Bedroom electrical outlets

[riverbender]

Any suggestions on relocating the outlets and lights in the bedroom? Our plugs are located between the bed and the slide out wall. I can't get my hand between the two, let alone a plug! There's a little more room on the other side, so we plugged a short extension cord in so my husband can plug his iPod and phone in, but not so lucky on the my side. Why they didn't just move them up a couple of feet to under the window is a mystery to me, is it something we can have done? The lights above the head board are on the ceiling which means in order to turn them on or off, I have to get out of bed and kneel on the bed to reach them. Can we add lights to the head board within our reach? I was warned not to let anyone mess with the walls, not to put cut outs in them for the outlets/lights or anything, but this will drive me nuts! Maybe it's time for a clap on...clap off!

["007"]

Looking at your bedroom picture I can see what your talking about.
Isn't there a switch on right hand side of bed along with the speaker switch's to put over head lights on and is that where the outlet is also?
Have you looked under bed on side walls for bed support and found no outlets?
If the outlet is on right hand side of bed you maybe able to fish a Romex down wall into box area of bed support and feed to opposite side of bed support wall box.
You would have to make sure the wire is up and away from any bed slide operational parts.
If you look at this slide out construction video you will see there is insulation in that sidewall when fishing down from outlet the steel fish can push insulation out flat against the outside wall to give space to drop another fish to bed box or just a string with weight on it to fish out of hole you will place into wall below mattress platform level.
Who ever does the work take your time no bull in china closet reactions and should be a no sweat job.

[riverbender]

Unfortunately all switches are on the opposite end of the room. There is one switch just inside the door by the emergency window that works the lights above the cabinets. The ceiling lights and speaker switches are located outside the bedroom across from the bunk beds. There are plugs next to the bed, but they are below the bed level, between the bed box and the slide wall, we just can't reach in there with a plug. At least it sounds like we can get some work done to fix it, but I think we will bring it back to where we bought it. As handy as my husband can be he has a very low frustration level. Over the years he has taught me some swear words I never knew existed! I will say, that aside from some of the convenience things, like cup holders near the passenger seat, the lights and switches, stuff like that, I like the Ventana better that the Adventurer we had previously. If I could just take some of them and put them in here, I would be a very happy camper!

["007"]

The switch's for lights could be added to interior wall near bed not slide wall.
The outlet could be extended with wire mold and new outlet placed on fascia of bedroom slide.
If you had a good dealer I would have it done, otherwise have Newmar do the work.

[wa8yxm]

The plugs are located between the bed and the wall.. I would love to see a photo.

You can get "Surface Mount" wiring, this is a modular system consists of a very "Flat" plug with lengths of special runners that plug into it, corners and such and finally an "outlet" that goes on the end of the "Track" (or in the middle) Not unlike track lighting but no exposed wireing. (you can't see it but track lighting has exposed wires)

http://www.realtor.com/home-garden/d...spx?source=web

Should be an article on this kind of wiring. I googled: Surface Mount Wiring

[riverbender]

Thank you, I will see what the dealer thinks . Unfortunately, they do not sell Newmar products, but we have been doing business with them for years, I trust them to tell us when they don't think they can handle it. Where is Newmar located? I wonder how far it is from us, that might be an interesting trip!

[saydiver]

The Newmar factory is in Nappanee, Indiana.

Sue

[riverbender]

Thank you Sue, I will take a look at how far we are and hopefully get out there for a visit.

[riverbender]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wa8yxm The plugs are located between the bed and the wall.. I would love to see a photo. You can get "Surface Mount" wiring, this is a modular system consists of a very "Flat" plug with lengths of special runners that plug into it, corners and such and finally an "outlet" that goes on the end of the "Track" (or in the middle) Not unlike track lighting but no exposed wireing. (you can't see it but track lighting has exposed wires) http://www.realtor.com/home-garden/d...spx?source=web Should be an article on this kind of wiring. I googled: Surface Mount Wiring

I will try to post the photos, not sure how but I have one from the top looking down at the plug, there are about 2 inches between the bed box and the plug. One shows where the lights above the bed are and the third one shows the ceiling light switch in the hallway leading into the bedroom. The lights above the bed do have switches on them, but you have to kneel on the bed to reach them, not the best thing when you are nodding out while reading and just want the light out.

