solar panel mount on yakima racks

Hey all,

After much time spent on this forum, and talking with Steve at 4WC, I've placed an order for a fleet. It's going on my trusty 96 T100 (210K and counting) with a 2nd gen tacoma the planned successor, should the day come.

I've got many of the camper options, and may post in the options thread after I've spent some time in the camper. Very much looking forward to that, as you may expect. But right now I'm looking at alternatives for mounting solar panels. That's plural because after working up my expected power usage, I'm looking at 220 watts. Lot's of great information and ideas here on that particular topic. What I have'nt seen here though, is if anyone has tried mounting solar panels to yakima rack cross bars. With the cross bar placement adjustable along the factory installed tracks, which I've ordered, it would seem possible to place and rig up some way to secure, just about any size panel to the cross bars, maybe with the plastic clamps yakima uses to attach bike racks to cross bars,etc.

Maybe airflow at 70+ mph under a flat expensive surface is too much of a bad thing, don't know. Maybe I'm up in the night. Wait, I am up in the night. I do know I should just wait until I get the damn camper, and see first hand what I've got to work with. But that's 2 months out, and I already have a year's worth of trips planned. Have to put the spare thought cycles to something.

Any experience and/or comments would be appreciated.

Williak

Here ya go:

http://www.wanderthe...__1

I have an 80 watt panel that was wide enough (about 45 inches) to span the distance between the yakima tracks on my roof. Rather than hanging the panel from the yakima towers and cross bars, I made some brackets using aluminum angle. I pop-riveted them to the panel frame. Then bolted the brackets to the tracks using the yakima bolts and the metal part that goes into the t track.

Wow, 220 watts? Seems high to me but then I don't know your intended usage. As for the racks, I dont see why not. Easier on my square tubes but with a bit of ingenuity it shouldnt be a problem.

I'm sorry I can't find it at the moment but somebody might supply the link. I thought it was a great idea in that you can simply prop up the solar panel on a pivoting arm that will get more sun in lower sun conditions like winter time. The panel was N - S on camper roof and would pivot up to W or E. I can't explain it well but someone will know what I'm talking about, I think it's brilliant. A little off the Yakima question but something you might want to plan for in you setup.

Very nice solutions! Thanks for the info!

Based on your responses, I changed my order from 5' yakima tracks, to 10' and will work out placement of the panels on the forward part of the camper roof, leaving room at the back for other stuff, TBD. The Yakima tracks seem to present lots of options, and I like options.

The positioning arms sound good, as I plan on camping year round. Thanks for the tip James.

Here's my estimated usage over 24 hour cycle:


CPAP w/humidfier: 3amps, 8 hours
Waeco 65L 12v fridge: 1.9 amps, 24 hours
Furnace fan: 1.8 amps, 3 hours
vent Fan: 1.2 amps, 1 hour
Ceiling Light LED: 1.2 amps, 2 hours
water pump: 1.2 amps, .5 hours
total amp hours: 79.4

FWC will install 2 AGM batteries that are rated at 80ah, I think. At a 60% discharge rate, the batts will provide approx 96 amps over 24 hours. 220 watt panels should provide approx 80 amps/24 hour cycle, keeping up with usage, assuming 70% of rated panel efficiency and 6 hours of sunlight.

Comments on my math/assupmtions would be most welcome, as I'm new at this, and could definately be off on something.


williak

From what I have read, I "think" some solar panel controllers can charge a 12 volt system from a 24 or 36 volt solar array. So look into this, if you have more than one panel. I think you "might" get more power from your panels if they are wired in series. Just something to look into. I need to research this better as well.

Steve

Thought I would post an update, since I picked up two 100W panels from Grape Solar through Costco. Also installed a trimetric 2025 battery meter with Steelhead's help, but that's another topic.

 

I went with Zoie's idea and secured the panel directly to the factory installed Yakima tracks. To do this I bolted  two 1.5" x 1.5" x 1/8" x 60" angle pieces of aluminum to a panel (Can't be angle iron if it's aluminum, can it?).  Then I drilled through each end of the angle aluminum pieces  and secured to the Yakima tracks using the steel plate that fits in the track channel and the matching set screw with plastic lock ring. FWC puts some of the plates in the channel in their install. The screws and plates are intended to secure Yakima rack towers using their "Landing Pad 1", several of which I happened to have on hand. Pretty sure you can buy just the screws and plates from Yakima.  I had to shim the screws a bit with washers so they wouldn't bottom out in the track.  

 

It seems very secure, but I will definitely be checking the screws and bolts often on the next trip. The bolt heads securing the aluminum angle to the panel are only about 1/2 inch above the camper roof, so may need to cover them with something soft in case there is flex when driving on wash board roads, etc. Wouldn't want the bolt heads to hammer the camper roof.  The set up seems rigid enough, but definitely can't be sure at this point.

 

I'm going to mount the other panel under the camper cab-over. Lucky for me, there are some good threads on that topic. This is such a great forum..

 

Here are some photos of my install..

 

 

Williak

Great pictures. Thank you for posting them.

Serious thanks for the description of the install and the pictures. After observing electrical consumption/recharge for a few weeks with the 2025rv, I am nearly certain that solar needs to be my next project. I had thought about installing the panel on the Yakima cross bars but your soluton looks like an excellent method too and keeps the bars clear for their real purpose. Your photos really help to understand the installation too. Nice work and thanks again.