What have you done to your Travel Trailer lately?

[Kirk W]

The Class A forum has an interesting thread of this same subject, so I thought that I might start one for those of us with bumper pull RV's. In the past, Pam & I have done quite a few modifications to our little 20' travel trailer like shelves in the cupboards and the closet, a much stronger clothing rod in the closet, all new window coverings and several other interior changes. Our latest is that I replaced the manual tongue jack with an electric one and we had a Fan-Tastic vent fan installed in our bathroom. 

How about sharing your latest projects?

Edited July 16, 2017 by Kirk Wood

[trailertraveler]

deleted, apparently I miss understood the topic. Sorry!

Edited July 16, 2017 by trailertraveler

[TheLongWayHome]

43 minutes ago, trailertraveler said:

Added a 20 Amp inlet, breaker and wall outlet to provide power from an inverter for satellite TV receiver and TV when dry camping and provide an additional 20 Amp circuit to power an electric space heater when needed.

...

A busy day!!

[Kirk W]

22 hours ago, trailertraveler said:

deleted, apparently I miss understood the topic.

No need as it did relate to the subject. Since it was quoted, fortunately, it still shows. 

[mesa]

I have added extra shelves, built a stove and sink cover for extra counter space, added 2 Trojan battery's. And added better stabilizers all around.

Edited July 18, 2017 by mesa

[Kirk W]

21 hours ago, mesa said:

built a stove and sink cover for extra counter space,

I made a cover for our sink from a good quality, plastic cutting-board and it worked out well. I'm still studying the stove top cover. What did you make yours from?

[Rogerracer]

Oversized cutting boards from restaurant supply stores are good material for stove covers.

 

 

 

Edited July 19, 2017 by Rogerracer

[mesa]

I just whipped it up with some scrap wood I had then some rubber bumpers on the bottom so it does not move and put contact paper on the top., Cheap and easy. 

[jdmustang58]

Added "Trunk" to rear of our Arctic Fox, access from under bed. There was an empty space between I-beams that worked really well for this added storage. Then removed sewer hose box and welded in place of box 1/4 X 4" X 6" tube steel with 2" receiver hitch.

[Kirk W]

A while back I replaced the original, flimsy metal one with a larger, solid wood rod and support system. 

Last trip some of the clothes hangers jumped off so today I drilled holes in the end supports and installed a removable rod to keep them in place. The rod was cut from an old tent pole.

[freestoneangler]

Cargo/generator storage deck on the A-frame.  Stromberg-Carlson unit, very well made and very sturdy.  $189 and takes about an hour to install.

 

[rideandfly]

Replaced the Progressive Dynamics 4045 convertor section. It started charging at 14.4V all the time when connected to shore power when battery bank was already fully charged.  It's not a hard job and took less than an hour, 5 wires and one bolt:

New convertor section:

New unit installed and now charging properly:

 

Edited August 28, 2017 by rideandfly

[Kirk W]

Looks a lot like the WFCO unit that we have.   Good work!

[trailerbob]

I replaced the tired old black plastic front panels on my refrigerator with wood grain panels.  Simple project, but really lightens up the area.  Found an end wood veneer panel from a pantry cabinette at Lowes for $26.00.  Stained and Varnished to match other Cabinettes.  Sure was cheaper that the $120 for the panels I found in a catalog.    Wife also got tired of the plastic 2 bowl kitchen sink.  Over time and use the finish wore off in spots and now the sink stains easily in those areas.  Could not believe I found a nice and very good quality 2 bowl stainless steel sink of the right size (17" X 25") at Lowes for $70.00 on sale.   Easy swap out if your considering it.   Wife is Beyond happy!!!

[noteven]

Put it in hibernation mode.

Then I hopped in the toyhauler fifth wheel hitched outfit and followed the gooses 

[theeyres]

Haven't done it yet but plan to  buy a 5"x5"X8' fence post to mount under the trailer to hold our sewer hose. Had one for years on our full time fiver and then another trailer then somehow lost it! Went to hook up the hose at a park and it was gone!!! Fell off or something...who knows what so am installing another one as soon as I get to Tucson to buy another post.

[beemergary]

Have 24 ft. Starcraft bought new and still is. They just don't make um like it anymore. Came with white wall trailer tires so had to replace with white wall car tires. So no modifications on this one.

 

[beemergary]

20 hours ago, rm.w/aview said:

It's fairly common to switch from trailer tires to LT tires, but not to passenger tires due to the sidewall structure not providing the support needed for trailer weights. I understand that the side pressure as the trailer is being maneuvered in turns and while backing doesn't bode well with passenger tires on a trailer either. Have you been using them awhile?

Been on trailer 15 yrs. Not a fan of trailer tires. Bought new tires for car hauler with a 400# higher rating/tire. Went out 5 times and had 3 blow outs. No more Carlilsle's for me. Bought a new but used trailer. Had a couple blow outs on 8 yr. old tires. Bought same brand and had 2 blowouts in one yr. These are radials and the sidewalls are paper thin. My first trailer tires were 10 yrs. old and replaced them because the tread was worn and they just barely matched the trailer weight. Any more bad luck and going to truck tires. I check air pressure religiously and usually drive 65mph.

 

[Kirk W]

On 8/28/2017 at 5:40 PM, rideandfly said:

Replaced the Progressive Dynamics 4045 convertor section.

