Battery monitor install finishing help

TahoeJoe · 09-23-2021, 08:13 PM

OK so first let me say, in my defense, that this was my first time using a jig saw for something like this, in fact I went out and bought one just for this project. Second, wow are the reinforced walls in the Escape cabinetry thick or what? I was really surprised at how beefy they are...which makes cutting into them tricky! Those excuses aside...

As part of my solar install, I'm mounting the battery monitor on the kitchen cabinet panel closest to the entry door. In cutting the hole for it, I had a little oopsie...my saw got a little out of control and cut too deep, and so now the hole has a gap on the top side...see attached pic. I'm looking for suggestions on how to deal with this and make the finished product look good...any ideas?

Also, as you can see from the pic, when I freaked out and pulled the saw out while it was running (don't laugh) the tip of the blade hammered the wood above a few times, creating little nicks. How about that, any ideas for how to fill those? I was thinking something like Plastic Wood filler.

Other than that the solar install is going great and almost done, can't wait to share about it when it's all done!

Centex · 09-23-2021, 10:06 PM

One option is to call or write ETI and ask for a quote to send you a few feet of the 'paneling seam tape' to match your (oak?) interior.

The tape itself is inexpensive, I paid $11USD to have 20 ft of it delivered in my trailer, it's a ~3" diameter by ~1" wide roll, so small for shipping / mailing (which still may run more than the cost of the tape).

Obviously it wont exactly match the grain pattern at every location, but unless looking very close it may be harder to spot than your 'hiccups'. On the tape the grain is parallel to the length (made for vertical seams), so you may need to try several strips side-by-side. Or, maybe you could use it to fashion a 'frame with mitered corners' covering the 'hiccups'.

Just for your consideration, Good Luck, Have Fun!

(Congrats on the solar install!)

gbaglo · 09-23-2021, 10:18 PM

To hide the tape, cut it at any other angle than 45 or 90 degrees. This makes it harder for the eye and brain to discern.

cpaharley2008 · 09-24-2021, 07:38 AM

How about an accent border frame. if you are handy........

TahoeJoe · 09-24-2021, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbaglo

To hide the tape, cut it at any other angle than 45 or 90 degrees. This makes it harder for the eye and brain to discern.

Great suggestion, I would have never thought of that...

TahoeJoe · 09-24-2021, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Centex

One option is to call or write ETI and ask for a quote to send you a few feet of the 'paneling seam tape' to match your (oak?) interior.

The tape itself is inexpensive, I paid $11USD to have 20 ft of it delivered in my trailer, it's a ~3" diameter by ~1" wide roll, so small for shipping / mailing (which still may run more than the cost of the tape).

Obviously it wont exactly match the grain pattern at every location, but unless looking very close it may be harder to spot than your 'hiccups'. On the tape the grain is parallel to the length (made for vertical seams), so you may need to try several strips side-by-side. Or, maybe you could use it to fashion a 'frame with mitered corners' covering the 'hiccups'.

Just for your consideration, Good Luck, Have Fun!

(Congrats on the solar install!)

Thanks I may just contact them today and see what they say...how thick is that tape?

CharlesinGA · 09-24-2021, 05:16 PM

Don't know what wood filler crayons would do but you might look at them at the Home Depot or Lowes or Menards or similar.

If that is the thin Luan plywood with the paper glued on it, it cuts rather easily with a box cutter. Measure and draw out the opening, and use a rigid steel straight edge (such as a carpenters square) and firmly hold it in place and make several repeated scores of the wood. I have done this a couple of times when I needed an exacting hole and it worked perfectly.

Charles

gbaglo · 09-24-2021, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CharlesinGA

Don't know what wood filler crayons would do but you might look at them at the Home Depot or Lowes or Menards or similar.

They don't work for this application. I tried that before I got the tape.

rubicon327 · 09-24-2021, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TahoeJoe

As part of my solar install, I'm mounting the battery monitor on the kitchen cabinet panel closest to the entry door. In cutting the hole for it, I had a little oopsie...my saw got a little out of control and cut too deep, and so now the hole has a gap on the top side...see attached pic. I'm looking for suggestions on how to deal with this and make the finished product look good...any ideas?

The only thing I can offer is to see if a buddy of mine can make you a custom backplate with his 3D printer.

rubicon327 · 09-26-2021, 05:19 PM

Joe: I can’t post pics in a PM so please see what we came up with here for 3D printing. It will be black to match the Renogy faceplate. It is designed with a flange that will sit in your opening and the tabs of the Renogy monitor should engage with. The outer dimensions of the faceplate will cover your goof and allows for a #4 screw in each corner.

rubicon327 · 09-28-2021, 02:07 PM

Joe: Here is what we came up with. Let me know your thoughts. PM me your address and you can try it out. If it needs some tweaks we can reprint it.

TahoeJoe · 09-28-2021, 02:39 PM

I think it looks awesome, I can't wait to try it out!

Now my wife is scared that I'm going to get into 3D printing...

cpaharley2008 · 09-28-2021, 02:43 PM

That is amazing, you can print/make those face plates?

rubicon327 · 09-28-2021, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

That is amazing, you can print/make those face plates?

Jim: Credit to my buddy who took my idea and dimensions and made a CAD file that was then imported to his 3D printer. Then the machine uses a spool of PLA (polylactic acid) which is heated to then “print” the product. I think each pass is .04” so each one took about an hour. Won’t look quite as good as a thermoformed plastic piece up close but if you step back a bit you’d never tell. Excuse for a couple of engineers to fool around. Pretty cool, huh?

cpaharley2008 · 09-28-2021, 03:38 PM

I'd be playing with that all day......

oldwave · 09-28-2021, 05:47 PM

The machine shop I do it work for has a commercial 3d printer. They also make some cool stuff for me when necessary. I’ll be working with them on a battery box mounting system that is serviceable.

dfandrews · 09-28-2021, 06:21 PM

That 3D print looks great. It's sure better than my solution. I switched solar controllers, and the new one's hole was a different configuration than the old, so I cut a rectangular piece of wood paneling big enough to cover the old hole, and larger than the new controller, then cut out the correct size hole for the new one. Beveled edges, sanded, painted black, then installed, it looked OK, but took a lot of time. I would have much rather sat and watched a 3D printer run for a while!

TahoeJoe · 09-28-2021, 06:33 PM

I can see it now: davesrvfaceplates.com

When I get this one installed I'll post an update w/pics...

rubicon327 · 09-28-2021, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TahoeJoe

I can see it now: davesrvfaceplates.com

When I get this one installed I'll post an update w/pics...

That has a decent ring to it.

I’m aiming to put it in the mail tomorrow.

TahoeJoe · 10-06-2021, 02:40 PM

Check out this solution, a custom 3d-printed faceplate to cover up the imperfections and also hold it in nice and snug. Many thanks to Dave for this! It was perfect, it just popped in on the first try...

Now I just need to cover up those nicks, I'll either use a wood filler, or the wood grain tape that ETI just told me they are sending to me today...

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