Using sand bags on a RV roof

[Carrottop]

Hello all,

I need to put my new Starlink satellite on my RV roof and do not want to screw it into the roof membrane. It has a fairly wide stand and i was thinking I would just put 2 or three sandbags on the stand to hold it down from windy conditions. The dish itself only weights 9.8lbs. any issues with this or any better ideas.

Thanks

John

[flybouy]

Do not do that if you plan on moving the trailer.

[Carrottop]

It is a park model trailer and is blocked in its location.

[flybouy]

I should have looked at your signature If you can walk on the roof a couple of sandbags shouldn't hurt the roof. I've been on many commercial roofs over my career and small satellite dishes were often mounted that way. I wouldn't recommend it if it's located on the coast where hurricans are common.

[Carrottop]

No we are on the prairies. If we get a hurricane here we have bigger issues to deal with it does not have a ladder but am told it is fully walkable. I was told the reason they did not put a ladder on it is that it is a bunkhouse model that is 13.5 feet tall. Not sure I buy that but Keystone states it is fully walkable.

[gkainz]

We’re on the prairie, too. The rv storage lot my son-in-law uses (and a handful of other lots near this one) had many rigs moved, tipped on their side or completely rolled over in a big windstorm a few moths ago. Went out with him to reinstall his batteries in his toy hauler yesterday, only to find 2 or 3 roof vent lids gone. Looked around the storage lot, we saw numerous lids missing or blown open. Then we discovered his license plate was missing. Assuming someone stole it, we shook our heads and headed out. Attached to the inside of the lot gate were 3 license plates, one of which was his. Yeah, the wind can really blow out here on the prairie.
Colorado Hwy 93 between Golden and Boulder, former home of Rocky Flats, at the base of a few passes with the highest recorded wind speeds in North America, if I recall correctly.

[Carrottop]

Yeah that is a concern for me as well. I don't think it gets that windy here but we do get sustained winds of up to 50kph and gusts up to 80 or 90kph. I will have to give this some more thought on how to hold it down without drilling into the roof.

[jasin1]

why not mount it to a separate pole next to the rig…like a 6x6 in the ground

[Carrottop]

I thought of that but I have 4 big oak trees that surround my site. the only clear view that i can get is on the roof of the RV. I do have one spot that may work that i can attach a 4x4 post to the top of the deck railing but i will have to look at it this weekend. The ideal location from a satellite location is on the roof of the rv.

[notanlines]

Colorado: 201 MPH
Mt Washington, NH 231 MPH
Barrow Island, Australia 253 MPH

Go ahead with a couple sand bags. Odds are with you.

[jasin1]

yeah i think if i had a deck for the park model i would attach a post to the deck right t next to the rv…i wouldn’t want to risk the wind toppling the sandbag setup and gouging the roof membrane.

maybe put a post on each side with a cross beam…similar to a light rack on a four wheel drive vehicle …but i’d probably just stick with one post on the deck

[Carrottop]

Thanks for the input. I will try the deck method first. I will post a pic when complete.

[flybouy]

I think if the wind gets strong enough to blow that reciever down you'll have bigger problems than the damage to/from the dish. JMO

[Lettikka]

I saw where a guy used Eterabond RV sealant tape to mount some solar panels and took it down the highway with no issues. A few pieces of that stuff along with the sandbags should put you in good shape.

[LHaven]

As a wireless Internet installer, I've done many of these installations. You can buy what's called a "Non-penetrating sled" which has a post to mount your dish, and trays on the bottom that hold two to eight pavers or cinder blocks, whichever you need to get secure protection against wind in your location.

[mgrote]

Just search Facebook for starlink hacks or mounting ideas. You will be up for days reading all the different ideas people have come up with for mounting. Some are permanent, most are portable.

[Badbart56]

When we first got our StarLink I was reluctant to attach it to the new roof of the house so I mounted it on a half sheet of plywood and put that on top of my racecar trailer, holding it down with cement blocks. The 4x4 sheet of plywood disbursed the weight better that just the mount itself. I ordered the eve mount form StarLink and have it permanently attached to the house now. Loving it by the way!

[jasin1]

i still like the pole idea..yes you can make a contraption to hold it down on the roof but why? it’s not doing the roof any favors being up there…sand bags and sleds are going to just trap and accumulate dirt and leaves and you will end up with more black streaks on your sidewalls…it will be hard to clean unless you periodically remove the sandbags and sled to get at the dirt…also a grown man with a bunch of sandbags and the weight of the sled and dish probably isn’t so good for the roof either while your setting it up.

the trailer is at a permanent site and already has a deck…not much effort to add a pole and keep the dish separate from the roof …but that’s just how i’d do it

[Shedboy]

I have a similar issue with anchoring a wind turbine. I have found no solution to mounting it on the roof although I like LHaven's suggestion. I am not familiar with the Starlink antenna but I think it is bigger than a satellite TV antenna. In all cases, take lightning mitigation (ground rod) precautions.


Two ROOF MOUNTING possibilities are:

1, Most RV’s with propane /electric refrigerators have a roof vent that can be used to stuff a mounting pole into, The wires can be routed down the vent pipe or on the outside of the RV, Being that you have a park model you may not have a refr vent. There may be some other vent pipe that can be used.

2. Get a replacement air conditioner cover and an adjustable satellite TV antenna mounting bracket. Using a backing plate, attach the satellite bracket to the cover in a position that the bracket pivot allows the antenna to be raised and lowered. The wires can be routed following the air conditioner power supply wires (not easy).

Mounting the antenna EXTERNAL to the RV has several possibilities;

3. In the fence dept at Home Depot there are steel fence post mounting spikes, “E-Z Spike Black Powder-Coated Post-Base Spike for 4x4 Nominal Lumber”. They are hammered into the dirt and a 4x4 bolted to them.

4. In the same dept is “EPB Elevated Post Base for 4x4 Nominal Lumber”. Mounting this post base in a 5 gal paint bucket filled with concrete creates a 100 pound anchor than can be buried or set on the surface of the ground (or roof)? You could use a pier block rather than the paint bucket.

Drill/saw a 2” hole in the center bottom of the paint bucket and put the post base in the hole, seal post base hole with duct tape. Flip the bucket over, set it on the post base, support the bucket and fill it with concrete.


If you want, rather than use a 4x4 post, saw/grind the “ears” off of the post anchor. Attach a 2 ¼ pipe flange on the remaining “flat”. Mount the antenna using “U” clamps on one end of a 2 ¼ “MT” 10 foot electrical conduit. Drill a hole in the side near the bottom of the conduit and route the antenna wires. Screw the conduit onto the base flange. You can use guy wires or a support “outrigger” attached to the “U” clamps for added stability.

5. Use the post (if there is one) that the supply electrical junction box is mounted on to support the antenna mast.

[Carrottop]

Thanks for all the suggestions. In the end I had to use sand bags on the roof with the pedestal stand that came with the satellite. The only spot that the satellite could get a connection through the tree canopy was just off centre of the roof on the door side. I will move the sandbags monthly to clean any dirt or leaf buildup that occurs.

Thanks for all the suggestions,

John