Reddit mentions: The best solar & wind power parts & accessories

I was concerned about drilling any holes in my roof. Being a born pessimist, I figured if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong. The fewer holes in my roof the better.

I started looking for a roof rack. What I really wanted was a full-length roof rack with a diamond-pattern, "hardware cloth" platform surface upon which to mount my solar panels. All the racks I could find were around $600. Getting a rack custom built was estimated at $1300. Too much.

I finally found a very heavy-duty-looking rack made of black-painted round tubing for $311. "That's more like it," I thought. I ordered it off the internet.

When it arrived, I was annoyed to see that all the parts weren't there. Two long side panels seemed to be missing. I called the vendor, and after a very confusing conversation, it turned out that I had only ordered "half" the rack. The other part number was the side panels. Guess how much they cost? $300. ($611 for the whole rack. Dammit.)

Once I got the whole rack at my house, and started trying to install it, I realized that it's a two-or-three-man job. I finally got it installed, but Lord, what a pain in the ass!

I bolted a piece of 4x8 plywood to the rack tubing using large U-bolts. The PV panels bolt to the plywood.

I feel pretty sure that bolting the panels directly through the roof would work just as well, maybe better.

A really good book that describes solar panel installation is "Photovoltaic Design & Installation for Dummies" by Ryan Mayfield. He is the president of the Renewable Energy Associates solar power company.

A solid wire is called a "wire." A bundle of wires together covered with plastic insulation is called a "cable." You want cables of at least 6 gauge diameter. (The smaller the gauge number, the larger the cable. I know, it seems backwards.) A lot of solar power kits come with 8 gauge or even 10 gauge cable. TOO SMALL. Cable this small is inefficient for DC current, for our purposes.

You will need a "cable gland" (Amazon) and a good quantity of "Dicor self-sealing lap sealant." (Amazon). Be generous with the Dicor. Every time a cable goes through a steel bulkhead or floor you MUST put a grommet of some kind (rubber, plastic) there to protect the cable insulation. If you ground out a positive cable, it could cause a fire. Ground the negative (black) cable of the system TO THE VEHICLE'S FRAME, directly to clean steel (NOT PAINTED STEEL), through the floor. Bolt the ground cable connection securely to the frame. Don't forget the grommet.

https://www.amazon.com/Link-Solar-Weatherproof-Project-Campervan/dp/B0111RNZDY/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1506480381&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=double+cable+gland&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Scosche-WPG8-10-Gauge-Waterproof-Grommets/dp/B00OYGLP32/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1506480517&sr=8-12&keywords=8+gauge+cable+grommet

https://www.amazon.com/Auto-ranging-Multimeter-Resistance-Capacitance-Frequency/dp/B01N014USE/ref=sr_1_14_sspa?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1506480598&sr=1-14-spons&keywords=clamp+style+multimeter&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NWGZ4XC/ref=dp_cerb_2

Always use BLACK cable for the negative (ground) side of the circuit and RED cable for the positive side. This will prevent you from screwing up and short-circuiting your system. Hopefully.

Do not hook up the PV panels until everything else is installed and you have tested it for continuity with a digital multimeter (DMM.) The kind that has a "clamp", automatic ranging, and an audible alarm is best. (It looks kind of like a lobster claw and doesn't necessitate puncturing the insulation of the cables.) You start wiring from the storage battery bank and work backwards to the PV panels. Keep in mind--if those panels are exposed to the sun, they are GENERATING ELECTRICAL CURRENT POTENTIAL. Cover them with cardboard or heavy paper and tape until you are ready to energize the system. You don't want to get electrocuted accidentally. The risk of shock is small, but it does exist.

