Solar Panel Install on 2019 Reflection 337RLS

[JFF&KRN]

Well Good Morning to all!
So here goes, I searched some but didn't find what I was looking for so apologies if this is a duplicate to some other thread.
Unit: 2019 Reflection 337RLS Fifth Wheel. Earlier 2019 as it was purchase september of 19.
I am going ot install my solar panel and wondering where you if you did run the wire through the roof.
I was planning on utilizing the area next to the tank vent, although mine has a 90* bend then down the wall. Weird they did it that way.
My plan is to maseure, (very carefully) from the vent or skylight in bathroom to locate the wall and go down it.
I shoul dbe able to make it to the basement down the wall behind the toilet.
If i need any access points, I can do that inside cabinets where those places can be closed up easily.
Any thoughts!!!!
Thanks in advance.
Jeff

 

[Jims94vmx]

I used the cavity behind the toilet. I removed the wall and used a long drill bit to go up thru roof 1st. Then enlarged hole from on top of the roof for wiring down to controller.

 

[JFF&KRN]

Good Idea, you took the whole wall panel off?
or I guess I could access that way through the cabinet?

 

[Jims94vmx]

Good Idea, you took the whole wall panel off?
or I guess I could access that way through the cabinet?

Entire back wall.

 

[trailrydr]

Entire back wall.

Curious.... how was that wall attached and/or what method did you use to remove it?

 

[Jims94vmx]

Curious.... how was that wall attached and/or what method did you use to remove it?

Small brad type nails on trim. Staples on the wall. Easy....just take your time. Possible you may have to remove toilet or light to get wall out. I bent it over the toilet but removed light......not hard.

 

[trailrydr]

Small brad type nails on trim. Staples on the wall. Easy....just take your time. Possible you may have to remove toilet or light to get wall out. I bent it over the toilet but removed light......not hard.

Good info, thanks!

 

[Sportzfann]

Solar conduit from roof to basement.

Well Good Morning to all!
So here goes, I searched some but didn't find what I was looking for so apologies if this is a duplicate to some other thread.
Unit: 2019 Reflection 337RLS Fifth Wheel. Earlier 2019 as it was purchase september of 19.
I am going ot install my solar panel and wondering where you if you did run the wire through the roof.
I was planning on utilizing the area next to the tank vent, although mine has a 90* bend then down the wall. Weird they did it that way.
My plan is to maseure, (very carefully) from the vent or skylight in bathroom to locate the wall and go down it.
I shoul dbe able to make it to the basement down the wall behind the toilet.
If i need any access points, I can do that inside cabinets where those places can be closed up easily.
Any thoughts!!!!
Thanks in advance.
Jeff

I have a 303rls 2018, I read on some posts by forum members that they removed the wall behind the toilet. I went in the basement and you can look up the wall cavity and see the vent pipe running inside the wall up to the roof, along with some electrical cables as well.
I went on the roof and drilled a small hole 3-4” away from the vent pipe inside the same wall cavity, I then used a fiberglass fish stick and dropped down from the roof to make sure it was a clear run all the way thru. I drilled a 1” hole in the roof, run the fish stick down into the basement, and tied a 3/4” liquidtite conduit to the end and pulled it thru to the roof. I placed a 6x6x6 plastic Jbox over the Conduit, sealed all the way around the base of the box. I now have a conduit all the way to the roof I can run wire to the basement from my solar on the roof,it has enough space in the conduit I can run another pair of cable if I upgrade my solar later on. Not sure if your fifthwheel has the same floor plan. Long story but I think this way you can avoid removing all the panels in the bathroom wall. ?

 

[JFF&KRN]

Thanks for the info. Following this trip, I am going to tackle this project. just didn't have time before we left to get r done.
I am goign to be forced to remove wall panel as the vent make a bend in the ceiling before it drops down the wall. weird but it does.
Floor plan is similar but why GD did this with the vent is really weird. No biggie and maybe beneficial as i will be able to drill from inside the wall up through the roof without missing anything.
thanks for all the input.

 

[SolarPoweredRV]

Thanks for the info. Following this trip, I am going to tackle this project. just didn't have time before we left to get r done.
I am goign to be forced to remove wall panel as the vent make a bend in the ceiling before it drops down the wall. weird but it does.
Floor plan is similar but why GD did this with the vent is really weird. No biggie and maybe beneficial as i will be able to drill from inside the wall up through the roof without missing anything.
thanks for all the input.

Verify that you do not have a Satellite wiring chase installed in your coach. We had a sticker marked "Satellite Cable" on the top of our hold and a 6 inch "metal patch" on the roof above it. Between the two was a conduit, this is where I ran the Solar wires. Since your coach is a year newer than mine, you might have the same conduit pre-installed.

 

[JFF&KRN]

Verify that you do not have a Satellite wiring chase installed in your coach. We had a sticker marked "Satellite Cable" on the top of our hold and a 6 inch "metal patch" on the roof above it. Between the two was a conduit, this is where I ran the Solar wires. Since your coach is a year newer than mine, you might have the same conduit pre-installed.

Will it be marked on the roof?
I don't recall seeing one up there but I will check it out today.
the other satelite stuff is in the basement by the flush / fill panel.

 

[SolarPoweredRV]

Will it be marked on the roof?
I don't recall seeing one up there but I will check it out today.
the other satelite stuff is in the basement by the flush / fill panel.

No, it was just a square patch on the roof with self leveling goop around it. It was about 5 or 6 inches square.

