Solar panels collect the sun s energy and store it in your auxiliary battery batteries.
Mounting solar panels on sprinter van.
If you say freedom we say solar power.
Eg the grounding of the panels is directly connected to the chassis of the vehicle and therefore connected to the starter battery.
Mounting solar panels to the roof of a van.
My solar panels are made by bend based zamp solar the same company that made the solar panels on my first sprinter van.
I had the general idea of where i wanted the solar panels to sit on top of my van but without dry fitting them first i would have overlooked how the mounting holes actually lined up on the contoured roof.
The panels themselves can take much higher wind speeds but it s all in how you mount them to the roof.
In this video i am installing a total of 480watts of solar panels to our mercedes sprinter camper van.
The most efficient way to mount panels would be at the correct angle to point them straight at the sun.
Most solar panels are designed to sit on the roof of a house not to be driving down the road at 70 miles per hour.
Download a free parts list here https www dropbox.
The energy stored from solar panels is the same as when you run your van s engine to have the van s alternator charge your batteries.
You ll attach the brackets first to the panels then attach the brackets to the oem sprinter van roof rails.
You ll need to drill some holes in the panel frames to attach the brackets.
The solar panels harness the power from the sun and then a wire runs to the batteries where the power is stored.
I ll talk more about how to determine how much solar power to have in the next section.
They have been installed using metal brackets with no insulation between the frame work of the panels and the van.
I have installed solar panels directly to the roof of my van.
Auxiliary batteries are standard with sportsmobile s standard equipment package.
How to install solar panels on a camper van conversion with 3m vhb tape no holes solar panels are a key element for off the grid vanlife.