You need either a fuse (good) or a DC breaker (better) between the positive cable between the PV panels and the charge controller, and also between the charge controller and the battery bank. If you install an inverter, you need a breaker on the positive cable between the battery bank and the inverter. (Inverters burn amps just sitting there hooked up. You need to be able to "turn off" the DC power supply to the inverter. Turn the power to the inverter back on to use it.)

https://www.amazon.com/MidNite-Solar-Photovoltaic-Circuit-Breaker/dp/B004EQK8SA/ref=sr_1_7?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1506481155&sr=1-7&keywords=DC+breaker

Try to make the cable runs as short and direct as possible, within reason. The longer the cable run, the more resistance and the more voltage drop. All cables should be secured to the bulkhead with cable clamps in a neat, tidy, workmanlike fashion. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing correctly.

If you build it well, it will be safe. :)
Just use fuses and / or breakers where appropriate.
If you live in a cold climate, insulate your battery box so it doesn't freeze.
Also, if you use AGM batteries, they are usually fine indoors. I wouldn't keep flooded batteries indoors though, they outgas too much for my comfort.
I always vent my indoor battery boxes to outside regardless of type though, just for extra safety.

Solar panels from Amazon are generally good, read the reviews though for each seller / item.
If they're still selling them, I can recommend the Newpowa brand as far as '12 volt' panels are concerned. Have two of those, and two HQST ones; the Newpowa branded ones outperform the others by a small bit. :)

Monocrystaline panels are more efficient space wise, more watts per sq. ft. Used most in mobile installs because they offer the best use of the limited space on say, a vehicle roof.

If you have enough space though, the Polycrystaline will be less expensive per watt on average.

What's your budget like, and how much power do you need total? I'm not sure how much you want to spend on the system, so for now I'll just recommend a 'middle of the road' unit.

If you need 500 watts or less total, I'd recommend one of EPsolar's Tracer 4215BN units:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00YCI48F4/

You'll also need the remote to monitor / configure it:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00YAB0UVO/

You also should grab the battery temp sensor for it:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B016RU8JUY/

Rereading this I'm realizing it comes off as really broad and not a productive question. What I mean to say is that I want to embed a solar wire in my insulation for the possibility of future use but I want to make sure it'll be able to handle the setup I'd probably use (100 or 200w of panels, 1 or 2 125ah batteries). I'm thinking awg 10 wire like that in the link below. Is that a pretty safe bet? Thanks!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FWNZD16/ref=pd_aw_vtph_86_bs_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0QQXTCPYGD68E795VFJQ

Hey, thanks!

I'm going to go into detail on the equipment I bought with my next video (and I've got a really fascinating powerpoint presentation where I try to explain a little electrical theory without putting everyone to sleep). I'll answer your question here though:

I started with a kit that came with the wires you're asking about. The solar panels have those short (2 or 3 feet) wires that end with what's called an MC4 connector. The wires have the MC4 connector on one end, and a bare wire on the other. The MC4 is a weatherproof, snap-on connector.

For the second panel, I had to get the MC4-tipped cables separately. From browsing YouTube, it looks like you can save some money by buying the connectors alone and splicing them onto a wire. I didn't feel like messing with this.

I got all my stuff on Amazon. Here's the list:

• Here's a link to the starter kit I got. It comes with a pair of MC4 cables
  
• A second 100w solar panel, identical to the one that comes with the starter kit
  
• These are the extension cables. MC4 on one end. The other end has nothing - you just strip it and screw it into the terminal on the solar controller
  
• Had to get another set of z-brackets for the second panel too
  
• This is the in-line fuse holder. It takes any automotive fuse. The solar controller specifies a 15A fuse.
  
  The parts for my installation came out to a little over $400.
  
  Hope that helps! :)

Super cut a hole, and super be done with it. They have super glands for this. They are super.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0111RNZDY/

EDIT: Super!

I rock the Goal Zero solar panel charger kit.

They're pricey, but it was a birthday gift so... that's cool. But yeah, you basically charge the sticks with the solar panel, then you can detach them and they hold that charge for like a month or 5 or something. Toss the stick(s) in your bag, and you're ready to recharge your phone whenever.

