I haven't mounted mine yet.. Working on building the rack for my box truck.. How much is the L- profile bowing under the weight of those panels? My truck is 8' wide and I have some rather large 315W panels that I want to mount but I am going back and forth on the best way to make it work..
@@mattolsson8816 Good question. In the video, you can tell I was going to try and mount the panels both towards the middle of the cross beams, but there was too much of a bow because the aluminum is so thin. I ended up pushing them out to the sides and now there is basically no bow. For your larger panels you could go with some thicker aluminum, but 80-20 would be the best choice IMO. If I were to do it again, I would try to work with 80-20.
@@JasonKlunk thanks for taking the time to answer. Yeah it's tricky with that long of a span.. Also trying to conserve weight makes it harder.. But I may have to sacrifice some weight for sturdiness by using unistruts/superstruts across the 8' span.
I appreciate you for filming everything. I know what a pain in the arse it it. I quit filming my build. I have a weather guard roof rack, too. I discovered a product in the conduit aisle at Lowes. It’s an Adamax Nylon Cone Nut. It works like a drop in t nut and fits perfectly in the channel. I got the 1/4” size. The great thing is, you don’t have to disassemble your roof rack to add a cross member. Simply drop it in and attach your angle. The other great thing is, they are about $2.50 for 5.
@@JasonKlunk I also just realized this. I mounted my rack without turning the pins. How bad is this? I'm about to go back in and take them all off so I can turn them...
Absolutely the cleanest, tidiest solar install I've seen. Meticulous planning and a methodical install procedure is a joy to watch with a finished article you should be proud of. Very professional.
You and I are of the same mind...measure 10 times (or more) and cut once. I really appreciate the concern you have for your van and the time you take to build it up. Thanks for the videos!
I've been watching as you go. I really appreciate how thoughtful you are about all your planning. That's the smartest way I've seen to install the solar panels. Looking forward to seeing what you do next!
I am so glad I am a subscriber. Yesterday I was floored by the cost of the Aluminess rack system for the Promaster. $3800. That doesn’t even include a ladder!! I’m going to be doing mine your way.
Very well done Jason - congrats. There is nothing quite like it when that worry about whether or not this is going to work is converted into "hell YES this is going to work!" :) Subbed.
Duuuuuuuuuuude!!!! This was SUPER helpful on the roof rail option! I bought my Promaster 159 last Friday after researching and planning for almost 3 years and was stuck on the roof rack equation. They are so overpriced, heavy as crap, and are too high off the roof when I just needed them to hold my panels so I'm not drilling holes. Yesterday I decided to bite the bullet and drill holes and today I see your vid. Those rails are exactly what I wanted all along. Thanks for sharing! All you needed to do was make T-slot brackets for the panel rail, otherwise it was good to go as far as mounting to the van? I know you also made the Aluminum L bracket to hold the panels. I just want to be sure the hardware to mount it on the van was all there. Thanks again!
No problem, I spent a lot of time trying to find a solution as well. Yes, you'll need to fabricate something to slide into the rails so that you can attach the rack for the panels to the rails. I made them myself, but you could simply have somebody make them for you - they are super simple. The rails come with the hardware for attaching to the van. Make sure you check the documentation on the rails, I'm pretty sure they will be fine for the 159 but I remember seeing something in there specifically about the 159.
Wow, very cool. On the Promaster Forum, it is of sound belief that the heads on the roof mounting pins cannot be turned. Most roof mounting plates are clamp on variety with exerting vertical pressure on those pins. You simply turned the heads with channel locks. Very nice.
Are you still happy withthe roof rack after 3 yrs. I am just starting my build and researching how to best put the solar on top at a reasonable price. This lookes like a great idea.
Thanks so much for taking time to answer our questions!! Another one I'm curious about: with your placement of the cable clam under the SPs, is there enough room to hook everything up and keep it tidy in that tight space? Putting up my two 175W panels this week and deciding on cable clam placement.
We are following in your footsteps on this. Thank you so much. I might have missed it but what size was those big rubber washers you used to mount the angle frame?
