wait to go...

 

Lol, when I first saw this thread, I thought the OP was doing it as a joke thread. Now I come back and see he's actually trying to defend the idea

 

I hear you. I bring a solar panel camping all the time, and I do usually follow the sun with the angle (which gets annoying). Not trying to hate on the idea of mounting it on the roof. Just not the way this guy did his.

 

There's been tons of studies on the angle of panels, the loss isn't slight, it's significant having it flat. I'll see if I can find one of the studies (I researched the crap out of this when I was doing solar at my cabin).

 

Just curious but what do you need to charge or operate using solar while driving? Is it for when parked? Could you just set it up then?

 

Fixed mount on a cabin is a bit different than a truck. The more adjustments the more points of potential failure on a moving vehicle exposed to different conditions. I regularly have above 14.5V most sunny days with a flat panel. anyone wants to overbuild their system, that's their prerogative.

 

Get a Prinsu rack which that has crossbars... Once you have it installed, you can easily mount your solar to your rack crossbars with hardware.

Or once you have parked your truck, you can place solar on the rack. When you are leaving, take it off and place in safe place.

 

With you on that one! not knocking it, i ran a portable panel for a while. now have a renogy 100W on the rack