 

[Scramjet]

We have done a solar installation on both a 2019 303 and a 2024 337. Both times I went through the wall between the toilet and the hutch. On the 303 I found it easiest to move a few inches to the left side of the toilet vent to drill down through the roof. You can remove the vent cover and possibly see around it. It is easy enough to reseal. On the 337 there was a Wi-Fi antenna to the left of the vent that I removed and could access the underside and see where to drill a hole. Hope this helps. But careful as my paddle drill bit caught some wires on the 303 but I caught it quickly enough that no damage was done.

Brian

 

[IBEW Sparky]

Well Good Morning to all!
So here goes, I searched some but didn't find what I was looking for so apologies if this is a duplicate to some other thread.
Unit: 2019 Reflection 337RLS Fifth Wheel. Earlier 2019 as it was purchase september of 19.
I am going ot install my solar panel and wondering where you if you did run the wire through the roof.
I was planning on utilizing the area next to the tank vent, although mine has a 90* bend then down the wall. Weird they did it that way.
My plan is to maseure, (very carefully) from the vent or skylight in bathroom to locate the wall and go down it.
I shoul dbe able to make it to the basement down the wall behind the toilet.
If i need any access points, I can do that inside cabinets where those places can be closed up easily.
Any thoughts!!!!
Thanks in advance.
Jeff

My 337 vent pipe also does the same thing and turns 90° back towards the hutch. Be careful running down behind the toilet because there is a lot of crap in that wall. And the wall sits on the aluminum tube framing underneath so it's not easy to get past. Here's a picture someone else sent me of that wall opened up.

 

[GD303]

I too have a 303 RLS; instead of removing the wall behind the toilet, I cut a 12" square access in the top shelf of the kitchen hutch to access the inside of the wall that hides the vent pipe. Then just installed a hatch cover to make it look as though it belonged there. Then I drilled a small hole upward through the roof (approximately 5" to the starboard side). Then from the roof, I drilled a 1" hole for the solar wires to make it to the basement belly.
Now I'm just trying to decide how to secure the solar panels to the roof. The panels are large, so I want to be sure they won't fly off while driving down the highway! What is the preferred mounting system on a Grand Design 5th wheel roof??? Sikkaflex a set of "no-drill" corners, or use Z-brackets with screws?

 

[IBEW Sparky]

I too have a 303 RLS; instead of removing the wall behind the toilet, I cut a 12" square access in the top shelf of the kitchen hutch to access the inside of the wall that hides the vent pipe. Then just installed a hatch cover to make it look as though it belonged there. Then I drilled a small hole upward through the roof (approximately 5" to the starboard side). Then from the roof, I drilled a 1" hole for the solar wires to make it to the basement belly.
Now I'm just trying to decide how to secure the solar panels to the roof. The panels are large, so I want to be sure they won't fly off while driving down the highway! What is the preferred mounting system on a Grand Design 5th wheel roof??? Sikkaflex a set of "no-drill" corners, or use Z-brackets with screws?

Get yourself some 3/4" aluminum unistrut and attach it to the roof. Layout your panels first to maximize the use of the unistrut. I would put a 4" wide strip of eterna bond roof tape under each unistrut for maximum roof protection. Attached the unistut to the roof at the truss locations with stainless hardware. If the unistrut won't lay flat you can cut it down the both sides and bend it to match the roof. Use dicor sealant over the screws holding the unistrut down. Attach the panels to the unistrut with the brackets provided and spring nuts in the strut. Using the unistrut allows for less screws in the roof and easy replacement of panels if needed.

 

[GD303]

Get yourself some 3/4" aluminum unistrut and attach it to the roof. Layout your panels first to maximize the use of the unistrut. I would put a 4" wide strip of eterna bond roof tape under each unistrut for maximum roof protection. Attached the unistut to the roof at the truss locations with stainless hardware. If the unistrut won't lay flat you can cut it down the both sides and bend it to match the roof. Use dicor sealant over the screws holding the unistrut down. Attach the panels to the unistrut with the brackets provided and spring nuts in the strut. Using the unistrut allows for less screws in the roof and easy replacement of panels if needed.

Sparky, thank you for the install experience, much appreciated.
The screws to hold down the unistrut, how big of screws without damaging anything?
“Attach the panels to the unistrut with the brackets provided” What brackets? Are they provided with the unistrut? Or do you mean the Z-brackets?
Apologies, I’m not familiar with unistrut. Buy it off the internet?
Thank you for all your help!

 

[COGrandDes]

I too have a 303 RLS; instead of removing the wall behind the toilet, I cut a 12" square access in the top shelf of the kitchen hutch to access the inside of the wall that hides the vent pipe. Then just installed a hatch cover to make it look as though it belonged there. Then I drilled a small hole upward through the roof (approximately 5" to the starboard side). Then from the roof, I drilled a 1" hole for the solar wires to make it to the basement belly.
Now I'm just trying to decide how to secure the solar panels to the roof. The panels are large, so I want to be sure they won't fly off while driving down the highway! What is the preferred mounting system on a Grand Design 5th wheel roof??? Sikkaflex a set of "no-drill" corners, or use Z-brackets with screws?

Z brackets with eternabond and butyl tape with good wood screws into the roof sheeting. Easy peasy. Works awesome and easy.

 

[GD303]

Z brackets with eternabond and butyl tape with good wood screws into the roof sheeting. Easy peasy. Works awesome and easy.

Hello COGrandDes, thanks for your input / experience, grateful!
You mentioned “good wood screws”. How long? I don’t know how thick the roof is and I don’t want to pierce the interior ceiling.
How long of screws did you use?

 

[COGrandDes]

Hello COGrandDes, thanks for your input / experience, grateful!
You mentioned “good wood screws”. How long? I don’t know how thick the roof is and I don’t want to pierce the interior ceiling.
How long of screws did you use?

Hi. They were either 1" or 1.25" Not too long. Coarse thread and larger pan heads.