Wet bay update: sewer notch cover

November 05, 2020, 12:24:49 pm

A little project still in progress, but one that I have wanted to do for a long time. I never liked the design of the OEM drop down hatch in the wet bay. I have come up with something that works well for me. Instead of using a hinge, I used some aluminum Z-Bar such as you might use to hang a picture to make a slot to slide the sewer notch cover in an out like a drawer. I had some left over aluminum trim from my basement rebuild project. I bought two 16' lengths of the stuff from Foretravel parts to replace the aluminum trim which had pin holes in places where galvanic corrosion (from water trapped inside).
Anyway, I used the trim to make a modular style hatch. I attached a piece of the FRP I used to skin the wet bay floor cut to cover the opening with a half inch overlap on three sides. The aluminum Z-bar is cut to fit like three sides of a picture frame around the opening. The hatch just slides in and out of the channel formed by the Z-bar when the compartment door is open. I made another piece of the trim minus the FRP to allow the sewer hose, water hose, and power cord exit with the door closed. I put a couple of brass slide bolt latches on either side. The project is still evolving, but fully functional even so. For now, when hooked up, I have a piece of rigid foam sheet cut to friction fit in the back of the notch and I fill the gaps with stainless steel scrub pads (great rodent prevention material) to keep the critters out. The project was complicated somewhat by the aluminum batten (batten is what Foretravel parts calls the bottom trim which holds weatherstrip that seals against the bottom of the door). Our coach is a 99' and FOT changed the profile of the aluminum extrusion used for the trim. They also changed the framing of the basement structure along the sides to accommodate the new profile. All that is to say, I needed to create a flat surface for the hatch cover. The main advantage is that there is much better protection of the notch opening seam and no hinge. The channel allows me to slide in pieces cut to fit around the water hose and power cord and keep the critters out.
Don

Re: Wet bay update: sewer notch cover

Reply #1 – November 05, 2020, 06:47:51 pm

Amazing, Don. I have wet bay envy.

Re: Wet bay update: sewer notch cover

Reply #2 – November 05, 2020, 08:31:32 pm

Quote from: Jeff & Sandy – November 05, 2020, 06:47:51 pm

Amazing, Don. I have wet bay envy.

Something about this statement is wrong and strangely I must agree.
Scott

Re: Wet bay update: sewer notch cover

Reply #3 – November 05, 2020, 09:47:47 pm

The basic project is done now. Here are a few more pictures which might make it easier to see how it works. I have a few additional inserts I want to make for when the sewer hose is not being used. The wet bay is now a lot more splash proof from underneath and I can more effectively insure rodent proofing when hooked up.
Don

Re: Wet bay update: sewer notch cover

Reply #4 – November 05, 2020, 09:59:45 pm

Don, very nice.. do you have different doors for travel and to fit around power and waist lines? I really like that they can't be sweep off or crushed by lowering on them
Scott

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