How is that plastic cable raceway holding up for your solar panel wires?

[ShrimpBurrito]

I read how lots of folks here have used these plastic (PVC) "cable management" systems, basically cable raceways, to run wires from solar panels on the roof to make their way inside the TM. I suspect many of these products (like the Legrand - Wiremold Cable Management system) are quite similar, if not identical, but I also see that they are intended for indoor installation. So presumably, they do not have UV inhibitors in them.

To those who have used these indoor products, how have they held up? Any cracking/breaking/distintegration over the years?

I did happen to find one raceway intended for exterior installation which is UV stabilized (https://www.cabletiesandmore.com/outdoor-cable-raceway, but it's quite a bit wider than I need.

Dave

[rich2468]

I read how lots of folks here have used these plastic (PVC) "cable management" systems, basically cable raceways, to run wires from solar panels on the roof to make their way inside the TM. I suspect many of these products (like the Legrand - Wiremold Cable Management system) are quite similar, if not identical, but I also see that they are intended for indoor installation. So presumably, they do not have UV inhibitors in them.



To those who have used these indoor products, how have they held up? Any cracking/breaking/distintegration over the years?



I did happen to find one raceway intended for exterior installation which is UV stabilized (https://www.cabletiesandmore.com/outdoor-cable-raceway, but it's quite a bit wider than I need.



DaveHi Dave,
I'm not sure what the factory is using, but the cable channel they put in place on my July 2020 built 2021 model pretty much looked brand new this past August when I pulled the factory installed cables out and replaced them with slightly larger gauge due to my 100 to 600 watt pannel upgrade. Have you considered contacting Adam to see what TrailManor is using now?

I'm in NC and not Arizona or somewhere else out west with cloudless days and crazy high strength UV rays, but my TrailManor has been parked outside in a field year round and was only partially covered during the winter. With the cable channel being on the side of the TrailManor (vs. the roof), I don't expect it to weather any worse than any other part of the camper. (If I happened to park with that side directly facing the south in a permanent parking spot, I might though.)


Rich

[rickst29]

On vertical runs (such as down the "street side" of a shell), or down a lift arm the peel-away "stick-m" adhesive is inadequate for holding the wire channel in place.

For a more reliable and firm grip, I added a couple of tiny screws through the middle of the raceway base, before inserting the Solar cables. The tightened screw pulls the surrounding "stick-m' adhesive tight around its entry into the shell, and having used only a pair of tiny ones (which do NOT go very far into the shell's interior foam), the small piercings are highly water-resistant.

I did not bother with such screws on the top, where I have two short segments of raceway which are un-anchored (and free to move very slightly, in heavy winds). The cables themselves prevent such movement from becoming excessive and scraping the roof.

My "indoor" shell-side raceway has been in place for over 5 years, showing no significant degradation from sun exposure or weather. But my Trailer is normally in a garage, and only exposed during actual trips.

[Kmikesell]

I am considering a solar upgrade when the Spring has sprung and the grass has riz! Got any pictures of said channels?

[rickst29]

Here's a picture (the side of my upper shell), where HD raceway keeps 2 solar cables from flapping in the wind. I also attached a photo of the lift arm, showing the loop and zip ties.

[Kmikesell]

Beautiful! It looks like you ran the cables on the street side of the trailer? If so, why?

[rickst29]

Beautiful! It looks like you ran the cables on the street side of the trailer? If so, why?

The two sides are roughly equivalent. I chose street side because the routing to my up-front MPPT controller was a bit cleaner from there. Underneath TM, my curb side has a couple of battery-related cables, a 12v port (waterproof of course), and the stove propane piping to contend with. Underneath the street side, I have only the propane pipe to the Hot Water heater, so I clamped in my Solar Cables there. It also looks a bit less "messy" from the street side with the entry door.

You can use either side, as you prefer.

[D2Eben]

Do any of you have a wiring diagram for the TM solar panel wiring? My 2021 2720QD has the wiring on the outside but there is no diagram showing where the wires go and how i can use them to connect to a new set of portable solar panels.



Dennis

[Wavery]

I read how lots of folks here have used these plastic (PVC) "cable management" systems, basically cable raceways, to run wires from solar panels on the roof to make their way inside the TM. I suspect many of these products (like the Legrand - Wiremold Cable Management system) are quite similar, if not identical, but I also see that they are intended for indoor installation. So presumably, they do not have UV inhibitors in them.

To those who have used these indoor products, how have they held up? Any cracking/breaking/distintegration over the years?

I did happen to find one raceway intended for exterior installation which is UV stabilized (https://www.cabletiesandmore.com/outdoor-cable-raceway, but it's quite a bit wider than I need.

DaveHi Dave,

The cable raceway (I've always called it conduit) that I 1st installed on my 2004TM is still in place and doing fine. I saw it about 6, months ago and at that time it had been in place 11-years.

The second pic is the ones that I installed in January of this year. I like to use those 90* elbows. They make the job look nice and tidy. I wss going to glue them on but I has extras so I just snapped them on as they were designed and they stay on just fine.

The key to making that couble sided tape adhere is to be sure that the surface is absolutely clean, finished off with rubbing alcohol and pressed down hard for about 30-seconds. It makes all the difference and I've never had one unstick. No UV damage so far.