I used these: www.rubberfeetwarehouse.com/collections/recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer-embedded/products/1-1-2-5-8-1-2-recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer
Did you use those simply to get enough height to clear the middle of the roof, where it gets a little higher? I ask because I want my rack to stay as low as possible.
Where did you get those black round rubber spacers you have between the roof tracks and the L channel? What size L channel did you use? 1 1/2 or 2 inch?
I used these: www.rubberfeetwarehouse.com/collections/recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer-embedded/products/1-1-2-5-8-1-2-recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer
Hi, This is awesome infos. I got all your materials from Amazon, but was not able to find the black rubber piece for the solar panel. Can you leave a link. Thanks
Thanks. Here you go: www.rubberfeetwarehouse.com/collections/recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer-embedded/products/1-1-2-5-8-1-2-recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer
I thought about getting those fabricated at a local metal shop, but it was going to be pretty pricey so I hacked those in myself. I basically drilled a round hole big enough so that I could get a file in, and then I filed it into a square. They are definitely not pretty, but they work.
@@JasonKlunk Thanks! I have one more question for you. It looks like the cable clam that you used is meant for just one cable. Did you just end up drilling 2 holes in the rubber seal and it worked fine?
Here you go: www.rubberfeetwarehouse.com/collections/recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer-embedded/products/1-1-2-5-8-1-2-recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer
What is the name of that black circular grommet thing at 7:43 that is connecting to the aluminum angle and the roof rack? I'm not seeing it in the product list in the description
Here you go: www.rubberfeetwarehouse.com/collections/recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer-embedded/products/1-1-2-5-8-1-2-recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer
@@JasonKlunk Yes, the ones for the weatherguard rail system are secured to the roof's tabs. But I'm wondering about that 4 you fabricated on your own. @10:40 it looks like its the downforce of the nut on the rubber feet that's primarily keeping your plate in place.
Thanks. I used these www.rubberfeetwarehouse.com/collections/recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer-embedded/products/1-1-2-5-8-1-2-recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer
Thank you for the great video! I am following you closely for building my promaster. I have a couple of questions regarding the rubber spacers you used to support solar panels: what is the advantage to use rubber spacers and how you control the tightness of the nut above it?
I just needed something to raise up the panels a bit so they weren't sitting on the roof of the van. It's a carriage bolt w/ locking washers, a nut and loctite
Hi, thanks for the video. I got the same roof track from weather guard. I am concerned that the mounting bracket and the screws are NOT stainless steel or galvanized. Should I be worried about rusting.
Hi Jason great video, I note that you turned the original “T” shaped roof rack mounting points with some grips. Before I attack my van do you know if these points screw all of the way out if so could a home made rack be screwed directly into these points to save having to make a special bracket? Any thoughts would be very much appreciated 👍
I see some black spacers between the purchased rail and your DIY rail. Are these to raise the height of your panels? Can you provide a link to purchase them?
Yes, I needed to raise the rack up just a bit so it wasn't resting on the roof. www.rubberfeetwarehouse.com/collections/recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer-embedded/products/1-1-2-5-8-1-2-recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer
the brackets seen at 1:50, where did you buy those? I want to make my own custom aluminum roof rack using those brackets and probably 1 inch aluminum square tubes.
Yes sir, I used these: www.rubberfeetwarehouse.com/collections/recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer-embedded/products/1-1-2-5-8-1-2-recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer
Hello!! I know this was a long time ago but I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask- is there a reason you chose to mount the 160W panels 'long ways' instead of horizontally across the van?
A great idea, it looks really solid, thank you for sharing. I am in the process to put a roof rack for solar panels. My only concern is that the built-in bracket on top has to be twisted 90 degree, would it crack the seal? Did you apply any seal before you mount?
Hi Jason, how and where did you run the wires that connects the battery to your Renogy DCC50S Charger w/ MPPT? I am assuming you are also charging your battery from the alternator in addition from the solar panels. Also what size fuse did you use?
Hi. Thanks for your video! Looking at the BlueSea entry gland with the link you provided, the inside rubber stopper already has one hole in it. Did you drill out a second hole?
