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jpbrazan's avatar
jpbrazan
Explorer
Aug 10, 2020

Installing Metal Plate for Antenna

I'm going to be installing a cellular/WiFi antenna (Poynting 7-in-1) on the roof of my travel trailer (2017 Jayco 34 RSBS) and the instructions are recommending installing on top of a metallic surface. My roof is not metallic so I'm currently planning to install an aluminum plate - 18"x18".

My question is: Will Dicor sealant (Dicor 501LSW-1 Epdm Self-Leveling Lap Sealant) be enough to keep the plate in place or should I use another glue/sealant or should I also secure it with screws or bolts? If so, any recommendations for putting screws into the roof would also be appreciated.

Thanks!
  • bgum's avatar
    bgum
    Explorer
    Aug 10, 2020
    Is there any way you can fabricate a piece of metal that will screw to the bottom edge of your AC?
  • bob_nestor's avatar
    bob_nestor
    Explorer III
    Aug 10, 2020
    I had to replace the flexible solar panels on my RV and found the originals were glued down with Dicor. Took me a couple of days to scrape them off the roof so I used Dicor to glue down the new ones.

    Based on my experience with Dicor I'd say it will hold that 18"x18" aluminum plate down in a gale force wind.

    Although when I installed my cell phone booster antenna (a WeBoost X Drive) I mounted the small plate/mounting bracket to my rooftop AC frame.
  • jdc1's avatar
    jdc1
    Explorer II
    Aug 10, 2020
    Would you trust a rubber roof to hold that plate and antenna in place? The glue to hold down the rubber roof to the flimsy plywood (or OSB) could fail. I would, as a retired General Contractor, find the roof trusses (joist) and somehow attach to them.
  • Dutch_12078's avatar
    Dutch_12078
    Explorer II
    Aug 10, 2020
    I'm assuming the antenna base is not magnetic, so how will it be attached to the aluminum ground plane? The steel ground planes I installed have 3M double sided trim tape on the back, and the edges are sealed down with 2" wide EternaBond tape. One plate is at the front of our coach roof and the other is on the rear AC shroud.
  • midnightsadie's avatar
    midnightsadie
    Explorer II
    Aug 10, 2020
    could you make a mount on the frame of the rv then up to the roof? hate seeing holes in the roof, like a flag pole .
  • CA_Traveler's avatar
    CA_Traveler
    Explorer III
    Aug 10, 2020
    I would use 8 short SS screws with Dicor under them between the plate and roof. Then Dicor on the edges and screw heads. If you want use some 3M VHB tape which will not fail. However the paint or roof material may.

    How does the antenna attach to the plate?
  • jpbrazan's avatar
    jpbrazan
    Explorer
    Aug 10, 2020
    Thanks for all the responses! The antenna attaches to the plate with an adhesive with peel away backing
  • Ed_Gee's avatar
    Ed_Gee
    Explorer II
    Aug 10, 2020
    Think about this before proceeding ... if you use a thin steel plate instead of aluminum, you can change antenna in the future if you want to use a mag mount type....
  • MrWizard's avatar
    MrWizard
    Moderator
    Aug 12, 2020
    Roofs are only a few inches thick
    I put the metal plate on the top of the inside of an overhead cabinet
    The base of my antenna is only a few inches lower than it would be, if it was outside
    Yes the tip of the antenna is pointing down instead of up so the tip is about 23 inches lower
    But the radiation pattern is only 12 inches lower than if it was topside/outside
    I tested it outside by running the cable thru the window, in my case inside is just as good as outside
    Now if you have an antenna to large for your cabinets , that's a different situation

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