Padawan’s Life

[brroberts]

Found an unrequested hot 12v drop in the stove cabinet while installing the cooktop. It had bad crimps and the positive wire had exposed strands. I shut off 12v, cut out the bad, and ran it back through the bulkhead under the bed. I used the existing ETI wire clips and installed an LED light in the under bed storage. I left enough wire so I could lay the light on the floor if I need to remove the bed panels. Picture included.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by brroberts

Found an unrequested hot 12v drop in the stove cabinet while installing the cooktop. It had bad crimps and the positive wire had exposed strands. I shut off 12v, cut out the bad, and ran it back through the bulkhead under the bed. I used the existing ETI wire clips and installed an LED light in the under bed storage. I left enough wire so I could lay the light on the floor if I need to remove the bed panels. Picture included.

The Suburban SDS2 had a 12V connection for the igniter. That’s probably why it was there. Should have been safed off properly. Good idea for repurposing of the circuit.

[WillyB]

Originally Posted by brroberts

Found an unrequested hot 12v drop in the stove cabinet while installing the cooktop. It had bad crimps and the positive wire had exposed strands. I shut off 12v, cut out the bad, and ran it back through the bulkhead under the bed. I used the existing ETI wire clips and installed an LED light in the under bed storage. I left enough wire so I could lay the light on the floor if I need to remove the bed panels. Picture included.

It must be something about Escape that draws creative people.

[JeffreyG]

That area under the bed sure could use a light. Good idea.

[brroberts]

Originally Posted by JeffreyG

That area under the bed sure could use a light. Good idea.

This is the first RV I’ve owned that hasn’t had such a light, so it’s been a plan since we ordered the trailer. When I found the hot wires with exposed strands that I needed to move and deal with anyway, it was only about twenty more minutes to just hang the light.

[brroberts]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Even the A/C?! Did you end up with the Coleman Mach 10 NDQ?

Yes, I got the Coleman with soft start and heat strip. Been using the heat strip some. It works great. The Coleman is pretty big for the trailer, but it on low and the Houghton 9500 on high have similar noise and output levels. It was an easy no brainer for me once the Coleman came back into availability for ETI. One less thing I had to do to make it built by me.

[brroberts]

Putting in a light on the other side of under bed storage. Accumulator just needs a trip to town for a hose to make a cleaner install. Plan to put small hatch for driver’s side under bed storage access. Pictures later when I have the odds and ends done. It’s nice to be done with the boat and car work and be back on the trailer. Trying to meet a few deadlines to go camping.

I found my first example of poor wiring while looking for 12V on the drivers side to install the light. Two butt connectors in a 6” length of wire to the water heater. I’ll have to add that to a list of things to do. The crimps did look nicely done.

[brroberts]

I have the accumulator done, but no pictures yet for a write up.

I put reflective tape on rear bumper.

I swapped CH751 lock on the exterior hatch for one that is keyed alike for the added exterior hatch and the two front box padlocks. I have a coupler lock with the same key also. Five locks, one key. I used Paclock (Pacific Lock); they sell on Amazon.

I installed a small exterior rear driver’s side hatch. I moved the water heater thermostat to keep from cutting it. I’ll rehang it later. I did not like the one loose screw hang job by ETI anyway. I did have to add some 1 X 2 blocking for screws and bolts. I don’t have blocking pictures yet, but will add them. The hatch sits just below the bed framing and just rearward of the water heater framing. There is not much space, so be sure before you cut. I’ll add a light on that side too. Since I did not have a lot of room between the electrical inlet, marker light, and water heater, I used a dremel with a spiral (RotoZip) bit to cut. This will make that far corner under the bed more accessible. I did not have quite the right hardware to finish this, so you’ll notice it’s not quite done, but close.

I asked ETI about this hatch, but it was a no go, so I added it.

Pictures below including info on the hatch.

[Centex]

Thanks for the pic of the hatch label, I note it's LCI per the ETI OE hatches and see 'Johnsons Building Supply" but google yields countless hits on that name. Could you please post a link to your source for the hatch?

