Mounting a solar panel to the roof

[Arizona Native]

Ok,  I had bought some nice little bolts and fender washers to bolt this thing on but then I find the box has come with a mounting kit that has some pretty wicked looking big sheetmetal screws.  Now,  my Popup is a brand new Fleetwood E2 that has been out twice.   Sheetmetal screws don't look like they will hold as well as small bolts but they would be easier to install.   Anyone mounted anything on the roof with screws?  How did it work?   I just don't wan't to have a big wind rip this thing off the roof because the foam core and sheet metal couldn't hold the scews well enough.  It's a 50 watt panel btw.

[zamboni]

Be careful to check your warranty... I'm pretty sure putting any hole in the roof (ie, a screw) yourself voids that lifetime warranty!

If so, see if you can have your dealer install it, to protect the warranty.

[dthurk]

Why would you want to mount it to the roof in the first place?  Leave it freestanding and you can put the pup in the shade and the panel in the sun anywhere you want it.  You can turn it so it follows the sun through the day, if you want to.

[Arizona Native]

Why would you want to mount it to the roof in the first place?  Leave it freestanding and you can put the pup in the shade and the panel in the sun anywhere you want it.  You can turn it so it follows the sun through the day, if you want to.

If it is on the roof the kids won't mess with it or throw rocks at it (3 toddlers,  a 2.5 year old girl and 2.5 very mischievous 4 year old boys (I say 2.5 because the sum total is really more than 2 kids when they work together).  I could put it on the roof before raising it though.  That is an idea.

[wavery]

You might want to consider installing a roof rack on your roof. Then you could put the solar panel on the roof rack.

I wouldn't recommend screwing anything into that roof. As you mentioned, it isn't very strong material and a 70MPH wind (while towing) may rip the solar panel off (along with half the roof :yikes: ).

If you are determined to mount it to the roof, you may want to consider pop-rivets.....lots of pop-rivets.