Single cab roof rack/cargo basket, anyone done it?

[Been a while]

View attachment 35267View attachment 35268

o.o they look the goods... thinking the front mount would be at the front curved part of the roof, do you think the mount would sit right?
Is there much flex in the connecting bar/pole? The look like they could be easily shortened too... thanks i

 

[Been a while]

Yeahhh I don't think they'd sit right... single cab roof is too short and curved??. What do you think?

 

[Been a while]

Can anyone translate this for me, noticed it doesn't state the wattage??

 

[Old.Tony]

Can anyone translate this for me, noticed it doesn't state the wattage??

It should list the peak current in amps. It doesn't, so there's no indication of how much power the panel will actually create. The voltages listed are fairly typical but without knowing the amps, it's not helpful.

 

[Been a while]

It should list the peak current in amps. It doesn't, so there's no indication of how much power the panel will actually create. The voltages listed are fairly typical but without knowing the amps, it's not helpful.

Thank you for that! Electrics are one of my weak spots for sure... ok, well I've written to the company and will write back to them with that information also..

dodgy buggers lol just found a report on one of the company's early environmental accidents too! They supposedly make tier 1 cells but they will kill a neighbourhood in the process ... aaaaahhhwhoops!

I'm betting it's a labeling scam done by a purchasing/packing/distribution company! "Naughty naughty" eh

I guess we'll see huh... thanks again....

 

[MANNING]

.... What do you think?

Hey Mate, seems i missed replying to this.. Sorry bout that

The middle roof bars are fairly solid but can be shortened to any workable length.. As for the angle, ill snap you another couple of pictures with full up and down adjustments.
When i took these rails off the canopy, i replaced it with a custom roof rack.
i made the mounts for the rack the same size as these and reused the angled rubber seals that sat under them to take up a bit of the roof angle.

 

[Been a while]

Hey Mate, seems i missed replying to this.. Sorry bout that

The middle roof bars are fairly solid but can be shortened to any workable length.. As for the angle, ill snap you another couple of pictures with full up and down adjustments.
When i took these rails off the canopy, i replaced it with a custom roof rack.
i made the mounts for the rack the same size as these and reused the angled rubber seals that sat under them to take up a bit of the roof angle.

Lol, man I go walk about too in fact I have a old friend that calls me "walkabout".. the bastardo he is!

Nah dont stress, I'm still playing with the basket and thinking of ways to mount the solar panel... Plus I can only weld on weekends...

The mounting brackets are a whole new project for me, one step at a time my man, baby steps eh

The way I look at it is, they are the permanent and a conserning project for me, the basket can be up dated with alloy or something else "if it starts whistling it's own tune or gets to heavy in my production! It's getting there lol" at anytime. Finances will dictate that up date to "facyness"!

So I'll be giving all thoughts consideration when it come to that little project- please, throw' em at me..

I know it won't, but the thought of it coming off, ewww turns my stomach, so I'm an "over engineering" sort of bloke eh that's why being here is good for me, a bit of a watch dog....helps me keep a leash on the CRC can

So, Yes please, any pics or measurements are a big help!
It all depends on the angle of the forward mount to the very rear mount with that type of mount... The front mount for this basket "overhanging like it will", will need that foward mount to be as far forward as it can be.. That distance I won't know untill I get the head lining out.. but I would like it "and really want it" about an inch back from the screen.

I maybe wasting my time with this basket eh, I need to get that headline out and take a look..

 

[Been a while]

Now I don't know squat about solar and electrical, but I've read heats a killer for them! This panel isn't strong enough to be mounted by itself "ANYWHERE" so it needs a frame, my question is - will mounting it too the Allucabond paneling cause it to overheat?

Should I give the backing panel some holes or cut out some large sections to aid in cooling?

 

[Been a while]

The plan is to sandwich the solar panel between the Allucabond panel and the rope track mounting strip... Some silicone adhesive and some fine nut and bolts round the edges ..
I'm thinking the s.panel with the A.panel would be strong enough to have holes bored into the backing A.panel to purely aid in cooling?

Waste of time you think?

 

[Been a while]

Possible Max. and Min. hight...

 

[Been a while]

I'm trying to have the panel removable so I'm "planning" on having this set up..

If I weld this "male section of rope track" with a slight raise to it- i "should" be able to drop 2 bolts and slide it off... Well that's the plan should be fun getting that on nice and strait..

All materials used are scrap, that why you see heavy rust spots, rust converter and a coat of colour and job done...

 

[Been a while]

So a question for ALL, and yes, you too Mr CRC

Should I bore holes in that Allucabond panel to aid in cooling the panel? Is it worth it?

 

[Old.Tony]

Putting the panel like that will force you to limit what you carry in the roof basket anyway, and it will help shade all of it too - including your cabin - so there's extra bonus points in it.

The heat of the sun should not bother a solar panel! It's designed to be out there! Putting it on a panel with holes to allow some heat to escape isn't a bad idea. I don't know how heat will affect its longevity, so any steps taken to mitigate that are going to be helpful. I've seen caravanners adhere (usually with Sikaflex) those panels to the roofs of their vans, and a couple of motorhomes with them stuck to othe back of the curve of the over-cabin bed's roof.

Other than that, it all looks good to me.

 

[Been a while]

Putting the panel like that will force you to limit what you carry in the roof basket anyway, and it will help shade all of it too - including your cabin - so there's extra bonus points in it.

The heat of the sun should not bother a solar panel! It's designed to be out there! Putting it on a panel with holes to allow some heat to escape isn't a bad idea. I don't know how heat will affect its longevity, so any steps taken to mitigate that are going to be helpful. I've seen caravanners adhere (usually with Sikaflex) those panels to the roofs of their vans, and a couple of motorhomes with them stuck to othe back of the curve of the over-cabin bed's roof.

Other than that, it all looks good to me.

Stick it to the bonet you think

Load wise, yes and no... Those Jerry cans i was looking at fit perfectly with that space.. not that I'd put 2 up there, water or fuel.. but 1 jerry laying down doesn't even come up to the top rail.

If i really needed the space the panel can come off and travel in the back, but that would be rare. .
I was thinking of mounting it under the basket and to the roof...but noooo....

I'll stick with this idea for now, it allllll depends on the whistle test eh it might be coming off quicker than it went on. .

They say solar panels don't like heat soak or something. .. especially these types being mounted to panels of vans etc causing overheating. ..

Mannnn i have no idea but im willing to listen to all sides eh

Don't know about the holes now lol I'll give it a gew nights thoughts and get back to you.

cheers bloke

 

[Been a while]

Slowly getting there... The basket and the solar panel mounts are finished..

I'm onto the roof mounts now...
Trying to get it as low as possible.
The botrom of the 50mm tape is where it will be bent/folded over to seat the basket and pick up the extra support i fitted ..

 

[Been a while]

Working out the angle of the dangle...

 

[Been a while]

Here's the tricky part... I may have to use the Nutsert at the front mount...

 

[Been a while]

Oh Nissan worker...


Have a look at this gem. .. Friday's build ???

 

[Been a while]

Big day today! Sun was out and i had a plan.

It wasnt easy drilling into the roof but i got it done.
Plenty of Sicaflex and it all went well..
I did have to use the nutserts at the front mount and it did make the mount sit 2mm off the roof panel at either end of the bracket base, dangit.. i couldn't tap them down or recess the nutserts.
Being right at the front and on the curve the mount does hit the roof panel in the middle of the bracket base so it's all solid..
Got some nice big panel washers under the other brackets so it should be all good. .

 

[Been a while]

Well its