For the tow rig we are putting some flood lighting up top (it gets dark in stage rally paddocks!) and need to figure out the best way to bring the wiring into the car. Since this is now the dedicated tow pig, I'm fine with drilling a hole through the roof to do it, but looking for the best way to do it "cleanly" in a manner that will be sure not to leak, etc. I.e. don't really just want to jam it all up with silicone.
So what methods or fittings do you all use that can be bought on the open market for not a ridiculous amount of money (read: GRM style)?
Not sure what car this is, but does it have a roof rack? You might be able to fish it through one of the mounting points if it does.
Many wires, or single wire? If a single wire, or if you can package as a single wire, just use something like this:
https://www.waytekwire.com/item/24606/
I'm no longer in the area, but I used to work on mobile command centers & communications in Chantilly. They have all kinds of wires coming through the roof. I can direct you to some guys that would have the answer for you for sure. Might be pricier though.
Edit: more options:
https://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-cord-grips/=elx4c9
On comm vehicles we used something like this:
https://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-cord-grips/=17dxjnm
It is the Sequoia, which recently became my rig alone now that I got the wife a newer SUV to haul the kids around in (she hated the Sequoia anyhow!).
I actually had the roof rack off it today (to remove the crossbars in preparation for mounting a roof platform/basket), including the feet. The feet do have small holes between the bolt holes into the roof, but they are too small for all this wiring, and I can't see how to get wires to them anyhow (I looked)....hence why I'm asking this question now.
It also has wiring from the tailgate passing through into the body, but there's not room in that loom for more wires (and also I'd rather not have to run wires through the entire inside of the car, but instead drop them down up by the A-pillar someplace...
ProDarwin wrote:
Many wires, or single wire? If a single wire, or if you can package as a single wire, just use something like this:
https://www.waytekwire.com/item/24606/
I'm no longer in the area, but I used to work on mobile command centers & communications in Chantilly. They have all kinds of wires coming through the roof. I can direct you to some guys that would have the answer for you for sure. Might be pricier though.
It'll probably be four or five 12-14ga wires (LED lights don't need anything too heavy duty, thankfully). I'd prefer to avoid anything particularly pricey, looking for the grassroots solution..
I know this would be ugly but can you enclose the wire in some sort of casing that you run up the exterior of one of the pillars? A fix the casing with double sided sticker tape? I have used the 3M stuff to stick bug deflectors and window rain guards and a host of other things and it workes really well.
So you could just get a single 5 conductor cable and pass it through the appropriately sized cord-grip on that McMaster page I liked above.
They also make cord-grips that have larger housing and will exit parallel to the roof for RVs and such: https://www.amazon.com/Link-Solar-Weatherproof-Project-Campervan/dp/B0111RNZDY
I'd also look at towing supply companies for parts , they put wires through sheet metal regularly.
this is too brilliant not to share:
Run the wire up through a door when you need to plug the lights in. When not in use, unplug, coil up, and tuck away somewhere inside
I recently put a solar panel on the roof of my new-to-me enclosed trailer, and needed to do something similar. I used a "cable gland" intended for an RV.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0111RNZDY
Basically you drill through the roof, run the wire through, then run it through the screw-down hole on the gland. Tighten the exterior nut and it puts pressure on a rubber donut to compress it against the cable. Some 3M VHB ('very high bond-strength' tape -- it's freaky stuff) to attach the gland to the roof, then seal around the edges with a roof sealant. Winds up looking like this:
This is on a gel-coated plywood roof. An SUV is presumably steel, not sure how much of an effect that would have.
(heh, just noticed that ProDarwin linked the same cable gland I did)
I think you want a cable gland... if you're ok with drilling a hole.
I had lights on the top of my truck. Since I did not want to drill a hole, I just ran the single wire to the nearest door and inside the cab. It tucked nicely along the dry side of the weather stripping. Yeah yeah, I closed the door on it a lot, but it always worked and didn't leak.
