All along, we have tried to keep fresh water runs on the inside (warm-side) of the camper, just to make travel during freezing temperatures easiest. Once the heater is on, or plugged in with an electric heater or something, the fresh water should remain usable.
However, we flipped back and forth a few times, and then most recently had decided to plumb the bathroom sink faucet in the normal traditional style - up through the counter top - leaving under-counter connections on the cold side, in the propane cabinet.
My idea was to place shut-off valves in the supply lines, before they exited into the propane cabinet, so we would simply turn water supply off to the basin faucet when freezing temperatures were expected, and still be able to use the galley sink. That would have also required a disconnect underneath to drain cold side plumbing when necessary.
Over in the
Fresh Water Chapter, I described how I was going to route those supplies lines from the water heater area, into the galley alongside the entry door, then overhead, and then into the high levels of the bathroom near the entry, then down the bathroom walls and into the back side of the counter top.
Now I was hesitant to drill holes into the new counter top, or even into the bathroom back-wall (below the counter), just to route it back into the faucet from underneath. I could seal the holes, but why? If I didn't need to? And I was still trying to keep it all on the warm side. Plus, clean-up is always easier if you minimize objects and obstructions (supply pipes and soap dispensers, etc.) from the surface being cleaned up - in this case, the counter-top.
I went back in the house and got DW, and we re-opened talks. I said, "We can do this and that, and get that or this - and what do you think?" She said, "yes". So let's get started.
The faucet, and the plumbing to it, will be covered before long over in the Fresh Water Chapter. For now, lets do the sink and soap dispensers.
Now that I knew I wasn't using the three holes at the back of the sink for a faucet, I could use the two outer holes for the two soap dispensers (shampoo, and conditioner).
We can use the shampoo for hand soap easy enough. Even a mild soap bar for faces or something can be stored on the basin's bar soap depressions, which are quite secure (deep enough) for a moving basin. The other as conditioner.
DW, with her longer hair, can loads these with whatever she needs, and I can use whatever I find in them. It even appears there is room behind the propane tanks (in the corners) for normal larger shampoo/conditioner bottles (because we like to buy bulk whenever possible) for when the dispenser bottles need a re-fill. Everything out of the way. Yeah, they could all freeze.
But the soap dispenser reservoir bottles have too big of a diameter to put three across, so I just used the outer two holes, and drilled the counter plastic.
Here is the sink and install parts. Much different than the high quality aluminum and screws of yesteryear on the vintage steel sinks, like used in the galley, or in Tow-Mater.
2/2/18 Edit - The butyl didn't work. See fix on 2/2/18 post.
I rolled out some excess butyl into a long thin worm and pressed it into the basin edge groove, forming it as I went for best sealing.
And got the basin installed from beneath with those little plastic clips and screws.
Next I noticed a small paint chip, in the white powder-coat of one of the soap dispensers. Underneath it was entirely of cast brass. Hmmmm.
Preferring they looked more like metal of some kind, instead of white counter-top plastic (you know, for the whole contrast and accent thing) I removed the powder coat paint with a combo of paint stripper, scrapping and bench mounted wire-wheel. Messy!
So now we are back to some brass in the bathroom, instead of only silver metals like chrome and aluminum. Since we're using copper pipes anyway, and lots of aluminum, adding brass to the mix actually just provides more variety in the form of multiple metal colors. And that's something a designer can work with!
So here's how it looks from beneath.
And from above.
We'll have to figure out something tasteful for the center hole, or a cover plate.
And the faucet will mount on the wall above. I know, hard to imagine without further details. We'll cover that perhaps here, but also in the Fresh Water Chapter.
Note also on the above photo, I used an aluminum band to cover the counter-top plastic gap.
I made the bands by ripping a section of 1/2" angle aluminum on the table saw, and then forming and drilling it in appropriate spots.
Here's the under side.
I placed butyl under the bands, additional bathroom sealing and caulking still to come.
