Drilling access hole through fiberglass filled roof?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Frank B

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 23, 2005
Posts
1,582
Location
Calgary, Alberta
We boondock as much as we can, so I bought a cell booster for the trailer with a yagi outdoor antenna.  I now need to connect the two.  The yagi is piggy backed on the Wineguard 'bat wing' TV antenna, making the direction of the yagi adjustable from inside the trailer.  I will look at running the antenna cable through the TV antenna mount / hole, but a fiberglass insulated trussed roof is a real pain to try to run wire through after the fact.

My current plan is to mount the booster in an upper cupboard close to the antenna mount on the roof, and then drill a hole through the cabinet to the roof, using a cable entry plate for weatherproofing on the roof.

However, I am concerned about the fiberglass 'wabbing up' around my drill.

In the linked video below at about the 4:30 minute mark, an RV company drilled through the fridge cavity of a motorhome to the roof with no issues.  I have an Arctic Fox travel trailer that I know has fiberglass batts in the ceiling.  I have no idea what the insulation was in the motorhome.

http://www.gonewiththewynns.com/rv-solar-install-guide

So, am I likely going to be able to drill through to the roof that easily without the batts wabbing up around the drill bit?

Thanks.

Frank.
 
the friction would probably melt anything around the bit. The insulation is not continuous filament.
 
Frank B said:
In the linked video below at about the 4:30 minute mark, an RV company drilled through the fridge cavity of a motorhome to the roof with no issues.  I have an Arctic Fox travel trailer that I know has fiberglass batts in the ceiling.  I have no idea what the insulation was in the motorhome.

So, am I likely going to be able to drill through to the roof that easily without the batts wabbing up around the drill bit?

The motorhome in the video is a newer Bounder, it uses closed cell rigid foam insulation in the walls and ceiling.

If you're concerned about snagging the fiberglass batting, drill through the roof plywood and stop as soon as you're through.  Go inside and do the same drilling up through the inside ceiling.  Use a fishtape or stiff wire to poke through the fiberglass batting between the holes, then use it to pull your wires through.
 
Lou:

stop as soon as you're through.  Go inside and do the same drilling up through the inside ceiling.  Use a fishtape or stiff wire to poke through the fiberglass batting between the holes, then use it to pull your wires through.

Makes sense.

I was thinking of drilling a hole in the roof, then inserting a piece of conduit or other pipe through the hole and down tight against the ceiling, and then drilling the remainder through the pipe.  I like your idea better.  :D

Thanks.

Frank.
 
I've drilled plenty of RV roof holes - not a big deal. But if the insulation is fiberglass filament batts, you need to beware of the twist drill problem and use one of the techniques already described.

For wiring, consider using one of the through-wall grommet systems, e.g. type often used with coax. Also called a feed-through bushing.  It makes a neat installation that is easy to seal.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-Coaxial-Cable-Feed-Through-Bushing-White-COAX-BUSH-WH/203717842
 
Lou and Gary:


As posted elsewhere in the tech section of the Forum, drilling part way through the ceiling worked very well. I was also able to use the fish tape to push through the insulation to the antenna mounting hole where the wires exit the roof of the trailer. No need to put another hole in the roof. :)


It all went far better than I expected! :)  My thanks to all of you for the input.


Frank.
 
Back
Top Bottom