Getting solar and power cables into your truck - best routes

[SimonD]

I'm in the process of working out the best way into my 80 for 240v [for a C-TEK charger when available] and for a solar cable [or two]. How do you all get cables to roofracks and the sides? Pics would be great - if you have them, post them. I have gullwings in the rear quarter but I'm not keen to keep drilling through the body as rust then becomes something for the future.

In terms of solutions I've seen, through the B pillar to a plug, through the rear seat floor, through the gullwing - but it then needs to be open. I know plenty of people in Oz mount antennae on the D pillar through the body. How are you all getting cables out an into your trucks?

Sorry if there is a thread on this already but I wasn't sure where to start searching. Hopefully this thread will be interesting for others.

 

[Animal Mother]

How about through or along the snorkel and then into the engine bay, or if needed, through the firewall into the interior?

 

[Chris]

I've quite a few holes in my truck and trailer and really decent grommets/ glands are the way to go. But one sneaky way I have run cables to the roof is to go up through the snorkel. I drilled through the air box pipe where it joins the rubber then up the snork then out through another grommet by the top of the screen. That get cable from inside the car through the bulkhead and out to the roof with no holes in the body work
Mine also had a cell phone at one point and there was an aerial stump left in the roof
I used that too.

 

[StarCruiser]

I've mounted various connectors in the door shut for the upper tailgate. There's enough room in the top corners for 50A Anderson connectors and I've put some miniature co ax connectors under one hinge without fouling.

Have a look here.https://www.landcruiserclub.net/community/threads/starcruisers-cruiser.147655/

 

[Ben Stratford]

I've quite a few holes in my truck and trailer and really decent grommets/ glands are the way to go. But one sneaky way I have run cables to the roof is to go up through the snorkel. I drilled through the air box pipe where it joins the rubber then up the snork then out through another grommet by the top of the screen. That get cable from inside the car through the bulkhead and out to the roof with no holes in the body work
Mine also had a cell phone at one point and there was an aerial stump left in the roof
I used that too.

Obvious I know but - Just be very sure to seal around any holes drilled into the snorkel

 

[Chris]

Correct.

Obvious

 

[clivehorridge]

A few have posted on this subject in the past, (including me) maybe there'll be something useful in this thread...

BTW, Star Cruiser's Anderson's are very neat...

 

[StarCruiser]

I plan to add a 230v connection at some point though I'm increasingly thinking why do I need it with solar.

Anyway, my plan was to fit a surface mount 16A appliance inlet (fixed plug) under the rear bumper with a waterproof cap on it then gland the cable well into it and take this in through one of the inner side sections. I was going to do a socket as well for mains stuff in the roof tent awning but I'm beginning to think- 'what's the point', just trail the lead straight into the awning where it'll get most use anyway.

The split charge unit I've found gives charge from the alternator to the leisure battery, or solar to both in a very well managed way so I'm increasingly thinking there is negligible need for the truck to have 230v in it.

 

[Chris]

I have 240 into the trailer through a change over switch so I can run shore power when I'm camped for a couple of days
Great for running the toaster, oven, kettle etc without having to think 'ooh me batteries' but not sure I'd run it into a vehicle that wasn't a motor home

 

[Animal Mother]

I plan to add a 230v connection at some point though I'm increasingly thinking why do I need it with solar.

Anyway, my plan was to fit a surface mount 16A appliance inlet (fixed plug) under the rear bumper with a waterproof cap on it then gland the cable well into it and take this in through one of the inner side sections. I was going to do a socket as well for mains stuff in the roof tent awning but I'm beginning to think- 'what's the point', just trail the lead straight into the awning where it'll get most use anyway.

The split charge unit I've found gives charge from the alternator to the leisure battery, or solar to both in a very well managed way so I'm increasingly thinking there is negligible need for the truck to have 230v in it.

When I build my rig I'm not going to bother with mains voltage this time as everything I use is either 12v or 5v these days.

 

[SimonD]

Great feedback - keep it coming. There's going to be plenty of ways to do this. Rich, thick question for you. How do you access those Andersons outside your truck without the tail gate being open? I'm looking at solutions here to get outside but keep the truck "shut". Thanks for the link Clive and I'll take a good look. It was hard to think what to search on so I thought a thread may help others. Chris, rubber or metal glands?
I can see others are not keen on 240V into the truck. I'll explain my application. Two leisure batteries [don't ask ;-) ] that need a C-TEK XS7000 charging them when the truck is not in use. It will be mounted on the cargo barrier with a 250S and Smartpass. The XS7000 can charge the leisure batteries and the starter batteries through the 250S/Smartpass. I could put a caravan/mains inlet into one of the gullwings but need to decide whether I go through the inner only [which would mean opening the door when accessing AC] or having an external route in [through the gullwing wing - unsupported and less secure]. I would bring the power into a small distribution board with Earth leakage and a separate breaker for each circuit [max combined 16A].
I wouldn't use the AC for anything other than charging - but could do so as would be protected by CBs.

 

[StarCruiser]

Have a look under the rear bumper Simon. That's where I decided to put the surface mount caravan inlet.

Ive kept the cables from the Andersons as singles in sleaving so they exit through carefully selected spots in the tailgate slam gap. So far it looks like the standard solar double insulated tough cable is a bit thick but that can be remedied. I'm trialling the solar this weekend at the AO show so will get you some pics.

I would be using plastic flex glands. There's many sizes on the market but if it's vulnerable or needs to be more robust then good quality metal glands may be a better choice. Wiska do some excellent cable glands with various hole combinations if needed. Probably in RS, not cheap but then they are superb quality.

 

[guyc]

It's been a bit since I did it but is the D250S not a B2B charger with an input from a solar panel.

Maybe the intention is to have the smart charger attached to the starter battery and then use the D250S to divert and control the charge to the leisure batteries. I never understood what the Smartpass really did and certainly in my motorhome, the D250S seems to look after two leisure batteries and the starter battery on its own when not connected to shore power.

I installed a Waeco Perfect Charge which has individual outputs for the starter and leisure batteries. This system comes into play when you are on shore power.

Sorry for the ramble and back to the OP - I've used Scanstrut glands for putting cables through the bodywork on my motorhome. They work very well.

 

[StarCruiser]

Anderson plugs and cable exit.

The ones out the top are 5mm Co Ax cables for radios. The solar goes in on the side and is a first stage trial. The solar cables are about 1mm or so too thick in their double insulated state so will probably be stripped of their hard sheathing and sleeved to make their passage easier at the tailgate gap.

 

[SeaJay]

I was going to set up a shore power connection as well, when I drive up to Karratha and have the cruiser under the carport with 2 fridges running I have been running an extension lead in thru the side sliding window, with a dowel in the chanel to stop it being opened, but its not really secure. I am going to run a good 15A extention lead thru the grommet in the lower rear panel where the trailer wires go thru, and cable tie it up the arm for the swing out wheel carrier

 

[Allchin]

I'm not keen to keep drilling through the body as rust then becomes something for the future.

Hi Simon,
If you clean the area before you drill the hole then carefully paint the hole edges, it should stop any rust starting. I ran 25mm power cables under the body and drilled 2 holes through the floor in the area where the rear seats are. I painted the holes and after fitting the cables(run inside flexy plastic conduit) I sealed both sides with silicone which seems to be working at keeping the water out.

Stephen