Tell me about what you're trying to do. If all you want is to power some interior lighting and perhaps run a radio then a small solar system isn't terribly expensive. If you want to run the 12v DC water pumps and an inverter then you're going to need a much beefier system. If you want the AC or the microwave to work I would recommend a small generator for when you need it. (Something like a Honda EU2000i or the next one up.) All of the appliances which can run off of propane should be run that way. Stock up on propane now. It will be cold in the winter don't waste propane on heat.

Below is a slightly larger system than what I mention in the post above. As an example, to power just your DC systems you don't need an inverter.

• $90 Sunforce 30 Amp Charge Controller
  
• $70 Whistler Pro 1200W
  
• $170 RENOGY 100 Watt PV Panel
  
• $230 Optima D31T 75 Amp Hour Battery
  
• $30 30 foot 8 AWG cable - cut in half to run from panel to charge controller.
  
  Grand total: $590 plus shipping and tax. (You will also need a set of cables to go from the battery to the inverter but I am not sure what you can use with the 30 Amp Sunforce Controller. They shouldn't cost more than $20.)
  
  If you add more than one solar panel you will need a Y connector of some variety. Here are ones for two panels, three panels and four panels. If you want more than four panels you will need a better charge controller. Depending on your usage you would also want to start adding more batteries in parallel. Make sure you use 00 AWG or better cables for battery interconnects.
  
  I am building a variant of the solar system listed here. I am buying a much more expensive 60amp MPPT charge controller, a pure sine wave inverter and bigger batteries. I already have one of those 1200W Whistler inverters as a part of my backups. I plan on having 8-10 panels in my system eventually.

not bothering me at all - this stuff will literally set you free and give you the control to have power wherever, whenever, for the rest of your life. This is exactly why I wanted you to do this - you're learning! You start with a van, you make a small system for your home one day, then you're running a full electric house with an electric car and you built it all yourself - total self reliance.

It should be confusing right now, you don't know any of the info. Soon you will know it like the back of your hand.

Your wiring diagram is good. The reason you're confused about fitting 1,000 terminals to a single stud is because you shouldn't do it that way, you should use bus bars like this

Wire the charge controller, the battery, the inverter, and the fuse panel to the bus bars and you're good to go. Remember to put an inline fuse between your panels and charge controller for extra insurance like this one.

Is it possible? Yes. Is it a good idea? You're an adult, you be the judge!

Flexible 100w solar panels weigh about 5 lbs and are about 2' by 4'. Their maximum power is produced at about 17v, so you'll need a CC/CV MPPT charge controller that can boost the voltage into the 50v range. You can find the Ming He mpt-7210a for $25-35. You'll need one of these for every 10 amps of electricity produced by the panels, but you can easily wire 2 panels in series to double the voltage/halve the amperage, I think you could wire four panels in a 2p/2s configuration and get 300 watts into your battery in full sun. Here are a couple of videos you'll want to check out, since the instructions are inadequate:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mM6JTquNSZU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVkehQ_RypI

I wouldn't bother charging while riding, I would take a 2-3 hour noon siesta and get a bit more charging in the evenings. I would get 3 or 4 panels and stack them up on a bike trailer, and then lay them out to charge. In the evenings, you can prop them up with a couple of tent poles or bamboo stakes. Tie them all together and then ram a few pegs into the ground to secure them. You could charge while riding but you probably won't want to lay out 16 square feet of solar panels (wind and all that) and you won't be able to position the panels accurately.

A 48v 10ah battery pack has about 500 watt-hours of energy. With 400 watts of panels, in peak sun, after losses from boosting the voltage, maybe you could get 300 watts into the battery per hour. In theory you could charge the battery in a couple of hours. Solar energy peaks at ~12-1pm, there will be twice as much power (or more) at solar peak as there would be about 2 hours before sunset.

It'll cost you around $200 to get one panel, one charger, and associated wires. Try it and report back!

