Adding a Bathroom Medicine/Storage Cabinet

Our Agile did not come with a medicine cabinet in the bathroom; rather it has a small odd shaped mirror installed above the pull out sink. The stock bathroom mirror looks terrible with rough/ chipped edges and several small cracks around it. Roadtrek did a terrible job cutting the acrylic mirror. To make it look decent, I temporarily installed a decorative trim around the mirror using a chrome automotive door edge molding (pictured below). The original plan was to replace the mirror with a surface mount medicine cabinet with mirrored door for extra storage, but because of its odd shape it needs to be a custom built.

I had few days off from work last week and had the chance to start the project. The medicine cabinet was fabricated using acrylic plastic. I thought plastic would be a better choice as it will be installed inside the shower area. The first step was to remove the old mirror and to make a paper template by tracing the shape of the stock mirror.

Here's what it looks like when done.

Simple Auto Deploy TV Antenna Reminder

You can buy a TV antenna reminder clip like this "Clip-on Antenna Saver" or make your own. The problem with the clip-on antenna reminder tags is if someone forgets (ohhh... the irony) to hang them after raising the TV antenna. If you have kids like I do, believe me, they will "intentionally" forget.


So, I designed and patented (jk) this self-deploying antenna reminder. All you need is a line ( a fishing line, pull chain, etc.), fishing swivel (optional), instant glue, a small magnet, and a small item to hang preferably with striking colors or maybe a glow in the dark item; the choice is yours. The hanged item will serve as your reminder that the antenna mast is up.

Here is mine.

200 Watt Solar Panel Installation on Roadtrek Agile

I’ve been eyeing on AMSolar Sunrunner Signature System kit for a while and when they had a holiday sale last year, I grabbed that opportunity and ordered (2 )GS-100 solar panel kit, a SunRunner Signature 25 MPPT/6/ Pro Core kit, and a combiner box. Other needed items were purchased on Amazon, like the hydraulic crimper, a Sikaflex 221 sealant, etc. The AM solar kits were pretty much a complete set; you just need appropriate tools to complete the install. If you have questions, give Dave at AM solar a call, they are very nice people.

Protecting the Fresh Water Tank/ Water Drain Fitting and the Gray Tank from Road Debris.

The location of the fresh water tank and the drain fitting at the front passenger side wheel well is highly vulnerable to damage from road debris the tire spews at it. The front facing wall of the gray tank is no different; it gets pitted and sandblasted from road exposure. I covered the exposed areas of the tanks with an anti-fatigue mat few years ago using plain silicone adhesive sealant and it held up and protected the tanks well for thousands of miles.

The fresh water drain although now protected by the mat, it is unsightly and needed an update and extra protection. I got the idea from a sprinter-source forum member (credit goes to Mein Sprinter). I bought an inexpensive plastic splash guard cover (pictured below) from a local auto supply chain. Pre fitted into the wheel well, I marked the area of the splash guard that needed to be bent inward to prevent it from rubbing against the wheel.  Using a heat gun, I slowly and evenly heated the marked area and while it is still warm, I slowly bent it inward by hand and then let it cooled down under running water. The splash guard retained it shape and was a perfect fit with no trimming needed. I slathered a good amount of silicone sealant along the top J-shaped edge of the splash guard for extra hold then secured it in place using 3 screws.

Splash guard with inner corner bent inward.

Upgrading Dometic Penguin Duo-Therm AC Analog Thermostat to Digital Single Zone Wall Mounted Thermostat.

While cleaning the AC air filters, I noticed 6 unused color coded wires inside the air distribution box. I'm pretty sure I noticed these wires before but really never paid attention to it. I tested the red and black wire for power and was surprised that it has live 12 volt power. I contacted RT but they never gave me a straight answer, so I traced the wires and 5 of the wires terminates into the rear of AV overhead compartment close to where the furnace thermostat is. Obviously it is pre-wiring for the electronic AC thermostat control.

I called Dometic and asked if I can upgrade my current AC (Dometic Penguin Duo-Therm with heat strip option model) to a single zone digital thermostat wall mounted control. I was given the part numbers needed for the upgrade. I was told that I needed the electronic control box (Part # 3313270.000 with Heat Strip option) and I also needed to change the air distribution box in order to mount the electronic control box inside. The air distribution box that came with the RT is a low profile model and does not have enough space for the new electronic control box, but I do like it because of its low profile design.

