Need Pictures of the Solar Panels

[Stranded]

Curious question, I know.  I recently got some newer Zamp panels for my trailer, which will take them from 200 watts to 230 watts.  On my 2017 trailer, the two older style Zamp Legacy style solar panels were attached with aluminum angle bars on the sides and they were screwed together where they butted up to each other.  

 

On the newer Zamp panels, they have have special mounting bolts that go into a recessed area around the perimeter of the panels.  For the portion of the panels that butt next to each other, I'm wondering how the factory joins them together: do they simply drill longer holes through the recessed valley on both panels and then through bolt? or do they use a piece of flat aluminum and still utilize the Zamp special mounting hardware by having them both mount to an aluminum bar?  

 

If someone with a newer trailer could send me a picture of the underside of the solar panels, I'd sure appreciate it.  Specifically where the two panels butt up next to each other.  I'm just curious to see how the factory mechanically connects them before I start drilling holes in my panels.  

 

Thanks!

[NCeagle]

Hi @Stranded, here are some pictures of how the 2020 panels are connected.

First, there is a solid 90 degree angle bar on both the front and back of the panels connecting them together:

Second, there are 4 bolts that go through the sides of the panel where they are butted up together (4 bolts total).  I've included two pictures that show both sides.  You can also see the underside of the angle bar in one of the pictures:

All in all, pretty much bolted such that they are a single unit - which makes sense given that they are mounted as if they were a single panel.

Hope this helps...  I can take more pictures or measurements if you need.

Best,

John

[SeaDawg]

@NCeagle, is that a Zamp Obsidian  panel that you've added, with the thin black frame?

[Stranded]

Thank you much for the pictures! I kept getting thrown off by the new rails on the Zamp solar panels. See below:

 

[Stranded]

Those rails require special nuts with springs attached to them to use those rails:

 

[Stranded]

If I’m seeing the pictures correctly, it looks like Oliver is ignoring the use of the Zamp rails and just through-bolting the panels like they did on the older Legacy panels. 

[NCeagle]

Hi @SeaDawg, yes it's a 100 Watt Obsidian Zamp panel that I added to the pair of 170 Watt ones that came with the trailer.  That's all I could add for now without any upgrades to the Zamp controller (30 Amp).  It fit great.  🙂  Here's a few more pictures of the panel fit and install:

Prior to bolting and taping the panel on, I made sure it fit well:

Then I bolted the trailing edge to the existing solar panel mounts and used VHB 3M tape on 4 additional mounts on the front edge.  Probably overkill on the front - it hasn't budged over several thousand miles.

[topgun2]

Nice job but I want to know (not meet) the gorilla that uses that 50 pound weight.😁

[SeaDawg]

I think the highly efficient obsidian panels are beautiful,  and light, and just a great piece of equipment, hugging the top of the trailer so closely with the rail attachments.

I wish Zamp made higher wattage obsidian panels. Don't know if the innovations will continue, as Dometic recently acquired Zamp.

[ScubaRx]

Make sure when parking the trailer that it is 90 degrees to the sun. Otherwise, the original panels, being mounted higher, will cast a shadow on the new panel. As you probably already know, if you cover any part of a solar panel from the sun, it will cut the output by half.

[mossemi]

8 hours ago, Stranded said:

If I’m seeing the pictures correctly, it looks like Oliver is ignoring the use of the Zamp rails and just through-bolting the panels like they did on the older Legacy panels. 

My 2017 has 2-160 watt panels that are original equipment.  The panels are attached to the AM Solar mounting feet with the same spring nuts as shown in your pictures.  If the frames are the same on the old and new panels, which I can’t tell with you pictures, I believe the difference may be the mounting feet.  Oliver used AM Solar mounting equipment on NCeagle's original panels and he used different mounts for the new Obsidian panel.

It’s hard to see in NCeagle's picture, but it looks like the 1/4” bolt is visible going up through the clamp and into the spring nut which is in the t-slot in the bottom of the rail.

Mossey 

[Rivernerd]

On 8/31/2021 at 12:39 PM, NCeagle said:

 

NCEagle:

What is the black dome on the front of the trailer pictured below?

[topgun2]

Its the bathroom exhaust fan.

Bill

[Rivernerd]

Thanks for the education.  I had only seen it in white until now.