20-footers

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by alreardon

. . .
I hate this thermostat.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by centennialman

Question for you fellow 20 Footer folks. When you need to access your water pump, do you remove drawers and go in from the top or lay on the floor and suffer with the obstacles of reaching in and around things to get to it?

I am hopeful to find an easy way to access the pump and work on it without all the hassle.

Thanks!

Hi Steve,

Wondering if you came up with any easy work-arounds for the pump access? When do you have to winterize, weather-wise? October is supposed to be mild here FWIW.

Cheers,

[centennialman]

Peter....I didn't yet figure out another way into the pump. I am hoping I can remove a drawer or somehow figure another way in...probably not. It's so difficult to lay on the floor and try to reach in, via the removable piece of wood at the floor level. I can't get both hands in and it's incredibly hard to do it all with one hand....but, if that's all that can be done...so be it

I will probably winterize this coming weekend. We have had incredibly warm and dry weather so far and no freezing weather is in the forecast, except for one night between now and the weekend. I will run the heater that night to keep things from freezing until I can get to the winterizing project.

I have been thinking about some winter camping this year if the dry/warmer weather keeps up.

[alreardon]

Am I the only 20’ footer who keeps banging the entry steps, and replacing?

I am on my 3rd replacement. No matter how wide a turn I have inadvertently hit and bent the steps.

I wish I could replace with aluminum steps that fold under trailer higher. The steel steps hang below the trailer.

Alison

[OTRA15]

Your steel steps should also fold up. Grab the front edge of the bottom step and pull it up and over the top step. Then reach under the front edge of the top step, lift and push/tuck the whole thing under the doorway. We have the same model year. Are your step hinges rusted in place, perhaps? If you have never had them up, they may have rusted that badly IMO.

What does your owner's manual say?

[OTRA15]

Thanks Steve,

As I think I mentioned before, we have a large drawer under the gas oven, not the wood panel you have. Guessing that, when I remove the drawer, I have more clear access to the pump than you do?

Because of bad knees, I still have to lie on the floor and reach in with one hand. If my knees were OK, I could kneel on the floor, really compress the knee joints, and probably get both lower arms and hands on the pump. No can do -- one meniscus is shot, and the doc said 25 years ago . . . "no more kneeling to work on stuff." [like installing baseboards etc.]

Could you enlarge the opening to the pump, and make a larger panel to cover it? What is above your removable panel, a microwave or convection oven . . . or a combo unit maybe?

[CruizinDux]

Steve, I'm with peter but with better knees. Can you post a pic of the setup. Certainly our once the pot drawer is removed, it us wide open over the edge into the pumphouse. The drawer is a pretty deep drawer. Is it a cabinet with a solid bottom that you could cut an access opening. Having trouble visualizing.

B

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Your steel steps should also fold up. Grab the front edge of the bottom step and pull it up and over the top step. Then reach under the front edge of the top step, lift and push/tuck the whole thing under the doorway. We have the same model year. Are your step hinges rusted in place, perhaps? If you have never had them up, they may have rusted that badly IMO.

What does your owner's manual say?

Alison again, I'm with peter. I left my OEM steps at Boyds in Key West. It is extremely tight on the point and at 6 am, already having to wake the tent campers across who returned late and parked so i could not pull out. Last check list item missed...each thinking they did it. Caught it on a parked cars tire and suck the trailer within 2 inches if the car. Had to unbolt it to pull away...tossed it in the dumpster. Found out JC had changed mfr's and the new OEM didn't match bolt holes and was of a lesser quality but didn't protrude any more than the OEM. Lucky cousin in GA had a drill...next dest.

My point it that unfolded it sticks way out and about 7" lower . Folded up lower on the upper and slipped in, it should not protude. I can't see it in the side mirror unless i make a right turn.

[OTRA15]

Please forgive this middle-of-the-night ~CovCom . . .

Originally Posted by CruizinDux

. . .
. . . I left my OEM steps at Boyds in Key West.
. . .

And your heart in San Francisco?

Originally Posted by CruizinDux

. . .
. . . I'm with peter but with better knees. . . .
. . .