@@JasonKlunk Interesting. You purchased the .83" with 3 seals? The picture shows 2 stoppers, and they both have a hole. I went to the BlueSea site and looked at the instructions, which are confusing. It states to confirm the hole is the correct size. Then, it says to drill a hole and slice from the outside to the hole. Not sure what's what.
I really like your videos you seem to do things right. I followed your instructions on the solar panel install and it worked out great but question is when I finished with the install and my wires are inside the van are they live? I threw a tarp over my panels and taped my ends in the van since I am not really ready to hook up yet is this what you did or do you know about the wires being live or not?
Thanks. They are definitely live if you connected the panels to the wires you ran down into the van. Disconnect the panels on the roof and just let those wires sit under the panel until you are ready to start your electrical.
Did you need to put anything under the flat plates to assure the turned pin secured the plate to the van? I have some angle brackets that I am hoping will work with the turned pin, but don't see how to get them nice and snug. Great video!
Thank you endlessly for your videos, they’ve helped me do my build out tremendously! I am planning to add a retractable awning to my roof rack though, would this setup accommodate that?
@@JasonKlunk I was looking over the manual on renogys site then saw where it says to only use with sealed lead acid, flooded or gel batteries. Thanks for the reply. I’m new to this stuff so wanted to make sure.
Weird. Yeah, it’s totally fine. There is a section on their product page where it talks about the sizing for lithium. “MINIMUM 12V LITHIUM BATTERY BANK SIZING”
Jason, I love how you research and then improvise as you move forward on your van. Questions: do the long rack bars sit on the van roof when you tighten the 6 nubs? How much clearance do the cross-angles have to the roof in the center of the span? Do the angles sag at all with the weight of the collectors? I guess that’s all...for now! Thanks, Will
@@CentralCoastBassFishing The rails from weatherguard sit on the van, in a sort of weird spot TBH. They don't sit how you'd expect, but they feel really strong either way. My rack isn't sitting on the van, I have about an inch or so of clearance. I was concerned about sagging, so you'll see in my final shots at the end that I've moved the panels closer to the edges rather than butt them together right in the center. The dip down just slightly, but not enough to worry about. If you are worried about the weight of the panels, just buy stronger cross bars (8020, steel, thicker aluminum).
@@JasonKlunk thank you for your reply! OK, the rails actually sit on the van roof, not suspended on the 6 nubs/thingys Ram welds on the roof? Do you have any concerns about potential wear/rust where the rails sit on the roof? By "rack having about an inch of clearance" are you referring to the aluminum angles that hold the solar panels in place? Sorry for all the questions but I'm a planner, like yourself and I really don't want to have any avoidable regrets as I build my new van.
Right. I don't have concerns about rusting. If the rails from Weatherguard for some reason do end up rusting, I can remove it and clean the van - it's not the end of the world. But definitely something to consider if you are worried about it. Yeah, the inch of clearance I was referring to is the space between the van and the aluminum angle. I wanted there to be space for airflow under the panels.
I just installed mine today and I’m afraid I went too thin on the aluminum angle bracket. There’s rattling when I hit bumps which I believe is the aluminum flexing. How thick are your rails and do you get any noise from them? I did all this solo so the thought of having to redo it is a real bummer.
@@JasonKlunk That's what I used! Hmmm. I just ordered 1/4" but I'll also add some rubber grommets under the panel mount points to make sure the solar frame isn't rattling against the angle bracket. I'll also mount them further apart so they are closer to the edge rather than towards the middle where there's less support. Appreciate the reply!
Did you add any spacers between the roof rails and your rack? Without those, the rack would definitely sit on the roof and rattle. I was originally going to mount the panels closer together in the middle, but in the end moved them towards the edge on each side like you mentioned. Good luck!
@@JasonKlunk I added some rubber feet and washers to make sure it cleared and accounted for any flex. Really appreciate you taking the time to troubleshoot it with me. I think the thicker rail and spacing them further out will do the trick. Good luck with the rest of your build! All my electrical comes this Friday. W00T!
@@JasonKlunk ok thanks for the reply! I thought in one of the shots I saw more than 1. I’m in the process of my build and I’m gonna go with 1, 200ah as well. Your videos are suuuper helpful during my guild so thank you!
thanks, glad they have been helpful. In they very early days I was looking at using some AGM's that I bought (I had multiple), but I ended up returning those and buying the 170 lithium. They may have showed up in an early video, but I don't recall.
