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Budward View Drop Down
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Posts: 438 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: 12 volt outlet
    Posted: 03 May 2014 at 5:40pm
Originally posted by OhTallMan

Originally posted by Budward

No one is removing wall panels!
 AFAIK they are bonded to the frame in a vacuum process.

Thanks for your thoughtful short remarks, but that doesn't answer the question.

I'd like to place some 12v outlets and am not sure how/where to run the wires. A polite and helpful answer from someone who has completed such a project would be appreciated.


In my best Steve Martin impersonation-   Well EXCUUUUSSE me! 
 By all means run them through your wallsBig smile
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fwunder View Drop Down
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Posts: 1676 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2014 at 5:54pm
Just to add to what Marwayne offered, there actually are a number of "panels" and access points through interior (bathroom) walls via vent at bottom of door, plumbing access panel (178) and panels at bottom of galley and even removing speakers or stereo unit gives interior bathroom wall access in my 178. The exterior walls are solid as is the floor.

Just a quick tip if you do remove any of the "panels" - they are all pretty thin 1/8" luan so it doesn't take much to hold them in place.  It's very easy to over tighten fasteners, so go easy. If you are cutting a hole, probably a good idea to use a hole saw for a clean cut rather than a spade bit. If you can hold a piece of scrap wood on the backside of your hole cutout, it may help make a cleaner hole. When I have cut other shapes in the luan, I use a sharp utility knife and patience.

As Marwayne has stated in the past, I've found course thread (drywall) screws to hold well in the solid walls. I will add a drop or two of adhesive when I can and I don't intend to remove. For the hollow walls and depending on the weight of what I am installing, I'll use a course screw, small molley or have even added a backing plate inside the wall.

I know that's a lot more than you asked for. Hope it helps.

Most importantly, just go slow and use all the common sense you got and don't forget to use the great search feature in this forum!

fred
2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits
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Posts: 767 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2014 at 9:11pm
Originally posted by OhTallMan

When you folks are adding these 12V outlets in various places, are you running wires through walls, underneath the unit, or what? If through walls, how easy/hard is it to remove wall panels to do so?

I'd recommend not removing wall panels.  It'll be a world of pain to get them back together.  And, I'd avoid going under the trailer because of all the obstructions: the floor is insulated and the holding tanks are in the way; also, you'll be making holes in the protective membranes - sure, you'll silicone them up after you've run the wires, but that'll deteriorate in a couple years.

In my 171, I've installed all outlets on the street side of the trailer, which is the side the converter is located, and for the most part I've run the wiring along the same path for existing wiring installed by the factory.  I've installed:
  • Two outlets below the countertop, close to one of the 120v outlets.  I can plug something in there and set it on the counter - that's usually where I plug my cell phone in at night.
  • Two in the dinette seat beside where the converter is located (so... they're below knee level).  The outlets are tucked near the front corner of the trailer - that way, I can plug something (usually bluetooth speakers or my tablet) in and run the cord up to the table with little chance of getting tangled in the cord as I move about.
  • One near the head of the bed, on the interior wall against the fridge, close to the corner with the outside wall, about 10" above the mattress.  In this case, I was easily able to feed wires from the converter, behind the furnace, and through the back of the cupboards/drawers using existing holes used for factory wiring.  The wire then goes up behind the fridge into the exterior access compartment; this brings it above the mattress.  It was quite easy to drill a hole for the 12v outlet through the interior wall and make the connections.
I suggest that you just look around your trailer a bit, open a few access panels, pull out a few drawers, and get down on your hands and knees.  Be creative.  Think things through for ease-of-installation and ease-of-use before running a single wire or drilling a single hole.

Oh - one more thing: for exterior power, I got creative/lazy.  I installed a waterproof 12v outlet on the side of the battery box and connected the wires directly to the battery.  That outlet is handy for plugging in my macerator pump, for plugging in an air pump to inflate the tires, for plugging in a 12v impact wrench to remove the wheels, and I'll occasionally plug in a boom box.  Its actually very handy, and I'll likely do a similar install on every trailer I buy in the future.
Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150
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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
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Posts: 1446 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2014 at 10:21pm
This has been pretty well covered.  The only thing I can add is that if you don't particularly care where the 12v outlet is, your job will be a lot easier.  I'd start at the fuse box and see what you can do easily.  If you can get by with an outlet close to the box there may be almost nothing to it.

Most, if not all, of the interior walls are hollow and flimsy.  It's not hard to get behind them but you have to be careful or you can mess things up.  On my 176 the fuse box is at the bottom of the entertainment center and there is a lot of hollow wall there.  I'd snake wires through rather than remove the panels if at all possible.

I have run wires through the walls, so at least one of us does.

I haven't installed a 12v outlet because I haul around a jumper box that has a 12v outlet on it.  It will run just about anything for as long as I want, and I can move it wherever I need it.  And if I run the TV or the pod battery down I've got essentially got a spare.  I keep it plugged into shore power whenever possible to keep it ready to go.

TT
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OhTallMan View Drop Down
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Posts: 11 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2014 at 11:26pm
Good tips and ideas. Thanks so much for the advice.
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Posts: 217 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2014 at 6:54am
On the 178, I'd would run wiring under the shower from the fuse panel back to under the edge of the bed for a 12 volt plug. That would be the easiest. On the '14 178 the inverter/fuse panel is just inside the entry door, at the base of the shower wall.
Darryl, Julie & Lindsey
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