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OTRA15 · 08-21-2016, 07:25 PM

If it is going to rain don't leave the skylight open!

idahodian · 08-21-2016, 09:05 PM

Just purchased a 2014 20' from a dealer in Portland, I am in eastern Idaho and hope to pick it up early next week. Not going to kid you, I can't wait. I have read virtually every page of this thread and it made my decision easier. I owned a 1978 23' Safari for years when my sons were young and then went the cabin route. Well I retired this year and am tired of always going back to the same place, even if it did have a great view of the Tetons. I am looking forward to new adventures.

CruizinDux · 08-21-2016, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by idahodian

Just purchased a 2014 20' from a dealer in Portland, I am in eastern Idaho and hope to pick it up early next week. Not going to kid you, I can't wait. I have read virtually every page of this thread and it made my decision easier. I owned a 1978 23' Safari for years when my sons were young and then went the cabin route. Well I retired this year and am tired of always going back to the same place, even if it did have a great view of the Tetons. I am looking forward to new adventures.

WooHoo, welcome back idahodian...you'll love your 20. I too started at page 1...talk about riveted!!!

Bob

OTRA15 · 08-22-2016, 07:51 AM

Welcome idahodian, and have a great trip home with the new FC20!

The three of us have the same model year, so hopefully we can figure things out together, as the newer years incorporate some different features. As you may have read (courageous to read this entire thread!), I had a 25' back in the 90's for quite a few years, and am happy to be getting on the road again with the 20'.

Safe home . . .

Peter

CruizinDux · 08-22-2016, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Tanks Bob!

I gas you are talking about the propane tanks? Why are you moving them? This is a new one on me. Will check ours for security. Tanks again.

Looking forward to your drawer latch feedback. Likin' the bungee cord solution here . . .

Peter

tanks...you're killing me. You do need to get on the road...soon!

as for the tanks moving...well I’m not positive but expect I will. Maybe too much work for an inch…but we’ll see.

It's just that I have such an ill-fitting tank enclosure. Some misfit was caused by a jack post that was not plumb…slight lean to the rear. This pushes the top of the tank cover back but the bottom can’t move as it’s fixed. The dealer added 2 washers (to match the thickness of the one required for the jack ground) when they swapped out the head recently so at least the post is now plumb… that helped a bit.

The other clue was the notch at the bottom rear of cover…the enclosure sits forward so the notch in the rear panel of the cover is still well forward of the battery box. I presume the notch is there so the batt box can slip under the notch and the panel lands just forward of the piano hinge. When the lid is up and the lid latch against the panel, the panel should be at least vertical, maybe a slight lean fwd to accommodate getting the batts out when needed. When I redo the box for the 6v’s I presume I’ll raise the lid as opposed to dropping the bottom. I think I’ll lose the hinge and maybe go with the mechanisms in the rear bumper compartment…fit into slot and push over to hold down.

I’ve never seen an AS with a leaning tank closure like our and it drives me nuts…plus it’s always a struggle getting the cover on and off as the front of the enclosure is hard against (and even past) the rear edge (plane) of the jack head…so the front panel bows in to accommodate the jack head.

as for the bungee that is my default. I'm just not there yet. I've also only had problems with the P & P drawer and the slider opening I presume as they generally carry a heavier payload. I solved the slide with a gate latch I had...kinda Rube but form follows function.

When I was at the hardware vendor, they said they sell a ton of these...to quote them " by the boxes to hospitals and Dr's offices" for their med's cabinets in patient rooms. If it works for them...I'll give it a try. Plus now that I understand the how (how the constant reverse polarity closes the latch and the strong magnet opens it) , I feel better that I'll be able to open it and not get stranded.

I hope to do this tomorrow. We finally got a break in the weather (105 one day!!!) so I'll probably drag Blue home do the work, give the batts a drink, remove them for a trickle until we leave in a month.

Bob

OTRA15 · 08-23-2016, 07:16 AM

Appreciate the further clarification, Bob. I gas our propane tanks could stand to go back a bit, as the jack also pushes into our tank cover, but yours sounds worse. Our jack vertical tube seems pretty plumb FWIW.

So this is the tanks we get, for all our hard work . . . ?

Sorry. Yeah, too much free time I guess . . . gotta get OTRA again soon . . . going to try for Hither Hills SP mid-week again after Labor Day. Then maybe Asheville NC in October or November? TBD. CalDream16/17 may morph into 17/18 . . .

Ya done Rube proud with that latch, for sure, but it is hidden, simple and it works -- with minimal installation labor. I like it. One bungee cord down low would also work for you -- for both this pantry door, and for the drawer under the stove. And the two strap eyes could be low and less visible than our three on each end.

That magnetic latch sounds good, but you know how little gadgets like that sometimes malfunction in ways we don't anticipate . . .

Have a good Labor Day weekend. Looking forward to cooler weather (which we have a great dose of right now) and getting on the road again!

