Just circling back to check how the roof holes you plugged are holding after a year and half? Watching your campervan build series has always been a pleasure and educational.
Reviewing the video, we did not explain attachment of the solar panel to the roof rack. We used a galvanized spring nut that sits in the roof strut channel and a hex bolt + washer that slides into the open hole of the 2-hole flat washer and into that spring nut. You’ll use a socket wrench to screw it tight. SOLAR REMOVAL » Dicor Lap Sealant › amzn.to/3pFnwps EternaBond Tape › amzn.to/3nuUGFA Solar MC4 Connectors › amzn.to/3vICVGw ROOF RACK » 10 ft. Aluminum Struts (2) › mcmaster.com/3230T26/ 5 ft. Strut Channel Covers (2) › mcmaster.com/3204T84/ Promaster Roof Mounts (3 sets) › bit.ly/3jfmZW4 Large (~1 inch outside diameter) Flat Washers (6) Matte Black Rust-Oleum (2) › amzn.to/3CjyW5O Clear Top Coat Rust-Oleum › amzn.to/3m8tgWB SOLAR MOUNTING » 2-Hole Flat Square Washers (4) › mcmaster.com/33125T922/ 3/8 in. Galvanized Spring Nuts (4) › mcmaster.com/3259T922/ 3/8 in. Carriage Bolts & Nuts (4) › bityl.co/5TN5 3/8 in. Hex Bolts (4) › bityl.co/5TN8 3/8 in. Flat Washers (4) › bityl.co/5TMy 3/8 in. Lock Washers (4) › bityl.co/5TN2
Hey. Walked past Sunday evening with the blue LA hat on and asked about your conversion. You guys can use my drive way anytime. Great content. Good tips for when I start my build.
Yes, you can do the entire length. We only used 3/4 of the mounting points on the roof. Their is a fourth one at the very back on the driver and passenger sides.
Hey Bill. Totally understand. This was a more difficult one for us to navigate. We got this idea from a blog post by thehuntersvanlife.com as mentioned towards the end. They explain how to do this along with supplies needed. However, they had some mistakes in the blog that made things a bit confusing. Supplies depends on how many solar panels you have. I did rewatch and noticed we didn’t include the attachment of the panel to the roof rack. Luckily that part is very simple. That’s where you’ll use the galvanized spring nuts. Those will sit inside the roof strut channel, spring faces up. After the 2-hole strut brackets are attached to the solar panel, place the solar panel on the roof. Line the spring nut with the open hole of your 2-hole flat washers. Add washer onto a 3/8” hex bolt and put the bolt through your 2-hole washer and spring nut. Then you’ll just use a socket wrench to screw that bolt tight into your galvanized spring nut. Then you’re all done! We linked the supplies in the description of this video. We split it up the roof rack and solar mounting links so you know which supplies are for which part of the project. If you look under the solar mounting section, that’s exactly what we used and how many of each.
I would like to see a video on how you found the van, and what the cost and mileage was. I live in Kansas City area, and I think finding a used Pro Master will be harder than finding Big Foot. Not sure I understand why you seem to be doing your conversion in a park...?
We will absolutely do videos about those things in the future. We want to be as transparent as possible! We found ours in the midst of the pandemic when used vehicles were few and far between. We just constantlyyyy checked a variety of sites and apps for new listings and jumped right on this van. It was exactly what we were looking for. ❤️ We live in a loft in the heart of Atlanta. We are very limited on where we can work on the van. Darian’s uncle lives in the suburbs of Atlanta luckily, so we can use his property to work on large projects. Small projects we take to the park across the street to save ourselves the drive and allow Aussie some bonus play time!
Yes, we believe the previous owner left metal shavings when they installed the fan because majority of the rust was around the fan. Thanks for watching!
Could have used STANDARD Galavanized UniStrut available at Home Depot for about $19.00 versus the Aluminum Unistrut you purchased at Carr-McMaster for $55.00 each. Ouch.
Just circling back to check how the roof holes you plugged are holding after a year and half?
Watching your campervan build series has always been a pleasure and educational.
Everything is great, knock on wood!
That’s really nice to hear. We’ll be filming a few van upgrade videos this summer/fall. ❤️
Thanks for watching! Let us know if you have any questions. 🙂
Reviewing the video, we did not explain attachment of the solar panel to the roof rack.
We used a galvanized spring nut that sits in the roof strut channel and a hex bolt + washer that slides into the open hole of the 2-hole flat washer and into that spring nut. You’ll use a socket wrench to screw it tight.
