Just in the process of building a new roof bed for the kids. Want to put lights up there, mounted somewhere on the underside of the fibreglass cap. Just wondering if anyone has any neat solution s for getting wiring up there that doesnt get tangled or look like a birds nest when the roof is shut up? Its a late Devon roof so this kind of mechanism: (not mine, image shamelessly nicked from another post on here) Was wondering about a coily type wire like an old telephone handset wire that would stretch as the roof elevated, but does anyone have any other suggestions or solutions?
What about a push button stick on battery one , you won’t use it much and it’s prob safer with kids ?
That was my first thought, but it would inevitably get left on and then there would be fading around trying to find new batteries. If i can wire something back to take power from the leisure battery neatly, i'd rather do that
Could run the cable in a cable track like this https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Plastic-Cable-Carrier-Chain/dp/B01LXNJ7NI
I put lights on my poptop wired to the leisure battery. Ran the cable down inside the support tubes at the front of pop top to under the 'track' either side (where the kitchen light is) and back to battery.
I had some 10 mm garden pond ornament water hose which is black and ribbed and quite flexible .. feels like polyurethane. Cable tied to spring struts with a loop at the top to allow for spring actiion, so it goes up the strut then loop around to end up being fixed horizontally to the roof (mine is earlier with fore and aft spring struts so the tube attaches to the cross link used with the spring struts earlier on). Threaded wires through tube before assembly as theres a lot of friction .. Used the OFC speaker /power cable from e.g. Halfords as this has lots of strands so it doesnt snap as easily when you bend it (more for fine stranded wire than the OFC tinfoil hat audiophile babble) and you can buy it easily.
My solar cable cable tied to the back of the vertical support but when I get round to it I will replace with the cable supports that look like oversized chain
I used this kind of track to get the cabling down from my solar panels, outside the canvas, on a Devon roof. It’s good stuff and the cables certainly fold neatly, the only issue is making a slight adaptation as it doesn’t initially lie flat enough when folded.... the links in the u-bend part need taking apart and their corners shaving to allow it to fold flatter, if that makes sense.
I’ve fitted a pair of 4” ish round leds over where the original items were, one front and one back. I’d try this first if I was you as I was gonna do exactly what you’re contemplating but there’s so much light from these leds that you just won’t need more, I’ve got the front one hooked up to the doors and the rear one to the dash switch as well. With both on it ain’t far off daylight and reflecting all around even up in the pop top. Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,, you can always add more after
i was planning on using this... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-Core-P...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
On my Moonraker side elevating roof , I've managed to feed a cable inside the hollow metal support brace which goes from side to side in the roof. Quite fiddly, but the end result is neat
I know that @scrooge95 has used the cable track on her solar installation, where the cables were run outside of the canvas but inside the poptop seal. The 6 amp coiled wire was one of my considerations for solar power but you would need two if you have 200 watts up top.
I've got decent LED lights down below, but just made a new roof bed, and a)it blocks most of the light from getting up there, and b) want to give the kids their own switchable light that's independent from the switch below.
Think I'm gonna try the coiled wire approach. I've got a coiled 3.5mm jack to jack lead, so might just butcher that and use all 3 cores for the +supply. Presuming the ground will run fine through the frame, and I'll only need a 5w led max so current should be minimum.
Just make sure there is a 1 amp fuse at the bottom so if it shorts it doesnt turn into a nasty smoking red hot coil of wire.