Parts:

Panel

Controller

Controller to XT60

Panel to controller

Extra wire

This sounds similar to what I wanted to accomplish, and I'm getting closed to finish putting this together (I've been taking my sweet time on it... procrastinating in other words. I could have had it finished super fast). I wanted to have a solar setup to run a backup sump pump in case I lose power and I'm out of town. Here's what I have:

Solar panel kit. Comes with the controller (the little box that your panel plugs into that regulates the juice so your battery charges but doesn't overcharge).

Mounting Bracket for panel. There are a hundred different ways to mount a panel on a house or anything else. This is what I used. In hindsight, it was sort of a pain and I should have gotten a better one that attaches with two arms on either side, not just the one in the middle.

Pole that attaches to house for the mounting bracket.

Brace to go between that pole and the roof, because it turned out there's too much off-center weight and the pole wanted to pivot downward.

Deep cycle marine battery (I didn't get this online, but you can get them at all sorts of stores).

That's really all you need. Then you connect whatever 12v thing to the battery. You can wire up something like this to the battery to have convenient spots to plug stuff in. I'm actually building a whole "control panel" just because I like to go overkill. I'm including one of these multimeters so I can easily monitor the system at a quick glance.

I'll probably also incorporate a small inverter at some point so I can plug in lower-wattage A/C devices should the need arise. I'm also putting everything together in a way that I could expand it relatively easily (more panels, more batteries, even a small wind turbine).

So all that stuff I bought already came to about 190.00 plus battery (I don't remember.... let's say $130 for that). So once I include all the stuff I bought for the backup pump, pipes, conduit, extra wire, I'm still only at $500 or less.

You're most welcome! I bought the following:

4x100W Panels

Panel Mounting

Solar Panel Connectors

Tool Crimper

Assembly Tool

Panel Connectors

Power Information

CTEK Charger

CTEK SmartPass

200ah AMG Battery

Fuse Block

300W Pure Sine Wave Inverter

LED Strip

Dometic 35 Fridge


I bought all these items with research into my solar needs and following the advice from here in the vandwelling subreddit and also information I gathered from Amazon. I am probably doing a bit of overkill on my solar setup but I thankfully have the money to do it and don't want to mess with adding anything later.

I will have to do research myself on how to combine the four panels into the battery but that will be a few weeks away so I haven't done much in that area. I do plan to buy 10GA wire from Lowes and use the crimping tool and connectors to form my own wiring harness so it will be clean looking. \

EDIT: Adding info.

Oh well if you aren't going for stealth the cheaper monocrystal renogy panels would work just fine, they still fit widthwise on a van, they're just a little longer.


Looks good. For wires you're going to have to figure that out, find how much amperage will be running through the wires, look up a chart for acceptable voltage drop and gauge, and fuse each power source within 6".

Well you can get an mc4 extension cable for the panels: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L6OU6BG/ref=sxr_pa_click_within_right_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=3008539542&pf_rd_r=HD5JN9T9FB9ZC7ZS5BAW&pd_rd_wg=mVp8j&pf_rd_s=desktop-rhs-carousels&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_w=1UyeK&pf_rd_i=8awg%2Bmc4%2Bcable&pd_rd_r=BMQMSX91R4W7X9ZEW5A1&th=1

I misspoke - I ordered both an adapter AND extension:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GB8DCT9/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_awdo_7qoMDb6NEDR94

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D7VBKQG/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_awdo_SsoMDb89F18J6

Hope that helps! :)

I used two of these guys:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DDYM1UC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_TpCJAb5SDC8P4

It’s been more than enough for my needs. FYI - /r/vandwellers is more active than this sub. My favorite place for van info is the forum on cheaprvliving.com

That looks like something you'd build into an RV. If I wanted an all-in-one solar generator/battery with an inverter output (sticking with the same brand), I might try this one. Emphasis on might. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K60N1DQ/ref=emc_b_5_t

My present battery is a Suaoki solar generator (~200Wh) with a separate (Suaoki, foldable, 60W) solar panel. Total price was about $320. I already had a Behringer MPA40BT-Pro. So I have a good, loud enough battery powered speaker. That setup easily does me several hours at camp without a need to recharge.

