Phase 5 — Post-Cure, Expansion Cap & J-Box Soldering
Phase 5: Post-Cure, Expansion Cap & J-Box Soldering
Status: Planned — may change based on actual experience. This phase has not been executed yet. The steps below are the planned approach and will be revised once the work is underway.
1. Demold
Lift the panel off the melamine board. Flip it over. You will see the clay mounds on the back, with the flat bus wires sticking out.
2. Remove the Clay
Pick the clay out of the holes. It will peel away cleanly, leaving perfectly sealed, flush holes around the bus wires.
3. The Expansion Cap
Flip the panel back over (sun-side up). Run a smooth bead of marine silicone into the 1/16” empty gap between the cured resin and the top edge of the steel frame. Tool it smooth with a gloved finger. This flexible cap allows the steel to expand in the heat without cracking the rigid resin.
4. Mount the J-Box
Apply a thick bead of silicone adhesive to the flange of your direct-solder J-Box. Press it onto the back of the fiberglass panel, directly over the two wire exit holes, 2 inches away from the steel frame.
5. Solder
Trim the flat bus wires to length inside the J-Box and solder them directly to the terminal pads inside the box. Seal the J-Box lid.
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