[hippy]

WOW , my wife would have to stand on bed to turn that light off. makes you wonder what they were thinkin

[puttin]

Boy, I wonder if Newmar built them all like this or if someone just threw this in there when it was on the line. If this were my rig, I think I'd just put a flat "t" on it and run a short extention off of it. Sorry you've got such a pain to deal with there!

[Paul R. Haller]

Ok, Now that there are photos I think I have a better veiw on whats happening. Have you ever done electrical work? I ask only because some people view electricity as magic and devilry.If that is you... take the coach and pay to have it done. If you know even a little about wiring in a house you can do this.
I would start by pulling the cover off the outlet and then the duplex outlet out of the box. Make sure you turn off power to that circuit at the breaker. Now check the depth of the outlet box in the wall. It's probably a very shallow metal box say 1+3/4 or 2 inches deep. Measure it. Now go get a couple of metal boxes the same depth at an electrical supply. Do not go to home depot unless they carry a very large selection of electrical fittings. My experience is that most home centers will not have shallow boxes and you may have to go to an actual electrical supply house. Get boxes and a few 1/2 loom clamps, ground wires with screw, and make sure the boxes you choose will either clamp to the wall board or have some mechanical method of attacing the box to the mall. I usually buy a box with ears on either end I can put screws through and into the finished wall. They typically are called remodel boxes. Also get some wire nuts, duplex outlets and cover plates, and 12/2 romex wire with ground where 12 = wire size and 2 = the number of conductors.
Use your knuckle and tap the wall directly above the existing outlet and knock on it up to the point where you wish to add another box. Did it have any obstructions inside the wall between these two points. If no, you are ready to add the outlet.Take a razor knife and cut the wall to accept your box. In trailers and motorhomes it is usually 1/8 plywood with a paper or vinyl overlay. now that the wall is open push in a length of 12/2 romex until you can fish it to the box below. It wont be easy and you may have to take out the box below to get the romex fished into the box and romex clamp. Wiring in trailers is exactly like wiring in a stick built house except a stick built house uses all UL approved boxes, clamps, and outlets, unlike the cheap chinese made crap they put in coaches. The wiring is color for color like is already there. Black or red for positive 110, White for neutral, and green or bare for ground. Wire up the romex either to the back of the outlet if there are screw terminals or use wire nuts and you are golden. Be forewarned that trailer manufactururs often use substandard outlets that would never be allowed in a home and they are Chinese made CRAP with no terminals and press in conductor clamps. If that is what you have remove them all and replace them with a rated 15 or 20 amp duplex outlet. They can and do catch fire when lots of amps are pulled through them.

The light switches by the bed you want will be more trouble but not undoable. Most lights are 12 volt rather then 110 but some are not. You will have to find out if the lights are 12 volt dc or 110 ac. If you have a meter read it or maybe it will say on the lamp. I'm guessing they will be 12 volt DC. If its 110 the following will not apply. Got to a home center and find some 14 gauge wire with 2 conductors rather like zip cord for wiring lamps or even 14 gauge speaker wire. You will have to break into the lamp and cut the positive lead wire. Now you will have to fish that wire between rafters and down inside the wall to a switch box. I would simply use one of the boxes you used earlier for the outlet and use a house hold on off switch. You could even buy a nice decora switch and use it there. The only way for this to work however is if the switch in the hall is always on. You could also run 3 wires between switch locations down inside a wall and under the floor in a crawl or storage space then up inside the wall to where you want a switch and use two 3 way household shitches to turn them on /off at either location. Whatever way it's easier to locate the wiring.
-Paul R. Haller-

[riverbender]

Wow, I , personally have never done any electrical work, but we own a campground and my husband and son have done a lot of it. We re-wired the entire campground, did an electrical upgrade and four years ago, when our main building burned down, we had to re-build it, including all plumbing and electrical so they may have a clue, I sure don't, so I will pass this along to them. I really appreciate the suggestions. We will be at the Tampa Supershow in Jan. I understand Newmar will have reps there, maybe they will have some insight.