scaniaman Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 If what iv`e shown so far is not quite what is required. There are two other pages of coils 7 pin, 13 pin some with wires at one or both ends. There are also sockets to fit the plugs into or you can get rubbolite junction boxes if you want wire only connections. The coil diameters can be 2 or 4 inch and they come in 3 or 4 metre lengths. Pm me if you need help. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 Just to chuck another idea into the mix. The simplest connection I’ve seen for a sliding roof solar panel had the panel connected to two cigar sockets on the roof. Front and back, and a lead off the rear coach roof just inside the wheel house. You do, of course, have to remember to disconnect before you wind the roof up or down. Simple and cheap to make. Colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grendel Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 mm they do from 1m length to 5m length, thats the 5m one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grendel Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 I see you can get various lengths up to 10m Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MauriceMynah Posted November 19, 2020 Author Share Posted November 19, 2020 Yes, I was looking at those Grendel, is that 5 metres stretched, slack or somewhere between the two do you know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grendel Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 stretched was my understanding i was just looking to see if i could find a supplier of just the cable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scaniaman Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 By heck grendel is that the cost of a charging socket? What are they made of ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MauriceMynah Posted November 19, 2020 Author Share Posted November 19, 2020 yeah, and there's my thinking of buying two and joining them together!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grendel Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 no, the charging socket is extra, thats just the link cable, thats why I was trying to find a source for the 6mm2 coiled cable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grendel Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 well heres a much cheaper 3c version - https://www.altecautomotive.co.uk/heavy-duty-3-core--3-x-6mm2-cores-coiled-trailer-lighting-cable--altec304-7141-p.asp these are heavy duty coiled cables - https://www.simbal.net/product-category/spiral-cables/ they do a 4 core version, might be worth talking to them as they can supply up to 25m lengths the orange stuff can handle up to 50A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petersjoy Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 On 15/11/2020 at 16:28, WherryNice said: I am quite interested in the Sterling alternator to battery chargers for this but have no direct experience of them as yet. Just catching up here. I fitted one 5 years ago when the engine was changed, it's charging 3 110ah domestic batteries and a 95ah starting battery, never had a problem with it and only need 2 or 3 hrs running to charge them up. Let me know if you want anymore info as long as it's not too technical. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regulo Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 2 hours ago, MauriceMynah said: My thinking thus far is that if the curly wire id attached to the furthest starboard rear edge of the canopy, and anchored to the furthest port side of the cabin within the canopy, and if roughly speaking the canopy is 10ft wide and has a travel of again 10ft then when the canopy is down, the curly cable is stretched top about 15ft, well within the stretchy limits of curly cable. I would install a length that would hang down from the cockpit roof to the cabin roof then across the boat, perhaps giving me a total length of up to 12ft. Lost me, MM! Not difficult, I grant you. Why are we talking about port to starboard? I can't visualize this arrangement, you'd end up with a cable diagonally across the cabin, surely? Either across the top of the rear roof with the roof slid back, or across the cockpit with it slid closed. What am I missing? Apart from a few billion brain cells? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoggy Posted November 20, 2020 Share Posted November 20, 2020 I quite like Islanders solution as it's simple and tidy, just have the sockets inline with the direction of travel for when you forget to unplug. So do open circuit panels in bright sun get damaged? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MauriceMynah Posted November 20, 2020 Author Share Posted November 20, 2020 Thanks Grendel, the orange stuff looks good for the application in mind. Ray (Regulo) What I have in mind is that when the cockpit is in the closed (up) position, the cable goes straight across the back of the cockpit from the top (on the sliding canopy roof) Starboard side to the bottom ( on the fixed cabin roof) Port side. In this position the cable would be in its "relaxed" state. As the canopy is slid back, the cable would be stretched diagonally across the boat, between the cabin top and the sliding canopy. If we say the sliding wheelhouse is 12ft wide and the distance travelled between open and closed is also 12ft that would require the cable to stretch from 12ft to 17 ft. Roughly speaking 4 metres to 6 metres. at that rate, there would never be much tension on the cable or the fittings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regulo Posted November 20, 2020 Share Posted November 20, 2020 Ooooh! He knows Pythagoras. Probably personally. That makes it clearer. Any obstructions on the rear cabin roof? Handrails? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoggy Posted November 20, 2020 Share Posted November 20, 2020 To take some sag off 'curly cable' you could always run shock cord down the middle and anchor each end by cup hooks, a very cheap reinforcement and you should be able to get it in a matching colour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted November 20, 2020 Share Posted November 20, 2020 Sorry, but I might be being thick here, but why does this cable go from side to side when, without seeing it, surely it only needs to run front to back. Also if said cable started say a foot further forward from the rear coach roof it would only need to stretch 10ft. I am, of course, thinking of the cost. Beer money comes to mind. Colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MauriceMynah Posted November 20, 2020 Author Share Posted November 20, 2020 1. Side to side can be better hidden 2. Side to side is less of a stretch, reducing both strain and wear & tear. 3. Side to side on the back end of the saloon means it can't get in the way. I can find no advantage for the cable running Fore to Aft, though I am more than happy to hear of any Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WherryNice Posted November 20, 2020 Share Posted November 20, 2020 7 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said: 1. Side to side can be better hidden 2. Side to side is less of a stretch, reducing both strain and wear & tear. 3. Side to side on the back end of the saloon means it can't get in the way. I can find no advantage for the cable running Fore to Aft, though I am more than happy to hear of any Have you allowed for the up and down movement in the canopy as well? You would(I think! correct me if I'm wrong!)need to have the cable running diagonally across the rear window when the canopy is up, otherwise it would get dragged down the side of the aft cabin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MauriceMynah Posted November 20, 2020 Author Share Posted November 20, 2020 10 minutes ago, WherryNice said: Have you allowed for the up and down movement in the canopy as well? You would(I think! correct me if I'm wrong!)need to have the cable running diagonally across the rear window when the canopy is up, otherwise it would get dragged down the side of the aft cabin. Have you allowed for the up and down movement in the canopy as well? Yes I have. You would need to have the cable running diagonally across the rear window when the canopy is up. Correct. otherwise it would get dragged down the side of the aft cabin. I'm not sure what you mean there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveO Posted November 20, 2020 Share Posted November 20, 2020 If you are going to invest in one of those coily things, you need to think about how compliant the coils will be to lateral compression. How much clearance you have between the aft cabin roof and the sliding top's head-lining and whether said headlining is likely to be damaged by having the coils dragged up and down it and possibly squeezed into it. On my 35 there is only about an inch clearance when the cabin top is right back and I don't think the thin vinyl headlining would survive long. Of course, your setup might be different but I thought I'd raise it as something (else!!!) to think about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regulo Posted November 20, 2020 Share Posted November 20, 2020 29 minutes ago, SteveO said: Of course, your setup might be different but I thought I'd raise it as something (else!!!) to think about. Poor old MM, he's reaching peak critical thinking overload! His brain will melt if we keep throwing more things to think about at him. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MauriceMynah Posted November 20, 2020 Author Share Posted November 20, 2020 Good point there Steve, and this is one of the problems I have as I'm buying the boat pretty well blind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grendel Posted November 20, 2020 Share Posted November 20, 2020 45 minutes ago, Regulo said: Poor old MM, he's reaching peak critical thinking overload! His brain will melt if we keep throwing more things to think about at him. best cooled in a bath of beer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annv Posted November 20, 2020 Share Posted November 20, 2020 The longer the cable the higher the resistance! overcome by thicker cable, this is measured from farthest panel to nearest battery, unless you connect in series which will increase voltage, which is what they do on house installations. John 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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