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01-29-2013, 09:15 AM
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#62
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Senior Member
Name: Lora
Trailer: 89 Bigfoot 17G & 73 Compact II
Northern Neck, VA
Posts: 352
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I'm sure I read about "Sticky Feet" in a discussion on mounting solar panels. Just can't remember where. Finally found one website. Anyone used these?
https://rvsolarstore.com/index.php?r...product_id=112
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01-29-2013, 09:51 AM
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#63
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Junior Member
Name: Carla
Trailer: Casita Liberty Delux
Illinois
Posts: 24
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Solar Panels on a Truck Topper
Has anyone put their solar panels on top of a Leer truck topper?? Not sure we want to put on our Casita...thought we'd get better benefits having it on our vehicle and not really wanting to use the suitcase style, so to free up more storage in the truck bed.
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01-29-2013, 10:12 AM
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#64
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Senior Member
Trailer: Trillium 2010
Posts: 5,185
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After reading about the durability testing 3M conducted, gel coat separation seems more likely that tape failure. Raz
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01-30-2013, 11:45 AM
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#65
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Senior Member
Name: Norm and Ginny
Trailer: Scamp 16
Florida
Posts: 7,517
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P. Raz.
In my case I'm not too concerned about gel coat failure since our tape area is large, about 144 square inches of tape.
As well the solar panel's really low profile does not expose it to large wind forces.
Certainly every thing has a life but I expect the tape life is substantial, partially because it doesn't see ultra violet.
We use our panels to run the trailer. Principal use of 12 volts is the 24 hour fridge fans and 24 hour hotspot. At noon the batterys at 13.1 volts with the panel disconnected and 14.1 with it connected.
__________________
Norm and Ginny
2014 Honda Odyssey
1991 Scamp 16
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01-30-2013, 12:16 PM
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#66
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Senior Member
Trailer: Trillium 2010
Posts: 5,185
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Taping the panel is much more secure in my opinion than taping brackets. No lift and no torque applied to the bond. The other question is one of permanence. How many threads do we see where a new owner is trying to undo the work of a previous owner? Once the panel is on, can you ever remove it without damage to the roof? Raz
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01-30-2013, 01:15 PM
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#67
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Senior Member
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 5,112
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Quote:
Originally Posted by P. Raz
Taping the panel is much more secure in my opinion than taping brackets. No lift and no torque applied to the bond. The other question is one of permanence. How many threads do we see where a new owner is trying to undo the work of a previous owner? Once the panel is on, can you ever remove it without damage to the roof? Raz
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Here is one suggestion:
http://solutions.3m.com/3MContentRet...bute=ImageFile
Tool:
http://www.amazon.com/3M-08978-Moldi.../dp/B000K2S6FO
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01-30-2013, 01:26 PM
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#68
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Senior Member
Name: jim
Trailer: 2022 Escape19 pulled by 2014 Dodge Ram Hemi Sport
Pennsylvania
Posts: 6,710
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Looks like our friends up North where it get's to 40 below would be able to remove the tape easier than farther south, according to these links.
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01-30-2013, 02:28 PM
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#69
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Senior Member
Trailer: Trillium 2010
Posts: 5,185
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas G.
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If you can get to the foam to cut it that's certainly the way to do it. I believe folks have used the eraser successfully removing decals on fiberglass.
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01-30-2013, 03:56 PM
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#70
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Senior Member
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 5,112
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Quote:
Originally Posted by P. Raz
If you can get to the foam to cut it that's certainly the way to do it. I believe folks have used the eraser successfully removing decals on fiberglass.
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It seems like you could also use the ole wire or mono filament trick.
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01-30-2013, 04:54 PM
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#71
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Senior Member
Trailer: Trillium 2010
Posts: 5,185
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas G.
It seems like you could also use the ole wire or mono filament trick.
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I would be curious to find out how that works.
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01-30-2013, 06:42 PM
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#72
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Senior Member
Name: Jack
Trailer: '98 BURRO 17WB
Delaware
Posts: 2,548
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On a very small scale, I proved that VHB tape is stronger than the gel coat itself by pulling a small plastic hook off the inner surface of the Burro. Gel goat came with it. [Note: I had removed the Chinee foamshmoz tape from several of these hooks and replaced with VHB before stickin em.] And the wire pullthru does work to get behind the stuckon object.
jack
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01-31-2013, 06:48 AM
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#73
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Senior Member
Name: Norm and Ginny
Trailer: Scamp 16
Florida
Posts: 7,517
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Jack,
What I meant was that I had no concern about the tape damaging the gel coat because the potential forces per unit of tape area were low.
__________________
Norm and Ginny
2014 Honda Odyssey
1991 Scamp 16
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01-31-2013, 10:26 AM
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#74
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Senior Member
Trailer: Trillium 2010
Posts: 5,185
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rabbit
And the wire pullthru does work to get behind the stuckon object. jack
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I have never seen the tape, just pictures. How about pulling through multiple lengths under a 2 foot wide by 3 foot long panel?
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01-31-2013, 10:44 AM
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#75
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Senior Member
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 5,112
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Quote:
Originally Posted by P. Raz
I have never seen the tape, just pictures. How about pulling through multiple lengths under a 2 foot wide by 3 foot long panel?
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In that case, you'd have to destroy the flexible panel to get access to individual strips. It wouldn't be pretty.
If you laid down some aluminum angle and then bolted a rigid panel to that, it wouldn't be so difficult to remove.
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01-31-2013, 11:09 AM
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#76
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Senior Member
Trailer: Trillium 2010
Posts: 5,185
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Since the trailer has a good chance of outliving the solar panel, I almost think I would choose bolts through the hull to tape. I'm waiting for the flexible panel prices to drop. I like the idea rolling it up to store, then pulling it out when needed. Raz
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01-31-2013, 11:19 AM
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#77
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Senior Member
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 5,112
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Quote:
Originally Posted by P. Raz
Since the trailer has a good chance of outliving the solar panel, I almost think I would choose bolts through the hull to tape. I'm waiting for the flexible panel prices to drop. I like the idea rolling it up to store, then pulling it when needed. Raz
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I can see your point. On a double hulled trailer it is a little tougher to use bolts.
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01-31-2013, 11:53 AM
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#78
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Senior Member
Name: Jack
Trailer: '98 BURRO 17WB
Delaware
Posts: 2,548
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Confucius say weak man is easily separated from bionic arm. Most of the stuff that's supposed to hold on doesn't except the stuff that really, really, really does. Norm, I understand the benefits of maximizing contact area and minimizing lever arm and windage. I believe the "low profile" VHB install you describe should and does warrant some provisional confidence in the tape. Provisional=provided this and provided that.
jack
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01-31-2013, 12:56 PM
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#79
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Senior Member
Name: Linda
Trailer: '77 Scamp
California
Posts: 630
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You know, just when I think I've got it all figured out and I know exactly what type of panel and how I'm going to mount it, you guys start confusing me with facts. What's a girl to do?
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01-31-2013, 01:18 PM
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#80
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Senior Member
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 5,112
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Otters
You know, just when I think I've got it all figured out and I know exactly what type of panel and how I'm going to mount it, you guys start confusing me with facts. What's a girl to do?
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You will never get a straight answer here.
Personally, I like what Ron did, as shown in this post:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...tml#post356593
Using aluminum channel or angle stock, you get plenty of bonding surface area, but retain access to to the tape should you want to cut it off without damaging the gel coat, at some future date. Plus, you can use the less expensive rigid panels.
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