Fitting solar panels to an Autosleeper Symbol

by milus Fri Apr 17, 2020 12:00 pm

I plan on fitting solar panels to my 2005 reg Autosleeper Symbol, but am having trouble deciding on how and where to route the cabling. Ideally I would like to run it behind the interior trim to where I plan to site the control box (probably in the underseat compartment where the water heater and Eberspacher heater are located) but am having difficulty removing the trim and the cupboards above the stove. Has anyone any experience of doing this and can advise me on how best to route the cable, ideally keeping it hidden? Many thanks.

by Dave 418 Fri Apr 17, 2020 11:23 pm

Not the same as a Symbol but the cables from the panel fitted to our Rienza run down the door pillar behind the trim and the under the carpet for a couple of inches then into the seat base. The second battery and controller are in the seat box.

by milus Sat Apr 18, 2020 8:31 am

Thanks, Dave 418. I'll have a look and see if this is an option.

by JandJ Sat Apr 18, 2020 11:09 pm

I couldn't find a way through there and was unwilling to dismantle the cupboards. Some people have routed down through the wardrobe into the gas compartment, and then underneath the chassis and back up into the water heater area.

I found another route: from the area between the main skylight and the kitchen skylight, across the ceiling in the void between the ceiling insulation and the roof, into the "luton" locker, down the edge of the window by driver's door pillar and behind the hardboard wall, then to the battery under the driver's seat underneath the driver's door footwell cover. I have pulled cable all the way but not yet completed the job - it's all waiting for me to muster nerve and drill the roof. I'm intending to put the roof gland in the gap between the main and kitchen skylight. You can gain access to this area by removing the inner fascia of the kitchen skylight.

by milus Sun Apr 19, 2020 9:16 am

I couldn't find a way through there and was unwilling to dismantle the cupboards. Some people have routed down through the wardrobe into the gas compartment, and then underneath the chassis and back up into the water heater area.

Interestingly I was starting to look at this as an option.

I found another route: from the area between the main skylight and the kitchen skylight, across the ceiling in the void between the ceiling insulation and the roof, into the "luton" locker, down the edge of the window by driver's door pillar and behind the hardboard wall, then to the battery under the driver's seat underneath the driver's door footwell cover. I have pulled cable all the way but not yet completed the job - it's all waiting for me to muster nerve and drill the roof. I'm intending to put the roof gland in the gap between the main and kitchen skylight. You can gain access to this area by removing the inner fascia of the kitchen skylight.

How easy is it to access and feed the cable through the ceiling void into the luton locker? On a separate note, what have you used/intend to use to fix the solar panel mountings to the roof? I heard some people recommending Sikaflex-512, but others Sikaflex-252 (though this is a more expensive option, requiring additional primer and activator). Are you intending on siting the control box under the driver's seat, with the battery?

by Dave 418 Sun Apr 19, 2020 9:59 am

It is so much easier to fit cable runs during a build than afterwards as you are doing.I didn’t fit solar to the Duetto with the batteries being under the bonnet. The cable runs were not something I could not figure out without difficulty.
I have had another look at the Rienza cable runs. At the top of the door pillar the cables are between the inner Luton trim and the outer skin. The cable runs along the inside of the raised roof edge to a gland fitting were the Luton starts. This means the gland faces towards the rear to help keep the rain out.
The batteries being in the habitation area make things a bit easier once you have the courage to drill the hole in the roof.
I had visions of a big job when I started tidying the mess under the passenger seat but the seat came out easily if a bit heavy with the swivel. Having struggled with car wiring that’s behind dashboards it makes you think carefully about cable runs. Make life easy for your self from the start.

by JandJ Sun Apr 19, 2020 10:54 pm

milus wrote:
How easy is it to access and feed the cable through the ceiling void into the luton locker?

On a separate note, what have you used/intend to use to fix the solar panel mountings to the roof? I heard some people recommending Sikaflex-512, but others Sikaflex-252 (though this is a more expensive option, requiring additional primer and activator).

Are you intending on siting the control box under the driver's seat, with the battery?

From inside the luton locker I was able to flex the hardboard ceiling up 1cm, enough to start pushing some stiff wire over the top of the locker front wall, aiming along past the side of the main skylight. When I had enough inserted I removed the kitchen skylight fascia and poked another stiff wire with a hook at the end into the void to fish for the wire. Once the stiff wire was right through I could pull the solar cable through. It did take several attempts and the standard amount of huffing and swearing. You might be able to remove the fascia of the main skylight to help also. I only removed the fascia/trim and took care to avoid disturbing the skylight seals.

skiaflex 292i see [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Yes, controller will be next to battery on a metal plate as a heatsink. Keeps the battery cables short.

by milus Mon Apr 20, 2020 9:09 am

Thanks JandJ. This is incredibly useful, and the link about using Sikaflex 292i will undoubtedly have prevented me from making a potentially costly mistake!

by JandJ Tue Apr 21, 2020 5:25 pm

If you do a search on here you'll find a number older threads discussing the wardrobe route.

Fitting solar panels to an Autosleeper Symbol

Fitting solar panels to an Autosleeper Symbol

Re: Fitting solar panels to an Autosleeper Symbol

Re: Fitting solar panels to an Autosleeper Symbol

Re: Fitting solar panels to an Autosleeper Symbol

Re: Fitting solar panels to an Autosleeper Symbol

Re: Fitting solar panels to an Autosleeper Symbol

Re: Fitting solar panels to an Autosleeper Symbol

Re: Fitting solar panels to an Autosleeper Symbol

Re: Fitting solar panels to an Autosleeper Symbol