I have found, building my camper has been kind of like a game of Chess. If you have the ability to think ahead a few moves, your game is going to be better than if you don't.
Take the last photo in the previous post for example. I gave (what appeared to be) a good reason for placing the access door latch on the left, because I'm opening with the key in my right hand. As it turns out, the latch on the RIGHT would have actually been best, as the entry door swing and hold-open position could have actually been allowed WITH the access door latch holding IT open, had the latch been on the right. But with the latch in operation on the left, it hits the entry door prior to the door grabbing its hold-open.
Live and learn. I have an extra latch (they came in pairs). I may place a second latch for this access door so that it has two, and gives me a choice. It just means more holes in the original metal, and that bothers me, but not terribly. ;)
While on the access doors, look close at that last photo - at the bottom black rubber seal. It's complete, across the whole door, and therefore, MAY seal out dust (if the rubber proves any good, which I find suspect due to its cheap nature).
Now compare that to these two access doors - at the propane cabinet, and at the lower fridge vent.
Here at the propane cabinet, note the bottom seal retainer track has been cut out. In this photo you can see where I "cleaned up" the jagged edge to protect hands, by using emery cloth and a file.
The door maker told me that by law they have to cut this, so propane won't "dam up" behind the edge, won't seal in, will pour out, if there's a leak. I didn't know that when I ordered the doors. If I had, I could have mentioned that I have an "escape hole" with screen in the bottom of the cabinet.
Instead I got the cut out edge, and it was as jagged and flesh-tearing saw-like as it could be! They also cut and pieced little black seal pieces back into the three small remaining tabs, that were not only incorrect lengths as often as not, but not crimped in place, so they have all slid out, some even during shipping!
Their black rubber seal was bulk on a roll, and took on the misshapen profile of whatever the heck the cheap roll of seal wanted to take. Much of it wouldn't lay flat. As part of our resolution to my order, I asked the maker to send me several feet of new seal I could use to repair bad portions of what they included. The new seal was just as bad as the first. Mostly unusable: twisted, folded and creased.
I had the same issue at the lower fridge vent door, but again, I cleaned up the edge.
Here's how it ended, with some small pieces of seal cut and placed, and then held in their spots by crimping the aluminum channel ends with a pair of diagonal cutters.
Note the difference between my more attentive 45 degree angle cut of the seal in the corner, and that of the door maker's. And I'm not bragging; I mean, this ain't rocket science.
They said they weren't used to working with regular people. Their customer is the RV industry manufacturer, where they sell bulk orders. So if you buy a new RV, you might want to pay particular attention to the access doors, as they may be made in a way that brings you pause AFTER you sign on the bottom line.
And that's all I have to say about that. :)
