Community Forums

FlaRider · 02-07-2023, 09:15 AM

This should be that difficult, but for some reason, it is for me. I am trying to mount the StarLink In-motion satellite on the roof. The kit includes lag bolts (and some other fasteners that don’t work for the roof) to install it. I got 2 of the 4 lag bolts in a cross member (one still doesn’t tighten down) and the other two just in the roof material, which is not that thick. Looking for suggestions on how to secure it. What I have come up with so far besides the lag bolts.
3M VHB tape (4950 or 5962)
3M 4200 Marine Adhesive/sealant
3M 5200 Marine Adhesive/sealant (which might be overkill

Thanks,

Marc

outlawten5 · 02-07-2023, 01:32 PM

They use tape for solar panels. I would think it will be fine for the starlink

RVStitchy · 02-07-2023, 03:52 PM

Following.

I got our In Motion Starlink delivered last week. My Coach is at the dealer for final warranty and annual service. They will not install it. So in 2 weeks when I get it home I will have to tackle the install myself.

Not sure if I was going to install up front or over the half bath. I wanted to experiment with good locations for the wifi router. Then I planned on pulling down ceiling parts to get a good look at how to through bolt it to solid structure.

I will let you know what I find but that is a few weeks out. Hope to hear from someone that has done it already.

FlaRider · 02-07-2023, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RVStitchy

Following.

I got our In Motion Starlink delivered last week. My Coach is at the dealer for final warranty and annual service. They will not install it. So in 2 weeks when I get it home I will have to tackle the install myself.

Not sure if I was going to install up front or over the half bath. I wanted to experiment with good locations for the wifi router. Then I planned on pulling down ceiling parts to get a good look at how to through bolt it to solid structure.

I will let you know what I find but that is a few weeks out. Hope to hear from someone that has done it already.

When I ordered my coach I had a conduit installed from the roof to the cabinet above the driver seat. I was using it for my Pepwave 5-1 antenna, I am now using it for the StarLink cable. I put the power supply and router in that cabinet mounted to the ceiling. I didn't trust the clip that holds them in the wall bracket so I have velcro as a safety measure.

RVStitchy · 02-08-2023, 02:53 PM

Nice looking install. You have me leaning towards a front install now. Wish I had thought of that special when we ordered our Coach. I did get the solar prep and do not plan on installing solar. I wonder if there is conduit there that I can use for Starlink?

PlanoMH · 02-08-2023, 03:26 PM

I decided to install on the top of the cathedral ceiling in the rear. I considered front but signal could have been obstructed by other roof object. trav'ler Directv dish, local TV antenna, AC, etc. The Flat HP dish has 140 degree "field of view" so I felt higher up on roof was better.

For mounting, I only used EternaBond DoubleStick tape and its rock solid. If you're not familiar with it, look it up on You Tube.

Mighty_J · 02-08-2023, 03:26 PM

I’m so jealous! I cannot purchase the in-motion dish in Canada yet (as of last week). I have been thinking about mounting options though.

Have you considered a metal plate that can span two of the roof cross members (trusses? Not sure what to call them), securing that to the roof and then securing the mount to that?

That way you’d at least have four solid anchor points into structure?

FlaRider · 02-08-2023, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RVStitchy

Nice looking install. You have me leaning towards a front install now. Wish I had thought of that special when we ordered our Coach. I did get the solar prep and do not plan on installing solar. I wonder if there is conduit there that I can use for Starlink?

I do not think there is any conduit for the solar prep. I have heard of people drilling up from the cabinet to get to the roof. I am not sure how that would work, I'm not sure where the hole on the roof would end up because of the front cap.

FlaRider · 02-08-2023, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PlanoMH

I decided to install on the top of the cathedral ceiling in the rear. I considered front but signal could have been obstructed by other roof object. trav'ler Directv dish, local TV antenna, AC, etc. The Flat HP dish has 140 degree "field of view" so I felt higher up on roof was better.

For mounting, I only used EternaBond DoubleStick tape and its rock solid. If you're not familiar with it, look it up on You Tube.

Thanks will look it up. I didn't know about that type of EternaBond tape

RVStitchy · 02-09-2023, 04:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PlanoMH

I decided to install on the top of the cathedral ceiling in the rear.

