Too many holes in solar panel frame?
My bad. Changed the design of PV mounts after had already drilled holes in the frame. So the panel is a lot lighter now, and plenty of ventilation :)... Big panel, 60x40", 40 lbs. I can see how it fle...
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I think Mexicowanderer is 200 miles away, it's a big country. There is plenty to drink in a local village though.
My work is still in process, but some pics won't hurt. Not as elegant as your design, but hopefully will be strong. Poor quality of a flip-phone camera, sorry.
Lower-South bracket - parallel to the back of the trailer.
6 screws #10, all in 3/8" particle board, not in rafters. Could have been 5 screws, since it's a lower side. The rafter is right under the panel frame, but it had a lot of screws already, holding the plywood to rafters. So I flipped the bracket away from the panel and drove the screws into plywood alone.
Upper-North bracket with mock-up wooden tilt leg - and the reason why I needed heavy bracketage.
See 2 vents under the panel - they are 3" high, so I needed 4" brackets to clear the vents when the panel is lowered flat. There is no 4x4" angle in 3/16" or 1/8" thickness, so I had to use 1/4". 3 screws in the rafter and 3 in the plywood. This was my very 1st bracket and I overdid it, 2 screws in rafters + 3 in ply would be enough. Sealed and painted, it will outlast the rest of the trailer.
Short pirate leg is for now, until I get 2ft long 1/8" thick aluminum angle. The panel top is skewed for now, to squeeze thick wooden leg in. With all the screws tightened there would be 1/8" clearance in vertical plane between the wall of the bracket and side of the panel, just enough for aluminum angle-strut.
Both the lower and the lifted corner of panel have nut inserts where 1/4" machine screws go in.
OK, enough work, merry Christmas to everybody.
My work is still in process, but some pics won't hurt. Not as elegant as your design, but hopefully will be strong. Poor quality of a flip-phone camera, sorry.
Lower-South bracket - parallel to the back of the trailer.
6 screws #10, all in 3/8" particle board, not in rafters. Could have been 5 screws, since it's a lower side. The rafter is right under the panel frame, but it had a lot of screws already, holding the plywood to rafters. So I flipped the bracket away from the panel and drove the screws into plywood alone.
Upper-North bracket with mock-up wooden tilt leg - and the reason why I needed heavy bracketage.
See 2 vents under the panel - they are 3" high, so I needed 4" brackets to clear the vents when the panel is lowered flat. There is no 4x4" angle in 3/16" or 1/8" thickness, so I had to use 1/4". 3 screws in the rafter and 3 in the plywood. This was my very 1st bracket and I overdid it, 2 screws in rafters + 3 in ply would be enough. Sealed and painted, it will outlast the rest of the trailer.
Short pirate leg is for now, until I get 2ft long 1/8" thick aluminum angle. The panel top is skewed for now, to squeeze thick wooden leg in. With all the screws tightened there would be 1/8" clearance in vertical plane between the wall of the bracket and side of the panel, just enough for aluminum angle-strut.
Both the lower and the lifted corner of panel have nut inserts where 1/4" machine screws go in.
OK, enough work, merry Christmas to everybody.
