700W DIY solar install: I just bought 10 102W First Solar series4 thin film panels ($550) but only have room for 7 along drivers side of my roof. They are 80V and 1.5A so I bought a Outback Power FlexMax 60A 150V MPPT controller. Going to make my own tilting mounts fastened to the top of the raised rail on my 08 Navigator. Should have less than $1000 in this installation.
I have the alum raised rails along each side making it easy to attach a pivot on the inside near the top of it...a 2” piece of 1.5” alum channel. The panels are frameless so I’ll clip each to two PT wooden battens that fit/pivot in the 1.5” alum channels. When traveling they will be angled down towards the middle of the roof...have not decided if I need to hold them down while traveling. Angled down is also the best position when we snowbird each winter.
100W frameless panels that are 2' X 4' so they will fit besides my AC units and hopefully will not be shaded by them. Going to silicone and clip the panels to the PT battens.
Getting the panels up on the roof was a challenge but fortunately I had a canvas bag with straps that they would fit in. Used a rope to pull the bag up the back of the MH.