Want to add TV and antenna to Casita

[NSKR]

Hi - It's springtime finally (once the snow clears) and I want to add a TV and the antenna cable output to my Casita Spirit. Pictures I've found don't give me a sufficient reference point to closely match the 'factory installed'. Does anyone have specifics on the location and position that Casita uses to install the TV mount and outside antenna outlet?

[Casita Greg]

The trailer installation of TV sets in Casitas have, for the most part, been mounted in the rear curb-side area. There are a few exceptions, but this is where most are situated. The Coax Cable entry is normally located in the upper rear drivers side. (It enters in the rear overhead cabinet and runs across the back of the cabinet.) If your trailer doesn't have the RG-6 coax, (some older trailers may still have the older RG-59 coax cable, it would need to be upgraded with RG-6.

Since I also subscribe to DishTV satellite service at home, I just added an extra "bedroom receiver box" to my subscription, and it just lives in the trailer all the time. (i.e. a "Wally" box.) Whether or not you have satellite service will of course, affect your installation and usage.

My satellite dish mast is just a 6 ft. piece of chain link fencing post. I welded a generic post base to the tongue and the rear bumper so I can mount it in front or in back, depending on satellite line-of-sight issues, and I fabricated a slide-in bracket for the head plate on the top of the mast for the satellite dish antenna itself to slide onto. (Slide-on bracket also fabricated by yours truly.) My "Darth Vader" helmet satellite antenna is for my DishTV subscription, and also shown mounted on the rear mount and thee tongue mount. (The pictures with the white DirecTV satellite service antenna is old, and I no longer subscribe to it.

[NSKR]

Hi Greg - Thank you for your responding. You're always ready to help out others and your input is greatly appreciated
While I am familiar with the general location of both items (having seen many photos), I am looking for more detailed location information to drill the TV mount holes and coax cable entry.
For example (and these are made up as the Casita is still in storage and I cannot see it):
Align your mount template parallel to, and two inches from, the interior facing 4.5" side of the ceiling outlet plate. You want to drill the holes that are closest to the passenger/curb (starboard) wall on the front driver (port) side of the outlet plate. The mount should be running at a 30 degree angle from the back wall.
For the coax cable entry, draw a line vertically down 12 inches from the end of the A/C mount holes. Run a horizontal line from the end of this line 3 inches to the rear. Drill here..
As mentioned, these are made up quickly. Is it possible for you to provide me that level of guidance in this endeavor?

[Casita Greg]

Sorry that these pictures aren't all that great, but they show you where the factory installed 120 VAC outlet, (along with the unused 12 VDC cigarette lighter outlet,) is under the curb-side rear overhead cabinet, and the coax drop-down screw-on connector for the TV set is right next to it. The TV set overhead mounting bracket itself is installed against the rear curb-side bottom of the overhead cabinet where it rounds in the rear of the trailer, ( I added a short piece of 2X4 in the overhead cabinet for backing and used two 3/8" dia. inch and a half lag bolts to secure it in place.) And on the driver's side, where the factory installed coax entry inlet is located on the rear driver's side of my trailer, (also located in the overhead compartment.) These were all "factory installed" items, except for the TV set bracket. The coax drop fitting is centered 5" inboard from the curved rear corner, next to the 120 VAC outlet. The center cover plate screw for the 120 vac outlet is centered at 7" inboard of the curved curb-side rounded corner.

The coax inlet fitting on the rear curved driver's side is 16" from the top edge of the rear window, and up 3" above the top of the window, (and will be inside the overhead cabinet.) And it is approx. 13 1/2" from the top rear edge of the driver's side rear window, to triangulate where it would intersect with the location from the rear window measurement. I hope I haven't confused you too much with my discriptions, and that it gives you some dimensions to run with. Good luck with your project.

[NSKR]

Thank you SO much, Greg! That's the type of info I need to get my project moving.
I originally wanted to do this in early March, when we had sunny skies and high 50's to 70 degree weather. I need it warm and the ground dry to pull Squirt (Casita named after the Nemo character) it out of storage. Then Mother Nature said "nope, I'm not done with Winter yet", and we're supposed to get a few inches of snow late tomorrow. Slight delays here in Michigan. ;-)
I suspect I'll be starting this in mid April. Then on to the changing out the original thermostat, and linking both the propane heater and A/C to it.

Again, my sincere thanks.

[Casita Greg]

Yeah, although we've been lucky to avoid the severe weather storms currently attacking a great part of the country, I will say we've also had drier and warmer weather in March than we've had so far in April. Strange weather all over!
Greg

And Nancy, you might want to consider updating your avatar/signature to include the year and model of your trailer. It helps a lot when trying to answer questions, as not all Casitas were created equal...

[Casita Greg]

Originally Posted by NSKR

Then on to the changing out the original thermostat, and linking both the propane heater and A/C to it.

Again, my sincere thanks.

Did that new digital T-stat, with combined furnace and A/C heat strip mod control, (either or both,) as well as the A/C mod many years ago as well. Let me know if you need info on that mod when you get around to it.