We have a 2014 Jayco Starcraft and I want to install an Anderson plug for a solar panel/blanket (not decided which yet). The battery is easily accessible under the seat by the internal wheel arch and I planned to connect the wires to the battery go through the floor and install the Anderson plug underneath the van so I can easily access from outside. I am not sure of the construction of the floor and whether drilling a hole straight through is a good idea. I would seal with silicon once the wires are through. Can anyone please advise on this? Thank you.
Floor should be nothing more then plywood. If built correctly it should also have a coat of water proof paint.
Be wary that where you decide to drill, if from the top you may drill into the steel sub-frame, if from the bottom
in the 'wrong' place.
Some on here will advise against drilling, but.....
Unless you are looking at doing deep water crossings whereby the water comes up to the floor, what you are
proposing should keep it watertight and also dust tight.
Measure from different directions multiple times! Once happy drill a, say 3mm pilot hole. Once happy, if you can drill halfway from either side to stop timber splintering, or place a block of wood on far side with additional weight or wedge to drill into it to stop splintering.
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Many of us have undertaken this procedure and generally you should have no issues at all. Take a look at top and use your wheel arch as a reference. Mine is just sheet metal covered with the same flooring material as the floor generally so fairly thin. So pick a spot say 50mm further in and along the line that you want it. Then check underneath for any possibLe obstructions and adjust your position if necessarily. Then drill say a 1mm hole through the plywood floor. Check underneath and if happy drill a hole to fit your cable through. Fill with sikaflex.
You are better off wiring your solar controller close to the battery under the seat so that all you need to do is connect blanket or panel to the external anderson plug.
Many of us dont have a high opinion of solar blankets so have bought suitcase style panels instead. That is another minefield but have found one with great output.
Don't buy a solar blanket, they are crap, even quality ones; buy a suitcase style monocrystaline, either by Jaycar( I have one from there, they are really good quality), or Renogy. You can buy Victron ones, they are the best, but you need a pot of gold to own one.
-- Edited by Bicyclecamper on Tuesday 11th of July 2023 08:52:51 PM
For your safety please make sure you install a suitably rated fuse close to the battery. Your solar charger that comes with the blanket/panel may have one on it but that does not mean you shouldn't have one near the battery in the positive wire. Depending upon the make of the panels you buy it may come with a red or grey Anderson connector. You need to know this before you fit one to your van as they will not mate if a different colour.
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