@@JasonKlunk Ok, I bought a battle born but I'm a little conflicted, have you ever considered the battle born? Also Would the renogy charger work with the batttle born? Also how much do you charge for consultation? thank you !
Hey Jason, I liked the roof rail but its $380 at Amazon. I've looked elsewhere and it seems to be in the under $200 range but I wondered if its the same kit. How much did you buy those for ? Thanks.
Super helpful thank you! The instructions that came with the roof track are just atrocious… Really horribly written. Thank you for sharing this, you got me right on track.
We mounted our panels essentially the same way 3 years ago. th-cam.com/video/MJztqKn-nB8/w-d-xo.html After using it for awhile I decided to update the mounting points a bit to allow them to tilt.
How did you mount your solar panels?
I haven't mounted mine yet.. Working on building the rack for my box truck.. How much is the L- profile bowing under the weight of those panels? My truck is 8' wide and I have some rather large 315W panels that I want to mount but I am going back and forth on the best way to make it work..
@@mattolsson8816 Good question. In the video, you can tell I was going to try and mount the panels both towards the middle of the cross beams, but there was too much of a bow because the aluminum is so thin. I ended up pushing them out to the sides and now there is basically no bow. For your larger panels you could go with some thicker aluminum, but 80-20 would be the best choice IMO. If I were to do it again, I would try to work with 80-20.
@@JasonKlunk thanks for taking the time to answer. Yeah it's tricky with that long of a span.. Also trying to conserve weight makes it harder.. But I may have to sacrifice some weight for sturdiness by using unistruts/superstruts across the 8' span.
@@mattolsson8816get unistrut. 😉
I appreciate you for filming everything. I know what a pain in the arse it it. I quit filming my build. I have a weather guard roof rack, too. I discovered a product in the conduit aisle at Lowes. It’s an Adamax Nylon Cone Nut. It works like a drop in t nut and fits perfectly in the channel. I got the 1/4” size. The great thing is, you don’t have to disassemble your roof rack to add a cross member. Simply drop it in and attach your angle. The other great thing is, they are about $2.50 for 5.
Thanks for the note. Yes, it was a huge pain! Nice, good find - I'll have to check that out.
Thank you! I had no idea you could turn the mounting pins.
You bet!
@@JasonKlunk I also just realized this. I mounted my rack without turning the pins. How bad is this? I'm about to go back in and take them all off so I can turn them...
Absolutely the cleanest, tidiest solar install I've seen. Meticulous planning and a methodical install procedure is a joy to watch with a finished article you should be proud of. Very professional.
Thanks!
I swear you're the only person on TH-cam that makes me feel like I could actually do this 😂 thank you for your videos!
haha, glad you found it helpful
Same! I was feeling so overwhelmed
You and I are of the same mind...measure 10 times (or more) and cut once. I really appreciate the concern you have for your van and the time you take to build it up. Thanks for the videos!
Thanks! That's the only way I feel comfortable, otherwise I feel like I'll screw it up lol.
I've been watching as you go. I really appreciate how thoughtful you are about all your planning. That's the smartest way I've seen to install the solar panels. Looking forward to seeing what you do next!
Thanks!
Very good video, thanks for sharing. This is by far the most cost-effective, low profile rack we've seen for the promaster. Looks great!
Thank you!
Wow! Great job! Thank you for sharing your brilliant design solution. Happy Trails!!!
thanks!
Nice video! Just what I needed
Glad to hear it!
I am so glad I am a subscriber. Yesterday I was floored by the cost of the Aluminess rack system for the Promaster. $3800. That doesn’t even include a ladder!! I’m going to be doing mine your way.
Right on!
thanks that was awesome!
Thanks
At the beginning you said the rack is temporary. That rack is bulletproof! No need to change it out.
Great job!
thanks!
SLICK JOB‼️👍👍 Vinny 🇺🇸
🙏
Very well done Jason - congrats. There is nothing quite like it when that worry about whether or not this is going to work is converted into "hell YES this is going to work!" :) Subbed.
haha agreed 💯!
