Just a Heads Up to make sure that your Solar panels on the roof of your vans and vehicles are bolted securely.
Last Tuesday I was traveling east on Princes Highway near Orbost,Vic, following a campervan when their rooftop panels
suddenly came loose flying through the air and collided with my Toyota Ute causing fair bit of damage,windscreen,door pillar,Snorkel and roof, I was Not injured apart from covered in fine glass. Not real fun at 95/100 klmh.
A friend who was behind me caught up with them down the road and got their details etc,they didnt know what had happened, anyway their insurance is going to pay for my repairs .
Cheers, Sparra
Moose2 said
12:02 PM Feb 13, 2022
Sounds like you were both unlucky (damage) and lucky (unhurt) at the same time. Been a few things coming loose lately. Good reminder to check things before heading off.
Mike Harding said
01:56 PM Feb 13, 2022
I'd say you're pretty damn lucky to be alive!
Depending upon how you feel about the publicity I suggest you let the papers/TV news people know in order to highlight this danger.
And, frankly, the excuse of; "I'm sorry he's dead but I didn't know the panel was loose." is nowhere near bloody good enough and I would not be unhappy to see your offending driver prosecuted.
Possum3 said
05:00 PM Feb 13, 2022
Good luck with that prosecution Mike, for a criminal offence to occur there must be two main elements - the prohibited conduct and the mental element of a guilty mind or intention.
yobarr said
06:23 PM Feb 13, 2022
sparra wrote:
Just a Heads Up to make sure that your Solar panels on the roof of your vans and vehicles are bolted securely.
Last Tuesday I was traveling east on Princes Highway near Orbost,Vic, following a campervan when their rooftop panels
suddenly came loose flying through the air and collided with my Toyota Ute causing fair bit of damage,windscreen,door pillar,Snorkel and roof, I was Not injured apart from covered in fine glass. Not real fun at 95/100 klmh.
A friend who was behind me caught up with them down the road and got their details etc,they didnt know what had happened, anyway their insurance is going to pay for my repairs .
Cheers, Sparra
Details of a recent accident in Tasmania.It should probably be noted that it was not the car that "lost control" as the car was never in control of anything. The driver lost control of the car.Pity reporters can't speak properly English.(sic) Cheers
Good luck with that prosecution Mike, for a criminal offence to occur there must be two main elements - the prohibited conduct and the mental element of a guilty mind or intention.
Great points there,Possum.Thanks.
86GTS said
07:13 PM Feb 13, 2022
Yep secure your load.
We were following a Land Rover towing a boat along that same stretch of the Princess Hwy.
It came loose from the tug (obviously no chains) & went up an embankment in a cutting, rolling over right in front of us.
We managed to stop in time to avoid it.
The tug kept going oblivious to what had happened.
We continued on for many kms & never saw them coming back to investigate
Jaahn said
07:17 AM Feb 14, 2022
86GTS wrote:
Yep secure your load. We were following a Land Rover towing a boat along that same stretch of the Princess Hwy. It came loose from the tug (obviously no chains) & went up an embankment in a cutting, rolling over right in front of us. We managed to stop in time to avoid it. The tug kept going oblivious to what had happened. We continued on for many kms & never saw them coming back to investigate
WOW asleep at the wheel it seems
I wonder what the driver thought when he arrived and found the boat and trailer were not there ??????????
Jaahn
DMaxer said
08:51 AM Feb 14, 2022
Unfortunately, solar panels flying off the roof is not a criminal matter, therefore the mental element or intent is not required. In criminal matters you must have the actus rea, or the commission of the act and then the mens rea, the mental element or the intention to commit the crime. Matters like speeding, uncovered load on your trailer, drink drive, flies in a food shop and flying solar panels are known as regulatory offences or offences of strict liability. The fact that you didn't intend to speed, drive after drinking, having your solar panels go into orbit is not part of the equation. These offences are to deter people from dangerous behaviour more than punish people for moral or criminal wrongdoing.
If you drive down the road and your solar panel flies off, there are few defences available. The obligation is on the driver to ensure that the vehicle and what it is towing is safe. Bit like saying you didn't know the drink had alcohol in it or you didn't know the speed limit or you didn't know the tarp was loose on the trailer. Maybe you didn't, but it is no defence.
I know how much you love the law and its practitioners Mike, that is why I posted.
