How to cover small hole in Campervan Roof

[PRW]

I've an aerial currently attached to the roof of a Peugeot Boxer PVC which I intend to remove in order to make space to add a further solar panel.
I need to find something to cover the hole permanently and something that is fairly flat as the rigid panel will be over the hole so there won't be that much height. Not sure at the moment the size of the hole as I haven't removed the aerial yet but it only is used for the cable entry so I don't think is too large. The hole is situated on a rib (not a channel) in the ribbed roof, so an aerial blanking plate which I know can be purchased isin't much good as those I've seen are too large. The rib is 7cm wide so something of that width/diameter is needed. Anyone done anything similar? Thanks.

 

[Richard n Ann]

What about cutting a 7cm piece of white acrylic and bonding it over the hole?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201300425193?mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&siteid=0&customid=link&campid=5338547443&toolid=20001&mkevt=1

 

[Howard B]

I would use a piece of 1 or 2 mm aluminium sheet cut to size & Sikaflex.

 

[ontheroadagain]

Or a piece of 2mm stainless steel plate cut to size and bonded to the roof?

 

[The Wino]

Or visit your local uPVC glazing company and look in their offcuts bin for a flat piece of white uPVC to bond on.

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[Gromett]

I would use a piece of 1 or 2 mm aluminium sheet cut to size & Sikaflex.

This would be my choice of solution. 1mm aluminium should suffice and sikaflex is a great adhesive. This repair should outlast the van.

Aluminium sheet can be got very cheaply off ebay in small sizes like required.

 

[pappajohn]

Depending on the size of the hole just fill it with sikaflex and smooth out an inch over the surrounding area.
As it will be under the panel it won't be subject to a lot of rain

 

[Phill D]

If you use the alloy I would also use a paint or similar to protect the surface long term, unless it already has a coating, as it has a tenancy to oxidise.
But it should not affect the bonding.

 

[Cush]

Would a blanking grommet work. The sort used to blank a whole in flat steel?

 

[PRW]

Thanks for replies everyone.
Your answers have actually helped me solve another problem with regards to putting an additional solar panel on the roof. I was struggling with finding a SP of the correct size and mountings that would work as the roof is ribbed. All the mountings available either meant I would have to cut down a mounting to size to fit and/or put a mounting in a channel which I didn't want to do for the obvious reasons.
It has occurred to me from the solutions provided for covering the hole that I could bond an aluminium sheet that covers just two ribs and a channel on the roof at either end. Now the water will still drain away along the channel beneath this base sheet and this base sheet can therefore now be used to attach the mountings. With the base sheet covering, the problems of solar panel size and mountings are no longer an issue as it gives me a wider area for the mountings.

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[Nanniemate]

This would be my choice of solution. 1mm aluminium should suffice and sikaflex is a great adhesive. This repair should outlast the van.

Aluminium sheet can be got very cheaply off ebay in small sizes like required.

Would a tin can lid not do the same job and possibly thre right size I know when I start thinking it's dangerous.....

 

[John Barrett]

A small piece of white Gorilla tape?

 

[Wack]

The do it in white, sticks like you wouldn't believe

 

[stevewagner]

The problem with using a plate is that you will then have two lots of fixings instead of one. I have fixed panels to ribbed roofs before without issue using aluminium angle instead of the normal fixing brackets. I used Silkaflex and self tapping screws making sure they are well coated with Silkaflex as well.