Duuuuuuuuuuude!!!! This was SUPER helpful on the roof rail option! I bought my Promaster 159 last Friday after researching and planning for almost 3 years and was stuck on the roof rack equation. They are so overpriced, heavy as crap, and are too high off the roof when I just needed them to hold my panels so I'm not drilling holes. Yesterday I decided to bite the bullet and drill holes and today I see your vid. Those rails are exactly what I wanted all along. Thanks for sharing! All you needed to do was make T-slot brackets for the panel rail, otherwise it was good to go as far as mounting to the van? I know you also made the Aluminum L bracket to hold the panels. I just want to be sure the hardware to mount it on the van was all there. Thanks again!
No problem, I spent a lot of time trying to find a solution as well. Yes, you'll need to fabricate something to slide into the rails so that you can attach the rack for the panels to the rails. I made them myself, but you could simply have somebody make them for you - they are super simple. The rails come with the hardware for attaching to the van.
Make sure you check the documentation on the rails, I'm pretty sure they will be fine for the 159 but I remember seeing something in there specifically about the 159.
@@JasonKlunk Extra karma points for you my friend. Thanks again!
🤙
Wow, very cool. On the Promaster Forum, it is of sound belief that the heads on the roof mounting pins cannot be turned. Most roof mounting plates are clamp on variety with exerting vertical pressure on those pins. You simply turned the heads with channel locks. Very nice.
They definitely turn, it's in the manual for the mounting rails.
Not true- A couple of people have posted about turning the heads for this rack on that forum. They said it was a little tough but it worked.
Are you still happy withthe roof rack after 3 yrs. I am just starting my build and researching how to best put the solar on top at a reasonable price. This lookes like a great idea.
Yes! It’s still holding up and has worked out great for my needs.
Thanks so much for taking time to answer our questions!! Another one I'm curious about: with your placement of the cable clam under the SPs, is there enough room to hook everything up and keep it tidy in that tight space? Putting up my two 175W panels this week and deciding on cable clam placement.
I've had no issues with where I placed mine, I like that its covered by the panels.
DUDE thanks man!! This is exactly what I was thinking!!!
You bet!
We are following in your footsteps on this. Thank you so much. I might have missed it but what size was those big rubber washers you used to mount the angle frame?
I used these: www.rubberfeetwarehouse.com/collections/recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer-embedded/products/1-1-2-5-8-1-2-recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer
@@JasonKlunk Wow, thank you so very much!!
Did you use those simply to get enough height to clear the middle of the roof, where it gets a little higher? I ask because I want my rack to stay as low as possible.
Hello , thanks for the great video, I am going to be at tempting the same exact thing in the next few weeks thank you so much great video
Good luck!
So cleaver! 💡🤔🤓👍
Thank you! Cheers!
Good job
Thanks!
Wow nice
Thanks
Where did you get those black round rubber spacers you have between the roof tracks and the L channel? What size L channel did you use? 1 1/2 or 2 inch?
I used these: www.rubberfeetwarehouse.com/collections/recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer-embedded/products/1-1-2-5-8-1-2-recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer
1.5" on the L channel
Solar great job
thanks!
Hi, This is awesome infos. I got all your materials from Amazon, but was not able to find the black rubber piece for the solar panel. Can you leave a link. Thanks
Thanks. Here you go: www.rubberfeetwarehouse.com/collections/recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer-embedded/products/1-1-2-5-8-1-2-recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer
How did you go about punching out the square holes for the carriage bolts on the aluminum inserts that you fabricated ?
I thought about getting those fabricated at a local metal shop, but it was going to be pretty pricey so I hacked those in myself. I basically drilled a round hole big enough so that I could get a file in, and then I filed it into a square. They are definitely not pretty, but they work.
@@JasonKlunk Thanks! I have one more question for you. It looks like the cable clam that you used is meant for just one cable. Did you just end up drilling 2 holes in the rubber seal and it worked fine?
what were those rubber washer looking things you put under the panel, and do they come with the panel?
Here you go: www.rubberfeetwarehouse.com/collections/recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer-embedded/products/1-1-2-5-8-1-2-recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer
I plan to do a Ram build out, the pattern for insulation can you purchase these?
