access behind front wall in storage bin

[more tired since retired]

I'm looking at how to gain access behind the front panel in the storage bin for our 2020 Imagine 2600RB, without damaging it. I'd like to be able to handle the wiring for solar, an inverter and possibly the cables for lithium batteries (thinking about moving them off the A-frame and inside the storage bin for security).

I've looked and see no way to remove the panel to get access behind the panel to cleanly route and protect wiring.

[quiglenj]

I am embarking on a similar quest, did you ever get the courage to peel back that front skin and peer back there?

[uwskier]

It's a royal pain to get off. I cracked mine in two spots and I was trying to be careful removing. The 2022s are worse with the solar charge controller preventing you from peeling it back cleanly without flexing it too much. To start, you have to remove the trim piece along the sides and bottom. To get the side trim piece out, you may need to remove the piece that runs along the base of the side below the basement access door. I had to on mine. It helps if you have some automotive trim removal tools from HarborFreight. Good luck! At least if you break it like I did, it's not somewhere super obvious.

[Petrovsky]

I'm looking at how to gain access behind the front panel in the storage bin for our 2020 Imagine 2600RB, without damaging it. I'd like to be able to handle the wiring for solar, an inverter and possibly the cables for lithium batteries (thinking about moving them off the A-frame and inside the storage bin for security).

I've looked and see no way to remove the panel to get access behind the panel to cleanly route and protect wiring.

I have a lot of mods to do before tackling what you are about to do. However, I have a few books and numerous notes on the subject so far. I would like to share with you what I will do with the two battleborn (or equivalent batteries). I will put them under the bed, keep most of the wiring as short as possible and oversized into the storage bay. As far as the luan covering the front of the storage bay, it is tacked on and going easy peasy on it should provide you with access behind there.

I would install the electronics behind the water service bay and route cabling through floor back to service panel. The converter would be disconnected of course.

[quiglenj]

I have a lot of mods to do before tackling what you are about to do. However, I have a few books and numerous notes on the subject so far. I would like to share with you what I will do with the two battleborn (or equivalent batteries). I will put them under the bed, keep most of the wiring as short as possible and oversized into the storage bay. As far as the luan covering the front of the storage bay, it is tacked on and going easy peasy on it should provide you with access behind there.

I would install the electronics behind the water service bay and route cabling through floor back to service panel. The converter would be disconnected of course.

I am still using FLA batteries (2 heavy T-105's) so they will stay put up on the tongue for now. So to keep the wiring as short as possible I decided to look behind the luan and to see if I had enough room to install the electronics there, keeping the battery cables as short as possible. I am also trying keep as much of the original pass-through floor space open for all of the crap that I seem to need. I attached a work in progress shot of the install. I am using the circuit breaker to the inverter as a disconnect for now, but eventually will select and p/u a separate disconnect and work that into the battery supply to the inverter. After I clean-up and organize the original trailer wiring, I will install 1/4" ply and save the luan for other in-trailer carpenter projects. I will leave the inverter open to the pass through for cooling and only put up the plywood to the point where the top of the bins would rest when restacking them in the pass-through. The plywood will be installed in 2 pieces instead of one piece all the way across and go all the way up near the openings to allow for remounting of the lights and switches. Also, I will attach the ply with screws, allowing for easier removal.

During this work window, I also pulled down the rear luan install another 12v USB port of my side of the bed and to outfit under the bed with a 120v plug (vac battery charge location?) and another 12v supply for whatever future use. Possible magnetic switch operated LED lighting. 1/4" ply will also be placed put back in-place of the original luan also with screws.

One thing I found that the sq. aluminum tubing that I attached to plywood backing plate to is only welded on the ends. At the top there is actually 2 separate aluminum tubes weld only on the ends and not to each other. I have adding in blocking to stiffen these tubes using the 2"x2" framing that holds up the bed. I was concern that adding the weight of the inverter on the middle of the free spanned (about 8 ft.) tubing would have eventually broken the end welds. I think the purpose of this tubing is to only support the sheet metal rock guard on the lower end of the front cap, so adding this weight was not per original design.

