How To: Flat Mount Starlink 3 & Run It On 12v - No Cuts or Mods!

In this video, I dive into the details of how to flat mount Starlink 3 on the roof of my hand-built campervan, and run it on 12v with no cuts or mods to the starlink itself. I go through why I returned my Gen 2 Starlink (motorized Dishy) in place of a new Gen 3 Starlink, how I mounted the Starlink to my Flatline Van Co Roof Rack using a Trio Flatmounts Speedmount, and how I wired the Starlink to run off of my 12v battery bank so that it works while moving.
Channels Mentioned in this Video:
/ @timkatie
/ @seven_o_savage
Starlink Gen 3 Flatmount: www.trioflatmount.com/shop/p/...
Starlink Gen 3 12v Converter: www.trioflatmount.com/shop/p/...
Roof Rack: flatlinevanco.com/collections...
Starlink Gen 3: www.starlink.com/roam
Parts Needed for this install:
Scanstrut Cable Passthru: amzn.to/4cJflOU
Wago 3-way Lever Nuts (to connect cables): amzn.to/3vMNgFM
Wago 2-way Lever Nuts (to connect cables): amzn.to/3vBFhLP
12v Marine Grade 12AWG Cable: amzn.to/43QcQ9B
Klein Self-Adjusting Wire Stripper: amzn.to/3TZphwC
Van Build Resources:
engineerswhovanlife.com/
faroutride.com/
diyvan.com/
www.explorist.life/
Camera Equipment Used In This Video:
Sony A7sIII - amzn.to/49oaiAU
Sigma 14-24mm 2.8 - amzn.to/4cDT4SJ
Rode VideoMic NTG - amzn.to/4cHElWT
00:00 Introduction
02:28 Starlink 2 vs 3
05:12 Running Starlink Cable thru Roof
07:47 Attaching the Flat Mount
09:52 Mounting the Starlink
12:08 Installing the 12v Converter
20:20 Speed Test
21:43 Outro

[@kingdomfunding]

LOVED THIS VIDEO! GEN 3 all the WAY 🎉🎉🎉

[@towingwildoats]

I appreciate how easy this is to follow and understand with little electrical/technical experience. Thorough and to the point - thanks for the breakdown!

[@ryan_lecours]

Thank you for watching! ☺️

[@petersmith1534]

Excellent video! Thanks for this.

[@hammer-r]

Awesome video and on the power supply. I’m gonna order the gen. 3 and was going to buy a 12 to 120vac inverter to power it (very inefficient) as we have two lithium ion batteries and 800 watts of solar on the roof. So glad I ( or should I say the you tube algorithm) found this. As soon as I get my generator three I’ll order one of those supplies. Yea.

[@tommystravels]

Great video, answered a ton of questions that I had as I plan out my Gen3 12v install on a roof rack. Props on the video and thank you.

[@brettb9600]

Using a 200W dedicated inverter my tests show using the stock 120V power supply is 1-2W more efficient than the 12V-56V converter.

[@engineerswhovanlife]

Excellent tutorial Ryan!

[@ryan_lecours]

Thank you!!

[@powerstrokemaintenance]

💯

[@barroomhero4444]

I think it's interesting that Starlink finally went with PoE, makes things super easy. Have you thought about using velcro ties for your cable management? I would be nervous about zip ties pinching or fraying the insulator on the cable. Have you had any water leaks from all the mounts on your roof? I will have to pay attention when you come back home so I can take you out to lunch! I love this series and can't wait to see what you do in Cali! -Ched

[@ryan_lecours]

I’m psyched about the switch to PoE! The gen 2 cable was awful to deal with and was super fragile! I zip tied my solar cables to the side of my FVC roof rack, and haven’t had any issues with fraying yet, but a loop of electrical tape under the zip ties could also prevent that! And absolutely, sounds like a plan! I’ll be back east in late August!

[@marycoucoules4162]

Great video, thanks so much for posting. I've watched it like 3 times. I still get nervous when I drill holes in my van. I'm using a similar cable gland and I'm wondering if you could you tell me what size drill bit you used to drill the hole in the rubber gland? I appreciate your help.

[@ryan_lecours]

I get nervous still too! I don’t think I’ll ever shake the nervous 😅 but you can really use any drill bit as the rubber grommet covers something like a 2”x4” oval hole, there’s wiggle room for imperfections not to worry!

[@marycoucoules4162]

@@ryan_lecours thanks Ryan. I mounted mine and it is working great. Love it.

[@gregsutton2400]

I think this solution that does not depend on the stand rack cavity to hold and secure the antenna in motion make more sense.

[@ryan_lecours]

Totally! I showed the install around my roof rack setup (it’s a relatively popular roof rack), but trio flatmount makes magnetic (insanely strong) and suction cup (for glass roofs like Tesla) mounts too for folks with no roof rack!

[@davidtee7811]

Whats the peplink for? Using internet to broadcast as a mini celltower? A yt short/video explaining more would be sweet 👍

[@ryan_lecours]

Peplink is a rad cellular router :) it takes sim cards for a high data only cell plan and lets you configure/combine different networks, tether in starlink to combine cellular and satellite for virtually unbreakable internet, etc. This will be my next video (the ultimate guide to van life internet) - I’ll go over what you really need as a weekend warrior, casual browser, full time worker (my case), or how to get the best internet possible (often better than home internet).

[@kristinakurcinka8250]

Does Gen 3 work in the trees any better than previous versions?

[@ryan_lecours]

The startup time for Gen 3 is ~3 minutes compared to 15 mins for Gen 2 which I feel can be attributed to a better dish. As far as working in trees, I haven’t tested it in heavily wooded areas yet as I typically leverage solar power to offset the 5amps starlink consumes on 12v. I’ll create an update video as I move into more wooded areas up in Washington State this spring!

[@Chrismarquez7]

What size battery do you have and how many watts are your solar panels?

[@ryan_lecours]

I have 824ah of 12v lithium batteries from SOK batteries and 540w of solar (which I’ve found is a great electrical setup for full time van life, albeit a bit expensive for those on a budget) - I’m filming a video now for a few different use cases for electrical systems for van builds (weekend warrior, budget full timer, full time job with van life, gamer etc). The gen 3 starlink on 12v does make me more conscious of electrical draw even with 824ah of battery… might not recommend for systems less than 200ah where the user is working a full time job over internet.

[@hammer-r]

What does the pep link thing do? Tks.

[@ryan_lecours]

It’s a form of a cellular WiFi router, next video will have a full explanation and comparison of the peplink vs starlink vs mobile hotspots etc!

[@hammer-r]

@@ryan_lecours awesome can’t wait for that. Many thanks for the videos and the education. Really appreciate. It.

[@TheShaggy1960]

Thanks Ryan!

[@43bobbyg]

Can this be used with a generation 2 dish?

[@ryan_lecours]

Unfortunately this video is specifically for the gen 3 dish, largely to avoid having to cut open and splice wires for the gen 2 dish (required for Gen 2)

[@pchris6662]

Yeah well, it does look pretty clean, but at almost $300 for four pieces of plastic I’ll pass.

[@ryan_lecours]

The big issue is finding something that secures the starlink dish without damaging/modifying it and not blocking the front face of it. Where this mount solves all of those issues, is lightweight, study and designed to last, I think it’s perfectly worth the price. If you can find a better alternative for cheaper without compromising quality, do share!

[@MNHemiGuy]

$300.00? Yikes...hope its not made from PLA! A few min of time in fusion or even tinkercad, I could spit that mount out on my X1 Carbon printer in ASA filament for about $5.00 worth of fillament + $5.00 for some SS hardware. Nice setup though.