I bought the Dometic Single Control Kit (Part # 33313270.000) from Ebay. The kit came with the electronic control box, single zone LCD digital thermostat, a manual, and 4 mounting bolts.

The new single zone digital thermostat.

DIY: Replacing the Reading Light Halogen Bulb with LED

Agile's reading lights (Amazon link: Arcon Swivel Halogen Light) uses a halogen bulb, to save energy, I replaced them with an LED bulb. You need a G4 LED bulb replacement with extended back pins for proper fitment.

SailorSam has the G4 LED's with the extended back pins, link here: SailorSam G4 LED with Extended back pins. They run for about $14 to $26 a pop, they are good quality LED's with voltage regulation and transient suppressors to protect from current overload and voltage spike. It can be a little expensive if you needed to change all 4 reading lights to LED.

I found G4 LED's on EBay (G4 LED bulb 12-5050 SMD) which is a lot cheaper for about $2.60 a piece with free shipping. Although, the EBay LED's does not have the fancy voltage regulation and such, and not to mention it has shorter back pins. I just changed the shorter back pins to longer pins, saving me some money for a little work, not bad in my opinion.

Replacing the Standard Remote Switches for Patio Lights, Water Heater, and Inverter to Illuminated Switches

Roadtrek remote switches for the water heater, inverter/charger, and the patio lights has no light illumination visually reminding the user that it is on, one could easily forget to turn them off and waste valuable resources.

Rather than installing an indicator light next to the switches, I opted for illuminated switches which should be easier to install. The hard part is finding a correct size switch replacement. The original switches dimensions are as follows: 12 mm (W) x 29 mm (L). Actual switch plate opening: 13.5 mm x 29 mm.

I got my replacement switches off EBay but the link is now dead. I searched Amazon but could not find an exact size switch, maybe you'll get better luck, look for 12-13mm wide and 28-29 mm long switch> 12-volt SPST illuminated rocker switch.

Picture below shows the newly installed illuminated switches.

Permanent Black Holding Tank Rinser

If you’re tired of dragging the garden hose inside the RV to flush and clean the black holding tank, installing a permanent holding tank rinser may interest you. There are 3 permanent holding tank flusher/rinser device on the market that I know; one is the “Tornado Rotary Tank Rinser”, the “No-Fuss Flush” unit and the identical “Camco Quickie Flush” system. I went and bought the “No-Fuss Flush” unit as it was available at my local RV store. The “No-Fush Flush” unit does not come with an extension hose unlike the “Quickie Flush” seen on Amazon here: Click here. All of the above mentioned tank flush unit has a built in check valve to prevent any contents of the holding tank exiting via the flushing unit. The supplied holding screws (x3 zinc coated) for the "No-Fuss Flush" unit were not used, instead I purchased 3 stainless steel screws for this project.

1. Before starting with this project, make sure your black holding tank is empty; you do not want any surprises when drilling the required hole.

2. Raise the driver side wheels on ramps for easy access to underside of the RV. For safety, chock the passenger side wheels to prevent the RV from rolling off the ramps.

3. The installation location of the tank flushing unit is limited on the Agile as the only exposed side of the black tank is towards the rear end of the vehicle; all other sides are either covered by a shield or frame. Although, installing the flushing unit at this location is ideal as it can spray at the area where most solid waste might accumulate. The flushing unit does not spray directly at the tank sensors and at the area where the tank drains due to the tank design, although it might indirectly. The uppermost portion of black tank is partially covered by a frame, the most I can install it is about 3 inches from the top of the tank an inch shy of the flushing unit requirement of 2 inches.

4. Make sure you are 100% positive where to make the hole, this is a one shot attempt and cannot be reverted. “No-Fuss Flush” device requires an inch diameter hole.