Ouch . . . feelin' kinda kneedy here!

[centennialman]

Peter and Bob.....I will get out there this weekend and see if I can figure out another way to access the pump. I will report back/take pics etc... There is a panel, at floor level under the oven that comes off and that's how I have been accessing the pump. I have a knee replacement and it's difficult to get down there and reach in with one hand to work on the pump.

[switz]

Gravity takes care of getting down. It is the getting back up that becomes the challenge.

[PapaPepper]

Steve and Peter,

Access to my 2014 water pump is pictured below. The focus was from blow out damage in May. But it shows how the large drawer provides access to the water pump for easier maintenance.

Steve if your in the Seattle area, I’m more than happy to help you change out the pump. My knees are my first set and although aging, their able (using ProKnees pads)

Don’t mind the drawer missing above the very loud annoying heater. That’s another issue from the May blow out.

Nick

[OTRA15]

Thanks Nick. I am pretty familiar with our 2014 pump, as I started working on it years ago, per the 10/30/15 Post #359 below -- click on orange arrow to go there and see a variety of other nearby posts and photos.

Originally Posted by OTRA15

On our 2014 FC20, the pressure switch is on the right end of the pump as you see it under the oven, looking toward the curb side of the coach (see recent photo in Post 355 here).

This shot shows my left hand reaching into the pump space, over the 1x4 kick/valance, with the red ballpoint pen pointing to the allen-head adjustment screw (I believe -- see YouTube video link below). This shot is thus looking toward the coach's front:
. . .

Here is the referenced photo in the post above:



Steve, I was lying on the floor, on my right side, to do this work one-handed. My right hand was just barely able to hold the camera and take this shot.

Yes, Nick, our "jet engine" furnaces are very loud! Another compromise for this fine little mobile home, with the best galley under 25' IMO.

Happy trails,

[PapaPepper]

It would be nice to have the furnace put out less heat/time and allow a reduced flow rate of air. The 20’ Caravel 2020 and beyond they have a different furnace system that is ducted. It looks like its still under the oven but I’m not certain. I wonder if the furnace is now quieter. Could be a fun project to back fit it. From the external photo it looks like the whole furnace unit can be pulled directly from the outside and serviced that way. But is it quiet?

Another thing about the Caravel 20’ is the vent above the refrigerator. Would that allow hot air from the refrigerator in propane mode to enter the coach? It would be interesting to see what they did there. You can see from the external photos that the external access panels (x2 on my 2014) are removed completely. Guess you have to pull the fridge to service it? Seem difficult.

Also, where did they put the water pump? How do they service that now?

Anyone with a 20FB Caravel?

[OTRA15]

There is a separate thread for that new 20FB model:

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f54...ad-200141.html
Umbrella sub-forum: https://www.airforums.com/forums/f548/

I believe that AS gave up on using propane to fire the Caravel fridges altogether:

https://www.google.com/search?q=2020...=airforums.com

. . . which creates many problems beyond the scope of this thread's focus on our now-discontinued model IMO. Perhaps folks in that new thread could provide feedback.

Good luck,

[switz]

We put the Vitrifrigo DP150L 120Vac/12Vdc refrigerator/freezer into our 2014 23D replacing the stock Dometic. The Dan Foss compressor is freon based, By the time I tow the 9.6 miles from the storage unit to our home, the fridge is cold.

https://www.vitrifrigo.com/ww/en/dp1...cooling_unit_3

Although slightly narrower than the single door Dometic, it actually stores more and the freezer is it's own compartment. We put a sheet of magnetic stainless steel in the door panel so my wife has lots of magnets on it. Also put a section of that stainless steel beside the stove as a side splash now hosting more magnets.

Since this is a marine unit, the doors lock with a single lever that is over center when closed. No unintentional door opening.

When the Dometic was still in the coach, we had blocked off entirely the upper cooling hatch with a sheet of aluminum into which we installed three 12Vdc computer fans that can be turned on with a switch to operate whenever the compressor is on. By blocking the entire opening, cooling air is forced to come into the compartment from the bottom and rise up the back side of the fridge thus actually cooling the fridge. The single fan Airstream uses in the middle of the upper door is a pathetic joke as the air only circulates around the fan instead of being drawn from the bottom opening.

