Forum Discussion

Skinny_D's avatar
Skinny_D
Explorer
Nov 29, 2021

Best exterior tape

What is the best tape (or other method) to secure wires to the underside of the TT?

I installed lithium ion batteries and an inverter in the front pass-thru storage compartment. Thus, I had to run wires from the compartment under the refrigerator (fuse and breaker panels), out the bottom of the TT, up to the front along the underside, then up through another hole into the compartment. The bottom is some kind of polymer or plastic sheet material. There is nothing to twist tie to.

I used Gorilla Glue tape which was supposed to be a permanent bond but most of that has fallen off and I have repeatedly applied more.
  • rhagfo's avatar
    rhagfo
    Explorer III
    Skinny D wrote:
    What is the best tape (or other method) to secure wires to the underside of the TT?

    I installed lithium ion batteries and an inverter in the front pass-thru storage compartment. Thus, I had to run wires from the compartment under the refrigerator (fuse and breaker panels), out the bottom of the TT, up to the front along the underside, then up through another hole into the compartment. The bottom is some kind of polymer or plastic sheet material. There is nothing to twist tie to.

    I used Gorilla Glue tape which was supposed to be a permanent bond but most of that has fallen off and I have repeatedly applied more.


    Why not snake them through the underbelly of the trailer, above the coreplast.
  • Lwiddis wrote:
    12 volt....Eternabond.
    120 volt....plastic conduit


    Actually, there is no reason you couldn't use plastic conduit for the 12 volt wires. If you could support the conduit in a couple of places it would do the trick. Depending on how far your run is maybe you could just support it on both ends ?
  • Yes I have very good results with white Eternal Bond tape that last a very long time exposed to the road and weather elements near bottom of my TT. I know from experience that Gorilla tape will dry out and flake off/away in due time even indoors.
  • Come to think of it, how about Eternabond tape?

    That is what I used. Used the handle of the sissors with good
    pressure to rub the tape. Pay close attention to the edge of the tape when rubbing.
  • This sort of depends how the bottom of your camper is made.

    Is the bottom of your camper wide open up to the black plastic waterproof membrane? Or is there a Coroplast plastic cover on the bottom and an enclosed tank compartment etc?

    This solution works well on campers that you can feel the floor joists just above the black plastic waterproof membrane. And assuming the floor joist is wood, if you have aluminum joists, they can work too.

    Use one hole nylon cable clamps with an screw into the floor joist. These kind of clamps in the size you need. Add them as needed to the joists to not have the wire droop. There are many brands of them.
    https://www.homedepot.com/p/Gardner-Bender-3-8-x-1-4-in-One-Hole-Plastic-Cable-Clamp-18-Pack-PPC-1525/100158293?MERCH=REC-_-pipsem-_-100167050-_-100158293-_-N&

    If you have the Coroplast cover, well drop the cover and still go up to the joist.

    Gorilla tape is good stuff, but this may not be the best place to use it assuming you want lots of years worth of service.

    Also, the above makes the assumption this is low voltage DC wiring. If you are running 120VAC wiring, this is ideally in plastic conduit or other protective cover when exposed to the road splash, abuse from anything hitting the wire, etc.

    Hope this helps

    John
  • I've used Dicor to hold solar wiring. Of course it takes awhile to set so you'd have to support those wires somehow. Come to think of it, how about Eternabond tape? That stuff should hold anything.