Penthouse wiring?

[WVvan]

Hello,
How does SMB handle the wiring for solar panels so when the penthouse is raised and lowered the cabling doesn't catch (snag, pinch, twist, bind, stress...)?
Thanks,
WVvan

[yvrr]

The wiring in our van is simply protected in a split wire loom in the front left corner and the loom "automatically" tucks out of the way when the penthouse is lowered. When the penthouse is up, there is still several inches of slack in the wires and loom. If you aren't familiar with wire looms, here is what they look like:

http://cableorganizer.com/wire-loom/colored.html

[Ford_6L_E350]

My top has the 3rd brakelight wiring in the right (pass) rear corner protected in a loom. My solar wiring runs down the left rear and is similarly protected.

Mike

[WVvan]

Thanks for the info. I had seen split loom before but didn't what it was called until I started doing the research for my conversion.
After reading what you wrote I went and looked again at the Sportsmoble page for the Penthouse Top.

http://www.sportsmobile.com/1_penthouse-top.html

If you look closely at the first picture under "The Upstairs Bed Option" heading it looks like there is black split loom running down the rear left corner.
Under the "Construction & Dimensions" heading, in the first photo you can see it running down the front left corner.

[daveb]

The one at the rear is for the back florescent light on mine.

[jage]

If you're running your own, I would do it outside the canvas, inside the top closure. That way you're not creating leaks into your roof construction. I'm pretty sure that most of SMBs power to and from the top of the roof (lights, solar, etc) runs outside the canvas and the stuff inside is for internals. ... 3rd brake light might be an exception, can't recall how it's run.

[yvrr]

All of our wiring, including solar, interior lights, and the rear brake light run down the inside in wiring looms. The problem with having the cable outside is that it would be very easy to catch the cables between the roof and the penthouse when lowering the penthouse...

[Ford_6L_E350]

All the wiring on my penthouse top starts outside of the canvas, then goes up between the canvas and the penthouse to enter the interior. That way, even if there is a leak where the wiring goes through the top, it is outside of the canvas and will not leak into the interior.

Mike