Cheers,

Peter

centennialman · 08-23-2016, 11:19 AM

Guess what?? I finally got around to measuring the rear galley window during my camping trip last week. I am including a couple of photos. Advanced apologies for any sideways photos....they sometimes come out weird here on the forums.

In my model, the window can be opened and latches open with the opener arms. The right edge of the window frame goes, just barely, behind the edge of the bathroom wall. From the bathroom wall edge to the center of the right handle is 1/2 inch. From the slit that the right arm occupies, it is 25 3/8 inches over to the center of the slit that the left arm occupies.

Hopefully this information helps.....please let me know if you have any other questions.

centennialman · 08-23-2016, 11:28 AM

OK...let's try again. For some reason, pics aren't uploading easily this morning.

OTRA15 · 08-23-2016, 12:25 PM

Thanks Steve, it appears that your interior trim piece incl. screen would work on our sink window, but that the right edge would have to be trimmed off, to lose most if not all of the slot for the right operator handle. Add in a new left operator handle and mechanism, which should bolt to our window's existing through-bolts, and this may be a solution for us IMO.

I am guessing that they moved the bath wall over to the right (looking at the galley sinks) a bit to accomplish this.

One of the face screws which hold on our trim piece would conflict with the new left operator it appears, but this is manageable.

Thanks again,

Peter

centennialman · 08-23-2016, 03:09 PM

You bet Peter.....on my unit it appears that the entire window frame is there and that they "slid" it ever so slightly behind the bathroom wall. It's hard to tell but it looks like it's the same size all the way around. Let me know if you need any other measurements.

subfan1 · 08-23-2016, 04:21 PM

Yes thanks for the measurements, I have a measurement request. Can you measure the distance between the edge of the sink to the bathroom wall? Thanks I'm still going to pursue looking into installing the curb side only lever when I get back in September. I'll post here with the results. I'm wondering if the shower enclosure is smaller in the new units?

OTRA15 · 08-23-2016, 04:57 PM

That has been my assumption all along, a smaller shower in the new units. Or has the sink and/or window been shifted to the left? No matter IMO, as Steve's L/R dimension earlier confirms the new interior screen/trim should work in our 2014. With cool weather on the way here in the NE, any window work will probably go to the back burner.

Steve it looks like you have about 2" of counter from the rim of the sink to the bath wall cove trim? What is the unit with bars sitting on your sink? A dish drain or drying rack of some kind? Thanks.

OTRA15 · 08-23-2016, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by subfan1

Yosemite National Park lower pines campground. I'm a volunteer this month.
Attachment 269074

Cool photo! How's it going in Yosemite?

subfan1 · 08-23-2016, 08:32 PM

Earlier in the month it was very hot and throughout the year there has been an increase in visitors by 22%
Volunteers and park staff have been very busy this month and for me, I'm ready to come home. This year has been very difficult due to the increase in visitors. I'll be heading home on Monday.

OTRA15 · 08-24-2016, 04:45 AM

Sounds, er, emm, well . . . gruesome!

Kinda takes the bloom off the rose of volunteering IMO.

Safe home.

Peter

renderit · 08-24-2016, 05:24 AM

I did this to my cover and it works great. Posted it a while back, but this thing is way too long to search. This lifts it and gives more clearance. It also quiets it and keeps you from having to move it. I put felt pads in back of the jack head that it rests against. The rubber (actually rubber feet from Amazon) are stepped in the front to go over the jack pad. Cuts easily with a back saw. Stuck on with 30# tape.

centennialman · 08-24-2016, 08:33 AM

OK...so, I went out and measured from the bathroom wall to the sink edge this mornong. It's 2 3/8"

I decided to take a really close look at the edge of the window next to the bathroom wall. It actually looks like the edge stops right at the edge of the bathroom wall instead of going behind it. The edge of the window is slightly hidden by the aluminum decorative strip that covers it.

Also, the rack that you saw over the sink is a foldable dish dryer that I bought on Amazon. It is very durable and will hold the weight of a hot pot with food in it which gives even more workable space in our wonderful kitchens that we are blessed with in this model

I use it as a vegetable drying rack after rinsing, dish drainer, and hot pot rack. When I travel it folds up and is stowed under the sink.

OTRA15 · 08-24-2016, 08:49 AM

Ditto here -- 2 3/8" thanks.

CruizinDux · 08-24-2016, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renderit

I did this to my cover and it works great. Posted it a while back, but this thing is way too long to search. This lifts it and gives more clearance. It also quiets it and keeps you from having to move it. I put felt pads in back of the jack head that it rests against. The rubber (actually rubber feet from Amazon) are stepped in the front to go over the jack pad. Cuts easily with a back saw. Stuck on with 30# tape.

renderit, thanks for the idea and photos. I'm bring Blue home today to do some work and will keep your method in mind. My cover hangs from cross bar at the top that also holds the regulator so doesn't rest on the frame itself but maybe the spacers could help.

Thx
bob

idahodian · 09-02-2016, 09:24 PM

Well, went to pick up the 2014, had some issues. I have several questions, will start with this one, does anyone else have issues opening the windows over the dinette?