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Old 01-01-2018, 06:15 PM   #1
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Running wires inside refrigerator compartment

I would like to install a battery monitor and move the EMS readout to above the refrigerator of my Escape 21. I'm trying to determine the best way to run the wires. I would like to do this without pulling the refrigerator. Has anyone done this?
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Old 01-01-2018, 07:21 PM   #2
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I would like to install a battery monitor and move the EMS readout to above the refrigerator of my Escape 21. I'm trying to determine the best way to run the wires. I would like to do this without pulling the refrigerator. Has anyone done this?
While I haven't installed anything there, I have pulled wires from the rear of the trailer to the front through the space above the refrigerator.

You can run the wires up the wall behind the corner pieces and then into the top cabinet above the driver side dinette seat. From there you can drill through the wall where the cabinet and fridge space meet. If you remove the black tank meter above the fridge, you will see a ~6 inch void between the top of the fridge and the bottom of the fiberglass roof. There is space there to do what you are considering.
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Old 01-01-2018, 07:58 PM   #3
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Put my inverter switch there this summer, I had to pull the fridge, but I have the old style fridge and as opposed to yours. I ran the wires up in the near left corner as you're looking at the fridge, same as some other wires. They were behind a thin strip of plywood that I removed and reinstalled. Also had plywood above the fridge, had to cut into that some.

You may be able to pull the fridge but twist it just before it comes all the way out, then push it back in some. This might give you enough room to work without fully removing it. Maybe.

I built up a platform so I could slide the fridge straight onto it without having to hold up the weight of the unit. Ours is a pretty tight fit.
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Old 01-01-2018, 10:43 PM   #4
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Running wires inside refrigerator compartment

Adding to #2, run the wires up the back, driver corner. I used a wire fish, sticking it into the upper corner of the cabinet above the bench, so I could retrieve its end below the cabinet, in the space behind the corner trim piece. After pulling the wire up into the upper cabinet, I ran them along the top, zip tying them to existing wires that were attached to the roof. If you remove the monitor panel, you should be able to run a stiff wire fish into the back corner above the fridge, coming out in the upper cabinet. I have small open corner cutouts there. Even if you don’t have cutouts, the wood is simply pushed up against the vinyl wall covering. You should be able to flex the vinyl and push past the edge of wood.
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Old 01-31-2018, 08:55 PM   #5
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Need help with upper cabinet construction

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Originally Posted by jking1224 View Post
Adding to #2, run the wires up the back, driver corner. I used a wire fish, sticking it into the upper corner of the cabinet above the bench, so I could retrieve its end below the cabinet, in the space behind the corner trim piece. After pulling the wire up into the upper cabinet, I ran them along the top, zip tying them to existing wires that were attached to the roof. If you remove the monitor panel, you should be able to run a stiff wire fish into the back corner above the fridge, coming out in the upper cabinet. I have small open corner cutouts there. Even if you don’t have cutouts, the wood is simply pushed up against the vinyl wall covering. You should be able to flex the vinyl and push past the edge of wood.
I was able to run my wires from the lower bench cabinet up behind the vinyl corner. However I was not able to get them into the upper cabinet. I was unable to get a fish tape up into the cabinet in the corner. Wires already run into the upper cabinet appeared to take a hard right angle just above the bottom of the upper cabinet. Did you remove the partition at the back of the upper side cabinet to get access to the corner?

I'm not clear on how the upper cabinets are constructed or supported. There appears to be a double bottom to the upper cabinets. If so, how far apart are they? Is there a strip of wood fiberglassed to the hull between the bottoms to support the shelves?

Does anyone have a picture of how the upper shelves are constructed and mounted?
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Old 02-26-2018, 04:19 PM   #6
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I would like to install a battery monitor and move the EMS readout to above the refrigerator of my Escape 21. I'm trying to determine the best way to run the wires. I would like to do this without pulling the refrigerator. Has anyone done this?
Just pull the fridge. There are four screws in the front and two in the back - disconnect the 12v, unplug the AC, and disconnect the gas line. It slides right out.

While the fridge is out, seal the bottom of the compartment. The pic below shows the wood under mine. Water had been getting in there from the gap between the two particle boards that made up the bottom. You can see where the water seepage starts right at where the two boards met.

So out comes the mold killer, seal the wood with urethane, and reinstall.

