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ryanw821's avatar
ryanw821
Explorer
Jun 02, 2015

Can Dicor be used as an adhesive??

I am planning on "gluing" down an 85w flexible solar panel I bought, and I am wondering if dicor would be sticky enough to handle that, or if I need to buy some kind of roofing adhesive and then just hit the edges with dicor. Also planning to dicor and eternabond any holes I need to make for cables, and also eternabond a previously dealer-repaired leak, just to be extra sure about it as long as I am on the roof anyways.

Pic of the panel (15"x86"):

27 Replies

  • I'd recommend 3M 5200 marine adhesive since I don't know the bond strength of the Double stick Eternabond. I'm a big believer of Eternabond products, just don't know about Double stick.

    BTW, do not use any asphaltic roofing products or Dicor. Neither is made for that purpose on an EPDM membrane.
  • GrandpaKip wrote:
    I wouldn't use any type of petroleum based adhesive if you have a rubber roof. They are not compatible at all. If you use eternabond, may as well plan on never removing the panel without cutting the roof, though that may not be a factor.
    There are quite a few adhesive caulks available. I would do some research to see which one would be best.
    Good luck.

    Eternabond sounds like my best bet, I wasn't previously aware they had a double sided version.

    Yeah, panel is going to be permanent, it was so cheap that it can stay with the RV even when we upgrade in a year or two, figure it will be a selling point having solar power ;)

    I actually spent more money on the MPPT charge controller than the solar panel itself, probably swap in a cheap PWM controller when we sell the RV and keep MPPT for our next rig :B
  • I wouldn't use any type of petroleum based adhesive if you have a rubber roof. They are not compatible at all. If you use eternabond, may as well plan on never removing the panel without cutting the roof, though that may not be a factor.
    There are quite a few adhesive caulks available. I would do some research to see which one would be best.
    Good luck.
  • gbopp wrote:
    That's a good question. And I don't have the answer.
    I know some caulks (not Dicor) are good adhesives.
    Maybe you should contact the Dicor company if no one on the forum has an answer.

    Did you consider Eternabond Double Stick Tape?
    It may be another option.

    Yeah, I plan on eternabond, but I don't think I would be able to use it to hold the panel down, there is only about 1/2" at most border around the panel, so I wouldn't be able to get much holding force from just eternabond (but I may do that IN ADDITION to adhesive).

    EDIT: My bad, didn't see at first you said double sided eternabond, didn't know of such a thing, might be just what I need.
  • ddrueckh wrote:
    I thought that the flexible solar panels came with their own adhesive backing. Is this not the case? Is there no paper backing to peel off that exposes the sticky part? If not, I would look to see what the manufacturer of the panel says.

    Some do, and some don't, this one didn't and saved me a lot of money, lol
    The mfg just talks about roofing adhesive in their literature, nothing specific as to brand/type, I suppose generic tar like flat roof adhesive would be what they mean.
  • I thought that the flexible solar panels came with their own adhesive backing. Is this not the case? Is there no paper backing to peel off that exposes the sticky part? If not, I would look to see what the manufacturer of the panel says.
  • That's a good question. And I don't have the answer.
    I know some caulks (not Dicor) are good adhesives.
    Maybe you should contact the Dicor company if no one on the forum has an answer.

    Did you consider Eternabond Double Stick Tape?
    It may be another option.