2010 Dutchmen Lite 25C-GS Mods

rgolding · 12-07-2011, 01:33 PM

A lot of this Fall and the coming Winter is being spent customizing the Dutchmen for our use. I am amazed at how much wasted and unused space I have found. By exploring and learning how to get to and work on everything, we have found a lot of ways, we can make the trailer more personalized for us and meet our induvidual needs and desires.

Our first modification was to make part of the under the bed storage area a liter box for our cat, Shadow. Did this by finding an oak picture frame, that is the same tone as our interior and using it as a frame for the opening in the door/right/passenger/stbd side of the queen bed underframe. I never have figured out how you describe the sides of a trailer. We come from the boating world, so starboard (stbd) side works for us. Once the hole was cut and the frame installed, we squared off a box seperate from the other areas and put a lift out top on it, so Shadow only explores the liter box area and does not get in to the rest of that stroage area. This is a concern, because we don't want her to get into the forward "basement" storage area, which opens to the outside world, through the hatches on each side of the trailer.

This has been in place since the first week of ownership and has proven to be very successful.

eRVm · 12-07-2011, 10:31 PM

Ric (or Jan),

Shadow's litter box is a neat idea.
If you have pics of mods, you can post them in the Mods forum.

Artemus · 12-13-2011, 11:52 PM

We have been busy making our Komfort just the way we want it. Have added the upgrade to the FanTastic fan. Adding inverter and more battery capacity soon. We also had the front fiberglass cap and propane tank cover coated with Rhino bedliner product. Color matched to help limit dings, bug splat damage etc. Very happy with final results.

http://photobucket.com/Komfortmods

msdaniel · 12-23-2011, 11:41 PM

We have had this model since April 2011 and like it also. Purchased at Chatanooga, TN Camper World. Question: Where is your TV antenna booster switch? We discovered it is behind the CD player and can only be accessed by removing the CD player. Could not connect to cable TV until the booster was switched off. Dealer said they would move it under warranty, but returning the unit for that would be more trouble than cutting a small access port inside the cabinet which I completed in about an hour.

rgolding · 03-06-2012, 04:20 PM

msdaniel,
So you have the same unit. Our booster is in the cabinet next to the CD Player. Only concern I had in this area, was that I found there was no regular radio antenna to allow me to pick up AM stations. Installed on door side of trailer near rain gutter, in front of power awning vertical support.

rgolding · 03-06-2012, 04:22 PM

Created a 20 amp dedicated circuit -

Problem: Coming back from Florida last month, we got far enough north that we had to start using the furnace and electric space heaters to add warmth for nights dipping into the 20's. Woke up one morning with the main circuit breaker tripped and the furnace running off of the 12 volt system. Found that dear bride had plugged in 2 space heaters and they had tripped the main breaker sometime in the night, because though they were on seperate circuits in the trailer, they had tripped the main 30 amp service breaker. It was one of the first times, I wished we had 50 amp service, instead of the standard Travel Trailer 30 amp service.

Ideas: Really don't need 50 amp service very often, but there has been times. The one mentioned above and another time when using an electric grill run on the outside GFI outlet and found it was too much for the system with the other items inside on that GFI circuit. The immediate solution at that time was to go back to the power pedestal at the campsite and ran a heavy extension cord from the 20 amp GFI on the pedestal that is seperated from the 30 amp and 50 amp plugs at each campsite.

Desire: Boy I wish I could get that 20 amp GFI service from the campsite pedestal inside the cabin for that extra heater without having to leave a compartment open or trying to jam a good size power cord under the door while it is closed.

Solution: Went to my local electrical supply house and found an outside male 3 prong plug that could be put in a recessed outside receptical box. Cut a hole in the trailer cabin side that backed into the area of where all our electrical circuits are located. From that plug, I added an outside receptical in a weather proof surface recessed mounted box, right below the box where this new added 20 amp service comes into the trailer and also added an additional wall plug in the area where the DW wanted to plug in the second electrical space heater in the bathroom. Where is the GFI on the circuit, out on the campground 20 amp GFI circuit in the power pedestal. Also found a heavy duty electrical cord that has LED's in the plug ends to show there is power to it. So we know we have 20 amps of service coming into the trailer at the connection. Our trailer also has a little blue LED on the 30 amp service and we have found it very nice to have that knowledge that we have power coming to the trailer 30 amp service.

Conclusion: I now have 50 amp service to the trailer, when I need it. To make the outside recepticals match I wanted to replace the original equipment cover. This proved to be a little bigger job than I thought, because then I wanted to replace the original equipment ouside receptical cover to allow for the matching covers. Actually, glad I got in to this circuit, because the GFI connection was some unorthodox blade arrangement that sliced into the cables of the romax electrical cable, instead of good stripped copper wiring and ground screwed on outlet connections. Feel that was also an improvement, plus added a lot of caulking in the area of the receptical box to protect the edges of the laminate where it was originally cut through the trailer skin.

knesdad · 03-07-2012, 12:29 AM

I wish I had that much talent to try that... Thanks for the instructions!

rgolding · 03-17-2012, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by admin

Ric (or Jan),

Shadow's litter box is a neat idea.
If you have pics of mods, you can post them in the Mods forum.

Normal trailer queen size bed with storage under.

http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.c ... %20006.jpg

Passenger, door or starboard side of bed frame. Shoe rack in front and a cheap oak picture frame attached over hole that was cut to allow access to under bed storage.

http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.c ... %20012.jpg

Mattress lifted to expose storage area. Small box framed in to allow creation of litter box area. Cheap pine or cedar strips used for framing battens. Why build stronger, than the surrounding framing. Top was created with some lexan that I had around that was used in a sand blasting compartment.

http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.c ... %20011.jpg

Half of lexan lifted off to expose the litter box and coffee can that is used to either hold used or unused cat litter.

http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.c ... %20010.jpg

Her is another shot of the opening and you can see that sam coffee can inside. Yes, she tracks a little litter, but these pictures after we have been in the trailer for 3 days.

http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.c ... %20009.jpg

lmsteck · 03-17-2012, 08:32 PM

Seems simple enough, but I've never thought about a shoe rack. What a great idea! I'm constantly walking on my shoes. I'm going to have to get one of those.

rgolding · 03-18-2012, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lmsteck

Seems simple enough, but I've never thought about a shoe rack. What a great idea! I'm constantly walking on my shoes. I'm going to have to get one of those.

That idea came from the RV.net or a magazine article. There are very few original ideas, but we do recycle. The great part of the shoe rack is that it is all hidden by the bed spred.

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