That's awesome! This is the mppt I bought
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075XHCT5K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_WkSxDb1DYWR70

But you can get away with something cheaper it's just less efficient like this
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MVZ777D/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_cmSxDbVT7JSZ4

Then you just need a 12v pump and a 12v battery

I had to use an inverter because I was too lazy to buy a 12v pump
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KJ1DN6F/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_NoSxDbYYFW55Q

Oh and you'll need cable
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D7VBKQG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_qnSxDbFFHQHFY

Let me know if you have questions!

This is the things that I wrote for another guy, and since I already have it typed I'm just pasting it here. Since it's such a small battery my idea (155Ah) is to charge it with my alternator.

 

• Battery
  
• Isolator
  
• Inverter
  
• This Accesory
  
• And this cables with this fuse.
  
  I would use that accessory to plug stuff that use 12v like cellphone charger,fans etc. It's best to run things directly from the 12v DC instead of converting it to AC and then again converting it to DC.
  
  Those cables are over-kill, but that's what I would buy because they are not that expensive and it doesn't hurt.
  
  
   
  
  
  This is how I would connect everything. It totals around $475 US.

Of the two charge controllers you've picked, the cheap one is actually a far better choice for what you want to do.

You want to get a charge controller that lets you run the load through it, and is programmable with either a timer or an adjustable low voltage disconnect. That way you can set it up to run the pump when the sun is shining or when the battery has plenty of charge. The Renogy will only control the charging, so you could find yourself with a very flat battery if you don't add in something else to control discharging.

If you want a branded version of the cheap charge controller, check out this one (but it's basically the same thing).

If you want something with similar features but better quality and functionality you could try this EPsolar controller plus this PC cable and temp sensor.

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You know you can just make these rather easy.

$20 tool

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KFUW3LY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Just need wire and MC4 connections. I don't know why you'd buy something off the shelf for what should be a custom wire.

​

Otherwise just buy some of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-10Ft-Adaptor-Female-Connectors/dp/B00JH1PABW/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2OZIJKXVSLBMJ&keywords=mc4+extension+cable&qid=1555547882&s=gateway&sprefix=mc4%2Caps%2C177&sr=8-3

I just got done installing my panels and went with one of these entries: http://amzn.to/1rXdZsB. I drilled a 1" hole, primed the bare metal, put a 1" grommet in the hole to keep it from cutting my wires, cleaned the paint around the hole, put down VHB tape, stuck the thing I mentioned a second ago down on the tape, then used some Dicor around the perimeter to seal it all up.

So far it's working great and has survived a few days of rain with no leaks.

Nice van!

Don't be too intimidated with adding a house battery. You can do it.

Very in-depth guide for adding a house battery with solenoid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zrwHyy4qyY

This is the battery I used, it ROCKS. (smaller and cheaper options from same company available)

Other items I used...

• Continuous Duty Solenoid
  
• Heavy Gauge Wire 2 AWG
  
• Ring Terminals for Heavy Gauge Wire
  
• ANL Fuse Holder
  
• ANL Fuses 100 Amp
  
• Lighter Gauge Wire
  
• Terminals and Connectors for Lighter Gauge Wire
  
• Heat Shrink Assortment
  
• Circuit breaker (alternative to ANL fuses, works as master disconnect too)
  
• Fuse Block (for all devices connected to house battery)

This is what I bought for my setup. The costs have gone up, but that one panel can fill a couple of batteries without any problems.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FPSCET2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2D22KZJD14Y8Y

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JH1PABW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2D22KZJD14Y8Y

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0060YHLJS/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003RCJB62/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UFERZKO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AWZ3LXPHZK09

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DDZE33E/ref=ox_sc_act_title_6?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A24WV2YRRJEBAG

