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Roof cable entry plate

montrose818

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May 26, 2020
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Got my panels screwed mounted to the roof finally, now need a cabole entry plate. Whats a good legit one? Reviews are spotty on most of the ones I saw, issues such as cracks and leaks through wire inlets are common.

Thanks
 
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So much detail...

I don’t know how I could know this...but I’m guessing you’re talking about solar panel pass-throughs? I guess I’ve never heard anyone complain about them.
 
Well not much detail, its a roof, need to run some cables through it. My first solar, never made holes in the roof, obviously worried about water.

Rubber roof, maybe two 8 gauge cables
 
Well not much detail, its a roof, need to run some cables through it. My first solar, never made holes in the roof, obviously worried about water.

Rubber roof, maybe two 8 gauge cables

Dang, 8 gauge is pretty big. Think you could run that through your refrigerator rooftop vent? That's already figured out all the sealing stuff. I wouldn't think twice about penetrating my fiberglass roof with a junction box, but I don't know the best way to do it with a rubber roof.
 
Find your local Roofing Supplier.
Not Home Depot or Lowes.
Maybe ABC or Beacon?

Tell them what you are trying to do.

Don't say "Rubber Roof" or they'll charge you full retail cause you don't know any better.
Take a phone pic of your roof material, like up close to a pipe penetration where it says what the materials actually is.
Sometimes the manufacture name is molded into the flashings.

Been doing this since 1980.
Don't try to make something work that's not intended to be there unless you want to constantly want to maintain it.

Good luck!

photo16432.jpg
 
Find your local Roofing Supplier.
Not Home Depot or Lowes.
Maybe ABC or Beacon?

Tell them what you are trying to do.

Don't say "Rubber Roof" or they'll charge you full retail cause you don't know any better.
Take a phone pic of your roof material, like up close to a pipe penetration where it says what the materials actually is.
Sometimes the manufacture name is molded into the flashings.

Been doing this since 1980.
Don't try to make something work that's not intended to be there unless you want to constantly want to maintain it.

Good luck!

you realize this isn't for a house right?
 
holy shit.. and i was actually trying to picture it on the roof of my race trailer telling myself Well shit, functio over looks.

:lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao:
 
Pourable sealer pocket and a bag of one part pourable sealer. Caulk around the wires before you squeeze the bag or it'll all run inside and it's not fun to clean :grinpimp:

They make them for epdm, tpo, and PVC so whichever 'rubber' your roof is you'll be covered. Any decent roofing supply house will have what you need and the cleaner and primer you'll need as well. YouTube will tell you how to put it down
 
again, why not weatherproof industrial locking connectors to a bulkhead?

gluing them in seems a bad idea for later serviceability.

the only bad part is cost, since a pair of surlocks and bulkheads is gonna cost you $100.

the "mil spec" style might be more appropriate and probably cheaper.
http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/2158844.pdf

right angle plugs available. screws together to lock.
 
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87manche, will they support 8 gauge? Or should I run individual 12ga wires and join closer?
​​​​​​I looked at that blue sea cable clam and seem to lok that one.
 
what kind of current do you expect?
that's what you need to size the connector and wire to.

those surlock ones will handle like 100 amps.
 
I used this one a few years ago on my RV, no complaints but I did cover it in eterna-bond tape after mounting with Dicor no sag sealant.
The cable glands are removable and I thought if the 8ga wire I used didn't fit right I would buy the correct sized glands to replace the included ones but they fit as is.
61OTyb-dzhL._AC_SL1500_.jpg
 
I have asthetic issues due to the sloped front roof but if it wasn't going to be seen I would go the diy junction box way instead.
Buy cable glands and a plastic junction box with oring sealed lid.
Something like this (black for UV resistance or painted)

And another option that no one ever explains is using the MC4 nut as a bulkhead and not using glands at all. This way the strings are connected via MC4 cables and can be paired up inside to some big wire if needed. Like this

51LttdsNNKL._AC_SL1100_.jpg


61i0f6WWM9L.jpg
 
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I ended up going with a Blue Sea Cable Clam, seems to be the standard for marine stuff. Rubber roof is not perfectly flat, so I used some dicor as well.
 
I love the Victron gear and the apps.

I put 400w of solar on the roof and it's pretty awesome, made battery issues non existent in the summer.
 
I love the Victron gear and the apps.

I put 400w of solar on the roof and it's pretty awesome, made battery issues non existent in the summer.

I was about to get the epever setup but when i was the watts were 520max i decided to just go for the victron. Two 200w panels currently (fred480volt), will get two more panels after i get more batteries.

Whats sweet are those victron inverter chargers.. 3000w inverter 70a charger for 1200, not that much for something that works so good. I have a coleman 2000w but i will be running a TV and laptop and probably want a better quality inverter so i dont fry them. Nice stuff for sure.
 
Yeah the Multiplus inverters are bad ass, the hybrid function would be awesome for running the AC on a littleish inverter generator to save fuel.
I don't do enough boondocking now to need one but I'd love to have one.
 
Yeah the Multiplus inverters are bad ass, the hybrid function would be awesome for running the AC on a littleish inverter generator to save fuel.
I don't do enough boondocking now to need one but I'd love to have one.

I dont boondock either, its a 40ft gooseneck that holds my car and tools. I sleep in it sometimes but it has two AC and electric landing gear. When I got the trailer it had 5 batteries but they died because i wasnt charging them, so i lost about 800 dollarrs in batteries and wanted to make sure that doesnt happen again
 
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