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Old 08-25-2020, 06:39 PM   #11
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My top is a little different but has similar issues to yours:



I'm only going to mount one 100W panel so my plan is to make four verticals out of 1 1/2" aluminum angle stock which I'll adhere to the sides of the center ridge with 3m VHB tape. Hopefully I won't have to bolt them to the fiberglass, but I'll check it out before mounting the panels. I have a headliner that makes access to the underside of the fiberglass top a bit of a pain.

Then I'll bolt some aluminum angle crosspieces to them, to which the panels will mount. The panel itself will supply some rigidity and fore-and-aft stability . My panel is 20" wide and the center ridge is a little over a foot wide so there will be some overhang on each side, which shouldn't be an issue. I'm just waiting for the air quality to improve before starting construction.

You could do something similar, mounting the verticals on your sides (you'll probably need more than two sets of verticals and cross pieces), perhaps with the bottom ends of the verticals resting in your gutters to support some of the weight. Given the size of what you need, you'll probably want fore-and-aft rails as well. You could also use a combination of aluminum angle stock and rectangular aluminum tubing.

A bolted together aluminum frame should be adequately strong for your purposes. I don't see any need for welding.

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Old 08-25-2020, 07:21 PM   #12
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Hey Bob, yea yours is similar for sure

I will figure it out, gotta have my 400w of solar
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Old 08-25-2020, 07:54 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jboles View Post
Here is how I made a similar rack. Cross bars are from VanTech out of Brooklyn, NY. They do work van utility racks for the most part.

I bought some steel angle from the local steel supply store, drilled holes and bolted them to the slotted cross bars with carriage bolts. The wood deck is then bolted to the flat part of the angles.

It's big and bulky looking but gets the job done. I went with the aluminum cross bars to reduce weight but with the steel cross bars and wood deck it's quite a beast.



https://www.sportsmobileforum.com/fo...cture43378.jpg

Can you tell me how long your mounts are?

and Part #?

Would love for this to be long enough for me
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Old 08-26-2020, 06:35 AM   #14
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I'm curious to see what you come up with as well as I've been debating solar options for my build. I was originally thinking about something along the lines of what Jboles did, but after seeing it I'm not so sure. While I'm not really concerned about being "stealth" that setup looks like it would create a ton of wind noise.

For attaching to the gutters, you can get these:
https://www.etrailer.com/Ladder-Racks/Rola/59622.html
...and then remove the cross bars and use whatever material you want to extend as high as you need. Galvanized slotted angle would probably work. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt...2407/204225759
How "pretty" do you need it to be?
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Old 08-27-2020, 11:29 AM   #15
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Blue Collar site is dead

Their Facebook page indicates: Permanently Closed :-)
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Old 08-27-2020, 11:44 AM   #16
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Their Facebook page indicates: Permanently Closed :-)
What a bummer, I'll miss that place. Hopefully there is, or will be, something similar.
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Old 08-27-2020, 11:48 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by IanF View Post
For attaching to the gutters, you can get these:
https://www.etrailer.com/Ladder-Racks/Rola/59622.html
...and then remove the cross bars and use whatever material you want to extend as high as you need.
Any idea how tall the stock verticals are?
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Old 08-27-2020, 12:19 PM   #18
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Any idea how tall the stock verticals are?
I'm not sure what you mean. You'll have to extend them - which was why I added the link to the slotted angle.
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Old 08-27-2020, 07:14 PM   #19
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I'm not sure what you mean. You'll have to extend them - which was why I added the link to the slotted angle.
I was just wondering how much they'd need extending.
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Old 08-28-2020, 04:39 PM   #20
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Damn it, Blue Collar was great source
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