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11-22-2017, 12:25 PM
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#1
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37 GT
State: North Carolina
Posts: 67
THOR #7843
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Mounting Solar panels on a TPO roof
Hi, I am going to install four renogy solar panels on my 2015 Thor Challenger. I am wondering the best way to mount them, if they need to be screwed into the trusses or if it will make a difference if one end misses a truss. I have decor and eternabond tape to seal everything up, but I'm a little nervous about mounting them (I really don't want to donate them to the car behind me going down the road! ).
Down the road I may want to install a tilt kit and I did pickup some channel Aluminum with tilting in mind, that way I could mount the channel every 48" (the trusses are 16" on center) and mount the panels to them, but that would raise the panels about 3" off the roof where they would catch more air going down the road.
Any advice, suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Don
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11-22-2017, 12:34 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2017 Windsport 29M
State: Indiana
Posts: 3,692
THOR #5196
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As long as you can hit the trusses you’re good to go for security. The roof decking isn’t thick or strong, you need to hit the trusses. Use the self leveling Dicor and you can quit worrying about leaks. Use butyl tape under the mounts to seal the mounting holes then the Dicor around the mounts and bolt heads.
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11-22-2017, 12:54 PM
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#3
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I Think We're Lost!
Brand: Still Looking
Model: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
State: New York
Posts: 22,195
THOR #8860
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Question: How do you go about making sure that you find the trusses?
I wouldn't want the roof to start looking like my back yard... (After the moles have had a fun day of digging in it! )
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"What: me worry?"
Good Sam Member 843599689
Current coach: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
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11-22-2017, 12:55 PM
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#4
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Axis/Vegas Enthusiast
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Denman
Question: How do you go about making sure that you find the trusses?
I wouldn't want the roof to start looking like my back yard... (After the moles have had a fun day of digging in it! )
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Two ways: Get the diagrams from Thor for your coach and/or use a stud finder.
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11-22-2017, 12:58 PM
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#5
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I Think We're Lost!
Brand: Still Looking
Model: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
State: New York
Posts: 22,195
THOR #8860
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Diagrams it is!
If I get a stud-finder: the Missus will use it to find our next gardener!
__________________
"What: me worry?"
Good Sam Member 843599689
Current coach: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
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11-22-2017, 01:09 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2017 Windsport 29M
State: Indiana
Posts: 3,692
THOR #5196
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Denman
Diagrams it is!
If I get a stud-finder: the Missus will use it to find our next gardener!
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Good one
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11-22-2017, 01:24 PM
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#7
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I Think We're Lost!
Brand: Still Looking
Model: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
State: New York
Posts: 22,195
THOR #8860
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If you can start each day with a good belly-laugh: it really helps to keep your enemies guessing!
__________________
"What: me worry?"
Good Sam Member 843599689
Current coach: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
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11-22-2017, 01:35 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2017 Windsport 29M
State: Indiana
Posts: 3,692
THOR #5196
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Denman
If you can start each day with a good belly-laugh: it really helps to keep your enemies guessing!
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Agree!!! If youre laughing when nobody else is people are really going to wonder whats going on
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11-22-2017, 01:39 PM
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#9
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I Think We're Lost!
Brand: Still Looking
Model: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
State: New York
Posts: 22,195
THOR #8860
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I've only been a member for about three Months: I think that I'm gonna like it in here!
__________________
"What: me worry?"
Good Sam Member 843599689
Current coach: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
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11-25-2017, 04:42 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.1
State: Florida
Posts: 613
THOR #4366
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Thor e-mailed me a diagram but it was wrong. I couldn't find um within 6 inches of where they should have been. I used #12 SS screws 1 inch long. The screws were put in using an adhesive sealant. After that had set up used self leveling Dicor over the brackets and screws. No problems so far.
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2016 Axis 24.1 E-450 6 spd tranny
300 watts portable solar.
200 watts solar on the roof.
Wrangler JK dinghy
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11-25-2017, 05:11 PM
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#11
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37 GT
State: North Carolina
Posts: 67
THOR #7843
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Mounting solar panels
Quote:
Originally Posted by scrubjaysnest
Thor e-mailed me a diagram but it was wrong. I couldn't find um within 6 inches of where they should have been. I used #12 SS screws 1 inch long. The screws were put in using an adhesive sealant. After that had set up used self leveling Dicor over the brackets and screws. No problems so far.
