New to campers 19' scamp "fifth wheel"

[Steve Hammel]

Originally Posted by Jared J

I would think naval jelly would work well also.

I'm talking deep deep rust stain that rubbing compound, barkeepers friend, CLR, etc wouldn't touch.

[Jared J]

Well, the next few days are supposed to be bad weather, so I pulled all the doors off the cabinets so I could get them inside to prime them.

While I was there, I spent an hour shuffling things around, trying to figure out how to fit it all in. I think it's close.

I'll have to put a new fill port on the tank, and make a plate to block off the old water filler on the camper. The stock location won't work at all, and the fill port would have to be in the taillight to use the one on the tank. Oh well.

I also think I can squeeze the new electrical box in there.

[Jared J]

Originally Posted by Steve Hammel

I'm talking deep deep rust stain that rubbing compound, barkeepers friend, CLR, etc wouldn't touch.

Naval jelly is a rust remover, never tried it on fiberglass, though. Evapo-rust might work also. It does wonders on metal.

[Steve Hammel]

You could put it in the middle of the back that is currently open. Then make your dinette with U shaped seating. It's a popular modification and easy. You just have to shorten your table, but the water weight would be a lot more evenly distributed.

[Steve Hammel]

My Bad, I just noticed that you have 2 big fresh water tanks.

[Jared J]

Originally Posted by Steve Hammel

My Bad, I just noticed that you have 2 big fresh water tanks.

Yep, and later on, I'm modifying the back of it for a huge hatch to get all my kayaks inside.

[Steve Hammel]

Is this big enough for kayaks?



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[KamperBob]

Originally Posted by Jared J

I'll have to put a new fill port on the tank, and make a plate to block off the old water filler on the camper. The stock location won't work at all, and the fill port would have to be in the taillight to use the one on the tank. Oh well.

I mounted the same door water at the same level. Hindsight is 20/20. It's not worth moving now but if I did the mod again I'd place it differently. Go forward under one of the base cabinets and high enough so sloshing water can't escape the vent. Six inches might be enough. A foot should definitely do the trick.

It'd take a longer fill neck tube. And it'd be one side of the other near the middle not the end. So for filling at dump stations the road side seems better.

Others have gone double tanks with separate fills. I honestly wonder how that works. If both are connected they must equalize eventually. A second fill on the other side could offer more flexibility. Maybe at home one's driveway is such that curb side would be easier for example.

Just a few cents to noodle over...

[Jared J]

I wanted to move it higher. The problem is, the water heater prevents it on one side, and the fridge does on the other. I *may* be able to weasel it around the water heater, but the old breaker box has to be moved first to find out. If it has to stay where it is, I was going to use the filling adapter on a hose, to reach right into the tank for filling. I was going to run the vent hose from the tank, under the cabinet to the top of it, then back down and out to the vent.

[KamperBob]

Originally Posted by Jared J

I wanted to move it higher. The problem is, the water heater prevents it on one side, and the fridge does on the other. I *may* be able to weasel it around the water heater, but the old breaker box has to be moved first to find out. If it has to stay where it is, I was going to use the filling adapter on a hose, to reach right into the tank for filling. I was going to run the vent hose from the tank, under the cabinet to the top of it, then back down and out to the vent.

We're in the same boat. The standard layout with low base cabinets ahead of the dinette is great for openness and counter space. But as you pointed out it limits some wiring and plumbing considerations. I gave my breather line a generous extension loop which limits sloshing somewhat but adding a head-trap would be even better. (I did notch the seat brace in order to mount the fill door an inch higher. It would've been even sloshy-er if I hadn't.) Rock on!

[Steve Hammel]

Originally Posted by KamperBob

We're in the same boat. The standard layout with low base cabinets ahead of the dinette is great for openness and counter space. But as you pointed out it limits some wiring and plumbing considerations. I gave my breather line a generous extension loop which limits sloshing somewhat but adding a head-trap would be even better. (I did notch the seat brace in order to mount the fill door an inch higher. It would've been even sloshy-er if I hadn't.) Rock on!

Do they make tanks with baffles in them?

[Jared J]

Originally Posted by Steve Hammel

Do they make tanks with baffles in them?

