solar panel wires through the roof

[flying kurbmaster]

I have searched, but can't find any discussion specific to running solar panel wires through your roofs. I don't have a vent. This is what I am thinking but am unable to find, I will have to run 4 to 6 wires inside, fuse the positives then connect to the controller. A plastic box that all the wires feed into, waterproof, the box is sealed to the roof a hole through the box and the roof with some kind of protection against cutting the wire. Ideas on where to get such a thing or a better way of doing it will be greatly appreciated, pictures of your roof penetration even better. someone is trying to sell me a junction box with strain reliefs but does not mention how many wires can go through a strain relief, or how many strain relief there are or how to get through the roof from there.. He wants 45 dollars seems expensive, he also wants 20 dollars for a fuse holder that fits on a track, also seems expensive or am out of the loop and that is what this stuff costs.  thanks for any input 

 

[LowTech]

I used a trailer plug and mounted it below the gutter line on my van. That also let me remover the panels, use an extention, and put them out in the sun if I wanted to park in the shade.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

I used a trailer plug and mounted it below the gutter line on my van. That also let me remover the panels, use an extention, and put them out in the sun if I wanted to park in the shade.

thanks that is a great idea however I was hoping to not be able to see any of the wires from below, my new panels are the Unisol 68s flex, they are low profile, ideally if I can get a low profile white  box just next to the panels set back a foot or two form the front the hole thing will go unnoticed. I guess I could build a small white alluminium box with little rubber grommets that wires could go through and caulk that down, if I can't find a store bought item.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

3/4" plastic conduit splice box, will fit six AWG 10 wires (tight).  About $5 at HD.  Mount to roof (1 1/8" hole) with adhesive and caulk.  Fill around entrance wires with caulk or putty.

-- Spiff

 

[highdesertranger]

you could use a 2/3/4 gang weatherproof box. use weatherproof fittings to feed the wires into the box, seal and bolt the box to the roof. then feed the wire though the box and to the inside. highdesertranger

 

[akrvbob]

I'm almost certain the Unisolar panels use MC3 connectors. You can buy Branch connectors that put two wires together from Amazon here:

http://www.amazon.com/Vktech-Quality-Y-type-Branches-Connectors/dp/B00JY7179S/

This way you would only have two wires to go through the roof needing a smaller hole.
Bob

 

[Seeker]

I just finished installing my panel wiring just off center and under my panel with waterproof fittings that look like these http://www.amazon.com/Plastic-Waterproof-Connector-3-6-5mm-Cable/dp/B007HKIPYY 

Can't remember the whole name of product but it was (something)skin and similar to above.   I sealed around it with Dicor Self Leveling sealant and it looks secure.  If it doesn't hold up I will get the Blue Seas cable clams Highdesertranger posted.
A SEEKER

Sorry replied before I saw how many wires you had.

 

[SternWake]

The unisolar PVL-68 uses Mc3 connectors
The Unisolar EPVL-68 uses Mc4 connectors

I used Cord grips similar to what ASeeker posted above to pass my Wiring inside my  fiberglass roof.

Through these connectors I pass paired 8awg for my Kyocera panel. 12 awg for my Unisolar, and more for RG-6 coaxial cable as well as a smaller coaxial cable for my Wifi antenna.

They are all hidden under my framed panel.  Even the best weatherproof plastic eventually gets brittle in strong UV light

 

[flying kurbmaster]

Bob my panels didn't come with any connectors on them, just wires, these must be the last of the bunch, end of the line. if I turn 4 into 2 I still have to fuse the panels somewhere or would one fuse for both panels be ok
Seeker and Sternwake I will have a look at those fiitings, I think I would have to make more then one holeI was thinking if it is plastic I could bend some aluminium over it to protect it from UV
Spiff I am leaning towards your set up did you just seal around the wires that come from the panel, how did you secure the box to the roof just screw it down?

here is another idea, I was looking at the van and I have been meaning to get rid of the triple lights in the center so now I was thinking that I could just gut it bring the wires in behind it drill 4 holes into the back of the plastic light board, the same size as  the wires and use the exisiting hole through the roof or make it a bit bigger to come inside, a bit of sealant around the wires, fuse them inside have the controller up on the shelf above the windshields, run the wires from the controller down the pillar to the battery under the hood. Or I can get rid of the triple light bar and use Spiffs idea with the home depot box pointing back.
there is also an old hole for I think an antenna about a foot back that I may reopen putting the box there.

