While this article was written with Four Wheel Camper’s aluminum roof in mind, this article is applicable to any truck camper roof top installation whether the roof is made of aluminum, fiberglass, stainless steel, composite, or EPDM.
After years of traveling in a hard-sided truck camper, we decided to downsize for international adventures to other continents. Our previous setup—a 2011 Ram 3500 Cummins diesel with an Arctic Fox 865—was simply too large. So, in early spring, we paired up a 2021 Four Wheel Camper Hawk (front dinette model) with our 2010 Dodge Ram Power Wagon. The fit was perfect.
The Hawk came equipped with an 85L DC compressor fridge, and we travel with plenty of camera gear to document our journeys for our YouTube channel, Martien and Roeby on the Go. To keep our batteries charged while off-grid, solar was the obvious choice.
Choosing the Right Solar Setup
We considered three panel options for our solar powered setup:
- Rigid panels: Too tall—our camper barely fits inside a high-cube sea can.
- Foldable solar blankets: Too bulky, especially with our German Shepherd onboard.
- Flexible solar panels: Lightweight, low-profile, and decent in low light (though less efficient in high heat).
Flexible panels won out. They’re not perfect, but they’re ideal for our needs: no drilling, minimal weight, and enough power to keep our two 12 volt deep-cycle batteries topped off. We opted for lead-acid over lithium since lithium batteries are often restricted during international shipping, and replacements are easier to find in remote regions like Africa.
Installation Details
After thorough research, we mounted two Renogy RSP100DL36 100 watt flexible panels using 3M VHB (Very High Bond) tape—no screws, no holes, and no leaks. We added air slots beneath the panels for passive cooling and used a VHB tape primer to prep the surface underneath the solar panel. Some folks were skeptical about using VHB tape, but if it’s good enough for the International Space Station, it’s good enough for us.
Inside, we installed a Renogy Adventurer-Li 30 amp Solar Charge Controller and wired it to our battery bank. The full install—from prep to final wiring—is documented in our Youtube video below.
Field-Tested and Ready for More
Since installing the system, we’ve camped for two weeks and driven over 3,000 km without a single issue. This winter, we’ll test the rig in Baja before shipping it overseas for new adventures.
Got questions about the install? Reach out via Martien and Roeby on the Go—we’re happy to share what we’ve learned.
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