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Old 06-20-2016, 01:20 PM   #1
ThePair
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Default A clever purchase + a few mods = parental bliss (and an outside sink)

Been pondering this project for a while now, and finally managed to make it happen:

One large annoyance/issue I've had since we started in our TM has nothing to do with the TM, rather our choice to eat off of plastic (melamine) plates, cups, and use real flatware. I personally don't like using plastic flatware if I can help it, and DW doesn't like eating foods other than sandwiches off of paper plates, again, when we don't need to. So, washing dishes is a part of our camping chores, and quite the chore it can become if one lets it sit too long.

Enter this: http://amzn.com/B00SU6RBHG

It's a manual dishwasher with 2 "buckets", one with attached brushes for washing, the other side rinses.

So what can this thing do that a sponge can't? Simple. It can get my 9 year old kids to do the dishes. So now, after every meal, they know that their task is to collect the dishes, scrape them into the trash, and use this to clean and rinse. They then stack them into a dish drain-bin (silicone, collapsable). This is all done outside the TM, on a table I've set up.

At this point, I'm going to want to rinse the dishes again, and make sure they're all actually clean. But...didn't want to have to keep going into the TM to do this. Enter phase 2: bring the kitchen sink to me, outside.

The first pic below is the set up (sink on left, "counter" with drain bin on right). The second pic is a close up of the water supply lines and drain. The third pic is where I tapped the water lines -- I just used the low point drains (hot & cold), 1/2" flex polyethylene tubing, and Flair-It 3 way drains for this side. The supply pipes are 1/2" PEX, the drain pipe coming back is 3/4" PVC going to a hose. I used a Pfister faucet that has quick-release pins for the supply lines, so it's very quick to set up and knock down. Hot & cold running water at counter height without having to go into the TM. Very convenient! Drain goes to the bushes, so I'm not filling the gray water tank with dish rinse water--which can quite legitimately be used for watering the bushes.

Almost all the sink/shelving hardware is Elfa. The only part that isn't would be the horizontal rail -- I found the Menard's rail system (which is lower profile that the Elfa) will hold Elfa verticals, as long as you trim the upper corner off the verticals. I put it as far up on the side of the TM as possible, using a combination of metal glue, clear caulk, and screws/bolts. The spots that cannot be seen from inside have bolts with large washers, the more visible spots are screws instead. The bar (once I got it up, don't ask!) is rock-solid. I wouldn't put a huge amount of weight on them, but for my needs it's fine. The benefit is that it's always level (with the TM) and not dependent on the ground, so the height can always be 3' counter height regardless of the campsite pitch.

I've also included a pic of the 4x4 sleeve I installed to carry my collapsing 5' tall ladder -- helps a lot to set up the awning. And...party lights! LED strips (multicolor, I'm just showing green here) under the edge and within the awning. Just for fun
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Old 06-20-2016, 02:48 PM   #2
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Nice setup for the outside sink!!!
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Old 06-20-2016, 04:47 PM   #3
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Interesting idea. Seems like this setup could be used for multiple things. How do you attach the rail system it to the TM? Is it permanently attached to the TM or must it be taken down to fold up?
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Modification: 15“ tires & monitor system, WDH, Prodigy B.C., 2-6 V. batteries & clipper monitor, LED's. Additional modifications can be seen in albums.
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Old 06-21-2016, 06:47 AM   #4
ThePair
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lesherp View Post
Interesting idea. Seems like this setup could be used for multiple things. How do you attach the rail system it to the TM? Is it permanently attached to the TM or must it be taken down to fold up?
The horizontal rail is permanently attached. I put it as high up on the wall as I could, and got it in white, so it's pretty invisible with nothing attached. This was purposeful. The back shell closes just fine over it, and it ends up "higher" than the window treatment, so it's not rubbing against anything while the TM is closed. The rest of the hardware all removes: 3 vertical rails (I have 4 in case I want to separate or reconfigure the set up), the shelf, the sink/basin and small shelf with faucet attached. That small shelf stores in the sink. There are 4 horizontal spacers (2 above, gray, 2 below, white) that make the unit solid, but easily pop out for storage. All the plumbing takes < 30 seconds to attach or detach. Most of the stuff stores in the bumper, the shelf slides under the bed, and the faucet in the sink is the only somewhat awkward part (as the drain from the sink, while collapsible, still does stick out) but I've found a place inside to store the unit while traveling.
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Old 06-21-2016, 09:51 AM   #5
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Looks great! Now that is a real setup for dishes.
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Old 06-21-2016, 10:16 AM   #6
ThePair
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Funny thing, dishes and pretty much anything else is easier to clean if you can wash it right away. I found myself using this more than I thought I would, trying to rinse things immediately... cut down on the overall effort immensely. Plus, you know, getting the kids involved in helping. Washing hands is a huge timesaver, as well, since we don't need to go inside to the sink every time.

