Hi everyone, looking to add Olympic heater and outside speakers to a 1996 36' 270. I removed the foldout table and added the heater there. I plan on drilling down on the passenger side of the coach right above the fuel bay and drop into and tap the propane from there also need to drop wiring for some outside speakers either there or one bay back. Looking at the floor up next to the wall there seems to be a raised section that I'm worried about drilling into (wire run maybe) does anyone know what's along the wall down the passenger side or could offer a better spot to drill thanks Bill
Here is a picture of the area taken while I was installing the bamboo floor in the salon. I have added a furring strip to the right of the original because I am building some cabinets to go along the wall below the windows and a regular sized desk behind the passenger chair where the folding table was. You can see the white Romex 120VAC wiring that went to the outlet that used to be on the side of the folding table cabinet running closest to the wall and then some DC wiring on the other side of a channel created by another furring strip. My advice is to find the steel framing in the area you want to drill from underneath with a magnet, mark the location on the inside and peel back a little bit of carpet to expose the wiring, furring strip, and subfloor to drill your hole... avoiding the steel frame work.
I hope that helps,
Don
Don's advice is right on. I had romex in a similar location on my coach.
Only thing I would add is to use a small drill bit first to make sure it comes out where think it should be coming out before you go at with your 3/4" bit! DAHIK! (don't ask how I know)
see ya
ken
Thanks Don, I am always amazed at the helpfulness of members to help each other out. That picture was just what the doc ordered, I have been able to pick up a wealth of info on my coach just reading posts and can usually find what I need that way!!! Thanks again Bill
I had forgotten, but if memory serves me now, there was some thin 1/8 inch plywood over those furring strips protecting the wire. There were several short pieces laid end to end. So you may need to use an oscillating multitool to plunge cut a small section out where you want to drill if you don't want to peel a whole bunch of carpet back. But you've already probably figured that out by now... were I to approach that knowing what I know now, I would make to incisions that don't quite go all the way through and then use a chisel over the furring strips to penetrate the plywood and then just pry up the section that you're removing. There will be some small screws every 6 inches or so that hold the plywood to the furring strips.
Don
Pay it forward with pics and descriptions of your own upgrades. :)
Also, I shut down shore power when I drill through the floor even when I'm pretty sure I'm ok for position. Of course, not shutting off shore power tells you really fast when you've drilled into a hot wire. :P
Craig
Hey Craig, good idea about shutting off the power first I have a lot of practice drilling thru walls, floors, ceilings, and stuff, a lifetime at the phone company 10 yrs of installation in customers homes got a great story about finding a coffee table on the other side of a closet in my girlfriends apt with a 3 foot long drill bit lol. Never hit any power or water thou knock on wood.