I stuck a solar panel to the roof of my D4

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Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Well done. I put an 80 watt eBay one on the roof rack of my Defender and it's great. No more flat batteries, even with the fridge running.
Where do you mount the regulator?

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You should mount the regulator as close as possible to the item you are powering from the solar panel, and NOT at the solar panel end of the cable (as most commercially available solar panels with "built-in" regulators come standard).
I also have an 80 watt fold-up panel set. The regulator was originally mounted in the pouch of the bag frame holding the panels together. On the advice of an electrician who is pretty clued up on these things, I removed the regulator and re-installed it at the other end of the cable (just before the anderson plug that I have installed on it). Works much better that way. [wink11]

Since then, I have actually installed two anderson plugs - one either side of the regulator - so that I can use the solar panels with or without the regulator installed. Without the regulator, I get about 17 volts at the plug in bright sunlight, which is a very good working voltage for my electrolytic cleaning tub that I have set up outside the shed for cleaning the rust / grease etc off camp ovens / griddles and other cast iron items. Works very well and only costs me the occasional packet of sodium carbonate (washing powder) and a bit of rain water from the tank (Kalgoorlie tap water has too much chlorine which tends to slow down the reaction).

I have mounted the regulator on the rear most drivers side pillar, probably closer to the panel than to the fridge, and a long way from the batteries that are under the bonnet.

I too thought about the heat generated by having it directly mounted to the roof but my main goal was to run the fridge and not have wind noise. I also wanted the freedom to fit roof rails above it when needed, so I have achieved those goals and still get enough output to run the fridge.

As an added bonus it cannot be seen from ground level unless you're a really really tall, the roof rails do help to hide it though.

I should see how it copes with the cubby box cooler running!! Now that draws some power, I don't think it would keep up with both the engel and the cubby box.

Do you have a photo of the set up kenl?