Solar Mounting Kit (Bolt on)
THIS KIT IS UNIVERSAL
Tested on Tuff Trek Mk3 Roof tents, The Bush company roof top tents and others - the slotted Bolt pattern accepts bolt down points for the majority of roof tents that have parallel m8bolt tracks on the roof.
This Solar Kit is optioned to come complete with or without a pair of upgraded 890Nm / 1050mm reach Gas struts , two slotted / 2 x Double Folded C Channel Solar Panel mounting rails, a Red anderson and Cable, 4 Eye bolts and ascociated fixing hardware.
The Gas struts are replacemens for the typical 550NM ones on your tent, as the solar panel adds weight to the roof - the struts must also be stronger.
THE BUSH COMPANY TENTS INSTALLATION
The Upgraded Gas struts are not required on The Bush company RTT as their existing ones on new tents are OVER gassed anyway - expecting the load. You may not need the struts initially, but handy to have when the factory ones start to sag. If your installing to A Bush company tent - You can opt for "NO GAS STRUTS " Opion
CANOPY INSTALLATION
You can opt fot the Kit without the Gas struts if you are installing this kit to a canopy via the Canopies existing Unistrut fixing points - The Kit has been used successfully for this application and of course gas struts are not required.
TUFF TREK Mk3 INSTALLATION
The Upgraded Gas struts are required on Tuff trek mk3 tents to increase the opening power to accommodate an extra 20kgs on the roof. Simply adding the panel is not Ok, as the struts on the tent barely lift the extra load, resulting in floppy canvas.
During experimentation with Upgrades to this tent for Victorian (Windy) conditions -Tough touring has chosen to extend the gas struts from the standard ones by another 50mm, putting additional tension into the canvas walls of the tent for a tighter set. This improves tautness allround and does not affect the awesome soft shut for pack up.
ABOUT THE KIT
The Aluminium rail brackets are cut and then folded here in Melbourne...
Brackets are pre-drilled to accept sealed head rivets. (You can use Tec Screws if you prefer as the Bolting method of install does not allow the panel to seperate from the fixings. Load is all in Shear... The kit includes rivets, Red anderson connection, extended 6mm Twin Core cable .
HOW TO FIT IT - THE BASICS OF INSTALLATIONTo Fit the brackets - Open the Tent, and entirely Un-velcro the top section of the tents walls, remove the existing Tuff Trek Factory gas struts, and then - Using a a lifting device (Or a length of timber) prop the tent open wide enough to fit the two new gas struts.
If you don't know how to fit Gas struts - there is plenty of youtube videos of it in action, its simple and does not require any special tools, just a 12,13 and 14mm spanner.
ON a seperate bench - Fit the Solar mounting rails to each end of your solar panel using the included tec screws, or rivetts if you prefer.
Chop off the existing solar cable plugs, and solder on the Cable set with RED anderson provided.
Your Solar panel is now fitted with the Kit, Lift in onto the roof of the tent and bolt it up using the bolts and eye bolt nuts provided...
Partially close the tent approximatly 6 Inches or so, to enable easy re-velcro of the upper walls, I've found it easiest to do this kneeling up inside the tent.
Total turn around time should be under 2 hours.
I reccommend the largest solar panel your electrical system can handle.. :) You can never have enough power. Even the largest household panel (Jinko 415W fits using this kit, providing shade barrier over the tents roof line - helping to keep the tent cooler in day time heat.