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Hank's Project ...

PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:53 pm
by hankaye
Howdy All;

Still a noob on here, am serious about doing a conversion and will
probably wear-out my welcome asking questions. Haven't bought
the thing yet so there's room for some discussion there as well.

I'm 6'1" weigh in at near 215 + or - a few (seasonal thing). I've got
COPD so I need to drag my o2 generator along. I needs a 2'X2' space
to call Home. It also has the Homefill accessory to refill a small
portable walk around tank. Runs on 120 vac. Also have a Border
Collie (Rascal), 2 items that are a MUST HAVE, the rest is open for
discussion
Planned usage is for weekend fishing trips and maybe a week long
trip or 2 each year.
So far I've been tossing around the thoughts of a 6X12, 7X12, and
a 7X14. The 2 7X's come with the RV 7 way plug and breaks (the 12 footer
is a single axel but has breaks). Both the 6 and 7X12's are steel the 7X14
is aluminum and is about $200. more than the 7X12. Still under $4,000.00.
Price of everything sure has gone to the Stratosphere, don't ya think ...
Won't be buying the trailer till the first part of May so No pix till the Summer.

I've been crusin' thru the older posts and one of the questions I have is ...
When ya drop the electric wires down the walls do ya just lay them flat
between the insulation and the sideing or do ya dig out some of the insulation
and use some loom or other type of conduit in there ???

Thanks for your patience.

hank

Re: Hank's Project ...

PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 11:26 pm
by hankaye
Howdy All;

Forgot to mention that the trailer for the project will be 6'6" inside hight
and have the Barn doors. Sorry 'bout dat.

hank

Re: Hank's Project ...

PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 11:40 pm
by roadinspector
Hank,

Welcome!! Glad to see you here. Ask away. I have learned a lot from this forum and grateful for it.

This does not exactly answer your question but hopefully will give you an option. Very little of my wiring will run thru my walls. The majority of my wiring will be run thru my cabinets. On the side that I don't have cabinets, I will be running it thru a channel on the face of the walls. For my overhead, I have 1x4s supporting my ceiling insulation. I will be running my wiring for my overhead lights beside the 1x4's. I prefer my wiring to be where I can get to it in case I ever decide to make changes or expand. I suffer from improvementitis. I know I cannot leave things alone so I am doing this to keep me from having to tear into the walls to treat my disease.

If you do run it thru the walls be sure you have rubber bushings to protect your wiring when you go thru the metal wall studs.

I went with 7' tall trailer and glad I did. I'm 6' and with a 6.5' I would be playing like a turtle all the time. The extra head room helps the CT not feel so small. Remember the taller you go, you increase the drag which effects your mpg.

Looking forward to keeping up with your build when you get it going.

Earnest

Re: Hank's Project ...

PostPosted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 12:32 am
by hankaye
roadinspector, Howdy;

Thanks for the reply. Reckon I might of been a bit clearer.
My plan is to have the power center in the front near the
V-nose. Run all or the bulk of the wiring to the ceiling and
keep it in the trough as it migrates rearwords till it drops
down to either a recpticle or a light, this is what my previous
question was aimed at.
I do intend to place some storage along the upper sections
of the walls (overhead storage), helps cut down on the corner
molding.
In the overhead I was thinking about running a centerline light or
2 and would have those placed near the trusses.
Thanks again for the input, it all helps.

hank

Re: Hank's Project ...

PostPosted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 4:22 pm
by rando18
I bought a new 7x12 last summer.
I wish I would have gone with the 7x14.
I knew I woild. If the 7x14 is aluminum for only a couple hundred more
that is what I'd go for. No question. I ordered mine with 3 windows and roof vent.
Mine cost $5700,00 altogether. $4000.00 is a good price in my opinion.
Click on rando18 to see picture.
Rando

Re: Hank's Project ...

PostPosted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 9:28 pm
by hankaye
rando18, Howdy;

Who is the Manufacturer ??
The one I'm considering is made by 'LOOK'.
They bought our Pace Amer. about 1.5 years ago.
Base frame is steel but the enclosure is alum. square
tube frame :o . Should make insulating easier...
Got any pix of the interior ???
hank

Re: Hank's Project ...

PostPosted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 11:32 pm
by roadinspector
Hank,

For my power drops to outlets I am planning on using what is called a raceway. This attaches to the wall and encloses the wire so it is protected but not behind the walls. Something simular to this.
http://www.amazon.com/Wiremold-C50-Cordmate-5-Foot-Channel/dp/B000BW0YH6

Earnest

Re: Hank's Project ...

PostPosted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 1:34 am
by hankaye
roadinspector, Howdy;

Thanks for the idea, Dang, ... that's going to be a might spendy at $13.xx
for each 5 foot section. Then ya need to figure in the cost of the corners
(turns), and such ... Are your outlet boxes going to set out from the walls as well ???