Not that I'm aware of
What is the name of that black circular grommet thing at 7:43 that is connecting to the aluminum angle and the roof rack? I'm not seeing it in the product list in the description
Here you go: www.rubberfeetwarehouse.com/collections/recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer-embedded/products/1-1-2-5-8-1-2-recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer
What's the through the roof connector thing called? Brand?
Hey Jason, is the friction from the compression of the rubber feet the only thing keeping your fabricated plates from sliding in the channels?
Hey - no, the plates are attached to those tabs on top of the van.
@@JasonKlunk Yes, the ones for the weatherguard rail system are secured to the roof's tabs. But I'm wondering about that 4 you fabricated on your own. @10:40 it looks like its the downforce of the nut on the rubber feet that's primarily keeping your plate in place.
Sorry, I misread your question. Yeah, it’s all kinda clamped together - carriage bolt, plate, rail, washer, angle, locking washer, nut.
Great work. What are those plastic/rubber pucks used to space the rack and aluminum L bracket when mounting?
Thanks. I used these www.rubberfeetwarehouse.com/collections/recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer-embedded/products/1-1-2-5-8-1-2-recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer
Thank you for the great video! I am following you closely for building my promaster. I have a couple of questions regarding the rubber spacers you used to support solar panels: what is the advantage to use rubber spacers and how you control the tightness of the nut above it?
I just needed something to raise up the panels a bit so they weren't sitting on the roof of the van. It's a carriage bolt w/ locking washers, a nut and loctite
@@JasonKlunk Thank you so much Jason!
Hi, thanks for the video. I got the same roof track from weather guard. I am concerned that the mounting bracket and the screws are NOT stainless steel or galvanized. Should I be worried about rusting.
So far they've been fine for me. Maybe try contacting Weatherguard and see what they have to say.
Hi Jason great video, I note that you turned the original “T” shaped roof rack mounting points with some grips. Before I attack my van do you know if these points screw all of the way out if so could a home made rack be screwed directly into these points to save having to make a special bracket? Any thoughts would be very much appreciated 👍
Great question, I don't know if those thread all the way out.
On the fabricated pieces, how did you go from a round drill bit to a finished square hole?
That's the hardest part. I ended up drilling a smaller round hole first and then I took a file and very carefully made it into the right sized square.
I see some black spacers between the purchased rail and your DIY rail. Are these to raise the height of your panels? Can you provide a link to purchase them?
Yes, I needed to raise the rack up just a bit so it wasn't resting on the roof. www.rubberfeetwarehouse.com/collections/recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer-embedded/products/1-1-2-5-8-1-2-recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer
Just saw this!! Awesome! Nice and tidy. Where did you find that those lugs can me rotated? Never seen that before. Thanks
I remember reading about it somewhere awhile ago, it's also in the manual for the weatherguard rack.
@@JasonKlunk thanks for the super quick response. Nice to have a content creator respond. Love the work you are doing. Cheers from Owen Sound Ontario
the brackets seen at 1:50, where did you buy those? I want to make my own custom aluminum roof rack using those brackets and probably 1 inch aluminum square tubes.
The 6 on the left came with the weatherguard rails that I bought. I ended up making 4 more myself out of 1/8" aluminum.
In the end when you were showing the connection to the unistrut there were some big rubber washers. What were those? Do you have a link?
Yes sir, I used these: www.rubberfeetwarehouse.com/collections/recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer-embedded/products/1-1-2-5-8-1-2-recessed-rubber-bumper-feet-metal-washer
This there a reason why you left a space in between the panels? Thanks.
I pushed them further to the outside of the rack so that the crossbars didn't flex at all in the middle where all the weight was
Hello!! I know this was a long time ago but I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask- is there a reason you chose to mount the 160W panels 'long ways' instead of horizontally across the van?
What model of the Blue Sea Cable Clam did you get that has 2 holes in the rubber gland instead a single hole?
None of them have more than one, I drilled them out myself. The one I used is in the description.
