Vhb tape question

Admittedly , the Eterna bond is an experiment. It may be a while before I am sure of the long term results. In the short term I can report no problems driving 80 mph and a sidewind so bad coming back home from Joshua Tree that I was driving about 25 mph. I would guess wind gusts of 60 mph. I was very nervous but panel held tight. Tough stuff. Where I live in San Bernardino the Santa Anna winds can gust over 100 mph. I guess the real test will be in the fall. My last van with the Sportsmobile poptop had a solar panel attached with 4 brackets and several strips of Eterna Bond. Worked great.

I mounted a solar panel on my 2000 LTV and because it was mounted using 4 aluminum brackets to allow cooling under the panel, rather than flat to the body of the van, 3M advised me to use Mounting/Sealant #4000 which they said is designed to adhere products of different chemical makeup. They were very helpfull with any questions I had. The sealant comes in a tube, is quick to dry, but has terrific sheer and dynamic holding power.
The VHB tape was my first consideration until I talked to 3M and had difficulty finding the tape that I felt would do the job I was doing.
Because of the heat generated by solar on the roof, I wanted ventilation under the panel, hence useing the mounting brackets to lift the panel 1/2 to 3/4 inch off the roof.
Good luck which ever method you use. Don't hesitate to call 3M's toll free number for their advise.
Barry

I used VHB tape to hold our 185W panel with ABS mounts. I called 3M and talked with an engineer who gave me the required number of square inches for proper attachment. I also got the lecture on surface prep.

Eternabond is not a glue and never really dries, there have been posts about this for the last 10 years. Sealing is one thing. Attachment is another.

I have 5ea. 21V 100W panels on the roof mounted with #4950 VHB. The 1st two mounted in 2007, and the last in 2013, all the same tape, all sealed with Dicor to keep the weather out. And all are as stout as the day I installed them.

I ALWAYS keep a small supply of VHB around for all kinds of things.

ander wrote:
Hi all

Im in the process of adding a solar panel to my 94 pleasure way...ive read that 3m vhb tape works but there are a number of numbers... for those who have done this. What tape did you use.

Thanks

3M VHB is 3M's "Very High Bond" double sided bonding tape which is a very high strength tape that when applied correctly is a proven alternative to rivets, welding and other fasteners such as screws and bolts that results in a very strong and permanent joint. I have used the product for a number of years with great success. It is used extensively in the building industry and by aircraft manufacturers to yes, hold commercial jetliners together instead of using rivets at times. Most, but not all the different numbers are due to different widths of tape, different colors (of center foam) and most useful, different thickness of the center foam. If the surfaces you are adhering together are VERY level, then you can use a very thin tape, but if the surface is not totally level when you want to use a thicker tape which has a thicker center core. An example of this are the numbers and letters attached to the sides and rear of cars and trucks to distinguish different models. Those model numbers are glued on with a product like VHB. It is my understanding that AM Solar of Springfield Oregon has used 3M VHB to attach solar panels to class B's. You can purchase 3M VHB at Amazon and ebay in small amounts.

I used Eterna Bond as an experiment to avoid putting holes is a completely watertight roof. So far it has worked splendidly.