Pop top internal wiring

[aidanhudd1878]

Hello everyone,

I've recently had a Westdubs pop top fitted to my van and I am now wanting to fit my solar panel which I have already bought.

It's a 150w flexi solar panel with a rear cable that will come through a hole in my new roof towards the back of the pop top with the cable coming through on the inside of the canvas to the back of the pop top bed area.

I understand how to attach it to the roof and now I just want advise/hints/tips even and to see how others have run the cabling on the inside where they have a pop top roof.

Yes, hindsight is a wonderful thing and it would have been easier getting it all done at the same time as the pop top and carpeting but I'm still going ahead with it.

Have people just drilled a hole through the new strengthening frame in their van, to get it to a place to run down and behind the panel above the rear wheel arch? Please send your pictures!




Thanks,

Aidan

 

[Pedrodelgardo]

Hello everyone,

I've recently had a Westdubs pop top fitted to my van and I am now wanting to fit my solar panel which I have already bought.

It's a 150w flexi solar panel with a rear cable that will come through a hole in my new roof towards the back of the pop top with the cable coming through on the inside of the canvas to the back of the pop top bed area.

I understand how to attach it to the roof and now I just want advise/hints/tips even and to see how others have run the cabling on the inside where they have a pop top roof.

Yes, hindsight is a wonderful thing and it would have been easier getting it all done at the same time as the pop top and carpeting but I'm still going ahead with it.

Have people just drilled a hole through the new strengthening frame in their van, to get it to a place to run down and behind the panel above the rear wheel arch? Please send your pictures!

View attachment 235483


Thanks,

Aidan

I’m in exactly the same place Aidan.
I’m thinking to either route the cables through the rear ‘open’ end of the pop top ie not into the interior via a deck gland, securing the cables via my pop top fabric bungee and then through the tailgate hinge bungs using short glands, or directly through the pop top into the roof space, routing the cables through the rear of the fixed upstairs bed board base into a little cupboard above the bed and route onward to below the sink. Both are a faff but I think the latter will make a cleaner job‍

 

[Chrishall888]

Gents,
Did you find a solution to the routing?
Cheers

 

[Pedrodelgardo]

Gents,
Did you find a solution to the routing?
Cheers

Yeah I did the latter Chris.
Drilled through to the pop top to the interior, close to the rear edge. Then working from the upstairs bed in the pop top I drilled another hole through the roof. Then glued a flexible Renogy 200w panel onto some corrugated poli carb sheeting which I glued to the pop top roof, slipped the solar cables through a plastic gland cover and glued that around the pop top hole. Passed the cables some flexible plastic conduit and then fed the cables over my top roof cupboard and wardrobe down to my leisure batt and controller. It was hassle but I was pleased with the result

 

[Chrishall888]

pleased you found a solution.
I don’t have cupboards in the rear, so wondering on the route down from the bed area.
Did you take any photos by chance?
Thanks

 

[Pedrodelgardo]

pleased you found a solution.
I don’t have cupboards in the rear, so wondering on the route down from the bed area.
Did you take any photos by chance?
Thanks

 

[Pedrodelgardo]

Suggest you just run your cables behind your panels if you want a tidy job.
Photos attached. You won’t see anything because the rest is hidden from view

 

[Chrishall888]

We have the rear wooden panel installed but otherwise, I need to get into the down light aperture up the o/s.
The van is basically a combi with some mods, so wondering if anyone else has managed routing nearly inside??