Waterproof electrical feed-thru

I've a roof rack on my '92 XJ. Rack has three lights on it, two facing forward and one aft. I'd like to run power to them. Looks like I should route the power cables (two cables - one for forward lights one for aft, use the chassis as return to battery) from the electrical in the driver's kick panel up the driver's side front window pillar under the plastic trim. This gets me to the underside of the roof just above the driver's door. I'd like to penetrate the roof at this point without water getting in. Like a connector here that will allow connection of the lights on the rack. Connector would be nice since sometimes I must take the rack off.

Anyone have any suggestions for a penetrator alone, or maybe one that combines a connector?

Thanks!

Amphenol connectors - MIL-spec, multicircuit environmental connectors. These things are used on EVERYTHING that wants high reliability.

They seal to the bulkhead with a gasket, and the connector itself seals. You can get a cap to seal the connector shut when you have the other end removed (like when you pull the rack off.)

You can get them from Allied Electronics - www.alliedelec.com. They have geniune Amphenols and a decent-looking "clone" brand, and you can get them with metal or plastic shells. Select your connector by the number of wires and what gage wire (you can get connectors with power and signal circuits in them, and I seem to recall seeing up to about 2 gage wiring being doable with some of these...)

I used a bunch of these when I wired up the security vehicles for IBM here in San Jose (roof racks and all) and they are ROCK solid. I'm working on eliminating bulkhead connectors by replacing with Amphenols as well...

5-90

How about GM weatherpack terminals? I use these things everywhere in mine. Including replacing damaged connectors.

This is my light connector under the lightbar, the chrome on the left is the factory luggage rack rail and the bolt to the right is the bolt for one of the lights. hope this gives you an idea where its at.



This is the rear backup lamp connection for the light on the roof rack.



The bulkhead connector below is a 22 pin connector from Centech. I put it where the clutch M/C would be. This is only available from Centech but it uses the same pins and seal as the other connectors. so if i need to add or change the wires, i can, very easily.



You can order these from several places, summit, jegs, and the napa's around here have them too. the only special tool you need is a set of crimpers like the ones MSD makes, however i got a pair for about 35 that have worked fine for over 3yrs. The other tool i would recommend is a removal tool so that you can pull the terminals out of the housing to make changes or repairs.

hope this helps.
Dingo

Workable, but yecch. What did you use to pot the holes thru the sheetmetal, and have you had any trouble with "sealant lift" over the last few years?

That's why I like the Amphenols - they bolt down, they're gasketed, and they present a much cleaner appearance. I tend to be a picky bastid, and this really comes out with electrical work!

Apart from that, not a bad solution. Inelegant, but workable. I'm pretty sure it costs less than Amphenols (or similar environmental connectors,) but it can work.

5-90

I just drilled a hole into the roof, put a grommit in, and then sealed it all up with clear silicon caulking.

japril said:

I just drilled a hole into the roof, put a grommit in, and then sealed it all up with clear silicon caulking.

Click to expand...

thats what i've seen just about everytime i see anything bolted to the roof

http://purplecranium.com/wsm/c-65_firewall.html

Here's some various pieces that might work for ya.