Plano MH. I like your thinking on the antenna location. I see the wire running forward. Where did you go through the roof and set up the router and power supply?

Semituff810 · 02-09-2023, 09:03 AM

Following

PlanoMH · 02-09-2023, 10:46 AM

I mounted the power supply in the 4th passenger compartment to the right of a slide controllers.

I looked at a lot of paths and settled on going down thru the bathroom wall. On the 4369 there is a cabinet above the 1/2 toilet with breakers and fuses. With an X-Acto knife I (carefully, lots over wires around here.) cut a small hole in the wall board inside the cabinet. I used an inspection camera to look around inside the wall. There is a black vent pipe in there. It was easy to trace the vent pipe into basement just around the fresh water tank. You have to remove the black plastic cover inside the peg board/water tank door. I used a fiberglass fish with a pull string taped on and pushed up thru the floor in a small space around the vent pipe. I got the fish and pull string thru the wall access hole I cut in electrical 1/2 bath cabinet.

I measured out best place to drill a hole in roof that would be above the wall space. Drilled a hole. Again, very carefully, LOTS of wires around there including 120V AC. After drilling a clean hole I discovered that the black sewer vent pipe obstructed (makes a horizontal bend) a clean way to then drill down through the main ceiling. So, I used a fiberglass fish rod and was able to push a pull string horizontally thru the roof space to an existing hole in the cabinet ceiling that is used for existing low voltage wiring. Again, a cheap inspection camera from Amazon made all of this work possible. I'll post a link below.

I attached the starlink cable to the pull string on the roof. Taped securely and used lube around the connector and pulled it thru. Note: I pulled down thru roof to basement because the power supply end of cable is smaller and thus requires smaller holes in roof an junction box. The dish end of the connector is larger.

Not sure if this covers everything. Certainly not the only way but pretty happy with the results. I'm attaching 2 pictures of the roof hole location. Sorry I don't have a good picture of inside the 1/2 bath electrical cabinet. My rig is in Florida and I'm back home in Texas for 2 weeks. I'll try to post more pics when back in Florida.

Inspection Camera: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09RF5BTLG

canaddar · 02-22-2023, 01:45 PM

I don't have the in motion variety as it was not an option when I got mine. So mine is on the roof with its standard mount. To keep it from moving, I went to Lowes and got one of those square fatigue mats that they use in kitchens. They are a soft rubber and have a bunch of holes in them. I then cut a slit to the center and cut the center 4 holes out of it. Then I put it around the stand for the Starlink and draped it there like those old Christmas tree blankets you would put around the base. It is heavy enough to keep it in place in high winds and with the holes, it does not catch the wind and become a sail.

For the wiring, I used adhesive wire clips on the inside of the rail for the awning and ran the wire to the area above my half bath. There is a cover there with some cables running thru it. I cut a hole big enough for the plug of the wire to go thru and fed it down into the ceiling above the bathroom. I pulled one of the lights out and was able to get the cord and push it back until it was above the closet with the fuses in it. There is a wire bundle coming thru the ceiling there that I was able to pull the plug thru.

I then put my router for Starlink in that closet. There is a plug in there for it, I just had to get a flat plug adapter so I could shut the doors with a plug in the electrical outlet.

It is out of sight and the only hole I had to drill was thru a cover that already had holes in it on the roof. We are full timers, so having internet has always been a pain. This has been awesome for us. Having it on the roof puts it in a place where I know that nobody will screw with / steal it. It also won't be blocked by someone pulling in next to us or something like that.

When we travel, I just pull the mount and put the antenna in the center of the rubber mat and secure it on the roof. Worked well so far. I would be really happy if you could unplug the roof antenna, but the wire for it is hardwired into the antenna, so I have to leave it on the roof. But I can at least remove the feet part of the mount so the antenna can lay mostly flat. Bit of a pain, but far better than not having internet or having to depend on sporadic 4g coverage.

UMXHAULER · 02-22-2023, 01:56 PM

I have been wondering for awhile now about whether or not to install starlink on the roof. I am worried that if we park under or near trees, it will be too obstructed to work properly. With the long cable they provide, I have been able to always find a location where I can get service. Sometimes, the top of the motorhome is the best location if there are no trees around. I would appreciate some feed back on my concerns about a permanent roof top installation.