I tried to put on the "Techies" page but not smart enough.
I am wanting to mount a solar panel on the roof of my Patrol, and run the cables to a battery located inside the vehicle.
I am not wanting to drill holes in the body, so am looking for some ingenious ideas to address this issue.
Many thanks as always. KB
Eaglemax said
07:15 PM Oct 22, 2019
keiron wrote:
Hi to all.
I tried to put on the "Techies" page but not smart enough.
I am wanting to mount a solar panel on the roof of my Patrol, and run the cables to a battery located inside the vehicle.
I am not wanting to drill holes in the body, so am looking for some ingenious ideas to address this issue.
Many thanks as always. KB
Does you Patrol have a roof gutter that follows the contour of the front door known as the "A" pillar? If so you could run them down that gutter then through the gap between the door.
To hold it in the gutter just need a couple of dabs of silicone.
Tony
Aus-Kiwi said
07:22 PM Oct 22, 2019
Run it down where an inlet snorkel would be ? Or fitted !!
keiron said
07:30 PM Oct 22, 2019
Thanks for the suggestion, but does that not require holes to be drilled (somewhere) for the cables to get access to the inside of the cabin?
I did not mention, and should have, that my Patrol is the 4.8 litre, and has no room under the bonnet without major surgery to the pipes and wires currently resident in any possible location.
keiron said
07:39 PM Oct 22, 2019
Thanks Tony, and I have done exactly that with my CB radio cable. Just wondering how many, and how large in diameter such entry cables should be.
Cheers, KB
Aus-Kiwi said
08:22 PM Oct 22, 2019
Down through air vent via plenum
Under windscreen ? Lift or space rear of bonnet enough to run cable ? Another option . Remove rubber seal section around door . File enough to run cable . Fit door seal back with sealer . That how areal
Wires where run in 70s . HQ Holdens .
Possum3 said
09:36 PM Oct 22, 2019
Note the Patrol has front and side airbags - Best course for cable is along RH Gutter to rear barn door and enter cable to rear storage area at top RH side of the large door. Note there may be excessive pressure on electrical cable as it passes through door seals, so I suggest making a protective shroud over that part of cable.
Kiwoz said
09:57 PM Oct 22, 2019
Keiron, We had a GQ Patrol for 10 years. 130w tiltable panel on roof and house battery under bonnet. The cable was fed through th front corner of the LHR door and down the inside of the B pillar trim. Never a sign of dust entry or cable damage. I mounted the regulator inside the LH kick panel as the battery was just through the bulkhead in the engine bay so mebe not very helpful. No extra holes required.
All the best, B.
Kiwoz said
08:39 PM Oct 23, 2019
Keiron, We had a GQ Patrol for 10 years. 130w tiltable panel on roof and house battery under bonnet. The cable was fed through th front corner of the LHR door and down the inside of the B pillar trim. Never a sign of dust entry or cable damage. I mounted the regulator inside the LH kick panel as the battery was just through the bulkhead in the engine bay so mebe not very helpful. No extra holes required.
All the best, B.
My apologies here Keiron, that should read GU/Y61 Patrol.
I removed this setup to sell vehicle then had the new owner come back to have it reinstalled 12 months later. Still going fine 15 years on. Man, I feel like I must have had rocks in my head to pay the price for solar panels back then but had to have 'em.
Hi to all.
I tried to put on the "Techies" page but not smart enough.
I am wanting to mount a solar panel on the roof of my Patrol, and run the cables to a battery located inside the vehicle.
I am not wanting to drill holes in the body, so am looking for some ingenious ideas to address this issue.
Many thanks as always. KB
Does you Patrol have a roof gutter that follows the contour of the front door known as the "A" pillar? If so you could run them down that gutter then through the gap between the door.
To hold it in the gutter just need a couple of dabs of silicone.
Tony
Thanks for the suggestion, but does that not require holes to be drilled (somewhere) for the cables to get access to the inside of the cabin?
I did not mention, and should have, that my Patrol is the 4.8 litre, and has no room under the bonnet without major surgery to the pipes and wires currently resident in any possible location.
Thanks Tony, and I have done exactly that with my CB radio cable. Just wondering how many, and how large in diameter such entry cables should be.
Cheers, KB
All the best, B.
Keiron, We had a GQ Patrol for 10 years. 130w tiltable panel on roof and house battery under bonnet. The cable was fed through th front corner of the LHR door and down the inside of the B pillar trim. Never a sign of dust entry or cable damage. I mounted the regulator inside the LH kick panel as the battery was just through the bulkhead in the engine bay so mebe not very helpful. No extra holes required.
All the best, B.
My apologies here Keiron, that should read GU/Y61 Patrol.
I removed this setup to sell vehicle then had the new owner come back to have it reinstalled 12 months later. Still going fine 15 years on. Man, I feel like I must have had rocks in my head to pay the price for solar panels back then but had to have 'em.
Good luck, B.