Think I'll keep mine in the walls and use some loom and if I need to I'll
cut some channels in the insulation. Think that's what I'l lend-up doing ... :NC
Still have a ton of time to figure this out...

hank

Re: Hank's Project ...

PostPosted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 4:55 pm
by rando18
hankaye wrote:rando18, Howdy;

Who is the Manufacturer ??
The one I'm considering is made by 'LOOK'.
They bought our Pace Amer. about 1.5 years ago.
Base frame is steel but the enclosure is alum. square
tube frame :o . Should make insulating easier...
Got any pix of the interior ???
hank


Mine is a Haulmark.
Personally I would not do business with them again.
Haulmark changed hand a few years ago.
The son of the former Haulmark owner started Look.
Atleast that's the way I understand it.
I'll try to get you some interior pictures. It's still kind of a mess
after a 3 week hunting trip too North Dakota.
The pictures may motivate me to muck it out a bit.

Re: Hank's Project ...

PostPosted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 8:09 pm
by roadinspector
Hank,
That was just a quick example. There are others out on the market. I won't be needing any 90's. Most of my wiring will be able to run inside the cabinets for outlets. A couple of outlets will be on bare walls that will need the raceway. The wiring for my overhead lights will run in the ceiling. I will be running straight down from trim to the outlets that are not inside cabinets. My outlets are planned to be in the walls. I have recieved some excellent help here pointing me in the right direction from many. I am using thin receptical boxes that will fit in the wall.

Earnest

Re: Hank's Project ...

PostPosted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 10:27 pm
by hankaye
rando18, Howdy;

I appericate the info about who's owning what, thanks
for any pix or other information...

hank

Re: Hank's Project ...

PostPosted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 10:44 pm
by hankaye
roadinspector, Howdy;

My experiences with exterior wire runs are from my time
in the Military and I've no wish to replicate that :lol:
As I've mentioned before, I'm thinking of running the wires
along the juncture of the side walls and the ceiling. Probably
in some loom and behind some moulding, something like this;

http://www.lowes.com/pd_134826-34050-85 ... facetInfo=

still only an idea...

Thanks again for the thoughts and ideas.

hank

Re: Hank's Project ...

PostPosted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 9:17 am
by rando18
hankaye wrote:rando18, Howdy;

I appericate the info about who's owning what, thanks
for any pix or other information...

hank


one other thing.
I would definately get a v nose and Look has a more
promounced v to there nose. It make a difference
when going down the road and cutting throught he wind.

About my Haulmark...I like the trailer well enough.
I just was not treated nice when I went too Ogden Utah (were it was made) to pick it up.

Re: Hank's Project ...

PostPosted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 11:55 am
by hankaye
rando18, Howdy;

Thanks for the thoughts. This is the spec. sheet for the LOOKs,

http://www.looktrailers.com/LITRATURE-DOC/PDF/16.pdf

The one I'm planning on is the 7X14, I intend to have the extra 6"
of height, and maybe, see if their Gray or Silver will match the
Z-3 color of my F-250. Think it's only $25.00 extra for the paint.
Mine will be made in Springville, Ut. in the old Pace Amer. plant.
Might ask about an extended tounge next time I talk to the folks
I'm dealing with.
Your recption may just have been one of those Utah things, or
the folks were just having a bad day ... Ogden is a odd town (IMO).

hank

Re: Hank's Project ...

PostPosted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 1:41 pm
by rando18
hankaye wrote:rando18, Howdy;

Thanks for the thoughts. This is the spec. sheet for the LOOKs,

http://www.looktrailers.com/LITRATURE-DOC/PDF/16.pdf

The one I'm planning on is the 7X14, I intend to have the extra 6"
of height, and maybe, see if their Gray or Silver will match the
Z-3 color of my F-250. Think it's only $25.00 extra for the paint.
Mine will be made in Springville, Ut. in the old Pace Amer. plant.
Might ask about an extended tounge next time I talk to the folks
I'm dealing with.
Your recption may just have been one of those Utah things, or
the folks were just having a bad day ... Ogden is a odd town (IMO).

hank

The truth is... when I got there, they didn't have the roof vent in and it was suppose to be wired for a future a/c
and it was not. I waited for the vent and passed on the a/c wiring (which I never got the refund for)

That really sounds nice. When I saw how short the tounge on mine
was, I was shocked. I wish I had the longer one for sure. Make sure you have it the
way you want when you place the order. Changing or adding to the original order was
impossible for me. Consider the insulation. It's only a bubble wrap type, but I was in the low
teens, temp wise, and I was cozy. Another $200.00 but I really didn't want to tear my new
trailer apart to insulate. I use a Mr Heater Big Buddy and never have to go above the medium setting.
I'm envious. 7x14 longer tounge. Nice! When I ordered mine(Aug I think) they were saying 10 to 12 weeks,
but I got it n 4. You'll love it. Enjoy! Rando