SOLAR REMOVAL »
Dicor Lap Sealant › amzn.to/3pFnwps
EternaBond Tape › amzn.to/3nuUGFA
Solar MC4 Connectors › amzn.to/3vICVGw
ROOF RACK »
10 ft. Aluminum Struts (2) › mcmaster.com/3230T26/
5 ft. Strut Channel Covers (2) › mcmaster.com/3204T84/
Promaster Roof Mounts (3 sets) › bit.ly/3jfmZW4
Large (~1 inch outside diameter) Flat Washers (6)
Matte Black Rust-Oleum (2) › amzn.to/3CjyW5O
Clear Top Coat Rust-Oleum › amzn.to/3m8tgWB
SOLAR MOUNTING »
2-Hole Flat Square Washers (4) › mcmaster.com/33125T922/
3/8 in. Galvanized Spring Nuts (4) › mcmaster.com/3259T922/
3/8 in. Carriage Bolts & Nuts (4) › bityl.co/5TN5
3/8 in. Hex Bolts (4) › bityl.co/5TN8
3/8 in. Flat Washers (4) › bityl.co/5TMy
3/8 in. Lock Washers (4) › bityl.co/5TN2
Hey. Walked past Sunday evening with the blue LA hat on and asked about your conversion. You guys can use my drive way anytime. Great content. Good tips for when I start my build.
You’re awesome. We seriously appreciate it and may take you up on that. Appreciate it man.
yay ... :) so cute ... oh I got distracted 14:00
You went with 10' roof rack, is it possible to do more than 10' on promaster 159 wb (such as 11' or 12') or the 10' is the maximum roof length
Yes, you can do the entire length. We only used 3/4 of the mounting points on the roof. Their is a fourth one at the very back on the driver and passenger sides.
@@darian.explores so will the 12' struts fit?
@@StephenShreds Yes, we just didn’t need that long. :)
Very informative video. However, I don't fully understand all pieces involved in attaching solar panel I strut??? What pieces were needed? Thanks
Hey Bill. Totally understand. This was a more difficult one for us to navigate.
We got this idea from a blog post by thehuntersvanlife.com as mentioned towards the end. They explain how to do this along with supplies needed. However, they had some mistakes in the blog that made things a bit confusing.
Supplies depends on how many solar panels you have. I did rewatch and noticed we didn’t include the attachment of the panel to the roof rack. Luckily that part is very simple. That’s where you’ll use the galvanized spring nuts.
Those will sit inside the roof strut channel, spring faces up. After the 2-hole strut brackets are attached to the solar panel, place the solar panel on the roof. Line the spring nut with the open hole of your 2-hole flat washers. Add washer onto a 3/8” hex bolt and put the bolt through your 2-hole washer and spring nut. Then you’ll just use a socket wrench to screw that bolt tight into your galvanized spring nut. Then you’re all done!
We linked the supplies in the description of this video. We split it up the roof rack and solar mounting links so you know which supplies are for which part of the project. If you look under the solar mounting section, that’s exactly what we used and how many of each.
I would like to see a video on how you found the van, and what the cost and mileage was. I live in Kansas City area, and I think finding a used Pro Master will be harder than finding Big Foot. Not sure I understand why you seem to be doing your conversion in a park...?
We will absolutely do videos about those things in the future. We want to be as transparent as possible! We found ours in the midst of the pandemic when used vehicles were few and far between. We just constantlyyyy checked a variety of sites and apps for new listings and jumped right on this van. It was exactly what we were looking for. ❤️
We live in a loft in the heart of Atlanta. We are very limited on where we can work on the van. Darian’s uncle lives in the suburbs of Atlanta luckily, so we can use his property to work on large projects. Small projects we take to the park across the street to save ourselves the drive and allow Aussie some bonus play time!
Is all the rust on the roof from not vacuuming up the metal shavings from installing the fan or something? Thanks for this video!
Yes, we believe the previous owner left metal shavings when they installed the fan because majority of the rust was around the fan. Thanks for watching!
How many watts is that solar panel?
305 watts. 🙂
You guys are awesome. Our conversion is almost done come and Check it out sometime 💕
I want to see it! We haven’t been driving out that way as much but I think we’re going to start again soon.
Could have used STANDARD Galavanized UniStrut available at Home Depot for about $19.00 versus
the Aluminum Unistrut you purchased at Carr-McMaster for $55.00 each.
Ouch.
We weighed that option. We wanted aluminum. 🙂
That roof looks like a toilet bowl
More effort on the dark eyes, less on the bleach hair