Removing Solar Panel on Uhaul

[Judith Kennedy]

I am attempting to remove the solar panel on my uhaul.

The screws underneath have large diameter heads on them with straight screwdriver slots. The slots are so shallow that there is no way a screrwdriver can get a grip on them. They look like they are aluminum, but my attempt to drill them out revealed that they were hard as a -------- ( insert your own phrsase ).

Anyone have any ideas?

[Gina D.]

Easy Outs

[CindyL]

Over on uhaulcamper.com, they say to access the screws through the ceiling carpet.

CindyL

[Bill K]

If you can get a hacksaw blade in the slot, make it deeper. Or maybe a Dremel blade.

Bill K

I am attempting to remove the solar panel on my uhaul.

The screws underneath have large diameter heads on them with straight screwdriver slots. The slots are so shallow that there is no way a screrwdriver can get a grip on them. They look like they are aluminum, but my attempt to drill them out revealed that they were hard as a -------- ( insert your own phrsase ).

Anyone have any ideas?

[Flygal]

could be an aluminum post where its just spinning when you drill it. Like the poster befor me said you may need to access inside and also have someone up top twisting the opposite direction or at least having some form of tension to keep it from spinning. here is a photo of what i think it is your describing

[Judith Kennedy]

O.K. I found the answer.

First of all the screws are flat head and flush.

Secondly, the screw threads on the other side of the fixed nuts were corroded so that I would not have been able to remove them even if I could get a purchase on the head.

So---- I removed the ends of the frame, cut the wire, and slid the unit out of the frame rails. This exposed the end of the bolts. Then I cut the nuts and bolts all together with an angle grinder.

What a job!

[Bruce Thomas]

why did you remove it?...do you have pictures of how it mounts etc?.I have my panel but no bracket for it so Im curious.....Bruce

[Judith Kennedy]

why did you remove it?...do you have pictures of how it mounts etc?.I have my panel but no bracket for it so Im curious.....Bruce

The panel fits into a channel on both sides. The aluminum channel has six 1/4 - 20 nuts mounted perminantly on the lower channel legs. The six screws thread into the nuts from below.

[Judith Kennedy]

The panel fits into a channel on both sides. The aluminum channel has six 1/4 - 20 nuts mounted perminantly on the lower channel legs. The six screws thread into the nuts from below.

Oh, I forgot to mention, the panel only put out 3 volts. I suspect it is trash.

[Pam Garlow]

Check out the Uhaul manuals posted on this site. They explain the solar panel (and a lot of other things). The panel is not meant to charge or keep a full charge on the battery. According to the repair manual (pg 14) it was meant to keep down battery sulphation (whatever that is ) while the trailer was on their rental lot. If you are maintaining your battery's charge, then the panel is not really not needed

[Kevin A]

Check out the Uhaul manuals posted on this site. They explain the solar panel (and a lot of other things). The panel is not meant to charge or keep a full charge on the battery. According to the repair manual (pg 14) it was meant to keep down battery sulphation (whatever that is ) while the trailer was on their rental lot. If you are maintaining your battery's charge, then the panel is not really not needed

You learn something everyday! I thought the purpose was to keep the battery charged. How would this be accomplished? Our VT didn't have a battery when we bought it, so I haven't hooked one up. What would do the charging?

[Pam Garlow]

My Uhaul has a converter that charges the battery when the trailer is plugged into shore power.

[Agent_Oswin]

Originally Posted by Judith Kennedy

O.K. I found the answer.

First of all the screws are flat head and flush.

Secondly, the screw threads on the other side of the fixed nuts were corroded so that I would not have been able to remove them even if I could get a purchase on the head.

So---- I removed the ends of the frame, cut the wire, and slid the unit out of the frame rails. This exposed the end of the bolts. Then I cut the nuts and bolts all together with an angle grinder.

What a job!

I had my dad help remove mine this weekend and your post really saved us some time thinking through everything. Here are some pictures for future users.

[funkgun]

Originally Posted by Agent_Oswin

I had my dad help remove mine this weekend and your post really saved us some time thinking through everything. Here are some pictures for future users.

Nice work.
Pretty amazing that a 14 year old post is still helpful

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by funkgun

Nice work. Pretty amazing that a 14 year old post is still helpful

The post may be 14 years old, but the trailer is 39 years old. I like to think that we are recording history here.

[funkgun]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

The post may be 14 years old, but the trailer is 39 years old. I like to think that we are recording history here.

True, and mine is 44 years old as well. However, look at uhaulcamper.com, it is no longer a site, but a side note in the facebook group link.

Time is kinder to our trailers relevancy than to the internet equivalent.