Custom Hitch Cover with RT Logo

Our RT came with a plastic hitch cover from the RV dealer; it was printed with RV dealer info/advertisement. I figured out why not make it an RT Logo print for custom look. To do this, I first scuffed the surface using fine grit sandpaper; with a black spray paint specially designed for plastics I painted the base color. Next I searched online for an RT logo, resized it to proper size then printed on a regular bond paper. I then traced the RT logo into a masking tape, cut-out the details and then transferred it into the hitch cover, spray painted the red side, then the blue side. After the paint has completely dried, I spray painted it with several layers of clear coat for protection.  

Privacy Curtain to Isolate Front Cab to the RV Cabin

I decided to add a curtain behind the driver seat for privacy and to isolate the front cab to the cabin. It literally takes seconds to pull the curtains close vs. the RT standard draw curtains that goes all around the windshield and the front windows which takes a bit of effort to close, as does securing them back in place. Also, there are times that you want the cab area open for viewing outside while keeping privacy to the  back of the RV.

The curtain track was purchased at a local IKEA store; model name is “KVARTAL”. It is 55 inches long which is the perfect length for mounting it under the overhead cabinet of the cab. I also purchased 3 ceiling mounting brackets, and a box of curtain rollers designed for the curtain track. I mounted the track to the corner trim piece (don't know what it's called) of the overhead cabinet. The installation is pretty straight forward; first locate the placements of the 3 curtain track ceiling brackets/mounts, one in the middle and one on each side, next drill the pilot holes, then mount the ceiling rod brackets using wood screws. The curtain rollers were not used in this project, it will depend on the type of curtain you will be using. I found a blackout curtain at home depot with rod loops on top, which works really well without the track rollers, I just slipped them on the curtain track. The curtains were shortened to about an inch and a half above the floor then hemmed. A word of caution though, if you constantly hitting your head on the  overhead cabinet when getting into or out the cab, I guarantee that you will be hitting your head more on the curtain track… did I say ouch!

With the curtains drawn open

Preventing Accidental Activation of the Fridge Mode Selector Button

The Dometic fridge that came with the RV has selectors buttons mounted on the front plastic cover housing making it susceptible to accidental activation by simply leaning against it. The energy selection button (Mode) is the one that really concerns me. It happened to us once during dry camping; the fridge was running on propane and was accidentally switched to 12 volt, if I have not caught it early before we left the RV for a long hike, it could have easily depleted the house batteries.

To prevent accidental activation of the fridge “Mode” selector button, I covered it with a plastic switch guard pictured below. The switch guard was purchased at our local hardware store; it comes in tan and white color. I spray painted mine black to match the fridge cover. The mounting holes were cut off (optional) for an OEM look. It is then mounted over the “Mode” selector button using a double sided tape.

Plastic switch guard spray painted black.

Switch guard covering the fridge "Mode" selector button.

Adding a Slide-out Pantry

Added a full extension slide-out pantry to one of the lower cabinets located below the microwave. The cabinets here are placed so low to the floor that sometimes it's a pain in the back to get stuff out. I decided to add just one slide-out pantry for now. The slide-out draw is made using 1/2 inch birch plywood with simple butt joints. It is then sanded, stained, and added 3 coats of wipe-on polyurethane matte finish with light sanding in between coats. Also added 1/2 inch, 1/20 in. thick aluminum angle bar for accent (see pictures below). I used an 18-inch long full extension slides with soft-close feature that were purchased from our local hardware store. The outer extension slides were riveted to (6) zinc plated corner braces (3 on each side) which are then secured to the floor using wood screws. The cabinet door hinges were removed, and then it is mounted in front of the slide-out using 4 wood screws.

Update: The self closing mechanism of the slider is not enough to hold the pantry shelve from inadvertently opening while driving especially if filled with heavy items. I decided to reinstall the plastic push latch on the door panel, which is my original plan after all.

With slide-out fully extended.

