The 23D thread

[GMFL]

Look what showed up today. Hope it fits
I'll post a detailed install process later today

[GMFL]

Also did Rob's famous sink cover mod/upgrade yesterday!

[Troutboy]

Does anyone know the size of the trash can below the galley sink? Looking for trash bags for that and not sure what size. The AS is in storage so can't measure. What do you all do?

Also, has anyone figured out a good trash can solution for in the bathroom?

[GMFL]

OK so here is a picture series of my installation of a Dometic 320 elongated bowl toilet in my 23-D international signature. This project was very simple and only took about 15 minutes to do the install. First was to remove the old toilet remove the two nuts with a 1/2 wrench and disconnect the waterline making sure the water is turned off before you disconnect. Next was to clean around the base being ours is a 2014 it wasn't very dirty. As a sidenote I took the opportunity while the toilet was out to caulk the seam between the toilet platform and the shower wall. I useed blue painters tape to tape the borders white silicone caulk, smooth with my finger and then remove the tape when the caulk started to dry. The toilet I purchased was a Dometic 321 elongated bowl with 360° flush a huge improvement over the stock Thedford entry-level toilet. There was some question as to whether the elongated toilet would fit on my base. The stock Thedford toilet requiring a 10 1/2 inch offset from wall to center of the ring measurement, but there was approximately a 2 inch gap between the wall in the back of the stock toilet. The dometic 321 requires a 12 1/2 inch offset from the wall to the center of the ring I took a gamble that it would fit and it works perfectly. Please note the old toilets projection from the wall is approximately 20 1/2 inches the new toilet with a long any bowl protrudes from the wall approximately 21 1/2 inches. The increase in attrition from the wall of 1 inch is nominal and I believe well worth it to gain the usefulness of any elongated bowl 360° flush toilet.

[GMFL]

Originally Posted by Troutboy

Does anyone know the size of the trash can below the galley sink? Looking for trash bags for that and not sure what size. The AS is in storage so can't measure. What do you all do?

Also, has anyone figured out a good trash can solution for in the bathroom?

Rubbermaid 2955 3 gallon can

[Troutboy]

Thanks Ronnie. Also, nice work on that toilet. Looks like much more room for guys when sitting. Lol.

What is the 360 flush? Does this mean you can pivot the toilet bowl?

[Boog]

I'm pretty comfortable with 120vac, but the 12volt dc stuff is still a little bit of a mystery to me. On my converter (Parallax 7355) there's a 120vac in that connects with spade connectors and 12 volt dc out to the fuse panel that appears to be no bigger than #10 wire. From the fuse panel, there's #6 wire going up front to the batteries.
My question is, in dc, can a short #10 wire feed a long #6 wire?

I'm thinking about swapping out my converter for an Iota IQ4 that I have and I want to make sure that I don't under-size the 12volt dc wiring. I don't need to wire for more than 55 amps.
Thanks

[GMFL]

Originally Posted by Troutboy

Thanks Ronnie. Also, nice work on that toilet. Looks like much more room for guys when sitting. Lol.

What is the 360 flush? Does this mean you can pivot the toilet bowl?

360 Flush means water comes out from under the lip all the way around the bowl like your toilet at home Not just from that spot in the back of the bowl of the stock toilet

[Troutboy]

Boog, here the way I would look at it. Start with basics

Charger - charges your batteries after or as they drain.

Converter- takes AC current and turns it into DC current.

Inverter - takes DC current and turns it into AC current.

battery - stores power/energy and distributes it as DC current.

So now you have the DC distribution panel that sends DC power to all of the DC loads like lights fans etc.

DC current has more loss or voltage drop, so bigger wires are needed for longer runs.

AC current has less loss so can travel further in smaller wire.

So when running off battery power the battery sends DC current directly to the DC distribution panel via the long run.

When on shore power. The short AC wire feeds the converter which turns the AC into DC to power your DC devices. The converter/charger also sends power to your battery (if the use switch is on) to charge your batteries.

The main reasons the wires are different sizes is because of length of run and associated voltage drop and type of current, AC versus DC. The amount of current carries also is a factor (larger wires for more current load).

Some folks here would say the wires used by the factory border on being to small. Most upgrade them if they upgrade the systems.

Also, most that upgrade batteries and solar do away with the converter all together. In this case when in shore power, DC is fed by the batteries and they are simultaneously charged so they don't drain. No need for converter.

Hope this helps.

[Troutboy]

Originally Posted by GMFL

360 Flush means water comes out from under the lip all the way around the bowl like your toilet at home Not just from that spot in the back of the bowl of the stock toilet

Thanks! I thought I saw a 360 rotating bowl on dometics site. Maybe I was confused. I need to stop reading the forums, it always cost me more money in upgrades! Now I want a bigger toilet!