Next up: I'm going to Tee into the cold water line to set up a mister to go along the leading edge of the awning, for those hot summer days.
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Old 06-21-2016, 02:10 PM   #7
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Cool This is very cool....

your a man after my own heart. What a great idea...that is getting the kids to do the work. ..just kidding (no pun intended). That is one great setup you have there...plumbing and all. I see that you installed a 3 way valve at your water sources so you can still drain your TM for winterization, turn on the water to your outside sink, or shut everything off. That way you won't have to unhook anything when winter comes. You thought of everything!
I also liked your ladder holder and the ladder too. Where did you get these and what are their brand names?
Lights look cool too! Maybe you need to start your own website like mine with show and tell. If you haven't already, check mine out.....
http://www.trickmytrailmano.com
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Old 06-22-2016, 07:01 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by [email protected] View Post
your a man after my own heart. What a great idea...that is getting the kids to do the work. ..just kidding (no pun intended). That is one great setup you have there...plumbing and all. I see that you installed a 3 way valve at your water sources so you can still drain your TM for winterization, turn on the water to your outside sink, or shut everything off. That way you won't have to unhook anything when winter comes. You thought of everything!
I also liked your ladder holder and the ladder too. Where did you get these and what are their brand names?
Lights look cool too! Maybe you need to start your own website like mine with show and tell. If you haven't already, check mine out.....
http://www.trickmytrailmano.com
Tom
Love your website. I just don't have time/effort to make or manage my own... tried for a while, gave up. You've got some great ideas that I wish I could implement.

I spent all winter thinking about this sink project, so things like the drains were definitely on my list! Flair-it 3 way drains, for those who can't ID them from the picture. I configured them for straight-thru (active use), straight down (essentially sets it back to stock function), and 3-way drain (winterization and travel, empties all the water). The flex-tubing doesn't gravity drain, but I blow out the lines with a little air at winter time, anyway, so that little bit will just blow out when the time comes, and the flex shouldn't have a problem with freezing.

The ladder holder is just a piece of 4x4 PVC sleeve, 6', with caps that I pop-riveted on with a latch. The ladder is this: http://amzn.com/B002PNRSMS
(I didn't get it from Amazon, but it's easiest to find it here) If you don't use the velcro to hold the ladder closed, it will slide into the sleeve -- the velcro wrap is just a little too wide, but you don't need it in the tube, I just hold it straight to the side as I slide it in, and it prevents shakes or rattles that way. It doesn't take up the whole sleeve, so on the street side I have another cap that removes, and I keep my 30 A - 20 A plug and circuit tester over there, since it's next to where the plug comes out of the bumper. Convenient ;-)
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Old 04-27-2018, 02:33 PM   #9
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That looks like the lighting effect i was going for! Do you have links to the products you purchased and your installation process? If the lighting system reliably waterproof?

Thanks much for your reply!
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Old 04-30-2018, 08:34 AM   #10
ThePair
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The lights are IP67 fully waterproof LED strips. I chose RGB-WW for the extra warm white LEDs, lets me not only play more with the colors, but also light up the area nicely at night right before we clean up to go to bed. Got 3 sets: one for the awning, and two for below the TM. I installed one strip behind the wheel well, and the other from the front of the wheel well to the front of the TM. I actually have more, to do the bottom of the slide, but never got around to that part of the project. The third strip is used in the awning.

I got two color controllers for the strips -- the kind you get depends on the kind of strip you use, mine were for RGB-WW. One controller went to a splitter for the two lower strips, and the other for the awning. I did this to have the option to put different colors above and below, but haven't actually tried that yet.

Next, I wired in a transformer under the stove to the 120V plug there, and hardwired in a 120V -> 12V unit to directly power the color controllers. I connected this through a switch I installed on the outside, in the space where the cable feed used to come in. I just pulled out the coax and plate, and put in a decora switch to turn it on and off, and to bring out the IR "eyes" for the controllers, as well as a 5-pin connector. The 5-pin then connects to a long extension wire, up to the awning -- after all, you can't really hard wire the awning and still have the TM fold down. So I plug a cable into a 5 pin in the switch and the other end into the end of the awning. Once the power is turned on, lights come on, and I can control the color with a little remote. Both "eyes" are next to each other, so both the awning and underside LEDs turn the same color on command. If I switch to a rotating "party mode", they do get out of sync, but it actually makes for a cool effect IMO.

One switch turns it all off at night, and the switch has the cover so it is protected from the elements when not in use. I intend to add some kind of power switch on the inside, eventually, because I would like the ability to turn it off from inside sometimes.

The biggest part of the project, without question, was figuring out the wiring for all the extension cords and getting them spliced in correctly. I drilled small holes through the floor on both sides of the wheel well to bring the wiring through, then had to splice on the proper connectors to plug into the strips.

If I were going to add more under the slide, I'd do the same but tap into the AC plug under the sofa for power. This, however, turned out to be an even bigger project, and my wife said she was very happy with the way it turned out without the extra lights, so I'm satisfied.

Closing down just requires removal of the extension cable going up to the awning.

The power supply was from Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00WM37BDC
I used that one to make sure I had proper amps for the 2 controllers/3 strips.
LEDs: http://amzn.com/B00L50PDHO
Controllers: http://amzn.com/B00JB3QQRI
Splitters: http://amzn.com/B00XBIX5WS
Connectors: http://amzn.com/B00N2L94DI
Extension wire: http://amzn.com/B00J4HI746
Attachments: http://amzn.com/B00HSCKSP0
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