Modifying the Small Vertical Pull-Out Pantry to a Waste Bin

Our small rectangular trash can tucked behind the driver seat has worked great for us, until I started using that space for the hinged front mattress. There is no alternate placement for the old trash can, for that, I decided to modify the small pull-out pantry as a waste bin with some extra space for storage. The size/shape of the modified waste bin is really dictated by the location of the sink drain and electrical outlet box for the microwave, which mostly occupies the back of the pantry space. After double/triple checking the shape/ dimension, and design of the waste bin, I started cutting pieces of ½ inch birch plywood. Pieces are then butt joined using a nail gun and lots of wood glue. It is then sanded smooth, stained, and coated 3x with wipe-on polyurethane matte finish with light sanding in-between coats. Pieces of 1/2 inch, 1/20 in. thick aluminum angle bar cut to lengths are then glued around the opening of the trash receptacle for accent.

  

Finished project pictured below.

 Noticed the right outer panel is only secured with wood screws for easy removal if it needed thorough cleaning inside the container.

DIY Solar Powered Holding Tank Vent Fan / Cap

There are times that the RV black holding tank creates a source of undesirable odor within the coach, especially during hot summer months. I needed something to help with the holding tank venting, so I searched the net for possible solution. I've heard good things about the Lil' Stanker vent fan device, but unfortunately it's no longer available anywhere. The Cyclone Sewer Vent device also has good online reviews, but it's not going to work with the Agile holding tank vent because of its location. The vent is located close to the awning housing preventing the Cyclone to freely rotate 360 degrees. Then I tried the solar powered vent fan made by Ultra-Fab available at CW, but found it to be noisy, big, and expensive. The Ultra-Fab fan motor makes clicking noise as it spins, which is really annoying.

So I decided to DIY a solar powered vent fan. Here are the materials you need for this project.

• One 2-inch diameter PVC coupling
• One 3-inch diameter PVC cap
• PVC cement
• One 60-mm PC case fan (rated 5-12 volts)
• One small solar panel (with at least 6-volts output)
• Stainless screws
• Spray paint for plastic (Optional)
• Silicone sealant

Using a Dremel rotary tool, I started working on the PC case fan by carefully cutting the 4 supporting legs from its square casing. I then mounted the fan facing down on one side of the 2" PVC coupling using PVC cement to glue the fan support legs on top (see picture below).

Suburban Propane Furnace Digital Thermostat Upgrade

My original plan was to upgrade both the AC and Furnace thermostats to digital controls, but after several camping trips, I realized that we barely touch or adjust the AC temperature knob. We usually set it on maximum coldness at all times, especially during summer months...so it's not worth upgrading it in my opinion, at least for now. In contrary, the furnace analog thermostat control needs constant temperature adjustment to make you comfortable inside your rig. It is very inconsistent in regulating the temperature inside the RT, you either get too hot or too cold in-between/during cycling.

I opted for the ICM SC1600L Heat Only battery operated digital thermostat with backlit (Amazon link: ICM SC1600L Heat Only Thermostat). It has a simple slide-on switch and big backlit LCD display, plus it's made in the USA. The stat measures 4.6 inch (W) x 3.75 inch (L) x 1.12 inch (H), it fits perfectly to the analog stat original location. The battery (x2 AA) should last for about a year as per owners manual, which isn't bad. It's a simple upgrade, all you need to do is connect the red and white wires from the furnace to the new stat.

Upgrading Dometic Fridge External Cooling Fans with Bypass Switch Installed

The 3-way fridge upper exhaust vent on Agile's and RS's is mounted lower than the top of condenser coil, making it not very effective in venting heat, an external fan(s) is really needed to assist with cooling. Our Dometic Fridge came with 2 (92-mm) external cooling fans forcing air to the condenser cooling fins, it runs rather noisy and draws too much power at around 0.36 amps each. The fans are controlled by a thermostat switch mounted to the condenser coil. The fans automatically turns on when it reaches a preset temp in the condenser coil , then turns itself off when condenser coil cools down.

I replaced both fans with a bigger (120-mm) and more efficient fans. I found one at our local Fry's Electronic store, it's made by Silenx (Amazon link: Silenx Effizio 120mm) . Current draw is only listed as 0.09 amp, very quiet at  12 dBA, and moves a decent amount of air at 44 CFM airflow (more specs. pictured below). I also added a bypass switch wired in parallel with the thermostat switch, this way I can run both fans continuously if I wanted.

