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Old 01-09-2025, 02:07 PM   #1
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2009 22' Interstate
Rockwell , North Carolina
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new solar panel install - was awning discussion

I got my solar upgrade (partially) completed today. I removed the original 50W and was going to add 2 - 100W renology panels. I got rid of the original flying saucer OTA antenna and the old solar panel and instead of drilling even more holes in the roof, I used the MB factory rails and an 8020 rail setup to mount the new panel. Turned out I could not fit both panels - there was enough room on the roof to directly mount both but the rails were a couple inches too short for me to mount both on the rack. I installed just one for now and will see if I can find a single bigger panel that will give me some more capacity in my available space - maybe I can find a 150 or 175 that will fit.

The 8020 setup is OK, it was a puzzle to put together. Terrible access around the awning and I had to make three separate parts orders to make it work.

Now I have to see if I should upgrade my GoPower solar regulator and get a controller. The regulator is display only. I'll need to look through the manual tonight and learn more about it.
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Old 01-09-2025, 04:11 PM   #2
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Thanks!
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Old 01-09-2025, 05:18 PM   #3
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Nice work. Having the OEM Mercedes roof rails. Airstream stopped ordering them from Mercedes a few years ago. My 2024 does not have them - it complicates added additional solar.
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Old 01-10-2025, 07:25 AM   #4
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2009 22' Interstate
Rockwell , North Carolina
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Originally Posted by Boxster1971 View Post
Nice work. Having the OEM Mercedes roof rails. Airstream stopped ordering them from Mercedes a few years ago. My 2024 does not have them - it complicates added additional solar.
It'll make it less expensive without the racks but will require more holes drilled into the roof. The 8020 setup with everything that's required is not cheap. That's pretty lousy of airstream to stop adding the rails to the vans they order.

I may have come up with a way to fit both panels on the rack. It will require more parts (of course) and they'll overhang the rack slightly but will double the panel output.
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Old 01-15-2025, 08:28 AM   #5
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League City , Texas
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This is an awesome thread - thank you.

We, too, have no factory rails (she said, with despair). My husband is hell-bent on ripping our current solar set-up off the roof and re-doing it with 8020. Our Interstate is first-gen, so we have the stainless steel “roof rack” that Airstream kludged on there mostly for style, although they did declare in the owner’s manual that it is capable of supporting up to 100 pounds. That thing has been a hot mess since Day One of this van’s life - I am constantly struggling with footer leaks because it wasn’t installed properly. My husband wants it gone but I keep asking him, “With that roof configuration, how exactly do you propose to install an alternative that is not an even bigger mess?!”

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Old 01-17-2025, 08:16 AM   #6
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2015 Interstate Grand Tour
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Originally Posted by NC_John View Post
Turned out I could not fit both panels - there was enough room on the roof to directly mount both but the rails were a couple inches too short for me to mount both on the rack.
Did you attempt to rotate the panels 90 degrees and mount two? Looks like it would easily fit.
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Old 01-18-2025, 03:06 PM   #7
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2009 22' Interstate
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Did you attempt to rotate the panels 90 degrees and mount two? Looks like it would easily fit.
I did. They will just barely fit without the mounting brackets but the rails are a couple inches too short to mount them with. If I could bolt the panels directly to the 8020 without the brackets it would probably work but there is no way I could do that. The access won’t allow that, at least not that I can figure out. You have to have four foot arms and be a contortionist to get it done.

I think if I use some flat bar and attach it to the 8020, I can attach both panels to it. There will be overhang on the rails but not on the van roof.

I’ll revisit that in the spring.
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