Pulling the fridge will make running the wires much easier and possibly save you some mold issues later on.
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Old 02-26-2018, 04:54 PM   #7
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That doesn't look like particle board to me. Looks like plywood.
Plywood would take great offense being described as particle board.
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Old 02-26-2018, 05:03 PM   #8
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Water had been getting in there from the gap between the two particle boards that made up the bottom. You can see where the water seepage starts right at where the two boards met.
The plywood is below the two white laminate particle boards that I removed. The first pic shows one of the white laminate particle boards still attached, the second has both boards removed.

Sorry for the confusion!
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Old 02-26-2018, 06:24 PM   #9
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TDF-Texas, water gets in from the outside grill? Your trailer is a 2017?
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Old 02-26-2018, 06:34 PM   #10
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TDF-Texas, water gets in from the outside grill? Your trailer is a 2017?
Yes and Yes

The fridge vent grill is not waterproof and rain can blow into the fridge compartment - that's why there is a drain connection in the floor of the fridge compartment that drains to the outside of the trailer. Because water can get in there, the "drain pan" needs to sealed and slope to the drain so the water doesn't stand.

Oh, and I am WAY off the original subject of the OP by now - my apologies.

I am installing a plexiglass drain pan to my trailer as well as sealing all exposed wood. That should take care of the problem.
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Old 02-26-2018, 06:55 PM   #11
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Charlie @ RV Widget Works | ,
made this for my outside vent, keeps rain out and no leaks
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Old 03-02-2018, 11:15 AM   #12
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Water had been getting in there from the gap between the two particle boards that made up the bottom.
When I make mistakes, I want to own up to them.

Those two "white particle boards" on the bottom of the fridge compartment are NOT wood. I finally took them out of the trailer into the sunlight, cleaned them up, and saw that they are sections of gelcoated fiberglass laminate - looks like they are sections of the leftover cutouts from the windows. Granted, they were not sealed and caused water to get to the plywood underneath them but they ARE fiberglass.

Thanks Glen (gbaglo) for pointing this out.
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Old 03-08-2018, 09:58 AM   #13
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Hi Cpaharley
Rain guard installed with double face tape?
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Old 03-08-2018, 10:36 AM   #14
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When I make mistakes, I want to own up to them.
Dang, I wanted to be the one to point that out first.
I tidied up inside my fridge cavity a bit too. No sign of any moisture issues though.

Rick, it would likely be possible to do what you want. Fishing through the cabinets at the top corner can be difficult but doable. I had to fish a couple cables (that did not go above the fridge) that had connectors on them that were too tight. I just drilled a decent sized hole with a hole saw in that bulkhead near the roof and front of cabinet. It does not affect storage, nor can you see it. The run the cable(s) along the top front of that cabinet to the fridge. I am not 100% positive, but quite sure, that you can then drill a hole at the front of that cabinet and hit the void above the fridge. If you remove the control panel you can see inside to determine the size of the void. It goes back to within about 8" (WAG) of the outside wall, behind it being the space the fridge vents to the roof. Measuring back from the cutout for the contral panel display will prove the depth.

That said, I have removed my fridge twice now, and like Tom said it is not that tough of a thing to do. While the fridge was out I ran an extra data cable in case I want to install a battery monitor display there.
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Old 03-08-2018, 11:05 AM   #15
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The fridge really does come out easily - and while your in there, maybe add some insulation to make the fridge work better. In the last pic, it shows where I ran my solar/monitor wiring - it's ran on the front left edge of the fridge cavity. I also made sure to leave a pull cord so I could add wiring later.
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Old 03-08-2018, 07:33 PM   #16
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Quote:
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The fridge really does come out easily - and while your in there, maybe add some insulation to make the fridge work better. In the last pic, it shows where I ran my solar/monitor wiring - it's ran on the front left edge of the fridge cavity. I also made sure to leave a pull cord so I could add wiring later.
I have been puzzling on how to add screening to the upper refrigerator vent. Did you add the screening shown in your picture, or is that installed by ETI?
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Old 03-08-2018, 07:37 PM   #17
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The screening was there when I bought the trailer - I assume Escape added it or it came with the vent.
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Old 03-08-2018, 08:24 PM   #18
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The screening is set into the plastic, as in welded, it is a part of the vent.
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