Before starting, make sure to disconnect the fridge from 120-volt and 12-volt power supply. Measure if a bigger fan(s) will fit the back of your fridge, the 120mm fan is a perfect fit on mine. Remove the stock fans. Install a bypass switch and a 12-volt inline fuse (optional). Install the new fans using L-brackets (see pictures of install below).

Parts lists that you might need:

• SilentX Effizio 120-mm PC fans (Any 120-mm PC fan should work)
• Push On-Off Illuminated switch
• Dometic Thermodisc Switch with clip for Fan 
• ATO Inline Fuse Holder

2 Silenx Effizio 120mm fan

Folding Mattress for Sprinter Front Seats

The mattress fits across the 2 front seats. A 1/2 inch plywood is used for the mattress support with a 2-inch high density foam topping for comfort. The bed is 61-inches long and 24-inches wide unfolded. When folded, it measures about 30.5-inches long x 24-inches wide. It's perfect for a child or short adult. I store it behind the driver seat when not in use. If you need a longer bed, try this DIY aisle bed: Click here

Click on pictures to enlarge.

Aisle Bed in Roadtrek Agile

RT Agile rear convertible seat/king size bed can comfortably sleep 2 adults. With our two small kids, there is no way we all fit on the rear bed. The bed can fit three the most, 2 adults and a small child should be fine. When camping, I always ended up sleeping on the floor using a camping self- inflatable mattress. It's okay, but the floor gets really cold during winter or cold season camping, not to mention cleaning the floor thoroughly before laying your mattress or you end up with a dirty blanket and pillow in the morning.

The only available space you can put a 2nd bed/mattress is on the galley floor or on top of the 2 front seats. I believe Sportsmobile does make a foldaway mattress accross the sprinter 2 front seats. I did make one myself, try this link Click here. The problem with the front seats bed is the limited 62 inches length, this is okay for a child. To sleep an adult, a longer bed is needed. The galley floor has limited space, so off-the-shelf cot/ camping bed obviously will not fit.

I used our old folding table frame as a bed support. The frame is made of high strength steel and can hold an adult weight without a problem. The bed can be folded when not in use and can be stored behind the drivers seat.

The finished bed.

 

Bathroom Light Switch Modification

The bathroom light fixture has a built-in switch into it. The light switch is covered with rubber to prevent water getting in, small kids find it difficult to push the switch on/off. It's also mounted close to ceiling making it hard for them to safely reach it.

To solve the problem , I installed a pull chain switch. It's a pretty simple project; first, I removed the light fixture assembly from the wall (held by 4 screws). Unplug the light fixture from the coach wiring by pulling the bullet connectors apart. I then made a hole that is big enough for the pull chain switch mounting base to pass through to the side of the light fixture body. Installed the new switch, then rewired the black wire (+) to the new switch bypassing the old one. Put the whole thing back, and problem solved. Now, I can also easily turn the lights on when I need too while doing my business, no more reaching for that darn switch!

I also replaced the light bulb to an LED bulb from Home Depot, it's energy efficient and puts up  more light than the original bulb. Here is the link: Philips Accent LED 3-Watt. It provides cool bright light at 100 lumens (@ 4000K color temp) which is more than enough light for the bathroom. Of course, you can get one cheaper and has more lumens from Ebay, but not at this color temp range.The picture below doesn't do justice, it's a lot brighter than that.

New light switch installed

Quieting the water pump

The stock water pump that came with the RT is not the quietest by any means, but there are things you can do to make it less noisy. The surging/pulsating of water as it exits the water pump creates vibration to the rigid PEX tubing's.

The first thing I did is to insulate adjacent tubing's by wrapping them with inexpensive foam pipe wrap. I use zip-ties to secure them in place. I then install flexible tubing's between the pump and the rigid PEX. A "Pump Silencing Kit" by Shurflo is also available Amazon. Lastly, I installed a small Shurflo Accumulator Tank after the water pump to prevent annoying water surges. You could install a bigger accumulator tank instead to reduce water pump cycling, they are kinda expensive though. For cheaper alternative, a water heater expansion tank  as an accumulator tank should work. I do prefer the smaller accumulator tank for fear of leaks, the bigger tanks obviously holds more water and will cause more water damage if it leaks. 

Pictures of install below, I apologize for the fuzzy pictures.