Tag: promaster van build

Yup that’s right. We made our own rack for our solar panels for under $300! And we didn’t put ANY holes in the roof!

What you’ll need:

[ 8 ] Vantech® H45-46S – Top and Bottom Adaptor Kit

[ 4 ] 2-Hole Flat Straight Strut Bracket

[ 2 ] 4-Hole Flat Straight Strut Bracket

[ 8 ] VPC 3/8 in. Galvanized Spring Nut

[ 16 ] 1/4 SAE Stainless Steel Flat Washer

[ 16 ] 3/8 in. Stainless Steel Flat Washer

[ 16 ] 3/8 in. Stainless Steel Split Lock Washer

[ 2 ] 10 ft. 14-Gauge Silver Electro-Galvanized Strut Channel

Rustoleum matte black finish for auto 

Instructions for Installing Rack:

1. Prime one coat on each side of all components.
2. Apply two coats of paint on each side of all components.
3. Insert bolts, provided with your van tech roof mounts, into your bottom brackets pointing upwards.
4. Slide mount bottoms on to the first, second, third, and fourth knobs located on the roof of your promaster.
5. Place mount tops on to the mount bottoms.
6. Place strut channel onto your brackets (There will be 4″ of over hang on the front or back depending on which end you choose to flush your strut with).
7. Place washers onto each bolt, then tighten nuts down with socket wrench.

Instructions for Installing Solar Panels onto Rack:

*Note: We use these Renogy Solar Panels

1. Mark out, on your solar panels, where they are going to land on the strut channels.
2. Drill each mark on you panels with a 1/8″ drill bit, then drill again with a 1/4″ drill bit, and finally drill once more with a 1/2″ drill bit.
3. put locking washers then flat washers onto the carriage bolts.
4. Fasten two of the 2 hole square washers to the back most holes of the rear solar panel using the 3/8″ carriage bolts and nuts. (Each square washer must be fastened to the bottoms of the panel)
5. Fasten the last of the 2 hole square washers to the forward most holes of the front solar panel with 3/8″ carriage bolts and nuts.
6. Carry your solar panels to the roof and plug in your positive and negative connections.
7. Fasten the 4 hole square washers to the front most holes of the rear panel, and the back most holes of the front panel connecting them together.
8. Line up the spring nuts on the inside of the strut channel with the center of each hole of you square washers.
9. Place a locking washer then a flat washer onto each of the 3/8″ hex bolts.
10. Fasten the panels down running the 3/8″ hex bolts through the square wasters into the spring nuts with a socket wrench.
11. Give yourself a high five; you now have one of the main components of solar power!