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TQ60 · 11-23-2011, 03:20 PM

We recently picked up some 24 inch panel TV with 12 VDC native to the set power at Costco.

The back set will be the first to be done.

We adopted a "do no harm" rule to allow back to factory condition when done, this allows for less chance of damage due to poor choices or mistakes.

Photos show where we are at today.

The starting point, VCR replaced by converter and DVD player.

With the CRT removed there is plenty of room behind for storage.

We decided to use a drawer to allow for storage behind the panel there is no way to flush mount the panel without causing a lot of changes, so a new cover for the hole will be built and the panel mounted there.

Due to some panels having weak hardware, and the desire for minimal impact into the space, an aluminum interface plate was made that would allow the 4 mounting screws to be used as well as an extra screw at the bottom of the panel.

A wedge block will be made to mount this panel to the new front at the correct angle.

THere is a box of Oak remnants or end cuts from Home Depot, got them for a song.

Will mill these together to create the new door.

The panel will be such that the bottom area where the CRT was will be exposed, this area wil allow room for the DVD player to go, the door will need to be built with this hole in place.

The drawer is started, slides attached and a "test panel" in place. This allows test fitting of all of the hardware without risking the Oak.

A new door will cover the space where the VCR once was, new storage there.

Southco latches will be used on the door behind the panel to clamp the drawer shut for traveling.

Power is directly behind the panel so having wire capable of 100 amps close to a pair of 8D batteries, no concern for a 3 amp load.

Currently working on the door, that will take some time, more photos to come.

The front panel wil be the big challange as there is no antenna there and the wire pull will be interesting.

Sportech · 11-23-2011, 04:39 PM

Looks like a great project! I wouldn't worry to much about not being able to return to factory. I don't think you'll ever put the CRT TV back in. And, after all it's only wood! From the looks of your shop in the background you have more than adequate tools to rebuild the the whole coach anyway. I think my favorite thing to do is to modify my coach the way I want it. My wife thinks I bought it just so I could work on it!

Dave

TQ60 · 11-28-2011, 04:57 PM

A lot of tinkering later and progress is being made.

Here is the solid Oak new door/front cover that mounts to the front of the new drawer unit that goes where the old CRT was.

It was a result of jointing and glueing the scraps together.

The open space at the bottom is to allow the DVD player to be installed just below the panel, it does require the angle of the panel to be a little more than optimum, but we gain another shelf this way.

The mounting plate with its supports is shown sitting on the cover. The everything uses 1/4 20 hardware except for the metric stuff for the TV.

Via the mill the mount supports have cutouts for the nuts, these cutouts face the inside so unless you climb behind the panel they are not seen.

Here is the new door that covers the area where the VCR was and it matches the one just below, the door is same on the outside, but the hole is smaller, but that is fine, it goes WAY back so one could place a lot of stuff there.

In the last photo there are new side panels that mount to the vertical supports for the drawer slides with bolts glued into the wood from the back side, place them in place and install the nuts, simple.

These keep DVDs and other items from falling off of the drawer into the area behind the panel.

Waiting now for the finish to fully cure then it goes in.

The power supply is next. We plan on using a relay and some extra hardware to create a plug and play reverse ATS, the power supply for the panel is connected to the coil and Normally Open terminal on a 12 volt relay. Battery is connected to the Normally Closed with the Panel connected to the Common, connections will be made with additional connectors so no cutting of cords, (keeps warranty good).

When operating off of 12 volts the relay is idle, and 12 volts powers the panel, if connected to AC power, or if we switch on the inverter to run the DVD then the 12 volt wall wart will activate the relay and switchover the panel from battery to ac power...now we look for 12 volt native power DVD...(opened this one, power supply a little too busy to simply add external one)

denochs · 11-28-2011, 05:27 PM

Tony,

Wish I had someone like you to guide me thru the finishing of my project similar to yours. Moved our overhead TV to midship when I decided to go to a flat screen. That was the simple part. Now trying to finish the overhead cabinet to make it look like something you have done.

