Bathroom Medicine Cabinet Retrofit

[freespirit]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

I haven't entirely figured this out yet. I was thinking a tight fit within the two wall layers, some screws through the surrounding flange into the fiberglass wall liner (the mirror front sits off the flange a bit when closed enough to clear screw heads) and caulk around the perimeter. The wardrobe had shelving from the factory so maybe there is some reinforcement I can leverage? Haven't investigated the wall very closely yet.
For this install I will likely go through each layer individually so I guess my motto is going to be "Measure four times and cut twice"!

You might study some of those build pics of the internal wall bracing if you haven't already. Looking at some build pics on the forum , there might be a vertical brace about a foot from the hull that you might end up cutting...

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by freespirit

you might study some of those build pics of the internal wall bracing if you haven't already, looking at some build pics on the forum , there might be a vertical brace about a foot from the hull that you might end up cutting...

Does anyone have any photos of a classic 19 wardrobe wall? I looked through about 100 pages out of 300 of the It's Friday thread and the bathroom area was always finished off in the photos. I assume this is because the bath shell is so big its inside when the mold is sealed together and quickly put in place to get it out of the way.

[freespirit]

Escape 19 classic

[cpaharley2008]

If you can avoid cutting the vertical and mount it within the square framing by the door it would be perfect....

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

True. Probably only about an inch or so though. I fed a wire through the wardrobe wall into the bath behind the light when I did the bath fan upgrade and don't remember it being much.

If the bath liner is tight to the framing in the photo that fs posted, then you could easily slip 3/4" fillers into that space, and probably just glue them in, clamping them in place while the glue sets, and use these to screw into for support. A couple screws from the closet side will likely work best if needed at all, as the flange of the cabinet will hold the bath liner tight to the framing.

Screws inside the cabinet attached to the sides will actually provide better support too, essentially hanging the cabinet. This is how we install them in homes all the time.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by freespirit

Escape 19 classic

Thanks! I found a few others too after an exhausting look through the entire 300+ pages of the It's Friday thread. So nice to have build photos of the guys to help with planning and avoid surprises.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Thanks! I found a few others too after an exhausting look through the entire 300+ pages of the It's Friday thread. So nice to have build photos of the guys to help with planning and avoid surprises.

So nice to have build photos of the guts

Thanks JimB and Jim. I will try to plan for install using the existing wall framing as a guide. It looks like this might land in the upper left area. Would rather not cut the vertical bracing. Just might have to relocate the bath light.

[ReagentGrade]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Snuck in a GFI weatherproof outlet within the cabinet for hair dryer use, etc. Will most likely power this off the dedicated circuit that is now free from the removal of the overhead A/C unit (in favor of our mini-split that is powered off another breaker I added).

Dave, I don't personally have a need for an outlet in the bathroom (DW may disagree), but I'm going to add an extension pump switch in the medicine cabinet of my new trailer. I'll use a momentary contact switch, wired in parallel with the one on the tank monitor panel. ETI won't do this for me, but they are willing to run the wiring so I can do it for myself.

I generally leave the pump off and turn it on only when actually needed. Often I forget to turn it on when I need to go. This switch solves that problem! I can go anytime and pump anytime too!

Rich

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by ReagentGrade

I generally leave the pump off and turn it on only when actually needed. Often I forget to turn it on when I need to go. This switch solves that problem! I can go anytime and pump anytime too!

Rich

Rich, this has been mentioned before where folks normally leave their pump turned off. For the life of me I can't figure out why, so thought maybe you would shed light on your reason to do this. I leave mine on the whole time I am set up camping with no issues ever. The pump only runs when the pressure drops, and that would be only when a valve is opened. It might if there was a slight leak in a tap, but that would be a good indicator that servicing is needed.

I would sure hate to go use my exterior tap only to find the pump was not on.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by ReagentGrade

I'll use a momentary contact switch, wired in parallel with the one on the tank monitor panel.

