Camping interior Solar panel fitted to a tintop

Solar panel on a tintop

(Covkid)

The reduced height of a tintop is good on most car parks, but tintops pose their own problems when it comes to solar panels.

A rigid panel with a frame is likely to pool with water and requires far more thought (though possible) in terms of fixing, but flexible solar panels are really easy. However, the roof ribs do prevent you from fixing the flexi panel down directly unless to bridge the gap with standoffs as follows.

Heres what I used:

100 watt flexible solar kit (around the £140 mark) Builders exterior grade silicone sealant (clear) - about £3 Wickes PVCU white cladding joint bead (2500m length) - 2.99

Decide where you're going to run panel cable. I drilled into roof just above B pillar and fed it out through the interior at the bottom

Cut the joint bead to fit the gap between roof ribs (5 lengths). Measure panel length and stick standoffs down with blobs of sealant leaving sufficient gap for any moisture to escape in the future. Outside standoffs should fit flush with panel (see pics).

Allow to dry.

Fix panel with sealant, using bricks if needed to flatten edges of panel down. Clean off excess and use some kind of adhesive cable clips to tidy wires.