Winegard connect - wires missing - Page 3

jxnbbl · 07-26-2021, 05:22 AM

I've cut/pasted/saved a few pics from the manuals to give you a visual. The black power cable came with the gateway and had to be spliced into the 12V power.

Javi · 07-26-2021, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jxnbbl

The gateway will have 3 wires that look like that, but to me they were smaller...and they did not have green insulation. I believe white with 3 colors depicting what they went to - red, green and yellow. I am assuming the hole had the prewired 'cap' on it initially?

Yes, the they are very small gage wires 1-Red, 1-Green and 1-Yellow

Mine were not taped to the power wire but I was able to use a coat hanger that I bent a hook into to fish around and find them... warning they are not very long... mine came thru the hole in the ceiling maybe 6-8 inches...

https://www.google.com/search?q=wine...Lb-wSRzoyYCQ28

Kgordo5 · 08-17-2021, 08:53 PM

The power loop wires that were under the Winegard cap on the ceiling are green and white and feed the ceiling lights. Therefore, I need to keep the ceiling lights on for the gateway to work. Has anyone figured out a way to get around this? Is there a way to easily get power from somewhere else? I ideally don’t wanna have to leave the lights on to get Internet.

LHaven · 08-17-2021, 09:46 PM

Do a little spy work first with a mirror and flashlight to ensure that there aren't always-hot wires already near the hole but maybe migrated off to the side.

Otherwise, you'll have to determine the closest always-on 12V fixture or appliance (cig lighter socket, USB port, stovetop light, radio, fridge, etc.), and snake a new wire between them.

GaryDevore · 09-08-2021, 07:15 AM

So I have a keystone cougar. I took the plate off on the ceiling and my antenna wires have been screwed in between the two ceiling sheets. I can feel the ends beside the hole but can't get them out. Plus it is supposed to have a cremped wires for power but all there is is a looped wire that I would have to splice and connect back.....Can I just connect it in the dome itself and how would I do that?

LHaven · 09-08-2021, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaryDevore

So I have a keystone cougar. I took the plate off on the ceiling and my antenna wires have been screwed in between the two ceiling sheets. I can feel the ends beside the hole but can't get them out. Plus it is supposed to have a cremped wires for power but all there is is a looped wire that I would have to splice and connect back.....Can I just connect it in the dome itself and how would I do that?

As far as the looped wire, you can use these babies to tap it with zero cutting.

As for the trapped wires, if you can't pry the plies apart enough to pull out some slack, I don't know what to advise you.

jxnbbl · 10-06-2021, 02:38 AM

Well its happened to me...pulled off the cap last night and now only the power wire. I thought I'd have this thing installed quickly. Will have to try and scope it out today!

jxnbbl · 10-06-2021, 11:40 AM

Well I think I saw something like this before in here so before I move forward with my solution...I thought I would ask others what they would do. Included are two pictures. The first has two holes in my ceiling. One is the pre-wire winegard power (which no cable connectors)...the other is a speaker I took down as I measured where the winegard antenna was mounted on the roof (about midway between the holes). Sure enough found the cable, but the 2nd picture shows the length so it can not be connected to the gateway that is mounted on the ceiling.

The solution of course is to drill a hole under the antenna and pull the power/cable connections thru the new hole and just reattach the 'prewire cover'. Are there better solutions like a patch kit that has texture of something. Kills me to make another hole for "nothing"

thanks

PeteK · 10-06-2021, 12:35 PM

I'd just get a solid wall plate to cover the original hole and call it a day.

Javi · 10-06-2021, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jxnbbl

Well I think I saw something like this before in here so before I move forward with my solution...I thought I would ask others what they would do. Included are two pictures. The first has two holes in my ceiling. One is the pre-wire winegard power (which no cable connectors)...the other is a speaker I took down as I measured where the winegard antenna was mounted on the roof (about midway between the holes). Sure enough found the cable, but the 2nd picture shows the length so it can not be connected to the gateway that is mounted on the ceiling.

The solution of course is to drill a hole under the antenna and pull the power/cable connections thru the new hole and just reattach the 'prewire cover'. Are there better solutions like a patch kit that has texture of something. Kills me to make another hole for "nothing"

thanks

See my PM

jxnbbl · 10-12-2021, 02:54 AM

I went to wire up my wingard gateway from my old to new trailer and drilling other hole so the cable wires would have enough length to be attached to the gateway...and found another idea to make the current 'misplaced' factory hole useful. I never used the supplied switch and since the power wire is one of the 12V "unswitched light mains" the hole is now useful if I want to cycle the gateway router without jumping through other hoops.

Pics attached.

The new hole is about between the speaker and the misplaced hole. The roof unit is actually a foot aft of that line, which made the cable wires short from the factory.

LHaven · 10-13-2021, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jxnbbl

Sure enough found the cable, but the 2nd picture shows the length so it can not be connected to the gateway that is mounted on the ceiling.

if you really liked the original hole position, nothing stops you from crimping extensions onto those wires and then rethreading them through the original hole. Perfect tool for this job would be skinny, threaded fiberglass "fish sticks" and some nylon cord.

jxnbbl · 10-13-2021, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LHaven

if you really liked the original hole position, nothing stops you from crimping extensions onto those wires and then rethreading them through the original hole. Perfect tool for this job would be skinny, threaded fiberglass "fish sticks" and some nylon cord.