I generally leave the pump off and turn it on only when actually needed. Often I forget to turn it on when I need to go. This switch solves that problem! I can go anytime and pump anytime too!

Rich

Brilliant solution for those of use who don't leave the pump on full time.

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Rich, this has been mentioned before where folks normally leave their pump turned off. For the life of me I can't figure out why, so thought maybe you would shed light on your reason to do this.

When water's plentiful you can run the tap till your hearts delight. But once you're doing a lot of travelling water conservation comes more into play. On our boat we shut down the pressure system and only use hand pumps. Haven't put a hand pump in the trailer but it'd be handy for water conservation. Also, you can control how much water is used to flush the toilet.

We did have a little situation a couple of years ago in another RV. It had a high end side lever kitchen faucet. It operated very easily, too easily. Must have been the road bumps but it opened enough to pump the tank dry. Didn't hear it because of the hum of the V-10.

So, to me, a touch button in the head makes a lot of sense for water conservation.

Ron

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

When water's plentiful you can run the tap till your hearts delight. But once you're doing a lot of travelling water conservation comes more into play. On our boat we shut down the pressure system and only use hand pumps. Haven't put a hand pump in the trailer but it'd be handy for water conservation. Also, you can control how much water is used to flush the toilet.

We did have a little situation a couple of years ago in another RV. It had a high end side lever kitchen faucet. It operated very easily, too easily. Must have been the road bumps but it opened enough to pump the tank dry. Didn't hear it because of the hum of the V-10.

So, to me, a touch button in the head makes a lot of sense for water conservation.

Ron

I understand the need to conserve water where you don't have access to a fresh supply. We are actually very water conscious camping, just one of the reasons we usually do a sponge bath instead of a shower. However, if you just use what you need, electric or hand pump makes no difference.

We do usually turn off the water while under way, just not at camp. Seeing you are a handy guy, why not do a fix or replacement on your defective tap?

I haven't grasped the concept of how a momentary switch would save water in the toilet. It is still using the water pump the same, it just goes off right away.

Anyway, I know others think some of my ideas are overboard or not necessary. I get that. Some things I seem to do for the fun of doing that. But, I will be continuing to leave the pump on while camped into the future.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I understand the need to conserve water where you don't have access to a fresh supply. We are actually very water conscious camping, just one of the reasons we usually do a sponge bath instead of a shower. However, if you just use what you need, electric or hand pump makes no difference.

We do usually turn off the water while under way, just not at camp. Seeing you are a handy guy, why not do a fix or replacement on your defective tap?

I haven't grasped the concept of how a momentary switch would save water in the toilet. It is still using the water pump the same, it just goes off right away.

Anyway, I know others think some of my ideas are overboard or not necessary. I get that. Some things I seem to do for the fun of doing that. But, I will be continuing to leave the pump on while camped into the future.

Sorry Jim, but I've just had too many years of cruising and travelling etc. in areas where a water source was iffy or it was a precious commodity to agree with you.

First of all, the easy to open faucet was on a CruiseAmerica vehicle we were delivering. If it was my unit you can be assured it would have been repaired. Of course, since we always turn the water pump off, it never would have happened again.

If you run into a fire hydrant how much water spurts out? Lots, I think. If you had the good fortune, sort of, to run into a fire hydrant that had the underground connection turned off how much water would spurt out? Not a lot.

The toilet and other water use water conservation works the same way. If you brush your teeth when the water pump is off you get a low, much more controlled flow. Same as the toilet. You don't always need a large amount of water to flow in for every flush.

But I like the idea of the momentary switch because sometimes in the bathroom you umm, need a full flush.

Ron

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Sorry Jim, but I've just had too many years of cruising and travelling etc. in areas where a water source was iffy or it was a precious commodity to agree with you.

First of all, the easy to open faucet was on a CruiseAmerica vehicle we were delivering. If it was my unit you can be assured it would have been repaired. Of course, since we always turn the water pump off, it never would have happened again.

If you run into a fire hydrant how much water spurts out? Lots, I think. If you had the good fortune, sort of, to run into a fire hydrant that had the underground connection turned off how much water would spurt out? Not a lot.

