Solar Panel Wire Routing- 2001- 331.

[Riotsurfer]

Hello,

I'll be installing a 100w solar panel on the bimini. I've looked and don't see an obvious route to get the wires from the bimini top down to the batteries (starboard side).
Any suggestions on where to drill and how to route?

Regards,
Will

 

[kappykaplan]

Photos of your set up would help us help you.

 

[Riotsurfer]

Photos of your set up would help us help you.

I'm unable to access the boat. It is wintered on Toronto Island. Thought there may be a common answer of where to drill/route a cable through the deck.
Regards,
will

 

[Claude L.-Auger]

I have 2 X 100W flexible panels mounted on the bimini. Don't know if this helps you, but my bimini is set-up with SS back supports attached to the stern rail. So I ran the wire on the bimini to the starboard side, then down the back support, alongside the railing and the outboard motor support, further down the stern railing vertical support, then to a no-longer used telephone through-hull that I had right near that railing support. After wire was run through it, I plugged-up the telephone through-hull with caulking and ran the wire to the batteries in the locker. The pics will show you the routing of the wire in red.
Good luck with your set-up.

 

[Mechone]

Mine comes out the back thru a water tight fitting, a drip loop then up the railing. Don't think you should go thru deck , its thick , cored and you don't want any water ingress .The back is solid glass about 3/8 thick

 

[Riotsurfer]

Thanks for your inputs. It looks like I'll have to find my own path, but as you suggest, I'll try to steer away from the deck penetration.

 

[Bluenose]

Hi there, I have the same boat and a solar panel that I wired to the batteries. As it happened, there were two holes through the deck into the port locker. They came through the deck into the stern of the port locker. I put one of those rubber seal things that screws in over it and and no leaks. The other one I put a SS screw into! All good. From there the wires run down into the bilge to the batteries. Not sure why the PO had put them there, but they worked OK for me!