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Attaching solar panel on top of back pack


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Home Forums Gear Forums Gear (General) Attaching solar panel on top of back pack

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  • #3416840
    Keith Fultz
    BPL Member

    @in4life6

    Locale: Central Valley, CA

    I have a yolk solar panel  ( 3 actually)   I was wondering how some of you attach your solar panels on top of your pack.     The yolk has holes in the corner to tie off or bungee cord attach.     The smallest bungee cord I can find is 1/8 inch diameter.   I am looking for 1/16th inch diameter and small bungee hanger   or better way of attaching to the pack.  thanks for your thoughts.

    #3416874
    David Thomas
    BPL Member

    @davidinkenai

    Locale: North Woods. Far North.

    Is the bungie cord itself 1/8″ or is the hook at the metal end of the bungie cord 1/8″?

    You could make a loop of dental floss or 100-pound-test dacron line in each little grommet hole and then run something bigger to that loop.  A little more official looking, but probably no stronger would be the smallest split-ring you can find (like the key-rings) or the keeper rings for Clevis pin off an external-frame pack.

    If you’re looking for smaller bungie cord, I’ve got 1/8″ and 3/32″ – send me a PM and tell me how much you want.   And if you want any 100-pound-test dacron – that stuff will fit through any hole.

    #3416903
    Jim C
    BPL Member

    @jimothy

    Locale: Georgia, USA
    1. Litesmith sells 1/16″ shock cord, but I’d be reluctant to use shock cord that thin on something that would be bouncing on my pack all day. I’d be concerned it would break.

    I have the same solar panel, and after using fishing line that would come untied (probably because of my lack of knot tying skills), I switched to 1.1mm (static) cord, which I also found on Litesmith. It works well. I also rigged it in a way so I can easily add and remove panels as needed. I guess I can tie some knots, after all.

    I should post pictures at some point. Anyway, I tied small loops to the hole, then use mini carabiners to attack it to my pack’s lid. The carabiners alone would work, but the cord weighs next to nothing and requires less fiddling.

    #3416932
    Keith Fultz
    BPL Member

    @in4life6

    Locale: Central Valley, CA

    Thanks David and Jim,

    I did find some 1/16 diameter bungee cord on Amazon and ordered it. ($3.00)    I am trying to fit it on top of  a ULA Circuit pack.   I did 36 miles over Kearsarge and Forrester last week with some static cord, but found it a bit awkward, but functioned.   Thought the cord was over kill and time to tie knots a bit time consuming.    I was thinking that real tight 1/16th inch diameter would hold it steady, but you might be right and will have to go with the dacron line David mentioned.   Still open to good ideas.

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