Nice job.

Dave

TQ60 · 11-28-2011, 06:59 PM

Round 2 will be midship at converted to something as it hangs in a cabinet in the kitchen, okay from the table but sucks from the couch.

Installing overhead in center front, need to get power and antenna pulled.

Sportech · 11-29-2011, 05:59 AM

Nice to have a Bridgeport mill when you're doing wood working too!

Dave
07 Revolution 40E

TQ60 · 11-29-2011, 01:31 PM

Bridgeport is a handy tool!

Used tablesaw, jointer and shaper (table mounted router, not metelworking type) for most of the work.

The backside of the cover has a dado slot that goes across just above the opening, that was made when the panel was only as wide as the opening on the tablesaw, was easy enough.

There is a vertical slot that mates with the vertical support which also is a shelf divider in the back that only goes up partway, this needed to be a controlled cut, almost did it on the router table when it was much easier to "mill" it out.

The cover also has holes for the southco latches, these are the 1/2 turn type that turns 1/4 turn then puls tight. Thay have a 3/4 hole with 2 flats, hard to drill, easier to mill. We did some machine work to allow knobs to be added to the latches, the knobs are a little large, but easy to grab and they will be behind the panel.

They pull the assembly tight against the cabinet so it does not move while on the road, simple 1/2 turn and the assembly slides out allowing for 2 areas 12 inches long to store DVDs behind the TV.

TQ60 · 12-05-2011, 10:33 AM

Bedroom panel completed.
After a little bit of alignment the panel is now how we want it.

With dummy door installed we were able to try different locations for look and fit, we decided the center was not ideal as it had the panel in the hallway.

Instead we aligned the left side of the panel with the left side of everything else in the cabinet, it looks great and from the front is a good look.

When looking down the hallway one does see the top of the panel and if we were taller one could bump the top when pasing the corner of the bed, but one would need to be over 6 ft tall and lean back to be an issue.

The DVD player fits at the bottom and the door has a hole built in, there is a filler block that makes the DVD player more form fitting, no gaps.

From the side it is clean, the wires go inside the support brackets then up in through a hole.

With the drawer out there is plenty of storage, the wires are on the top, and the storage is the same on the other side of the drawer, what looks like the back in the center is a support for the front of the unit, this divides the drawer into 2 sides for DVD storage, the drawer is about 12 inches of usable space.

We added a 30 DB rf amp to use as a junction box to attach the RF cable to, can watch TV without elevating the antenna, these are normally 120 VAC powered, the 12 VDC powered ones have less gain and are twice as expensive. We opened up the unit and discovered the internal power supply portion of the ckt board, we cut the power cord from the transformer and rewired it to the 12 volt point, then we changed the other end to a 12 volt one that would plug into the ATS.

The home made ATS works as designed, we added a relay that is powered by the wall wart that came with the TV, We used off the shelf coax power plugs that match the TV, everything is plug in, if we have shore power the TV and preamp run from shore power as does the DVD.

If on Battery the relay in the ATS is relaxed so the TV and preamp are powered by the coach batteries.

So on-air TV on battery, or for DVD we turn on the inverter which then will power everything.

Next is catching up the yard work to repair damage from the wind storm, then on the the front set.

TQ60 · 12-05-2011, 04:23 PM

Forgot the photos...

LadyFitz... · 12-06-2011, 04:16 AM

Nice job! Now to clean the slobber off my keyboard from drooling over your shop!

TQ60 · 01-23-2013, 02:52 PM

Bumped for another thread

Dutch-n-Bean · 01-24-2013, 06:01 PM

Sweet!!! Looks great, good job!

TQ60 · 01-24-2013, 07:38 PM

Thank you!

I bumped this to make it easier to find for another member who was looking for ideas to mount a panel where the CRT went.

Over the summer we did a similar unit in a good friends front CRT Southwind, same result, a lot of hidden storage and when closed looks better than factory