I spoke too soon! My WCCO converter has died so now I'm about to replace it.  I plan to upgrade to the PD4135.

[bigjim]

Is there any general reason why converters tend to fail?  I think I am going to need a new one too. Sort of looks like they should hold up better.

[Kirk W]

10 hours ago, bigjim said:

Is there any general reason why converters tend to fail? 

l have owned an RV of some type, since 1972 all of which have had a converter of some make & model. Most of those RVs were kept for at least 5 years and several were used but this is the very first converter failure that I have experienced. In trying to figure out what may be different this time, the most apparent thing is that it is the only one from WFCO, if that means anything. Based on my 40 years of earning a living troubleshooting & repairing equipment most of which had internal power supplies, I suspect that the majority of failures are due to excess heat, but they could also just wear out. Heat us a major cause of failure in electronic and electrical devices. 

Of course, quality of parts and construction are also very significant contributors. WFCO is not a brand that is often mentioned on lists of electrical upgrades or recommended replacement equipment. 

[bigjim]

 I was just wondering if there was anything to look for.  This is my 3rd go round on this rig in 20 years. The one that held out the longest was the original.  The second was an upgraded brand that I can't think of right now but had the remote device and it lasted about 2 years and some part burned out. This one is used takeout factory original that I bought from some skp that upgraded and it is about  3 years old since I got it used. Its not a high dollar one but has worked fine until recently. Usually my small solar will sufice.  Sometimes stuff just happens.

[Lou Schneider]

BTW ... WFCO stands for World Friendship Company.  I just thought it was interesting trivia.

[Kirk W]

21 hours ago, bigjim said:

 I was just wondering if there was anything to look for. 

You may want to consider increasing the current capacity that your new one can supply. It may be that you are working it too hard. 

8 hours ago, Lou Schneider said:

WFCO stands for World Friendship Company

I discovered that when looking for technical information on mine. There must some history behind that name?

[ogaddcb]

I know this doesn’t sound like much to a qualified electrician, but a perfect example of one thing leads to another. Not being overly interested in the super bowl and related hype this weekend I finally decided to install the Perko Heavy Duty Battery Selector Switch 8603 on “Harvey”.  “Harvey” is the new AmerLite 21’ trailer we bought in July because that’s where we spent 3 solid months after hurricane Harvey. We are not full timers but spend about 6 months of the year dry camping in various places.  The Perko switch would allow us to run “Harvey” off battery 1, battery 2 or both in parallel. Positive from battery 1 to Perko switch, positive from battery 2 to Perko switch. Then power out from the Perko switch to trailer. I had ample supply 4-gauge fine wire welding able and Anderson S50 power Poles. Simple right?  

Leads to another #1 - The instructions said mount the Perko switch as close to the battery as possible.  The battery on “Harvey” is outside behind the propane tanks in a typical battery box. I did not want the Perko switch sitting out exposed to the environment, so I mounted the Perko switch inside an ammo box which sits on top of the OEM battery box.

Leads to another #2 -To properly install the Perko switch, the instructions also advised a fusible link between the batteries and the Perko switch. There is already a fusible link from the OEM battery to the trailer.  So, inside the ammo box I wired in two fuses from the batteries. I said to myself, “Well that wasn’t so bad”.

Then I started thinking (“Danger Will Roberson”).  The on-board monitoring system just shows battery voltage and since we dry camp I like to monitor amps.  I currently use a Trimetric TM-2030-A Battery Monitor System and related shunt on the auxiliary battery in my truck, on the old single battery from the travel trailer that we lost in a fire and on my solar system. Since I’ve already have the Trimetric wired to be portable via CAD 5 cable and couplers and I have an extra shunt, CAD 5 couplers and cables why not wire in the Trimetric to move back and forth between the trunk to “Harvey”?

Leads to another #3 – Locate a place and mount the shunt.

Leads to another #4 – Locate a place for the Trimetric INSIDE “Harvey”.

Leads to another #5 – Run CAD 5 cable from inside “Harvey” to the appropriate terminals on the shut mounted outside.   

Leads to another #6 - Wire both negatives to one side of the batteries to the shunt.

Leads to another #7 - Create a negative bus terminal for ”Harvey” loads .

Leads to another #8 - Wire that negative bus terminal to the appropriate side of the shunt.

Results were PERFECT. Perko switch on position 1, Trimetric meter battery 1 reads 12.9 volts static and -4.5 amps when I run the electric tongue jack.  Perko switch on position 2, Trimetric meter battery 2 reads 12.5 volts static and -4.5 amps when I run the electric tongue jack. Perko switch on position Both, Trimetric meter off Battery BOTH reads 12.7 volts static and -4.5 amps when I run the electric tongue jack.  Anticipated negative amps when I run any 12V loads inside “Harvey”.  I hook up my 400-watt solar array and the Trimetric meter starts reading + amps static. Both battery 1 and 2 are the exact same amp hour rating and within a month of manufacturing date so I’.ve programmed the Trimetric appropriately.  This took all day Saturday 2/3 and most of the day 2/4.  I even watched the start of the super bowl off the 12V TV inside “Harvey”.  One happy camper here.

I tried to upload a jpeg that is 83KB.  I get a message that that is tool large

Edited February 5, 2018 by ogaddcb
Wrong Type of trailer. Harvey is a2014 Northwood Nash 17K