Quick easy way to get a cable outside?

[Detritus]

Hi all,

A while back I made an LED awning bar, and the cable plugs into the socket to the right of the rear bench seat. It works really well, but I have to unplug it to close the door, and it prevents me from putting my mosquito net across the door. I was hoping to find a quick / easy way to run a cable to the awning casing that doesn’t require an open door or window!
It could be directly, or by creating an exposed socket somewhere that I could connect the cable into (I’ve used SAE connectors so that I can disconnect the wire from the bar). Any suggestions?

 

[Hawthorn37]

I’ve got a LED strip fitted to the awning also. I route the extra long USB cable via the top corner of the boot door, and then to the boot socket outlet. Its not a permanent thing, it just allows us to sit outside with the doors and windows closed.

 

[Detritus]

Thanks @Hawthorn37 - do you just shut it in the door? Or is there a hole up there somewhere that you put it through?

 

[Resfeber]

Hi all,

A while back I made an LED awning bar, and the cable plugs into the socket to the right of the rear bench seat. It works really well, but I have to unplug it to close the door, and it prevents me from putting my mosquito net across the door. I was hoping to find a quick / easy way to run a cable to the awning casing that doesn’t require an open door or window!
It could be directly, or by creating an exposed socket somewhere that I could connect the cable into (I’ve used SAE connectors so that I can disconnect the wire from the bar). Any suggestions?

In my old T6 I took a coaxial cable from the interior for an external tv aerial connection through the cable grommet for the rear light cluster.
This allowed an F type connector to be clipped next to the gas strut on the outside of the rear tailgate.
Think a similar route could be taken on the right hand side

 

[Hawthorn37]

Thanks @Hawthorn37 - do you just shut it in the door? Or is there a hole up there somewhere that you put it through?

Just close the door. The seals are soft enough not to damage the cable.

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks @Hawthorn37 - do you just shut it in the door? Or is there a hole up there somewhere that you put it through?

I had similar and ran the cable out of the bottom of the sliding door BUT make sure it goes to the rear of the bottom sliding hinge/support of the door. Door closes easily and no damage to cable.

 

[Detritus]

Thank you so much all for your help, problem solved! Will investigate the light cluster grommet when I get back home for a more permanent solution, tested trapping it in the door earlier and worked fine

 

[bullibuskombi]

Hi all,

A while back I made an LED awning bar, and the cable plugs into the socket to the right of the rear bench seat. It works really well, but I have to unplug it to close the door, and it prevents me from putting my mosquito net across the door. I was hoping to find a quick / easy way to run a cable to the awning casing that doesn’t require an open door or window!
It could be directly, or by creating an exposed socket somewhere that I could connect the cable into (I’ve used SAE connectors so that I can disconnect the wire from the bar). Any suggestions?

How about using a hook up cable splitter?

 

[bullibuskombi]

Thank you so much all for your help, problem solved! Will investigate the light cluster grommet when I get back home for a more permanent solution, tested trapping it in the door earlier and worked fine

Pardon our interruption...

 

[Webbah_in_Switzerland]

Try and find a flat ribbon cable. For my external portable solar panels I found some flat ribbon cables from Zendure that work great for this. I can simply run the cable through any window (I typically use the passenger side window) and the flat cable is so thin and flexible that it will pinch inside the rubber seal and the window completely closes.

 

[Ayjay]

If I ever need to feed a cable to/from the van and also want to keep doors closed, I tend to put the cable in through the bottom front corner of the passenger door - there's a small gap where the rubber seal ends (on mine anyway) but it's wide enough to close the door without pinching the cable,