The toilet and other water use water conservation works the same way. If you brush your teeth when the water pump is off you get a low, much more controlled flow. Same as the toilet. You don't always need a large amount of water to flow in for every flush.

But I like the idea of the momentary switch because sometimes in the bathroom you umm, need a full flush.

Ron

Check our box only turning on water pump when needed always have done it that way for all the reasons stated . Taking a break from this bath install and don't want anymore wiring to do for awhile , but sure would love a pump switch in the bath . More on this saga later . Pat

[MyronL]

I'm wondering if instead of cutting a big hole over the sink for that recessed cabinet it might be better to remove the wall light and use its holes as anchor points for a medicine cabinet sitting in front of the wall. A three inch protrusion into the room looks like no big deal.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by MyronL

A three inch protrusion into the room looks like no big deal.

As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Only 3" you say. To my wife I know that she would see it as a huge intrusion. She already told me she didn't want a small shelf by the sink or anything else that took up interior space. Oh well, shouldn't complain, that saved me a mod to do.

The only hope of my getting that cabinet in the bathroom is to flush mount it. $29 at Lowes in the US and $49 here.

Ron

[MyronL]

I really like that Lowes plastic medicine cabinet. If I follow through with this mod my first move would be to add trim around the case outside and plan to employ the holes already there for the shower head and the wall light.

Cutting a big rectangle hole in the wall just to recess the unit over a sink seems too draconian and un-reversable a move for me. Of course, we all await Rubicon's pictures. Wouldn't be my first time swayed by a great picture.

[ReagentGrade]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Rich, this has been mentioned before where folks normally leave their pump turned off. For the life of me I can't figure out why, so thought maybe you would shed light on your reason to do this. I leave mine on the whole time I am set up camping with no issues ever. The pump only runs when the pressure drops, and that would be only when a valve is opened. It might if there was a slight leak in a tap, but that would be a good indicator that servicing is needed.

I would sure hate to go use my exterior tap only to find the pump was not on.

Jim, maybe I'm a control freak! Or maybe just a noobee. I just feel more secure knowing the pump is off. Maybe beside I'm in a 40-year old trailer. (But it does have modern PEX plumbing.)

Rich

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by ReagentGrade

Jim, maybe I'm a control freak! Or maybe just a noobee. I just feel more secure knowing the pump is off. Maybe beside I'm in a 40-year old trailer. (But it does have modern PEX plumbing.)

Rich

As long as you recognize your weirdness, all is good.

I know lots of folks on well water that use a pump and pressure tank to pressurize their home systems. They leave them on all the time, except when they go away for a good length of time, just as others turn water off in their homes.

[rubicon327]

Well, let me say this...not for the faint of heart, but it did turn out great. Got it located in the perfect spot and leveraged the existing wall support framing on both sides. Needed to use dremel to cut out the panels and then jigsaw to trim framing. Took out one small horizontal piece of wall framing. Went with screws on the inside and into the framing on the sides to secure, plus it rests on the layers of fiberglass and wall paneling at the bottom. It is also a very snug fit into the wall because I didn't oversize the hole. No additional blocking was added.

It does not protrude too deeply at all into the wardrobe and it sits nicely against the wall in the bath with only an inch or so protruding. The protrusion lines up well with the door frame edge. If you didn't know better you might think this was factory installed. I definitely would not wall mount it. It would protrude too far into the bath and you could hit the edge of the mirror as you walk in. Also when you are standing in front of it the swing of the door would be too awkward if it were out further. I don't show it but it swings toward the outer wall so you can access the cabinet while standing outside the bath as well.

Had to relocate the light and the shower head holder but no big deal.

Next step will be to wire the outlet...

[Ron in BC]

Nicely done. Your photos will be a big help to anyone else doing this mod and I imagine there will be several.

Now, I just have to convince the wife that it doesn't take up any space in the bathroom and it protrudes only a minor amount in the closet.

Ron