@@JasonKlunk THANKS! That's what I wound up doing today. Good install man! nice and clean
A great idea, it looks really solid, thank you for sharing. I am in the process to put a roof rack for solar panels. My only concern is that the built-in bracket on top has to be twisted 90 degree, would it crack the seal? Did you apply any seal before you mount?
thanks. What seal are you talking about? The knobs on the top of the van are meant to turn so you aren't harming anything.
Is that 1/4 inch angle Aluminum?
Hi Jason, how and where did you run the wires that connects the battery to your Renogy DCC50S Charger w/ MPPT? I am assuming you are also charging your battery from the alternator in addition from the solar panels. Also what size fuse did you use?
When I go to the link for the rails I don't see the mounting hardware you show in your video.
The 2115-0-01 kit includes the roof mounting hardware for the rails
Hi. Thanks for your video! Looking at the BlueSea entry gland with the link you provided, the inside rubber stopper already has one hole in it. Did you drill out a second hole?
I purchased the one where the rubber doesn't have a hole, so I drilled two new ones.
@@JasonKlunk Interesting. You purchased the .83" with 3 seals? The picture shows 2 stoppers, and they both have a hole. I went to the BlueSea site and looked at the instructions, which are confusing. It states to confirm the hole is the correct size. Then, it says to drill a hole and slice from the outside to the hole. Not sure what's what.
@@azhiker522 The one I have linked is the one I ordered. It's been a minute, but I thought it came with three and the third one didn't have any holes.
I really like your videos you seem to do things right. I followed your instructions on the solar panel install and it worked out great but question is when I finished with the install and my wires are inside the van are they live? I threw a tarp over my panels and taped my ends in the van since I am not really ready to hook up yet is this what you did or do you know about the wires being live or not?
Thanks. They are definitely live if you connected the panels to the wires you ran down into the van. Disconnect the panels on the roof and just let those wires sit under the panel until you are ready to start your electrical.
@@JasonKlunk thanks that's what I thought
no problem!
Hi Jason! Thanks for this great video. Super helpful. Quick ???: I read that it's 1/8" thick, but how wide is it?
Did you need to put anything under the flat plates to assure the turned pin secured the plate to the van? I have some angle brackets that I am hoping will work with the turned pin, but don't see how to get them nice and snug. Great video!
No I didn't. There are some white brackets that came with the mounting rails that help secure it in place, you can see them at 3:02
Whats the part you got for the solar wires with the decorative trim?
It's the CableClam in the description
Nice job! I'm wondering if you've noticed any additional wind noise from your rack mount?
Thanks. I haven't noticed anything yet!
Thank you endlessly for your videos, they’ve helped me do my build out tremendously!
I am planning to add a retractable awning to my roof rack though, would this setup accommodate that?
Glad to help. I'm not sure, sounds like a challenge though - good luck!
Also what kind of battery are you going to use lithium or agm?
Lithium
I bought a lithium battery and the renogy pure sine inverter. But then read it wasn’t compatible.. have you had any issues with your system?
That’s not true, where did you read that?
@@JasonKlunk I was looking over the manual on renogys site then saw where it says to only use with sealed lead acid, flooded or gel batteries. Thanks for the reply. I’m new to this stuff so wanted to make sure.
Weird. Yeah, it’s totally fine. There is a section on their product page where it talks about the sizing for lithium. “MINIMUM 12V LITHIUM BATTERY BANK SIZING”
@@JasonKlunk thanks!
I saw you twist the roof nubs, is that how they work? I couldn't figure that out.
yep, you just need to use a wrench.
Jason, I love how you research and then improvise as you move forward on your van. Questions: do the long rack bars sit on the van roof when you tighten the 6 nubs? How much clearance do the cross-angles have to the roof in the center of the span? Do the angles sag at all with the weight of the collectors? I guess that’s all...for now! Thanks, Will
@@CentralCoastBassFishing The rails from weatherguard sit on the van, in a sort of weird spot TBH. They don't sit how you'd expect, but they feel really strong either way.
My rack isn't sitting on the van, I have about an inch or so of clearance. I was concerned about sagging, so you'll see in my final shots at the end that I've moved the panels closer to the edges rather than butt them together right in the center. The dip down just slightly, but not enough to worry about.
If you are worried about the weight of the panels, just buy stronger cross bars (8020, steel, thicker aluminum).