[SYC2Vette]

A few months ago someone asked if anyone had done a tilt up bed platform on a 20 footer. Just finished doing that and pretty straightforward.

It took a bit fiddling with different strut angles and locations, but eventually dialed in on this setup which works well. Just a light lift of a few inches, and struts take it the rest of the way.

Sanded all the rough edges and applied a couple of coats of polyurethane. The mattress slides on the leading edge so important to eliminate snags. Might also add a layer of something to protect the mattress against any wear in that area.

I may add some reinforcement to the 1/4" plywood, but for now so long as you push down inline with the struts when closing it, seems fine.

[CruizinDux]

SYC2Vette, Sweet mod, very nice indeed. Did you find the struts on Amazon?


Thx for posting

[SYC2Vette]

Originally Posted by CruizinDux

SYC2Vette, Sweet mod, very nice indeed. Did you find the struts on Amazon?


Thx for posting

Yes Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M1JRKZE...roduct_details

Here is how I did it:

-After removing mattress, mark a line on the platform along the sides of both storage bins, allow for some clearance to the bins as the area is not "squared up exactly so you need clearance when tilting up. You will trim and cut along these lines later.

-Remove all screws holding platform down including those within the left side bin. There are two screws at the vertical end of the bin that are hard to get to and I just loosened these.

-Remove forward platform piece, you can then work the large ~31" piece out of the bed area by carefully (to avoid marking aluminum ceiling panels) tilting it up and placing one end into the center space previously covered by the forward platform piece.

-Trim the larger platform piece along lines marked earlier. Save the piece that goes under the storage bin on the left. Don't install screws until after you are finished with tilt up.

-Sand all edges the factory saw cuts are rough, you want to eliminate rough edges and loose fibers as much as possible.

-Apply at least two coats of polyurethane or similar.

-Place platform pieces back in place (large piece first).

-Install piano hinge across full width at the intersection of the two panels after carefully aligning pieces and ensuring tilt up clearance to bins. I installed the screws in the forward piece first, then marked locations for the screws in the large panel on the cross brace and drilled blind holes at each location in the cross brace to clear the screw tips on the tilt up panel (that way I could use wood screws with full thread engagement through the 1/4" plywood, but don't go longer than that). You need fairly large diameter clearance holes as the screw tips will go through an arc as you tilt the panel up.

-Install screws holding down the left hand bin.

-Next up are the struts, I did not actually locate the struts exactly per the dimensions in the instructions, but if you read through they do allow for the possibility of adjusting the locations. Be sure to use the through bolts provided for the end mounts. Technically the struts should be installed so that the body is higher than the rod so that the seal is covered with liquid as often as possible.

I think that is about it, hope I did not make it sound complicated because it really is not, but might be something useful.

[alreardon]

Would you post pictures.

QUOTE=switz;2422338]We put the Vitrifrigo DP150L 120Vac/12Vdc refrigerator/freezer into our 2014 23D replacing the stock Dometic. The Dan Foss compressor is freon based, By the time I tow the 9.6 miles from the storage unit to our home, the fridge is cold.

https://www.vitrifrigo.com/ww/en/dp1...cooling_unit_3

Although slightly narrower than the single door Dometic, it actually stores more and the freezer is it's own compartment. We put a sheet of magnetic stainless steel in the door panel so my wife has lots of magnets on it. Also put a section of that stainless steel beside the stove as a side splash now hosting more magnets.

Since this is a marine unit, the doors lock with a single lever that is over center when closed. No unintentional door opening.

When the Dometic was still in the coach, we had blocked off entirely the upper cooling hatch with a sheet of aluminum into which we installed three 12Vdc computer fans that can be turned on with a switch to operate whenever the compressor is on. By blocking the entire opening, cooling air is forced to come into the compartment from the bottom and rise up the back side of the fridge thus actually cooling the fridge. The single fan Airstream uses in the middle of the upper door is a pathetic joke as the air only circulates around the fan instead of being drawn from the bottom opening.[/QUOTE]