Solar Panel Cable Clamps for Bimini Tubes?

[jviss]

Greetings,

I am installing two solar panels on my new bimini. I am using paralleling "Y" connectors up top, so I'll have only two wires coming down. I need to secure them to the bimini bow tubing, and lead them down to a cable entry plate I will isntall on the cockpit coaming.

The wires are "#10 AWG 1000 volt PV Wire with Tough XLPE insulation." It's fairly thick insulation.

Can anyone please recommend a neat way to support the cable along the bimini tubing? I'd like to avoid just zip-tying it.

Thanks,

jv

 

[Don Crowther]

How about those wiring looms? Like they use on trailers and around wiring bundles. I don't know if they come in any other colour than black. They would have to be uv protected.

 

[jviss]

How about those wiring looms? Like they use on trailers and around wiring bundles. I don't know if they come in any other colour than black. They would have to be uv protected.

Thanks for the reply. I'm not quite sure to what you refer. Can you please be more specific?

 

[justsomeguy]

 

[jviss]

Oh, gotcha. No thanks, I was hoping to find some kind of clamp that's not too un-aesthetic, to clamp the pair of wires at intervals along the bimini tube. I was thinking, perhaps I'll just pair-up nylon cable clamps and put a screw into the tube to secure them.

 

[justsomeguy]

I was thinking, perhaps I'll just pair-up nylon cable clamps and put a screw into the tube to secure them.

It's your boat.
Personally, besides running the wires internally, zip-ties are the way to go.

 

[SailormanDan]

besides running the wires internally

This would require drilling the tubes and feeding the wires, but would be the most aesthetically pleasing.
But for me, for neatly zip tying it.
I've had a wire loom over the wires coming from the solar panels mounted on the seahood for years now and it's protected them nicely without being tied to anything until they snake down along the companionway grab rails, where I used velcro ties in case I wanted to remove the whole set up, definitely a case of the temporary becoming permanent.

 

[jviss]

I've used zip-ties for the GPS cable coming down the bimini tube, and it never really worked well. The cable would wrap around, the zip-ties break, and so on. The tube is way too small to run the solar cables inside.

 

[SailormanDan]

OK, I see the concern now, hmm...

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

another vote for zip ties. And on that point- clip the ends using a fingernail clippers- gives rounded corners instead of dangerous sharp ones

 

[jviss]

This would require drilling the tubes and feeding the wires, but would be the most aesthetically pleasing.
But for me, for neatly zip tying it.
I've had a wire loom over the wires coming from the solar panels mounted on the seahood for years now and it's protected them nicely without being tied to anything until they snake down along the companionway grab rails, where I used velcro ties in case I wanted to remove the whole set up, definitely a case of the temporary becoming permanent.

Yea, I will looking into drilling and feeding, but I think the wire is too big and the tubes too small. They are 7/8" stainless steel tubes, and the wires' outside diameter is over 1/4" (.288" nominal). In addition, the cables don't stand tight bend radii, so it would likely have to be a big, long oval whole in the tube, perhaps compromising the structural integrity.

 

[justsomeguy]

zip-ties break

Maybe that's why my latest boat came with a bazillion zip-ties of all sizes, types and colors.

The PO was/is kinda OCD, even for cruisers.

 

[seadaddler]

Zip ties.
Nick

 

[SailormanDan]

Don't know if this might be of help: http://www.sailrite.com/Drill-Steady-Tubing-Tool
The description talks about how to use it to drill larger hole than it's designed for. I've got one, but haven't used it yet.

 

[thinwater]

There is no reason to run PV wire if it will be under the bimini. If there is a short bit exposed, use wire loom there.

 

[Ron20324]

How about a second tube of some composition as a conduit?

 

[Ron20324]

Don't know if this might be of help: http://www.sailrite.com/Drill-Steady-Tubing-Tool ...QUOTE]

I bought one of those to install snaps on my stern rail. It looks just like a saddle fitting you'd put on a water pipe to tap the ice maker off of. And it's probably cheaper from Home Depot?

 

[Sumner]

I had much larger #4 cable so ....

...... put it in flexible conduit for ...

... the run down and....

... into the boat.

More here....
http://1fatgmc.com/boat/end-1/endeavour-elect/page-7.html

Sumner
=======================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

 

[jviss]

Thanks! That's exactly what I had thought, and I went to Home Depot's web sit to look. Only diff is the SailRite jig has a drill guide bushing, which I think I could add to the Home Depot part.

 

[jviss]

Thanks! That looks like a very robust installation.
It gave me an idea, that maybe I would just install a redundant, stainless steel tube, parallel to the bimini bow, that ends inside the bimini pocket at the top, where the wires will enter, and then exit them near the cockpit and into the cable entry plate that will be mounted on the cockpit coaming.