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Installing Metal Plate for Antenna

jpbrazan
Explorer
Explorer
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!
9 REPLIES 9

MrWizard
Moderator
Moderator
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
I can explain it to you.
But I Can Not understand it for you !

....

Connected using T-Mobile Home internet and Visible Phone service
1997 F53 Bounder 36s

Ed_Gee
Explorer II
Explorer II
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....
Ed - on the Central Oregon coast
2018 Winnebago Fuse 23A
Scion xA toad

jpbrazan
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks for all the responses! The antenna attaches to the plate with an adhesive with peel away backing

CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Explorer III
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?
2009 Holiday Rambler 42' Scepter with ISL 400 Cummins
750 Watts Solar Morningstar MPPT 60 Controller
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland

Bob

midnightsadie
Explorer II
Explorer II
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 .

Dutch_12078
Explorer II
Explorer II
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.
Dutch
2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A
F53 chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS
Bigfoot Automatic Leveling System
2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump
ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/Blue Ox baseplate

jdc1
Explorer II
Explorer II
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.

bob_nestor
Explorer III
Explorer III
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.

bgum
Explorer
Explorer
Is there any way you can fabricate a piece of metal that will screw to the bottom edge of your AC?