-- Edited by DMaxer on Monday 14th of February 2022 09:34:20 AM
Pariss said
05:42 PM Feb 14, 2022
Several years ago, on the southern highway into Cairns, same thing happened. Caravan lost their roof top solar panel. It went straight through the following cars windscreen, and killed both front occupants. Such an horrendous accident. Supposedly the panel was installed poorly by the caravans elderly owner. Never heard the outcome of this incident.
Mike Harding said
06:58 AM Feb 15, 2022
DMaxer wrote:
I know how much you love the law and its practitioners Mike, that is why I posted.
I have no strong feeling about either Dmaxer except when the law is an ass or judges or police think they are God.
The driver of the vehicle which lost the panel could be prosecuted under the Vic Road Rules and be fined up to $16k which would probably encourage him to check his load in the future.
Cuppa said
11:00 AM Feb 15, 2022
It might help if those plastic corners sold for panel fixing to vehicle roofs were banned or at least the sellers of them providing safe info about attaching them to vehicle roofs (as well as advising periodic checks of the mounts integrity!
One of the most highly regarded Australian companies producing a variety of electrical components sells these things & advises can be attached using the appropriate type/grade of silicone adhesive This in my view is close to criminal. As far as I know there is no silicone adhesive suitable for this purpose, unless the word 'silicone' is used as a generic term for 'goo'. And you see folk advising others to use silicone, and/or stating they have used it themselves.
Another Seller of these plastic corners advises using Marine grade Sikaflex. There are Marine grade adhesives in the Sika range which would be suitable, but the commonly seen 'Sika Marine'on the shelves at retail outlets like Bunnings is not one of them. That one is a sealant & unsafe to use for attaching panels to vehicle roofs. (Contrary to the angerous advice I have read on most RV forums at some time or another).
Then there is the issue (only anecdotal - no direct experience as I wouldn't use them myself) I have read over the years of these plastic corner mounts deteriorating - UV affected.
I am certain that there are many many RV's out there with dangerously attached solar panels, & my automatic reaction is, to stay well away from an RV on the road which has panels attached as a result.
FWIW I have mounted solar panels on two vehicles & am totally confident in their security. I used aluminium angle which the panels are bolted (not screwed) to, using nyloc nuts. The aluminium angle is mounted to the vehicle roof, metal to metal (not onto the paint), with the metal of both surfaces lightly roughed up with emery cloth, & then cleaned with isopropyl alcohol before applying a correct thickness bed of the correct Sikaflex adhesive. Sika themselves advise Sika 252 in combination with their specific primer. However I , and many folk I know have used Sika 11Fc for decades, which is a sealant/adhesive, cheaper & easier to use than 252. The panels on the roof of our current vehicle have now been on there for 10 years & over 1000'skms of rough outback roads & tracks & remain as solidly in place as when first fitted - I still check them periodically & I believe that if an attempt were made to lift the car using the panel mounts that the aluminium would let go before the adhesive.
-- Edited by Cuppa on Tuesday 15th of February 2022 11:01:30 AM
-- Edited by Cuppa on Tuesday 15th of February 2022 11:02:17 AM
Just a Heads Up to make sure that your Solar panels on the roof of your vans and vehicles are bolted securely.
Last Tuesday I was traveling east on Princes Highway near Orbost,Vic, following a campervan when their rooftop panels
suddenly came loose flying through the air and collided with my Toyota Ute causing fair bit of damage,windscreen,door pillar,Snorkel and roof, I was Not injured apart from covered in fine glass. Not real fun at 95/100 klmh.
A friend who was behind me caught up with them down the road and got their details etc,they didnt know what had happened, anyway their insurance is going to pay for my repairs .
Cheers, Sparra
Sounds like you were both unlucky (damage) and lucky (unhurt) at the same time. Been a few things coming loose lately. Good reminder to check things before heading off.
I'd say you're pretty damn lucky to be alive!
Depending upon how you feel about the publicity I suggest you let the papers/TV news people know in order to highlight this danger.
And, frankly, the excuse of; "I'm sorry he's dead but I didn't know the panel was loose." is nowhere near bloody good enough and I would not be unhappy to see your offending driver prosecuted.