I originally did as you suggested (with a coat hanger) but the wires that are short are the special 'gateway cables' as opposed to the power cord. (you can see one of them just coming out of the original hole in my first post on this last week). I checked with a video probe that they were free/clear to be extended to maximum length. Then called Winegard to see if there was anyway to extend these. I was told that the shipped length of the cable from the antenna was the max length and performance degrades beyond that. I would have to move the location of the gateway or (worse/more complicated) the Air 360 on the roof.

I did call Keystone and sent pics as this is such simple problem to solve at assembly. Anyways after a discussion they agreed a new hole was needed but warned me to ensure that the mount location did not interfere with the slide operation. Our unit has a curved roof/ceiling and even if there was overlap the slide would not touch the gateway.

LHaven · 10-13-2021, 02:52 AM

Now you got my networking curiosity engaged.

If this is a length limitation, I wonder how Keystone avoided porking every other rig of this same model, given that the antenna and the ceiling port are in the same places? Or maybe Amos wrapped your particular cable around the stove ducting and didn't tell anybody.

Your images are tiny, but the "networking cable" looks like a standard RJ45 plug. Those can be extended with these couplers. I know they told you it was a length limitation, but even the cheapest drivers should be able to push a 40' cable with no sweat.

I know this is all too late for you now, but maybe the next member who gets an "Amos rig" can try this solution.

jxnbbl · 10-13-2021, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LHaven

...

Your images are tiny, but the "networking cable" looks like a standard RJ45 plug. Those can be extended with these couplers. I know they told you it was a length limitation, but even the cheapest drivers should be able to push a 40' cable with no sweat.

...

I think your assumption of the air 360 being in the same roof location maybe incorrect. I know it was more centered on my previous trailer that I traded in. And this is solar prepped leaving front roof space open for solar panels....so it probably came down to drill the hole "here" near the bathroom door as we do it all the time.

The problem with your idea is even if I wanted to extend it, it isn't a RJ45 cable connection where I could run out and get one (and the primary reason I called Winegard). Here is a repost of the original pic/problem. As I stated I video scoped the cavity between the roof/ceiling and from the entry point in the roof to the ceiling the cable is unobstructed/retained and I'm not sure what type of connector the "too short" wifi and 4g lte connectors are(there are 3 of them) are.

Here is a pic of the real/original problem it only shows one of the 3 cable connectors as you can't place the gateway here without modification. (at least 2-3 others have posted in the forum with similar problems but different model trailers).

LHaven · 10-13-2021, 06:10 AM

I did see that photo, but since it doesn't show the cable ends, I couldn't tell much more from it except that there were two cables and they look green. Or maybe it's one cable with a loop at the bottom that is off frame. Sorry.

wevernon · 03-15-2022, 12:51 PM

Sad to say that the original post is still an issue today. Have a brand new 2022 Outback 328RL. Bought the gateway and Sim card and was ready to install, when low and behold....the manufacturer again forgot step 12 in the Winegard 360 installation manual. The power wire is there ready to be spliced, but the three antenna wires are nowhere to be found. In fact the 360 on the roof is about 18" away from the hole in the ceiling. I have decided to use that hole for the included power switch, and drill another hole directly below the antenna to feed the wires through. I have to return the Outback to the dealer to have them unputty the antenna and hopefully feed the missing wires down. Then they can reseal the roof. What a pain, on a brand new $60,000 TT.

LHaven · 03-15-2022, 07:27 PM

Well, it's wireless networking, right?
Maybe the Keystone staff have been reading Dilbert [link].

jxnbbl · 03-16-2022, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wevernon

Sad to say that the original post is still an issue today. Have a brand new 2022 Outback 328RL. Bought the gateway and Sim card and was ready to install, when low and behold....the manufacturer again forgot step 12 in the Winegard 360 installation manual. The power wire is there ready to be spliced, but the three antenna wires are nowhere to be found. In fact the 360 on the roof is about 18" away from the hole in the ceiling. I have decided to use that hole for the included power switch, and drill another hole directly below the antenna to feed the wires through. I have to return the Outback to the dealer to have them unputty the antenna and hopefully feed the missing wires down. Then they can reseal the roof. What a pain, on a brand new $60,000 TT.

I just looked at your trailer and it has the arched roof so there is more room up there than (at least my old) flat roof. Can you get a look at the location directly under the antenna? In my case, I took down a speaker that and used a scope and found the wires. Once identified, I did create a new hole under the antenna.

wevernon · 03-16-2022, 11:10 AM

Yes, I was able to take an LED light drown from the ceiling. They missed the hole in the roof by about two feet. I used the existing hole for the power switch and cut a new hole under the antenna. Problem is, the Wingard is sealed down on the roof with a "ton" of sealant. I believe (hope) the wires are still curled up under the cover. I am taking it back to the dealership to unseal the antenna and put the wires down through the new hole I cut. They are then going to seal everything back up.

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