Van of enormous power Mk 4

[NoraBatty]

Your mounting problem is similar to an issue i had with my boat whilst trying to find a way to clamp a hard top down on to the canopy railing

The answer was a truss clamp.
You can get them in mostly all metals.
This is a quick release aluminium, double version, held together with a removeable bolt.
The doubles are a couple of pennies more expensive than the singles, so worth buying half what you need and taking them apart.
I wouldnt trust pipe clips to do the same job if driving around with it, but use enough of them and you should be fine.

[Joeboy]

Thanks Nora, they are cool wee clamps. Looks like it could take 50kgs on its own? I am using 3 pipe clamps per side on the timber cross brace at the trailing side of the panel. I did a trial fit of the clamps today and they are an open spread fit in that the tightening of the stainless screws into the timber will pull the clamps tighter onto the roof rack.

JC paracord lanyards will be fitted too. Confidence is high!

[NoraBatty]

Let me know if your interested in another Lead acid battery.
I have a 2yr old yuasa YBX3642 in the battery shed keeping warm that hasnt been touched in 6 months.
Im a stickler for swapping out the boat starter battery every couple of years. Its not neccessary to do so as often as that, but i dont like taking chances at sea and its small fry to get a new one biennially compared to the alternatives of what could happen.
Il check/ charge it up and see if its still good. Should be.

[Joeboy]

Let me know if your interested in another Lead acid battery.
I have a 2yr old yuasa YBX3642 in the battery shed keeping warm that hasnt been touched in 6 months.
Im a stickler for swapping out the boat starter battery every couple of years. Its not neccessary to do so as often as that, but i dont like taking chances at sea and its small fry to get a new one biennially compared to the alternatives of what could happen.
Il check/ charge it up and see if its still good. Should be.

What boat do you have? Do you run a trickle charger solar or wind? Absolutely on safety 1st at sea. I won't have room for a 2nd battery but thank you very much for the kind offer. I had to.shoehorn this one in!

This is the X brace 60mm x 50mm. It may be slightly over engineered considering its only carrying the trailing end of a 9kg panel.

[NoraBatty]

Its not the panel you are worried about, its the lift acting on the panel, and rightly so.

Channel island 22, used primarily as a fishing boat but also for weekend jaunts. We have 2x 25w panels that trickle charge the batteries, 1 house, 1 starter, with a split charge relay.
Lighting and possibly heating are the only things we really need to run when overnighting but we have a voctron inverter if 240v is needed, and a small portable gennie we can also take for extended trips.
Van life looks much more comfortable than our glorified floating tent, but it does have its upsides.
Regardless, its nice to totally unplug from the grid for a few days at a time and just go with the flow.

[Joeboy]

Its not the panel you are worried about, its the lift acting on the panel, and rightly so.

Channel island 22, used primarily as a fishing boat but also for weekend jaunts. We have 2x 25w panels that trickle charge the batteries, 1 house, 1 starter, with a split charge relay.
Lighting and possibly heating are the only things we really need to run when overnighting but we have a voctron inverter if 240v is needed, and a small portable gennie we can also take for extended trips.
Van life looks much more comfortable than our glorified floating tent, but it does have its upsides.
Regardless, its nice to totally unplug from the grid for a few days at a time and just go with the flow.

Any pots or creels onboard? Is that a free choice or a license? I loved being back at sea in Egypt. Glad you've got a boat!

[NoraBatty]

Just recreational. No creels, or plans to get them.
wouldnt be able to live without a connection to the sea in some fashion. Its not ideal for me health wise to keep it on, but the joy it brings me is worth the struggles. Be sensible and as safe as you can.

This particular boat has come full circle back into the family, though we didnt realise it was the same boat until after we bought it and started refitting, then found my uncles name carved in the back of the transom. I learnt to fish on this boat so its done well.
Other half actually doesnt like boats that much, but he does like getting away from it all for a weekend when the weather is in his favour.

[Joeboy]

Just recreational. No creels, or plans to get them.
wouldnt be able to live without a connection to the sea in some fashion. Its not ideal for me health wise to keep it on, but the joy it brings me is worth the struggles. Be sensible and as safe as you can.

This particular boat has come full circle back into the family, though we didnt realise it was the same boat until after we bought it and started refitting, then found my uncles name carved in the back of the transom. I learnt to fish on this boat so its done well.
Other half actually doesnt like boats that much, but he does like getting away from it all for a weekend when the weather is in his favour.

That family connection is excellent If I was closer to a port I'd likely own.. Ermintrude the MH is the surrogate!

[NoraBatty]

Ermintrude .
A boat you can sleep on is just a floating van .
Up here there are equal opportunities for both, down south, i think boat wins because of the inaccessible places being the only place for solitude. Take your pick up here.
Dont rule out a boat so quick.
I can get to the marina 20 miles away in the same time it took me to get to the boat 2 miles away down south.
That was the only reason i compromised about living so far inland. Furthest inland ive ever lived and ironically sometimes faster to get to the coast than when we were living on it.

We are planning a week or so jaunt to the west coast this year via the caledonian canal.
Hoping to meet up with some old boating friends who are cruising from the south coast to Oban for a summer holiday.
Being on the water should keep the worst of the midges off at least, but a beautiful route to take and one we havent done yet.

[Joeboy]

Forgot to mention this. The fella I bought the 3month old 100Ah LA from was selling it due to an upgrade as he spends quite a lot of time off gridding in his van. While collecting the battery I got a look at the replacement. A 300Ah replacement! He told me that the unit comes with its own built in heater and bms. Whether or not that means the battery has its own built in charge controller to stop it overdrawing from the alternator i'm not sure and forgot to ask.

Coming from absolutely no thought about lifepo4 in van to seeing one it situ, I now get the point. That's a hell of a compact energy solution. I thought it might be of interest to anyone doing or planning to do a van? £719.99 on the 25th Feb 2025.

I'm not THAT into off gridding as i like to be able to walk into town for a Chinese meal for example but for those that are and have the pockets, some bit of kit!

https://www.fogstar.co.uk/products/fogs ... OWEALw_wcB