Not that I've found. I think with running the vent hose under the sink cabinet, and up to the top of it, then back down and out to the water fill, it should stop it. We'll see. Worst comes to worst, it won't lose that much. The main reason I want it high is because of the 20 gallon tank on the other side. If the camper is sitting crooked, I don't want it draining the left 20 gallon tank into the right 20 gallon tank, and pushing it out the vent. I'm going to tee the two tank vents together, before it runs up under the cabinet.

[KamperBob]

I'm not aware of water tanks with baffles either. (If Tank Depot didn't have them, who would?)

Dual 20 gallon tanks? Wow!

[Brian B-P]

An option for tank filling is to tee into the pump suction line (between the tank and pump inlet) with a line to a "city water inlet" in the trailer wall. You would only be able to fill from a pressurized source (no pouring in from a jug), but the inlet can be at any height; this is the solution in my motorhome to having a slideout over the fresh water tank which makes a gravity fill port impractical. A single inlet can be used for both filling the tank and using a campsite's water service directly, with a diverter valve; this is the configuration in my motorhome.

[Jared J]

Upholstery is back! I'm very happy with it. Thank god it turned out right. I temporarily threw the benches and table in, to see how it all looked.

I decided all the doors and the fridge will be a matching green, and the fiberglass will be left alone, if I can polish it up nice. I might even floor polish it.

My dad offered to make new cabinet doors, I might take him up on that. I think he's bored.

[Steve Hammel]

Looks nice! What was the final tally? You mentioned earlier that by reusing your old foam it was going to be considerably cheaper, was that the case? Great job anyhow.

[Jared J]

Originally Posted by Steve Hammel

Looks nice! What was the final tally? You mentioned earlier that by reusing your old foam it was going to be considerably cheaper, was that the case? Great job anyhow.

It was $1200+tax, the new foam would have been $4-500 more. Expensive, but high quality vinyl that's easy to clean and will last for years. They did a great job.

[Jared J]

I've been working 12 hour days, so I haven't done much. I took today off, and spent way too long trying to figure out where to stuff everything. The converter is giving the most problems with logistics. I think I have it figured out, providing I can install it upside down. I have an email in to progressive dynamics to see what they say about it. This will let me use the existing main power cord and AC wire. The ac wire is under the ensolite (wall covering), so I don't want to have to mess with it. The main power cord could be replaced, I would just prefer to avoid buying another section of it. The rest of the romex/12v wiring I don't mind replacing. the old converter was on the opposite side of the camper from the breaker box (logical), so I have to extend all the 12v wiring, anyway.

I cut a section out of the water heater support, and with some additional trimming of the support, and the fiberglass front, The PD4045 converter/breaker/fuse panel/battery charger will fit great there, but it has to be upside down. If I flip it the other way, the wheel well doesn't give the fan much room to breathe. Hopefully they'll say it's ok, I can't imagine what the problem would be. If that's ok, I'll open up the other side a little bit so the electric fireplace will fit through the hole.



If I can keep the converter out of one of the benches, I can mount the fresh water tanks, and still have a fair amount of storage space under them. I also don't want to mess with weakening the benches by cutting a hole, as the hole won't leave much room to fiberglass wood supports on behind it.

The water pump will fit to the right of the tank in this picture.



Other side:



I'm thinking about putting some insulation around the outside of the camper, and the floor under the benches to help keep the tanks from freezing if I ever use it in cold weather.

Sorry about the grainy pictures, the phone does funny things when using the camper lights. Hopefully that will change when it's all replaced.

[Steve Hammel]

I'm putting my pd4045 on the other side where the original converter was. It will be a lot easier to install my 30A cable on that side of the camper, hook up all the 12v circuits, and simply run romex to a junction box on the 110 circuit side.

[Jared J]

I don't have any room on the other side, it won't fit between the furnace and fridge unless it's on end, which you supposedly aren't supposed to do, either. It'll also take up good storage space, where the other side is pretty much unusable for things, anyway. The biggest problem will be finding out what 12v wires run what, coming out of the converter. I plan to figure that out with a very scientific method...turn everything 12v on, and start cutting wires and see what quits...of course, I would never suggest anybody else try this method, it's dangerous, blah, blah, blah.

I'm thinking of modifying the cabinet on the fridge/furnace side, and cutting out the fiberglass between the door above the furnace, and the tall door next to it and putting a piece of plywood across the top of the furnace (with breathing room) all the way to the fridge, so I have a big tall cabinet for pots and pans. We'll see.