[pcskier]

Originally Posted by GMFL

# 2. Elongated bowel. " if you have to ask why, you do not need one."

Um....yeah. My 2014 FC has a toilet that is more of a round bowl, but what is maddening is that the supplied seat doesn't quite cover the outer rim of the bowl, but over hangs the inner rim by quite a bit...and it's a small seat for sure. I was thinking of trying to find a seat that more closely matches the bowl. Your solution seems like it might be even better, given the relatively reasonable cost to just replace the whole damn thing and have what should have been provided in the first place. Anyway...

would you mind posting the dimensions (height, and bowl dimension) for the original? I'm sure they are the same but want to be sure. Mine's a FB with the larger rear bath so fit should be no problem...but just need to double check!

I dread my toilet...this could be an even bigger game-changer than the Micro Air Easy Start :-)

[GMFL]

Originally Posted by pcskier

Um....yeah. My 2014 FC has a toilet that is more of a round bowl, but what is maddening is that the supplied seat doesn't quite cover the outer rim of the bowl, but over hangs the inner rim by quite a bit...and it's a small seat for sure. I was thinking of trying to find a seat that more closely matches the bowl. Your solution seems like it might be even better, given the relatively reasonable cost to just replace the whole damn thing and have what should have been provided in the first place. Anyway...

would you mind posting the dimensions (height, and bowl dimension) for the original? I'm sure they are the same but want to be sure. Mine's a FB with the larger rear bath so fit should be no problem...but just need to double check!

I dread my toilet...this could be an even bigger game-changer than the Micro Air Easy Start :-)

Here you go. Bought mine off Amazon. Very easy self install! And worth every penny in my book.

[GMFL]

Sorry you said original toilet. Yes I will take some measurements and pictures and post them

[GMFL]

Here is the measurements for the old unit.

[pcskier]

Originally Posted by GMFL

Here is the measurements for the old unit.

Thanks--yep that's the one--with a seat that is an inch smaller than the bowl on each side-nutty!

Looks like I might be on to my next upgrade.

[Boog]

Thanks Troutboy, that helps a lot. I think that I'm starting to get the picture... the short #10 wire from converter to fuse panel is fine, the long run of #6 from fuse panel to batteries is sized for the current flowing from batteries to distribution, not because it's needed to send charging power the other way from the converter to the batteries.

[OTRA15]

Troutboy's basic overview in Post #129 was well done. FYI there are also good overviews of RV battery etc. systems online when you have time to peruse them, for instance this one:

http://roadslesstraveled.us/rv-marin...arging-basics/

Cheers,

Peter

[Boog]

Thanks for the link Peter, I'm always intrigued by some people that pack it up and hit the trail for years at a time.
I did get a better feel for the 12 volt side of life and swapped out my converter. I got started on this project by wiring in a Progressive Industries surge protector and while I had everything pulled apart, I figured that I might as well swap out the old single stage for a new 4 stage unit that I had laying around. I got that idea from mojoe7009 and his install. Anyway, here's a picture before the grill goes back on, I raised it up so that the fan sits centered in the louvers of the grill (no error codes on the PI surge protector).

[PTAHERNE]

Originally Posted by Troutboy

Boog, here the way I would look at it. Start with basics

Charger - charges your batteries after or as they drain.

Converter- takes AC current and turns it into DC current.

Inverter - takes DC current and turns it into AC current.

battery - stores power/energy and distributes it as DC current.

So now you have the DC distribution panel that sends DC power to all of the DC loads like lights fans etc.

DC current has more loss or voltage drop, so bigger wires are needed for longer runs.

AC current has less loss so can travel further in smaller wire.

So when running off battery power the battery sends DC current directly to the DC distribution panel via the long run.

When on shore power. The short AC wire feeds the converter which turns the AC into DC to power your DC devices. The converter/charger also sends power to your battery (if the use switch is on) to charge your batteries.

The main reasons the wires are different sizes is because of length of run and associated voltage drop and type of current, AC versus DC. The amount of current carries also is a factor (larger wires for more current load).

Some folks here would say the wires used by the factory border on being to small. Most upgrade them if they upgrade the systems.

Also, most that upgrade batteries and solar do away with the converter all together. In this case when in shore power, DC is fed by the batteries and they are simultaneously charged so they don't drain. No need for converter.

Hope this helps.

Very helpful.

I have a 2017 23D with 80w solar. I am not clear wether I need to have the use switch on or off when connected to shore power.

[Troutboy]

I tend to think of it like this. The Use/Store switch connects or disconnects the batteries to the trailer.

When it is in the store position, the batteries are "disconnected" from most of the electrical systems you use while in the trailer.

When in the Use position, the battery is connected to all of the systems in the trailer.

When on shore power, if in the store position, the batteries are disconnected and all of your DC power needs are supplied by your converter and will work (lights, fans, etc). But since the battery is disconnected, it will not charge.

When in the Use position on shore power, the converter still supplies power to all your DC loads, but your charger will charge your batteries because they are connected.

When dry camping with no shore power, if you have the switch on store. The batteries are disconnected and you will have no DC power in the trailer. If you flip the switch to use, the batteries are connected and you have DC power.

There are some loads that are always connected to the battery, the tongue jack, LP sensor, breakaway switch, mostly safety functions and items that are needed while towing.