I'm interested in trying to find an 'OE matching LCI-branded' hatch of a different size, though a build-to-spec hatch of a different brand is possible.

Thanks in advance!

(all is looking good, you're obviously Having Fun! )

[brroberts]

Not sure about fun; I’d rather be using it, but we are headed out soon, and I want the under bed stuff mostly done before I put the mattress on it.

Here’s the hatch:

https://factoryrvsurplus.com/collect...r-12-x-9-white

I’ve been RVing all my life, so I have a pretty good idea of what I want. Sometimes I won’t mod until I’ve used something a while, but in this case, some things are just givens for me.

The one under bed mod I’m not doing right now is the indoor electric water heater switch. I just don’t think I have time before we head out.

[brroberts]

I installed a small accumulator. Used a 20” hose from the pump and cut a piece of PVC hose as a chafe guard just in case. Used the factory pump outlet hose to go out of the accumulator and into the water line. I used a bicycle pump to pressurize it to 30lbs. I set a small pice of 1 X 4 down to rest the accumulator as I started the screws. It is below and beside the pump on the same wall. Pretty quick and easy job.

I started my version of the milk crate under bed storage. I have a little to finish, but the picture shows the idea. I used 3/8” X 6” plastic trim lumber as the slide. I ripped one down the middle for the left / right slides and placed a full width one in the middle. I used PVC 1x2’s to make guide rails. I just screwed them to the slides. I have four milk crates a side zip tied together. Because I wanted low friction slides, I do still have to construct the lock to keep them from ending up in the aisle on hard stops.

[brroberts]

Next project is Froli for bed. Picture when done. Then I’ll put the Lagan mount in our dinette. I’ll link to a separate thread on the Lagan like I did for the Dickinson. The Lagan mount will be whatever I figure out using the scrap wood, steel, and aluminum I have on hand. I might buy a little “good wood” for trimming it out, but trim may also have to wait until after this trip.

[WillyB]

Ambitious work from a man with a sinus infection.

[MVA]

Originally Posted by brroberts

Next project is Froli for bed. Picture when done. Then I’ll put the Lagan mount in our dinette. I’ll link to a separate thread on the Lagan like I did for the Dickinson. The Lagan mount will be whatever I figure out using the scrap wood, steel, and aluminum I have on hand. I might buy a little “good wood” for trimming it out, but trim may also have to wait until after this trip.

Thanks in advance for posting this modification. I am interested in how to support the Lagon mount to the trailer on a E19.

[brroberts]

Over the years I’ve used various underlayments for boat and RV cushions / mattresses. I’ve never tried Froli, but seen good reviews, so I decided to use it in the E19 bed.

I cut it to fit where needed with sn old cheap pair of tin snips. I screwed it down in 8 places conforming to the ETI access panels. I can remove any access panel without disturbing the entire Froli. I may regret that given temp swings, but I think there is enough play. It’s the low 60’s here now, so a good compromise between 20 - 100F, and I only used a few screws.

I took pictures when mostly done to show the layout and how I trimmed and fit it to the ETI panels.

It took a couple of hours from unboxing to done.

Pictures:

[brroberts]

I’ll try again to attach pictures. Not sure why it’s not working this time.

[brroberts]

It was my Dometic internet!

[JeffreyG]

Does the Froli make any difference in the feel of the bed?

I told my wife the Escape-19 bed was very 'Goldilocks'.....in that the mattress was waaaaaay too hard and the pillows (that my wife bought) were waaaaaay too soft. No sign of baby bear.

I had a 2.5" memory foam from our old hybrid (because mattresses that can fold in half basically suck by their nature) and I put that on the Escape mattress. But it's still a little hard to me. Now it feels like a rock covered in velvet.

[brroberts]

Don’t know before and after. I just decided Froli this time and just took the mattress out of plastic and put it on the bed for the first time literally just now.

[brroberts]

Since tightening all off the battery connections the lights no longer flicker. Pretty amazing. I still hope to get a proper fuse close to the batteries soon.