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I had them send me the diagrams too, but I will still use a stud finder. I know there is one on each side of the roof vents so I will measure from there. I'm still debating the whole tilting aspect of it. More for being able to lift and inspect than anything but I may be over complicating things a little bit.
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11-25-2017, 07:49 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Gemini 24TX (Formerly)
State: California
Posts: 1,459
THOR #5821
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Typical RV drawings, as designed, and as built are never available.
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11-25-2017, 10:53 PM
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#13
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I Think We're Lost!
Brand: Still Looking
Model: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
State: New York
Posts: 22,195
THOR #8860
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But the drawings should at least get you "in the ballpark"; shouldn't they?
__________________
"What: me worry?"
Good Sam Member 843599689
Current coach: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
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11-26-2017, 10:50 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.1
State: Florida
Posts: 613
THOR #4366
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tinman01
I had them send me the diagrams too, but I will still use a stud finder. I know there is one on each side of the roof vents so I will measure from there. I'm still debating the whole tilting aspect of it. More for being able to lift and inspect than anything but I may be over complicating things a little bit.
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Tried that also as the drawing showed them there, but I was not able to find any. Even took the trim down inside and probed around the vent.
__________________
2016 Axis 24.1 E-450 6 spd tranny
300 watts portable solar.
200 watts solar on the roof.
Wrangler JK dinghy
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11-26-2017, 10:52 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.1
State: Florida
Posts: 613
THOR #4366
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Denman
But the drawings should at least get you "in the ballpark"; shouldn't they?
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For me they did not. I made up brackets 6 inches long and probed at 1/8 inch intervals and found nothing.
__________________
2016 Axis 24.1 E-450 6 spd tranny
300 watts portable solar.
200 watts solar on the roof.
Wrangler JK dinghy
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11-26-2017, 11:17 PM
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#16
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I Think We're Lost!
Brand: Still Looking
Model: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
State: New York
Posts: 22,195
THOR #8860
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scrubjaysnest
For me they did not. I made up brackets 6 inches long and probed at 1/8 inch intervals and found nothing.
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AAaarrrrggghhh.....
They never seem to want to make it easy; do they??
__________________
"What: me worry?"
Good Sam Member 843599689
Current coach: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
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11-27-2017, 03:48 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 25.4
State: California
Posts: 784
THOR #6582
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tinman01
I had them send me the diagrams too, but I will still use a stud finder...I'm still debating the whole tilting aspect of it. More for being able to lift and inspect than anything but I may be over complicating things a little bit.
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AM Solar, http://www.amsolar.com, attached their mounting brackets with 3M VHB tape to a well prepared roof, buried in Dacor sealant. I don't know if that is still the case as the brackets are sold with 2 SS sheet metal screws now. You could call to see if that's still their procedure. I'm leery myself, but any roof penetration is a potential leak. The trusses are aluminum, right? So magnets don't work.
As to the tilting bars, I'm torn. I doubt that I'd use them except for a long term location or for inspection/cleaning. What to do?
__________________
I'm wearing trifocals now but my hindsight is 20/20.
*************
Bilsteins and Sumos front and rear...HUGE! FatMat and Hoodliner...HUGE!
Hellwig sway bars F&R, 235/85 Hankook ATM, alignment...HUGE!!!
Battery watering, 260watts Solar and BigFeets to make life easier.
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11-29-2017, 08:48 PM
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#18
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Junior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 34B
State: California
Posts: 16
THOR #7571
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I used wellnuts as recommended by Renogy.
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11-29-2017, 09:07 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Gemini 24TX (Formerly)
State: California
Posts: 1,459
THOR #5821
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Yeah, I am bit on the paranoid side about attaching things to the roof. There are a lots of variable stresses applied to anything up there, winds from forward motion, crosswinds, normal road vibrations and on and on. I would not be comfortable with anything up there that was not attached to the trusses.
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11-30-2017, 04:09 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 25.4
State: California
Posts: 784
THOR #6582
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Laco
Yeah, I am bit on the paranoid side about attaching things to the roof... I would not be comfortable with anything up there that was not attached to the trusses.
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And me too. The well nut looks good but rather than a sheet metal screw it needs a larger hole if you're trying to hit the trusses. I should call Thor for truss dimensions.
__________________
I'm wearing trifocals now but my hindsight is 20/20.
*************
Bilsteins and Sumos front and rear...HUGE! FatMat and Hoodliner...HUGE!
Hellwig sway bars F&R, 235/85 Hankook ATM, alignment...HUGE!!!
Battery watering, 260watts Solar and BigFeets to make life easier.
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