Running a wire from outside

[f6bits]

Being lazy, and into shiny objects like LED light strips, I want to run a weatherproof light strip on the underside of my rain gutter where my awning mounts. That'll save me the trouble the poor sap (not the poor SAD) who wants to roll his awning lights up inside the awning.

Luckily, my gizmo panel is on my bedroom wall right where the end of my awning is. Should I just drill a tidy hole in the outside skin, or is there some better way to run the wire? And if I drill that hole, what's the best way to seal it?

[f6bits]

Dang, I just read JRTJH's post. I like the idea of running the wire up the awning support. I still want to do the gutter mount, and I did notice that my awning's power wire runs inside the big mount bracket up the side of my trailer.

However, I don't have 12V power under my steps. Next time I'm at the trailer, I'll take a look, but I still like the idea of having an inside switch for the lights for when it's cold out and I want to shut the lights off from inside.

For those of you who have cut-to-length water proof LED strips, did you have to seal the end after you cut it? If so, what did you seal it with?

[michol02]

I have LED strip on my power awning also. I ran the new wire alongside the power awning wire down the arm to the camper, and right below where the arm attaches to the main track, I drilled a small hole(through the track and camper wall, about a foot from the roof). The power awning wire continued down near the bottom of the track and into the camper, but I have no idea where it went after that point, that's why I decided to go a different route. I snaked the new wire through the hole and wired it to 12v power that was right there at the antenna booster. I then squirted silicon in the hole from the inside of the camper until it oozed out of the hole on the outside, dressed it up, and I put a dab of silicon on the end of the LED strip where I trimmed it. Don't have a pic of the hole into the camper handy.

[SteveC7010]

Originally Posted by f6bits

Being lazy, and into shiny objects like LED light strips, I want to run a weatherproof light strip on the underside of my rain gutter where my awning mounts. That'll save me the trouble the poor sap (not the poor SAD) who wants to roll his awning lights up inside the awning.

Luckily, my gizmo panel is on my bedroom wall right where the end of my awning is. Should I just drill a tidy hole in the outside skin, or is there some better way to run the wire? And if I drill that hole, what's the best way to seal it?

You can drill through the wall fairly easily. Just be sure to avoid one of the wall studs. If you drill an inch or two in from the end of the rain gutter, the gutter will give a bit of added protection from the elements.

The skin of the trailer, either fiberglass or aluminum, will have a sharp edge after you drill the hole. Use a grommet of some kind to protect the wire followed by a neat dab of caulk.