Running Solar power lead into 2009 Jayco hawk

Submitted: Monday, Mar 10, 2014 at 20:13
ThreadID: 106642 Views:4928 Replies:2 FollowUps:10
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Hi everyone
I Have put 2x100 watt solar panel onto my jayco hawk i need to know how and where i run the solar lead into the vans roof . Pictures would be a great help.
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Reply By: Member - Bruce C (NSW) - Monday, Mar 10, 2014 at 22:16

Monday, Mar 10, 2014 at 22:16
Hi Mick.
The best way to run the solar cable through the roof is via an electricians water tight junction box such as a Clipsal Adaptable Box of a size around 75mm X 75mm and about 75mm high.

These boxes have knockouts on the sides and you can screw conduit fittings into those cutouts/knockouts to run the cables from the solar panels into the junction box. Use a short length of conduit into those side holes, special fittings are readily available, and tape well to ensure no water gets through into the conduit.

Find where a suitable place you want to come through the roof by looking around the inside of the roof to select that spot you prefer. Ensure it is away from the solar panels.

Once you have found that preferred spot, ensuring it is well clear of the area you wish to mount your solar panels, drill a 1/4" hole through from the inside so that you now have a clear indication on the outside of the roof where the fully sealable junction box can be mounted. Drill a 1/4" hole through the bottom of the junction box and use the drill to centre the box on that hole. Ensure there is a good bed of Sikaflex as a sealing base to mount the box and fix the junction box in place with 4 screws of a suitable size.
Not too long, not to small, not to big.

Once the Junction box is mounted you can drill a larger hole through the bottom of it to the inside of the roof to run your cable through.

I would terminate the solar cables inside on the underside of the roof with an Anderson plug so that you do not have a long lead permanently hanging from the roof. By this means you can mount the regulator where you like inside the Jayco Hawk and run a lead of suitable cable to that anderson plug whenever you set up the van. This will enable you to roll up the lead and get it out of your way when packing up. Otherwise you have a lead permanently hanging from the inside of the roof. Not a good idea and it would be prone to damage if it got caught up in the mechanism when packing up. Just a thought.



Note that this method can be used on any van roof.

Cheers, Bruce.
At home and at ease on a track that I know not and
restless and lost on a track that I know. HL.

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AnswerID: 528070

Follow Up By: Shaker - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2014 at 08:10

Tuesday, Mar 11, 2014 at 08:10
Why not just run the cable through a dust & waterproof gland?
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Follow Up By: Member - Bruce C (NSW) - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2014 at 09:08

Tuesday, Mar 11, 2014 at 09:08
Shaker it depends on whether or not you can get to the underside of the outside skin to ensure that it is a definite seal. Then you have flexing working on that seal as the gland only has a small area of contact to support itself anyway so I would imagine it would have a limited lifespan and the absolute last thing we would want is a leaking roof.

Also the J box allows for the bulk of BB connectors or the like should the cable need to be joined above the roof.
Unfortunately I am a "belt and braces" man also. As I always say "always cover your rear end", to that end the larger sealing area that the underside of the box allows satisfies my thinking much better.

As my father used to say when I was helping him with a job, "How is it now". I would say "Near enough", he would reply "Near enough is not good enough" so I would redo it till it was perfect and he would ask "How is it now" and I would reply "Perfect" then he would say "That's near enough". LOL

Cheers, Bruce.
At home and at ease on a track that I know not and
restless and lost on a track that I know. HL.

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Follow Up By: Shaker - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2014 at 09:17

Tuesday, Mar 11, 2014 at 09:17
Glands used in the marine industry to run cables through boat decks.
Using a junction box you are drilling 5 holes through the roof instead on one.
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Reply By: SDG - Monday, Mar 10, 2014 at 23:01

Monday, Mar 10, 2014 at 23:01
A variation of above idea, if your not happy with a cord hanging down inside, is to hang it outside. Anderson plug on roof, another mounted to the bottom of camper that is attached to battery. Cable to battery either run through floor, or through the wall. Mine is through floor, but my panel is movable. Not fixed.

Just remember to connect cable to roof, before raising.
AnswerID: 528073

Follow Up By: Keir & Marg - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2014 at 07:25

Tuesday, Mar 11, 2014 at 07:25
If the Hawk is the same as our Penguin, you have a power cable for the ceiling lights running inside a vertical sock on the right hand side of the van's canvas. I've used this sock to run speaker cables up to the ceiling for our stereo, and last year I mounted a solar panel on the roof and ran the cables down this sock. So the solar power cables are permanently mounted, but are not visible. They fold up neatly with the other cables as you fold the roof down. For the roof penetration, I used the method described above, and then have a junction box mounted inside the van on the ceiling just in front of the curtain and above the sock. I'll see if I can post a couple of pictures later today.
Hope this helps.
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Follow Up By: Mickrobb - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2014 at 11:25

Tuesday, Mar 11, 2014 at 11:25
This is how i would like to do it. Pictures would be great
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Follow Up By: Keir & Marg - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2014 at 17:38

Tuesday, Mar 11, 2014 at 17:38
Mickrobb
[
img]2014-03-11_17-20-44_543[/img]
Hope this works, 2 images attached (I think). The first is of the 130W panel on the roof, held down with nylon spacers glued with Sikaflex 291 to the roof. Wires from panel pass through nylon box (also glued with 291) so there is only a single hole in the roof of the van. Second photo is of the standard electrical JB on the ceiling of the van where the wires are joined to the wiring leading down the sock to the Ctek 250S next to the 100AH Fullriver deep cycle battery. The Ctek takes its power from the solar panel, or from the 12V Centurion power supply in the van (when connected to 240V), or from the car when the engine is running.
Cheers, Keir
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Follow Up By: Keir & Marg - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2014 at 17:42

Tuesday, Mar 11, 2014 at 17:42
Mickrobb,
No, I can't seem to post photos to Exploroz. If you post your e-mail address, I will send them to you directly.
Cheers, Keir
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Follow Up By: Member - Bruce C (NSW) - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2014 at 18:58

Tuesday, Mar 11, 2014 at 18:58
Keir, the best way to include photos is first to save them in JPG format if not already, save them to an easy location for posting, desktop is simple enough, the start your reply or followup and go to "Insert Images and Files" at the bottom of the reply or followup screen.

Once it comes up you will see “Add Photos and Files” in a blue field. Click that and you will then see a copy of your desktop display. Search through the list of files till you find the one you are after and click it.

A screen will then come up saying “Loading File”. That will take a few seconds and then it will ask you to give the image a title and add a description of what the file is about.

Fill those in and then click "Save".

Job Done.

Cheers, Bruce.
At home and at ease on a track that I know not and
restless and lost on a track that I know. HL.

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Follow Up By: Mickrobb - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2014 at 19:13

Tuesday, Mar 11, 2014 at 19:13
My email is mickrobb @ iprimus.com.au
No spacers in email address
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Follow Up By: Keir & Marg - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2014 at 21:53

Tuesday, Mar 11, 2014 at 21:53
Mickrobb,
I have sent you photos directly via e-mail.

Bruce - I think I can't send photos via your method because I'm not a financial member.
Keir
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