Cable route advice please

[TimA]

I am trying to figure out the best way to route cables from under my drivers seat base (which will have various bits of kit installed) to the void in the side panel behind the B pillar and then along the void to an electrical compartment under my furniture.

I am wondering about drilling a hole in the base of the B pillar (as pointed to in the photo) but it's very close to the seat belt anchor point and I'm worried it's a structural point. Alternatively I go through the floor under the driver's seat, along the void under the van and back up through the floor at a convenient point further back. Thinking I'll have to use flexible conduit, glands etc if I go this way.

I would love to know how others have routed cables from their seat base builds to the back of the van.

Look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Many thanks
Tim

 

[TimA]

Hi @Dellmassive Hope you don't mind me bothering you with this minor question but you clearly know your stuff. The more I look at it, the more it seems the only way is through the floor. I need to run up to 6 cables to the rear of the van so I need a reasonable amount of space. Can't see how I could 'hide' them through the B pillar.
Your opinion would be much appreciated.
Cheers Tim

 

[Bigsidavies]

I have a twin slider so I couldn’t run them along the van wall so to speak.
Mine exit under the seat via the large rubber grommet that is already in place. There’s then loads of space under the underbody trims and they can reappear wherever you want to drill a hole.

 

[The Van Cave]

You can route the cables in behind the seat belt. Above the seat belt reel is a large hole that you can feed them through and out into the panel behind the drivers seat. If you reach through from the open panel under the window (or maybe not a window if it’s a panel van) behind the drivers seat, in the top left corner of that void, you should be able to find the hole.

 

[TimA]

I have a twin slider so I couldn’t run them along the van wall so to speak.
Mine exit under the seat via the large rubber grommet that is already in place. There’s then loads of space under the underbody trims and they can reappear wherever you want to drill a hole.

Ah, right, I did think about that. Did you bother with conduit/cable protection and any sort of waterproof gland in place of the grommet? I might be over thinking this!

 

[TimA]

You can route the cables in behind the seat belt. Above the seat belt reel is a large hole that you can feed them through and out into the panel behind the drivers seat. If you reach through from the open panel under the window (or maybe not a window if it’s a panel van) behind the drivers seat, in the top left corner of that void, you should be able to find the hole.

I did manage to find that route but thought it was really awkward, hence wondering about drilling another hole in the B pillar. I was also a bit worried about protecting the cables but guess I could wrap them with cloth tape or similar?

 

[The Van Cave]

I did manage to find that route but thought it was really awkward, hence wondering about drilling another hole in the B pillar. I was also a bit worried about protecting the cables but guess I could wrap them with cloth tape or similar?

Cloth tape works, or you can use split corrugated tubing for even more protection if you wanted to.

 

[drinfinity]

I went Bibb pillar existing holes with the mains cable and some 12v cable. To make life easier for the routing, most of the kitchen comes from one fat 12v cable leading to another fusebox. This saves pushing multiple individual supplies through. There are some keyhole shaped holes designed to slot a cable and grommet through the front of the pillar, and then some conduit (one for 240, one for 12v) through the existing hole in the back.

The only holes I drilled so far were for the heater vent, and a couple of internal ones for plumbing. Everything else including 240v hookup, water and drainage has gone though existing ports.

 

[TimA]

I went Bibb pillar existing holes with the mains cable and some 12v cable. To make life easier for the routing, most of the kitchen comes from one fat 12v cable leading to another fusebox. This saves pushing multiple individual supplies through. There are some keyhole shaped holes designed to slot a cable and grommet through the front of the pillar, and then some conduit (one for 240, one for 12v) through the existing hole in the back.

The only holes I drilled so far were for the heater vent, and a couple of internal ones for plumbing. Everything else including 240v hookup, water and drainage has gone though existing ports.

OK, makes sense and that would be my preference. Thanks for letting me know.
I am planning to put a fuse distribution unit in the back to minimise the number of cables to run so that will help.
Thanks mate!

 

[TimA]

Thanks to all who replied to this post so far. Really appreciate the insight!