Li batteries would be nice, would love to save that weight out on the tongue.

[wudwork]

I'm looking at how to gain access behind the front panel in the storage bin for our 2020 Imagine 2600RB, without damaging it. I'd like to be able to handle the wiring for solar, an inverter and possibly the cables for lithium batteries (thinking about moving them off the A-frame and inside the storage bin for security).

I've looked and see no way to remove the panel to get access behind the panel to cleanly route and protect wiring.

I installed a 3/4" plywood board over the luan on the basement wall closer to rear of trailer. I wanted to mount equipment to front wall but the back wall is much more recessed thus less subject to impact from stuff sliding in/out/around basement. I drilled 5/8" holes down thru the 1" balsa wood frame for each wire. 5/8" was big enough to permit 4awg wire with the plastic sleeve over it for protection. Those are the wires that go thru the rectangle hole (white eterna-bond tape was used for grommet). I tried to mount my "exposed" lugs out of way so when I put the endless stuff into basement, it won't short out. Here is the pic along the way when testing the system. It really does work great.

[Jammer]

I am still using FLA batteries (2 heavy T-105's) so they will stay put up on the tongue for now. So to keep the wiring as short as possible I decided to look behind the luan and to see if I had enough room to install the electronics there, keeping the battery cables as short as possible. I am also trying keep as much of the original pass-through floor space open for all of the crap that I seem to need. I attached a work in progress shot of the install. I am using the circuit breaker to the inverter as a disconnect for now, but eventually will select and p/u a separate disconnect and work that into the battery supply to the inverter. After I clean-up and organize the original trailer wiring, I will install 1/4" ply and save the luan for other in-trailer carpenter projects. I will leave the inverter open to the pass through for cooling and only put up the plywood to the point where the top of the bins would rest when restacking them in the pass-through. The plywood will be installed in 2 pieces instead of one piece all the way across and go all the way up near the openings to allow for remounting of the lights and switches. Also, I will attach the ply with screws, allowing for easier removal.

During this work window, I also pulled down the rear luan install another 12v USB port of my side of the bed and to outfit under the bed with a 120v plug (vac battery charge location?) and another 12v supply for whatever future use. Possible magnetic switch operated LED lighting. 1/4" ply will also be placed put back in-place of the original luan also with screws.

One thing I found that the sq. aluminum tubing that I attached to plywood backing plate to is only welded on the ends. At the top there is actually 2 separate aluminum tubes weld only on the ends and not to each other. I have adding in blocking to stiffen these tubes using the 2"x2" framing that holds up the bed. I was concern that adding the weight of the inverter on the middle of the free spanned (about 8 ft.) tubing would have eventually broken the end welds. I think the purpose of this tubing is to only support the sheet metal rock guard on the lower end of the front cap, so adding this weight was not per original design.

Li batteries would be nice, would love to save that weight out on the tongue.

Thanks for a peek behind the curtains! I'm planning on installing the same inverter and was thinking I needed to pull that front panel off to see what space was back there. I think this will work well for what I have planned. Are you going to run a 120v line to a transfer switch by the main panel? If so have you done it and can you give any advice as to how difficult it was or how you'd do it differently? Thought about backfeeding a circuit, but I'm sure just typing those words has set a few camper on fire. Don't worry people I've already been shamed enough that I know it's a bad idea because I can't control what someone other than me might do when I'm not there to undo my cobble!

[quiglenj]

Jammer,

No, I did not go get elegant and install this inverter with a transfer switch. That would be real nice and only power the necessary circuits. I am just brute forcing it. I hard wired the inverter output to a new dedicated 20A outlet on the other side of the pass-through on the top docking station wall. When we do boondock, which is not very often, I connect the shore power cord to the dedicated inverter outlet. This will allow us to power the minimal essential 120v appliances, blender, microwave, TV outside of the courtesy generator hours. I do ensure that the refrigerator and water heater are on propane and open the breaker to the converter before I fire up the inverter (so far anyway). Yes its inconvenient and will lead to problems (inverter tripping or dead batteries) when I screw up, but we are up and running. We will test this out more in a few months as we are are heading out soon for a 3 month trip with a quite a few no-hook up sites in the plans.

