Pulling electriical wire through underbelly 253RB

[DannyZeee]

So, wanted to add a 120V wall outlet beside the table on a 253RB, figured best way was direct from breaker panel. Cable needed to come back up through the floor right where the waste tanks are, so, more than just loosening the coroplast was gonna be a pain.
Coroplast on breaker panel side had propane line bolted entire length of the RV, so removing coroplast would have been a very big job.

So, I tied a rare earth magnet to a string, dropped it down the hole behind my breaker panel(where all the electrical comes thtough the floor) and used another rare earth magnet on the bottom side of the coroplast to "pull" the string to where I needed it on the opposite side of the RV.

Used the string to pull an 18 gauge wire, then used the 18 gauge to pull the 14/2. Easy as it sounds, took maybe 1/2 hour.(couple of time the inside magnet got caught up in the mess of wires, hoses, & stuff, that is lying on your coroplast, just back up the magnet, & try re-routing.)

The only thing I did with the coroplast was pulled out 4 anchors, so I could fit my hand in between the frame & coroplast to route the cable through the hole I drilled in the floor.

I have 2 spare breaker slots in the panel, so, gonna put this plug on its own breaker.

[Lloyd]

Good deal.
Sometimes jobs that appear very intimidating can go pretty smoothly.
Where there's a will, there's a way.

[Wingerdinger]

Originally Posted by DannyZeee

So, wanted to add a 120V wall outlet beside the table on a 253RB, figured best way was direct from breaker panel. Cable needed to come back up through the floor right where the waste tanks are, so, more than just loosening the coroplast was gonna be a pain.
Coroplast on breaker panel side had propane line bolted entire length of the RV, so removing coroplast would have been a very big job.

So, I tied a rare earth magnet to a string, dropped it down the hole behind my breaker panel(where all the electrical comes thtough the floor) and used another rare earth magnet on the bottom side of the coroplast to "pull" the string to where I needed it on the opposite side of the RV.

Used the string to pull an 18 gauge wire, then used the 18 gauge to pull the 14/2. Easy as it sounds, took maybe 1/2 hour.(couple of time the inside magnet got caught up in the mess of wires, hoses, & stuff, that is lying on your coroplast, just back up the magnet, & try re-routing.)

The only thing I did with the coroplast was pulled out 4 anchors, so I could fit my hand in between the frame & coroplast to route the cable through the hole I drilled in the floor.

I have 2 spare breaker slots in the panel, so, gonna put this plug on its own breaker.

FYI, it is always best to continue a thread that you have started, rather than post a new thread on the continuing subject. It gets confusing and bothersome for all of us.

[DannyZeee]

Originally Posted by Wingerdinger

FYI, it is always best to continue a thread that you have started, rather than post a new thread on the continuing subject. It gets confusing and bothersome for all of us.

I agree, however, this post had really nothing at all to do with the original post (Looking for a service manual) other than this was the example I used to say "One" of the reasons I was looking for a service manual.


Had I posted it on the original post, anyone looking for an easy way to "Pull electrics through the underbelly" would never have read a post about looking for a service manual.


That being said, sorry for being "confusing and bothersome" by trying to be helpful. I will be more careful in the future.

[ugauga]

I'm glad it went nice and easy, that was a very neat idea. I'm not a fan of such installation. You probably will be fine but should anybody else in the future have to do something to the underbelly they will be unaware of it. Cables running to the side of the frame or under floor in bundles are inherently protected. Someone checking on a leak in underbelly will try to cut a 3 sided hole to be patch up may damage the cable insulation and lead to more problems.

Just saying. Once again, neat idea.

[DannyZeee]

Originally Posted by ugauga

I'm glad it went nice and easy, that was a very neat idea. I'm not a fan of such installation. You probably will be fine but should anybody else in the future have to do something to the underbelly they will be unaware of it. Cables running to the side of the frame or under floor in bundles are inherently protected. Someone checking on a leak in underbelly will try to cut a 3 sided hole to be patch up may damage the cable insulation and lead to more problems.

Just saying. Once again, neat idea.

Perhaps you have never looked under your typical RV underbelly? When I pulled down the edge of my coroplast, the first thing I seen was the main water line running from the water tank in the front, to the rear of the RV, (it literally fell out of the gap created when i loosened the coroplast to get a look under it) The second thing I seen right beside the water line, was the main electrical feed wire coming from the back of the RV, heading over the coroplast towards the breaker panel on the other side.(I could tell it was the main line, because it was a piece of 10/2) When I pulled down a little more, there was another water line(one of the white fiber re-enforced, garden hose looking style) going I have no idea where, as well as a **** ton of what looked to be perhaps tank level sensor wiring. (all balled up in a mess, looks like the installer couldn't be bothered to cut off the excess, just left it all balled up beside the waste tanks. There were even things like a 4 conductor ribbon style cable, with one wire connected to a tank sensor, and the other 3 just left hanging, unattached to anything. (I assume this is extra wiring for a second gray water tank, as the convienence panel in the RV has the ability to see levels in 2 gray tanks, but the RV only has one)


Point being, everything you could imagine(including propane lines) is literally just strewn about, willy nilly on the coroplast. If your coroplast came off, going down the highway, you would likely loose a ton of functionality in your RV, as the cables & water lines, etc, would literally fall out onto the road, maybe get wrapped up around your wheels, or perhaps caught on something on the road, whatever.


All that said, one day, I may pull down the coroplast, & tie everything in nice bundles, & make sure wiring running through the frame is protected, etc. For now, my adding one more cable under the RV, among all the other mess, is pretty marginal.


Also, not sure if I mentioned it here, but, the magnet would routinely get caught on "stuff" as it was being pulled through, you just need to backup, move over, & try another route. (That is why it still took nearly 1/2 hour, lots of backing up, & trying another direction)

[Lloyd]

Nice write up.

You've been catching a little flack lately for no good reason as far as I can see.
I give you credit for coming back with a very thorough, civil response/write up.

[Oliver]

Originally Posted by Lloyd

Nice write up.

You've been catching a little flack lately for no good reason as far as I can see.
I give you credit for coming back with a very thorough, civil response/write up.

I agree with Lloyd 100%

[Yakherder]

Thanks DannyZeee for your McGyver (sic) on how to feed the wires without having to remove a lot of the coroplast. That's a neat trick to keep in mind.

Further, about the wires in the underbelly. I can't speak for everyone but on mine there was no thought given into securing the wires to anything. When my coroplast gave way I found, like you, all the wires, water lines and heating pipes in disarray. Everything was left to their own devices while you drove down the road. I used split tube to bundle them and zip tied or used fasteners to secure them to the frame/floor and nothing is riding on the coroplast. Attached a couple of pictures for others to know what to expect if they take a look in their under belly.

[AstronomyGuy]

I love the thinking outside the box. I guess I cheated by cutting two small trap doors in the underbelly and then using underbelly tape to seal it back up. I found a tool and a piece of leftover PVC rolling around inside mine. At least I hope it was leftover PVC. LOL The guy at the factory probably said Oh well out of sight out of mind.