Roof mounted spotlights

[delica 304]

I have a question for those of you that have auxiliary lights / light bars: How do you route the wires into the van? Do you have watertight fittings, or do you route the wires through the window weatherstripping? I would like to put clearance lights on the Landmaster's roof rack, but I'm not entirely keen on punching holes in the roof!

[jessef]

I'm punching a hole in the roof (single) with a grommet and the goodies coming through.

[Mystery Machine]

There are four options really - all with their positives and all with their downsides too!

Option 1: Quick & easy (aka cheap & nasty!!)

Run the cable through the door opening....very quick but will let water through where the rubber isn't mating with the door and will probably damage the wiring before too long. Looks nasty and is not a good way to go. The only positives to this are speed, cost and no holes in the bodywork. (funny how a lot of Japs seemed to use this option!!)

Option 2: The long way round

Run the cables from the cab/battery under the carpet all the way to the tailgate - then up the rear pillar and out through the roof under the plastic 1/4 panel just in front of the tailgate (this gives a neat place to hide the grommet under the plastic panel) then along the rain gutter to the roof lights. Quite a neat install, but a lot of work and I personally wouldn't want to run cables that long considering the current they will be drawing (cable run is twice the length of the car!!)

Option 3: Straight up

Not an option for the faint hearted and certainly not one to do if you want to keep the bodywork looking clean and free from exterior holes (resale?) This one gives a nice short cable run which is a very good thing. Run the cable directly up to the roof then through a nicely placed hole with a good IP66 or higher exterior cable grommet (we call them cable glands) to keep things watertight:



Don't think about using rubber grommets unless you like to find pools of water on the seats as well the the 'mandatory footwells'!

I'll be using this option on the Mud Monkey eventually because I'm not too bothered about holes in bodywork on my budget banger

Option 4: I'll have mine on the side

Probably the more challenging route (pronounced 'root' by us tea swillers, not 'rowt' like you guys ) but ultimately the neatest option is to run the cable up inside the 'B' pillar and out through the area to the top left of the sliding door.

This gives a really short cable run straight from the battery area (where you should be taking your feed anyway) and comes out through the metalwork tucked right up inside the upper roller hinge rest area of the sliding door. It means drilling the bodywork and getting through 2 x skins to get inside the 'B' pillar, but this area is SO tucked away that water doesn't get in there, so you could use a normal rubber grommet. It is also so well hidden that you wouldn't notice the blanked off hole when you come to sell.

I am certainly going to be using this option on the Mystery Machine when I finally get around to wiring up my rof lights! LONG story, but this is one of those jobs that really is taking years to get around to doing....

So there you go - four different things to consider.......unless you want to go for the 5th option (which I think is nearly as nasty as option 1) which is to run the cable out through the front 1/4 panel above the headlight (between the panel and the windscreen rubber) then up the side of the windscreen to the roof!

I have seen this done on a few Jap websites and nearly spat my tea all over the screen! Nasty and not at all well thought through...

[asorensen]

I have done Bruce's option #2 with the wires coming out from the plastic 1/4 panel at the top rear of the van. As Bruce noted this is a very clean way to have
the wires exit to the roof but it was a lot of work to get them there. Considering I have lights only in the rear it was the logical spot for me.



Andy

[delica 304]

Thanks for the info guys, Now I have a few options to ponder.

[josh]

Probably the more challenging route (pronounced 'root' by us tea swillers, not 'rowt' like you guys )

um... i say 'root' Although I guess thats not really pertinent to this thread hey?

Josh.

[konadog]

Probably the more challenging route (pronounced 'root' by us tea swillers, not 'rowt' like you guys )


um... i say 'root' Although I guess thats not really pertinent to this thread hey?

Yeah, this is Delica Canada, after all, eh?

[FalcoColumbarius]

"Rowt" is kind of an American thang. I have always said "root" ~ but I come from the land of "Red Rose Tea", only made in Canader, you say.... oh rather...

Regarding roof lights.... nah, I see fine with the headlamps and bush lights that came with the van, eh? Although I understand that a rack across the roof can make for a great chick magnet... smiles.

Falco.

[Duke]

That is very good information as I also wish to mount lights up top. But Bruce, your version of "root" and "route" just reminds me of the fact that my parents are English and I was born in Australia but raised as Canadian ( and I live close to the US boarder).
So I just say "go this way". Then I don't confuse myself.
Chris

[mararmeisto]

...(p)robably the more challenging route (pronounced 'root' by us tea swillers, not 'rowt' like you guys )...

I actually pronounce the same word two different ways, depending on context: as a noun, I will describe the 'root' I've taken to work; but as a verb, I would 'rowt' the cable through the door pillar. Weird, eh? Not as weird as Featherstone pronounced 'Fanshaw', but that's for another thread.

Delica_304, which clearance lights are you going to be using? Have you made a selection? I agree with your previous comments, it's difficult to find one with a low enough profile to not detract from the overall look of the vehicle.

[Adrock]

Using those connectors make sure the wire is round and rubber. Those connectors tighten as you turn the top round part around the cable. Standard cab tire is perfect in one of those. The metal jacket stuff may or may not leak as the connector is a round seal and any grooves give potential for liquid to get through...

You should be able to get those at home depot (i just haven't checked) and any electrical wholesaler will have them. Speaking of electrical wholesalers, I'm planning a new snorkel and exhaust system made of entirely CSA approved electrical materials. Except for maybe some of that fexible exhaust tubing to get where I need to. I'll let you know about that when I have the parts and i'm ready to cut big holes in the body work.