I did install a Victron Smart Shunt, this is a pretty good way to monitor what is happening with the batteries while using the inverter. I did find that smart shunt Bluetooth range was very limited, as I could only connect to the shunt while up front in the bedroom very near the shunt. I added Victron's Bluetooth dongle which does provides good Bluetooth range. The dongle just plugs into the shunt with a 6-8 ft cord. I installed (for now) it on the top rail in the center of the pass through, see attached picture.

I still need to select and install a battery disconnect switch. My only way to disconnect the inverter now is by tripping or opening the breaker, not real convenient but that's oversight for you. I would like to install the disconnect right inside the bin near the light and front cap lighting switch. If anyone has a favorite disconnect switch I would appreciate a recommendation. I would like to find one that is fairly short and won't protrude into the pass-through and get whacked by me putting bins away.

Neal

[Jammer]

Jammer,

No, I did not go get elegant and install this inverter with a transfer switch. That would be real nice and only power the necessary circuits. I am just brute forcing it. I hard wired the inverter output to a new dedicated 20A outlet on the other side of the pass-through on the top docking station wall. When we do boondock, which is not very often, I connect the shore power cord to the dedicated inverter outlet. This will allow us to power the minimal essential 120v appliances, blender, microwave, TV outside of the courtesy generator hours. I do ensure that the refrigerator and water heater are on propane and open the breaker to the converter before I fire up the inverter (so far anyway). Yes its inconvenient and will lead to problems (inverter tripping or dead batteries) when I screw up, but we are up and running. We will test this out more in a few months as we are are heading out soon for a 3 month trip with a quite a few no-hook up sites in the plans.

I did install a Victron Smart Shunt, this is a pretty good way to monitor what is happening with the batteries while using the inverter. I did find that smart shunt Bluetooth range was very limited, as I could only connect to the shunt while up front in the bedroom very near the shunt. I added Victron's Bluetooth dongle which does provides good Bluetooth range. The dongle just plugs into the shunt with a 6-8 ft cord. I installed (for now) it on the top rail in the center of the pass through, see attached picture.

I still need to select and install a battery disconnect switch. My only way to disconnect the inverter now is by tripping or opening the breaker, not real convenient but that's oversight for you. I would like to install the disconnect right inside the bin near the light and front cap lighting switch. If anyone has a favorite disconnect switch I would appreciate a recommendation. I would like to find one that is fairly short and won't protrude into the pass-through and get whacked by me putting bins away.

Neal

How did you route your battery cables to the tongue? I opened up the front last weekend and see that the wall is bolted to the frame and I assume you can't get thru the floor from behind the wall? Did go back the same route that the original did which adds a bunch of length to the battery cables? I sort of don't want to go thru the floor in plan sight if I don't have to.

Wondering if you have any great suggestions?

[quiglenj]

How did you route your battery cables to the tongue? I opened up the front last weekend and see that the wall is bolted to the frame and I assume you can't get thru the floor from behind the wall? Did go back the same route that the original did which adds a bunch of length to the battery cables? I sort of don't want to go thru the floor in plan sight if I don't have to.

Wondering if you have any great suggestions?

I was able to drill through the floor, had to go through the wood 2X2 on the floor. I drilled from outside up, just after the sheet metal rock guard stopped, after drilling a pilot hole first. I then sealed in a PVC reducer (small flange on outside) from the bottom ran the cables through and then foam sealed the fitting and cables from from the top and and bottom. I added in more screws to secure the 2X2 to the floor. On the outside I ran the cables from the battery box down to the chassis and secured with a cable clamp and then pulled them up into the trailer. I covered them with the split wire loom cover, you can see them but there is so much going on down there and now covered with the wire loom housing it's actually cleaner than the way the trailer was delivered.