Did 4 different modifications to my Outback over the last week. Very pleased with the way they turned out. Thought I'd share:
First, Doggie Ramp for the bed. That's a tall jump for our dachshund!
Simple 1/2 inch plywood, covered with a carpet runner purchased from Wall Mart.
Before and after:
Second:
Ran a simple toggle on-off switch so I could double switch the water pump. For some reason the water pump gets turned on when parked at home. Don't know how or why, but we very seldom lock the camper door, but think the neighbor might be getting in the camper at night. Weird, I know, but on several occasions the water pump was turned on when I went to the camper in the morning, running, as there is no water in the tank. Doesn't make sense. We live in the country! So decided to double switch.
Here's the main switches.
Top swith is the inside night light
Second row is are the lights, front and back scare lights, yellow porch light, and living room house lights
Third row are the buttons for the holding tanks levels
Fourth row are the switches for the water heater electric and gas, the water pump, and the electric awning.
Fifth row are the 3 slides
As you can see, to hit the one with the star under it (inside house lights), it is easy to hit a different switch!
From outside the door:
So a simple solution was to double switch under the bed:
Water pump is located under that step where I put the doggie ramp:
Third and 4th modification kind of go together.
The power cord that came with the camper is 35 feet long. It's contained in a cabinet on the end of the camper (living room beside the television). I wanted an easier access to this compartment, so I took the panel out, hinged it, and put a handle on it that opens much easier now:
The next thing I did was put my portable Progressive Surge protector under there. After I lost one (at home... don't know how or why, it just disappeared... packed up to go camping. When we got to the campground, it was gone. Don't know if I left it on the trailer bumper after unplugging from the garage, but it never turned up.)
After that, I got a new one and decided it was going inside the camper. So with the access panel easy to "access" now, I simply rolled up the 35 feet of cord, and plugged in the protector, stuck the male end of the plug through the hole and then an extension outside to plug in.
But I decided to shorten that cord so the surge protector could still be inside the camper so I'd never loos it again, and I could use the original pigtail cord (35 feet) for an extension cord.
So I simply got a new male and a new female plug and cut the pigtail about 3 feet long and attached. I then attached the female end to the (new) extension cord:
Considering I already have 120 feet of extension cord already, I decided to simply store this new one in the compartment and not use it. In the event I ever sell the trailer, I can simply take the female end off, and reattach the cord to the junction box and keep my protector. OR... simply plug the extension cord into the 3 foot section and shove the other end out the hole! Same difference I suppose.
Anyway, my doggie loves the ramp. I love the switch. And my wife loves the new plug for the surge protector, as she will never have to buy me another one again! (unless this one does it's job and dies by a bad surge)...
Happy camping folks!
First, Doggie Ramp for the bed. That's a tall jump for our dachshund!
Simple 1/2 inch plywood, covered with a carpet runner purchased from Wall Mart.
Before and after:
Second:
Ran a simple toggle on-off switch so I could double switch the water pump. For some reason the water pump gets turned on when parked at home. Don't know how or why, but we very seldom lock the camper door, but think the neighbor might be getting in the camper at night. Weird, I know, but on several occasions the water pump was turned on when I went to the camper in the morning, running, as there is no water in the tank. Doesn't make sense. We live in the country! So decided to double switch.
Here's the main switches.
Top swith is the inside night light
Second row is are the lights, front and back scare lights, yellow porch light, and living room house lights
Third row are the buttons for the holding tanks levels
Fourth row are the switches for the water heater electric and gas, the water pump, and the electric awning.
Fifth row are the 3 slides
As you can see, to hit the one with the star under it (inside house lights), it is easy to hit a different switch!
From outside the door:
So a simple solution was to double switch under the bed:
Water pump is located under that step where I put the doggie ramp:
Third and 4th modification kind of go together.
The power cord that came with the camper is 35 feet long. It's contained in a cabinet on the end of the camper (living room beside the television). I wanted an easier access to this compartment, so I took the panel out, hinged it, and put a handle on it that opens much easier now:
The next thing I did was put my portable Progressive Surge protector under there. After I lost one (at home... don't know how or why, it just disappeared... packed up to go camping. When we got to the campground, it was gone. Don't know if I left it on the trailer bumper after unplugging from the garage, but it never turned up.)
After that, I got a new one and decided it was going inside the camper. So with the access panel easy to "access" now, I simply rolled up the 35 feet of cord, and plugged in the protector, stuck the male end of the plug through the hole and then an extension outside to plug in.
But I decided to shorten that cord so the surge protector could still be inside the camper so I'd never loos it again, and I could use the original pigtail cord (35 feet) for an extension cord.
So I simply got a new male and a new female plug and cut the pigtail about 3 feet long and attached. I then attached the female end to the (new) extension cord:
Considering I already have 120 feet of extension cord already, I decided to simply store this new one in the compartment and not use it. In the event I ever sell the trailer, I can simply take the female end off, and reattach the cord to the junction box and keep my protector. OR... simply plug the extension cord into the 3 foot section and shove the other end out the hole! Same difference I suppose.
Anyway, my doggie loves the ramp. I love the switch. And my wife loves the new plug for the surge protector, as she will never have to buy me another one again! (unless this one does it's job and dies by a bad surge)...
Happy camping folks!
