Changes Under the Floor
Several of my projects have involved the
underfloor compartments.
I added a water filtration system, added wiring for computer networking
and external satellite dish, and re-arranged the storage drawers for
much
better storage capacity.
Water filtration system: I started using the water system by merely connecting a hose to the spigot at the campground, running the water through an inline regulator and into the motorhome. I started trying to place the regulator at the motorhome end, but at one campground my hose started to bulge due to high pressure. I then placed the regulator on the faucet. A couple of problems I ran into was the
inline regulator does not have
a very good flow rate. Filling my tank was very slow, and
even taking
a shower was a system "overload". The water would start out
at a
good rate and pressure and gradually slow down as the Foretravel
supplied
accumulator would lose its pressure. I decided that a water
system
overhaul was in order.
At an FMCA rally, one of the vendors had a broad line of water products and I said that now was the time to do it right! I bought a good cartridge filter, a high-flow pressure regulator, several quick-connect fittings, and a 35 foot length of a very high quality hose with a rating of over 200 psi. I made a simple drop-in / lift-out mount for the filter bracket. This was simply a small rectangel of aluminum with a spacer plate under each end attached to the back wall of the utility compartment. The mounting flange of the filter bracket just drops into the slot created by the spacers. I glued a block of stiff foam below it to support the bottom of the filter housing. Now, while I am on a trip I keep the hose, filter, and regulator connected. I put a small shutoff valve on the end of the hose to protect the threads and keep everything clean. When I pull into a campground I just pull out as much hose as I need, remove the valve, and connect to the water supply. When we return home, I disconnect the hose, drain it, and connect the ends together to keep it all clean. This system provides us with clean, oderless
water at a good pressure
and flow. Hookup and unhook are quick and easy.
Compartment storage drawers: As I received the motorhome, there were two optional storage drawers installed. There was a large one installed in the main storage compartment on the driver's side. There was a smaller one on the passenger side over the propane tank. The problem I had with the larger drawer was
that the height of the
drawer limited the height of anything I put on the pull-out
tray.
This limitation affected the center witdth of the tray for it's full
length.
We usually carry an electric scooter for Betty. It was almost
impossible
to position it so it would clear the drawer as the tray was pulled out.
After some careful measuring, I decided I
could remove the small drawer
from over the propane tank and replace it with the larger one from the
main storage area (with very little clearance in any
direction).
I had to drill out the pop rivets that attached the slides to the
drawer,
and replace them with screws and locknuts after re-mounting the slides.
I remounted the smaller drawer in the battery
compartment. I was
lucky and was able to hit frame members with all my slide mounting
screws.
The final result is truly
remarkable. Without losing any drawer
storage volume, I have almost doubled what I can place in the main
storage
compartment. Betty's electric scooter will fit almost
anywhere I
choose to put it.
Satellilte and network wiring: Even though I have mounted a satetllite dish on the roof, and use it whenever I can get a clear shot, there are times when there is just no way to get a signal. For these times I can use an external dish and tripod. Initially I would unscrew the cable TV wire from the switch and attach it to my satellite receiver. Now I could attach the dish to the cable jack. Of course when in a park with cable, I had to reverse the process. I purchased a second phone/cable plate from
Foretravel. I then
modified it to include a Cat-5 network jack in place of the phone
jack.
I mounted this just above the original one then ran the
wires. The
network wire runs to the same location as the stock phone
jack. I
use this network connection when I visit my son, and when the rig is
parked
in my RV garage. Both these locations have high speed Intenet
access
available to me. Hopefully, more of my friends will get it in
the
future. The satellite dish cable runs to the center overhead
front
cabinet where my receiver is located.
In addition to these runs, I also ran the
phone cable and another network
cable across the coach to the base of the dinette table. I
can now
connect my computer and have a phone on either side of the coach
without
having wires in the way.
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Dick
Mason, Prescott, AZ 12/19/03
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