Vehicle & Technical > Discovery

Roof bars. will they conduct electricity?

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muddyjames:
Right then. I have had an idea. Plan 2 as it were.

What if I were to make a hole in the bracket that hooks onto the roof bars and put a bolt through it and attatch a piece of wire. Then make another hole in the roof gutter and bolt on a solder less connector like these jobbies http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/electrical-solderless-terminals-connectors-200pcs_W0QQitemZ7589487790QQcategoryZ41499QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem and then when I take the aerial off I can unplug it and then plug it back in again easily and quickly. Yes down side is that it may pull off by a twig or 2 but I cant think of anything else that would be able to mount to the gutter and be quick to undo. If it isnt quick to undo I wont ever end up using the radio as I am a self confessed lazy arse!

My other idea is. I am wanting to put in a 3 way cigarette lighter socket in the map holder above the sun visor to power the radio as I think the radio will go in the elastic map holder when in use. What if I were to attatch an earth wire to a cigarette lighter plug so I can just plug it into the socket? Obviousley I wouldnt wire in a live wire to the plug!

What size wire would I need to earth it?

hobbit:
Actually I just use a little mag mount on the roof, and run the cable through the door rubber, only use it for laning reallyu, so plenty of range there

The rack protects it mainly bit if challenged by an oak tree the mag will fall over.

Depending on where you want the signal to generate, ie you are in the front and want a strong signal behind you a front mounted areial is best, and vice versa if you are at the back

muddyjames:
Everyone said to me buy a cb radio they are easy to use and great fun, yeah dead easy. Now I have got one all this stuff comes out of the wood work like licenses and mounting points and earths and signals forwards or backwards of you.

I DONT KNOW????????

I just want an aerial that I can take on and off very quickly that I can use for when I do lanes so I can chat to other people no matter where I am in the convoy and possibly to chat to lorry drivers when on a long journey and I am bored!

TimM:
As hobbit said then, mag mount.

Put your power cord onto a cigarette lighter plug, have a mag mount for the aerial.

1) Open door
2) put CB down
3) plug into cigarette lighter
4) place aerial on roof
5) shut door

Removal reverse the above, it a 20 second job (in or out).

muddyjames:
I was going to go with a mag mount but Matt_h used to have a mag mount and every time he went under a tree it fell off and spent more time putting it back on the roof than he did talking! I want a quick easy way to mount it and so it doesnt fall off. If the cigarette lighter for the earth will work that sounds like my solution.

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