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B8L6EFA/ref=ox_sc_act_title_7?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A05654602L3XUQ70M87BV

That looks like an MC4 pin in which case you need an MC4 Crimper

What about something like this

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0111RNZDY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_6NYryb63QQ67P

I'd like to get myself one of these. Once it goes on sale for >$500.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K60N1DQ/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I345XWR1F13NZU&colid=3EAESHB6ACZCG

Thank you for the response :)

There’s a couple reasons why I wanted to keep them separate. My sister and her husband have a camper as well, and if they are separate systems I can borrow one out. Or use one to charge my electric canoe’s battery.

If I wanted to hook both up simultaneously to a single or double battery bank, would it damage it?

Also are these the norm for wiring in parallel? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q26PC04/ref=sspa_mw_detail_3?psc=1

So if I do keep them separate I should look into a 20amp version of an EPever correct? I’ll have to do some research on the negative or positive ground for my camper. Is that referring to the grounding coming off the battery terminal? I’m assuming all RV batteries are grounded to the frame. Mine is being delivered from Iowa, so not here physically yet :(

Mounted my 2 x 100 W panels directly to the roof using some Renogy Z-brackets and Well Nuts (special kind of rubber nut that expands when you screw into it forming an air-tight seal (no leaks as of yet). I also used some 3M VHB tape applied under the brackets for peace of mind (some people swear by using JUST VHB tape alone but it needs to be applied correctly).

probably going to want to use a powerbank... something with an outlet that will charge a laptop once or twice. bring the wall charger.. the batteries should charge quickly because it puts out 80W.

maybe a small solar panel to trickle charge the power bank when you're on the move/not flying.

https://www.amazon.com/DBPOWER-26400mAh-Portable-Universal-Smartphones/dp/B073ZDYD5Y

mavic Pro batteries are about 3800mAh (call it 4k).. bank holds 26k - so you can charge 6 batteries, w/o topping off.

panel

https://www.amazon.com/Goal-Zero-Switch-Recharger-Multi-Tool/dp/B00OLINB12/

If you really want to try out a goal zero product check out sams club. I can't say you'll be able to reproduce it since my local stores didn't have any. But i was home visiting the parental units the sams club had the goal zero switch 10 for $30.81. I thought about making a post about it on the preppers sales forum but its so YMMV.

Model I'm talking about. https://www.amazon.com/Goal-Zero-Switch-Recharger-Multi-Tool/dp/B00OLINB12/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1504915709&sr=8-5&keywords=goal+zero

Solar gland?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0111RNZDY

100watt panel
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00V4844F4

25ft cable (cut in half)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FWNZD16

Controller
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ERF0LHA

Get an UPS and connect a big battery to it

Is that this X2?
http://smile.amazon.com/Vmaxtanks-VMAX-Rechargeable-Solar-Inverters/dp/B00DDYM1UC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405392502&sr=8-1&keywords=solar+155ah

I have 2 of the 125AH batteries and they are great....

I drilled a hole through one of my vents and sealed it with polyurethane caulking. I don't recommend this option. Its starting to leak already.

Check out these mc4 glands:
http://www.amazon.com/LINKSOLAR-Weatherproof-Plastic-Connector-Campervan/dp/B0111RNZDY/ref=sr_1_1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1456967919&sr=8-1&keywords=solar+gland+roof

https://www.amazon.com/Link-Solar-Weatherproof-Project-Campervan/dp/B0111RNZDY/ref=pd_cp_107_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0111RNZDY&pd_rd_r=EKHR6Y5N0NVKJF614FB2&pd_rd_w=9YXfC&pd_rd_wg=V6sqE&psc=1&refRID=EKHR6Y5N0NVKJF614FB2
This plus a shit ton of dicor over the holes that YOU HAVE TO DRILL (sorry)
I like this one better because it has the lip around the edge that you can put a few screws into
It's that or run it through the open window