@@JasonKlunk thank you for your reply! OK, the rails actually sit on the van roof, not suspended on the 6 nubs/thingys Ram welds on the roof? Do you have any concerns about potential wear/rust where the rails sit on the roof? By "rack having about an inch of clearance" are you referring to the aluminum angles that hold the solar panels in place? Sorry for all the questions but I'm a planner, like yourself and I really don't want to have any avoidable regrets as I build my new van.
Right. I don't have concerns about rusting. If the rails from Weatherguard for some reason do end up rusting, I can remove it and clean the van - it's not the end of the world. But definitely something to consider if you are worried about it. Yeah, the inch of clearance I was referring to is the space between the van and the aluminum angle. I wanted there to be space for airflow under the panels.
What type of battery did you utilize for the solar panel?
I have a Renogy lithium 170 AH
I just installed mine today and I’m afraid I went too thin on the aluminum angle bracket. There’s rattling when I hit bumps which I believe is the aluminum flexing. How thick are your rails and do you get any noise from them? I did all this solo so the thought of having to redo it is a real bummer.
Bummer, I used 1/8" aluminum angle and haven't had any issues.
@@JasonKlunk That's what I used! Hmmm. I just ordered 1/4" but I'll also add some rubber grommets under the panel mount points to make sure the solar frame isn't rattling against the angle bracket. I'll also mount them further apart so they are closer to the edge rather than towards the middle where there's less support. Appreciate the reply!
Did you add any spacers between the roof rails and your rack? Without those, the rack would definitely sit on the roof and rattle. I was originally going to mount the panels closer together in the middle, but in the end moved them towards the edge on each side like you mentioned. Good luck!
@@JasonKlunk I added some rubber feet and washers to make sure it cleared and accounted for any flex. Really appreciate you taking the time to troubleshoot it with me. I think the thicker rail and spacing them further out will do the trick. Good luck with the rest of your build! All my electrical comes this Friday. W00T!
Hi Jason, how many millimeter is there between the roof (high rib) and the solar panel?
I am planning a build with a similar mounting :)
How many 170ah batteries do you have on board?
I have one
@@JasonKlunk ok thanks for the reply! I thought in one of the shots I saw more than 1. I’m in the process of my build and I’m gonna go with 1, 200ah as well. Your videos are suuuper helpful during my guild so thank you!
thanks, glad they have been helpful. In they very early days I was looking at using some AGM's that I bought (I had multiple), but I ended up returning those and buying the 170 lithium. They may have showed up in an early video, but I don't recall.
have you installed the batteries yet?
Yeah, I just don't have any videos of that part of the process
@@JasonKlunk sweet! also which battery is it that you used and which inverter/charger? I'm currently at that part of my build thank you so much .
@@jarvisthesmartvanatvanprov5975 I put links in the description to what I'm using - I have the Renogy 170 AH Lithium battery and the 2000W inverter.
@@JasonKlunk Ok, I bought a battle born but I'm a little conflicted, have you ever considered the battle born? Also Would the renogy charger work with the batttle born? Also how much do you charge for consultation? thank you !
I was considering the victron with the charger and inverter
Hey Jason, I liked the roof rail but its $380 at Amazon. I've looked elsewhere and it seems to be in the under $200 range but I wondered if its the same kit. How much did you buy those for ? Thanks.
Yeah, Amazon has always had it priced too high. I ordered mine from www.toolup.com/783965050395
Jason Klunk blessings on your house for this video and link
@@michaeleft 🤙
Yours looks more stealthy.
Thanks, I think so too.
whats the size of the L-piece of aluminum?
1.5"
Really enjoy it. Let's check Avasva plans also
Super helpful thank you! The instructions that came with the roof track are just atrocious… Really horribly written. Thank you for sharing this, you got me right on track.
We mounted our panels essentially the same way 3 years ago.
th-cam.com/video/MJztqKn-nB8/w-d-xo.html
After using it for awhile I decided to update the mounting points a bit to allow them to tilt.
nice!
It's so weird how you say roof. It is like you are saying ruf instead of roof. Your accent is so heavy. Thanks for the video!!
😂 thanks
sell those solar panels and get 400w panels
That was amazing. I want it
Thanks!