Solar Installation Materials

The right solar installation materials help you secure your panels to your camper van’s roof and connect them to your charge controller. Here you will find mounting hardware, cable seals, solar connectors and solar cables. Choose components to suit your panels, roof construction and planned wiring, so the mounting, sealing and electrical connections work together.

Which accessories do you need for your solar installation?

Plan the installation from the panels to the solar charge controller: how will the panels be secured, where will the cables run, and where will they enter the vehicle? These decisions determine which installation materials you need.

Under “Solar Mounting Material”, you will find accessories for mounting panels and routing cables through the roof. “Solar Connectors” covers the connecting components, while “Solar Cables” contains cables for your solar wiring. Also allow for the connection from the charge controller to the battery, including the required circuit protection.

Panel mounts: match them to the panel and vehicle roof

Mounting corners and other brackets must suit your solar panel’s frame and dimensions. Check the specified mounting points and whether additional centre supports are required. These may form part of the recommended mounting arrangement, particularly for longer panels.

The brackets increase the space required beyond the panel’s dimensions alone. Measure the complete mounting area and allow for rooflights, vents and other roof fittings. There must also be room to route the cables and open rooflights fully.

The roof surface matters too: ribs, curves and existing coatings affect which mounting method is suitable. The mounts must sit correctly according to their installation requirements and attach to a sound substrate. For framed panels, also allow the required clearance above the roof for ventilation beneath them.

Bonding and sealing: choose the right product

A mounting adhesive must be suitable for the materials of both the brackets and the vehicle roof. A sealant serves a different primary purpose and is not automatically suitable for structural bonding. Choose a product specifically intended for the connection you need to make.

Durability depends on surface preparation and application as well as the adhesive itself. Cleaners, adhesion promoters or primers may be required depending on the surfaces involved. An adhesive kit can bring suitable materials together, but you should still check that the included surface treatment is appropriate for your roof and brackets.

Follow the requirements for application temperature, adhesive layer thickness and curing. High initial grab does not mean that the bond can immediately withstand its full load. Schedule the installation to allow the required curing time before driving.

Roof cable seals: check cable diameter and mounting surface

A cable seal routes your solar cables into the vehicle and seals the entry point. Choose according to the number of cables, their outer diameters and the available roof space. The sealing range of the gland or sealing insert must match the cable.

Do not confuse outer diameter with conductor cross-section: a 6 mm² solar cable does not automatically have a diameter of 6 mm. You will find the actual outer diameter in the cable specifications.

If connectors are already fitted, also check whether they can pass through the cable entry or whether the chosen design allows installation with the connectors in place. Alongside sealing around the cables, the joint between the cable entry and the roof must be properly sealed. Protect the cables from sharp edges where they pass through the roof.

Solar cables: suitable for use on the roof

On a vehicle roof, cables are exposed to sunlight, moisture and changing temperatures. Use suitable solar cables and route them so they cannot rub against edges or flap in the airflow while driving. Cables and connectors should not remain under tension.

The required conductor cross-section depends on factors including current, cable length, installation conditions and permissible voltage drop. Calculations must include the complete current path through both positive and negative cables. Measure the actual route from the panel through the roof entry to the controller, allowing a little extra length for connections.

Unnecessarily long cables increase resistance and take up more space. With portable solar panels, a longer cable can give you more freedom over positioning, but it must still be correctly sized.

Solar connectors: match both the contact and seal to the cable

Two cable dimensions matter when choosing a solar connector: the contact must suit the conductor cross-section, and the seal must suit the cable’s outer diameter. A connector can therefore fit the conductor correctly but still fail to seal properly around the insulation.

Use matching connectors from the same manufacturer and the intended connector system. A similar shape or the description “MC4-compatible” alone does not establish a safe connection between different brands.

If you are making up your own cables, you need the correct crimping tool for the contact and must assemble the connector according to its instructions. Solar connectors are not load-break switches: do not disconnect them while current is flowing through them.

Y-adapters and extensions: match them to your wiring arrangement

Y-adapters can combine several panel strings in parallel. Their currents add together, so check the current ratings of the adapters, the shared cable and the charge controller’s solar input. Depending on the number of parallel strings and the panel specifications, additional string fuses may also be required.

An adapter does not automatically make electrically different panels compatible. For a parallel connection, the panel voltages in particular need to be closely matched. With a series connection, the voltages add together instead, which must be taken into account when choosing the controller.

For extension cables and connection adapters, also check the polarity and wiring at both ends. The fact that two connectors physically fit together is not enough.

Plan the connection from the controller to the battery too

The solar wiring does not end at the charge controller. Its battery connection also needs suitable cables, terminals and fuses. Because of voltage conversion, the current on this side can be higher than on the panel side. Do not simply use the same cable cross-section for the battery connection without checking.

If you want to connect the controller to an existing electroblock, the cable set, pin assignment and permitted charging current must suit that specific unit. You will find further materials for the battery connection under electrical installation materials.

Have these details ready when choosing

• Panels and roof: Which frame dimensions, mounting points and roof surfaces need to work together?
• Mounting: Which brackets, additional supports and surface preparation materials are required?
• Cable routes: How long are the cables, and where do you need supports, edge protection or a sealed cable entry?
• Electrical specifications: What voltages and currents result from your panel wiring arrangement?
• Connections: Do the connector system, conductor cross-section, cable outer diameter and polarity match?

If you are building a new system and want to choose panels, a controller, mounting hardware and connection materials together, our complete solar kits offer matched packages. Check that the included cable lengths and mounting materials suit your vehicle here too.