Thanks for all the ideas sure appreciate it.. I don't think I will buy the 45 dollar box.
here is a picture of the three lights I was talking about at the front, center of the roof 

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I guess the question is, are those three lights OPTIONAL, or are they something that's legally REQUIRED because the vehicle is a certain size or height?

Maybe it only matters if the vehicle is registered commercial?

Regards
John

 

[flying kurbmaster]

I guess the question is, are those three lights OPTIONAL, or are they something that's legally REQUIRED because the vehicle is a certain size or height?

Maybe it only matters if the vehicle is registered commercial?

Regards
John

I don't know I will have to ask, however I have noticed that a lot box trucks only have the outside two clearance lights not the three in the middle, so I have to assume the middle ones are optional, I was also thinking of converting the rear middle ones to be a brake light, not sure why you would really need any of them though.

 

[MikeRuth]

I might have posted these before can't remember and this might be a little to high profile for you but it's what I choose to do.
I used an aluminum 1/2" Elbow commonly referred to as an LB. I started by selecting the spot I wanted to go through and then drilled in a pilot hole.
Then centered the LB ofver the whole and drew a outline for the larger hole and then drilled that out with a unibit.
Once I had the LB fitting down flush on the roof top I drilled two additional holes into the LB to use 10X32 screws as additional retention to the roof as well as prevent it from twisting.
Marked those holes and drilled them out. I used the butyl rope caulk on the entire bottom of the LB and then placed it down into the holes, inserted the 10 x 32 screws and snugged it in. The nuts on the inside were set with blue loctite. 

I'll use a butyl cailk to finish off the weather proofing.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

that doesn't look any bigger then the one Spiff used only your one is made of metal so might be a better option thanks for posting that

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

MikeRuth and I used the same thing; his in metal, mine in plastic.  I used plastic because the bottom was flat.  Both are outdoor rated.  I used 3M 5300 to attach it to the roof, no additional holes (it ain't coming off), then caulked around it.
They come in different sizes from small to huge.  I brought samples of the wire I was going to stuff into it to get the correct size.

--  Spiff

 

[highdesertranger]

if you are worried about uv and plastic. you can mount it under a panel so it's in the shade and you can paint it. either of these or both would keep it out of the sun. highdesertranger

 

[Mark]

This is a photo of the Combiner Box I got from AM Solar.



Typically the wires from the panels run into in and then a wire runs right out of the bottom of the box, through the roof, and to wherever you want it.

I had a roof vent nearby so I didn't need to go through the roof.

 

[cdiggy]

Saw this on YouTube. Likes the individual fuses to each panel. Most probably overkill but I likes his setup. I will be using a similar setup when I do my solar.

 

[anm]

I used a real hi-tek solution:
I drilled 3/8 inch holes in the roof, put in 2 rubber grommets (after putting silicone rubber around the holes), threaded the wires from the solar panel's MC3 connectors through the grommets, and finally applied more silicone rubber to grommets and wires. I've had no problems, and it's going to be easy to fix if I do...

 

[cdiggy]

I used a real hi-tek solution:
I drilled 3/8 inch holes in the roof, put in 2 rubber grommets (after putting silicone rubber around the holes), threaded the wires from the solar panel's MC3 connectors through the grommets, and finally applied more silicone rubber to grommets and wires. I've had no problems, and it's going to be easy to fix if I do...

I thought of doing this too. Maybe putting the combiner box on the inside so the fuses are easier to access. I like the idea of individually fused panels. I still have time to decide. Solar is a way off for me still.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

The fuses inside for easy access would be my preference as well so all the wires would have to go through the roof from all the panels if you were fusing each panel, that is how the diagram shows how to install them are some people fusing all the panels with one fuse?
I see you can get breakers which would be nice but they seem very expensive, does anyone know if they special 12volt  breakers or can you use any 20 or 30 amp breaker, for example house breakers cause I got a couple of 230 volt 20 amps breakers wondering if they would work? they look similar???