Details of a recent accident in Tasmania.It should probably be noted that it was not the car that "lost control" as the car was never in control of anything. The driver lost control of the car.Pity reporters can't speak properly English.(sic) Cheers
Great points there,Possum.Thanks.
We were following a Land Rover towing a boat along that same stretch of the Princess Hwy.
It came loose from the tug (obviously no chains) & went up an embankment in a cutting, rolling over right in front of us.
We managed to stop in time to avoid it.
The tug kept going oblivious to what had happened.
We continued on for many kms & never saw them coming back to investigate
WOW asleep at the wheel it seems
I wonder what the driver thought when he arrived and found the boat and trailer were not there ??????????
Jaahn
Unfortunately, solar panels flying off the roof is not a criminal matter, therefore the mental element or intent is not required. In criminal matters you must have the actus rea, or the commission of the act and then the mens rea, the mental element or the intention to commit the crime. Matters like speeding, uncovered load on your trailer, drink drive, flies in a food shop and flying solar panels are known as regulatory offences or offences of strict liability. The fact that you didn't intend to speed, drive after drinking, having your solar panels go into orbit is not part of the equation. These offences are to deter people from dangerous behaviour more than punish people for moral or criminal wrongdoing.
If you drive down the road and your solar panel flies off, there are few defences available. The obligation is on the driver to ensure that the vehicle and what it is towing is safe. Bit like saying you didn't know the drink had alcohol in it or you didn't know the speed limit or you didn't know the tarp was loose on the trailer. Maybe you didn't, but it is no defence.
I know how much you love the law and its practitioners Mike, that is why I posted.
-- Edited by DMaxer on Monday 14th of February 2022 09:34:20 AM
Several years ago, on the southern highway into Cairns, same thing happened. Caravan lost their roof top solar panel. It went straight through the following cars windscreen, and killed both front occupants. Such an horrendous accident. Supposedly the panel was installed poorly by the caravans elderly owner. Never heard the outcome of this incident.
I have no strong feeling about either Dmaxer except when the law is an ass or judges or police think they are God.
The driver of the vehicle which lost the panel could be prosecuted under the Vic Road Rules and be fined up to $16k which would probably encourage him to check his load in the future.
It might help if those plastic corners sold for panel fixing to vehicle roofs were banned or at least the sellers of them providing safe info about attaching them to vehicle roofs (as well as advising periodic checks of the mounts integrity!
One of the most highly regarded Australian companies producing a variety of electrical components sells these things & advises This in my view is close to criminal. As far as I know there is no silicone adhesive suitable for this purpose, unless the word 'silicone' is used as a generic term for 'goo'. And you see folk advising others to use silicone, and/or stating they have used it themselves.
Another Seller of these plastic corners advises using Marine grade Sikaflex. There are Marine grade adhesives in the Sika range which would be suitable, but the commonly seen 'Sika Marine'on the shelves at retail outlets like Bunnings is not one of them. That one is a sealant & unsafe to use for attaching panels to vehicle roofs. (Contrary to the angerous advice I have read on most RV forums at some time or another).
Then there is the issue (only anecdotal - no direct experience as I wouldn't use them myself) I have read over the years of these plastic corner mounts deteriorating - UV affected.
I am certain that there are many many RV's out there with dangerously attached solar panels, & my automatic reaction is, to stay well away from an RV on the road which has panels attached as a result.
FWIW I have mounted solar panels on two vehicles & am totally confident in their security. I used aluminium angle which the panels are bolted (not screwed) to, using nyloc nuts.
The aluminium angle is mounted to the vehicle roof, metal to metal (not onto the paint), with the metal of both surfaces lightly roughed up with emery cloth, & then cleaned with isopropyl alcohol before applying a correct thickness bed of the correct Sikaflex adhesive. Sika themselves advise Sika 252 in combination with their specific primer. However I , and many folk I know have used Sika 11Fc for decades, which is a sealant/adhesive, cheaper & easier to use than 252. The panels on the roof of our current vehicle have now been on there for 10 years & over 1000'skms of rough outback roads & tracks & remain as solidly in place as when first fitted - I still check them periodically & I believe that if an attempt were made to lift the car using the panel mounts that the aluminium would let go before the adhesive.
-- Edited by Cuppa on Tuesday 15th of February 2022 11:01:30 AM
-- Edited by Cuppa on Tuesday 15th of February 2022 11:02:17 AM