Roof solar planning - cutting the hole

[camper101]

4llamas, FYI I just spoke with Brenda briefly. It sounds like when I'm in the junction box there will be a little indentation/circle at the top of the box, which is where they drill through to the roof. I've got a 2012 Eagle for what it's worth.

Next question: any suggestions on clamps to hold the wires in place on the roof? I'd prefer something that I can glue down, similar to the lower left of this photo. It looks like those are screwed in, but I thought I'd seen a thread where Jonathan said they're glued. Maybe an RV store has these?

 

[Bwht4x4]

My panel is directly above my SAE plug and I have the wires taped pretty tightly together and then just sitting there on the roof. I actually need to check them before my hunting trip in 2.5 weeks to make sure all is well with them.

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

Stan said campers from 2004 were pre- wired for solar. Junction box located under the front lifting panel with a mounting hole for the female solar plug.

Roof framing is 1-1/2 inch square tubing. The wood strips on ceiling mark their location.
After carefully measuring for the location for the "Z" brackets drill very small pilot hole up through the wood strips (Through the wood strips) from inside to outside.

Follow the directions that came with the panel to install the. "Z" brackets.

Remember the Hawk does not have a plywood roof which is reason the suggested way to mount the panel is perpendicular to the square tubing.

Call Brenda at Four a Wheel if you need help......Brenda@fourwh.com.

 

[camper101]

For anybody curious, here's what it looks like in the junction box. Oddly there's a yellow butt connector at the roof, and a blue one near the battery. Not sure if the wire shrinks somewhere in between (I've seen somewhere that it's yellow/12 gauge behind the lifting panel).


Also, I've asked Brenda about this, but I'm curious if anybody here has a suggestion: I'd like to get a hole that's slightly larger than the existing hole in the plate (so I can use this as a thru-hull). Seems like I could either drill next to the plate (instead of using the hole) or try to make the hole bigger with a hole saw. I'm a little scared to enlarge the hole, because I'm not sure if that plate will break off when the hole saw gets ahold of it. But maybe it's welded on good and isn't going anywhere...

As always I appreciate any thoughts you have.