Making use of all that wasted space around a Ventana DEF tank

[R.Wold]

this project has taken around 10-12 hours and less than $100 including the hose bin. It’s not completely sealed but it should stay a lot cleaner, created some storage space, gave me a tidy solution to hose storage, and I’ll never have to add DEF in the dark again. The light is a little excessive but I had it on hand so I used it rather than buying a smaller one. I’ll add a 120v outlet today and it will be done!

That contraption on the top right rear is the rear valve body for the HWH Active Air. It was in the middle of the new compartment so I had to make a new mount to move it to a more sensible location. When they installed it I told them I was going to move it so they made the air lines a little long to give me some options.

Also that wiring above the light was already there. My wiring has its own 5 amp fuse on the block in the elec bay (there are several extra slots) and is a lot cleaner....

[JNSNWT]

Looks good! 2 thumbs up
Thanks for sharing the info

[Dutch Star Don]

Good use of space. People laugh when you say you have a diesel pusher and need to utilize small cavities for storage, but on the shorter coaches like yours and even my 40'. I only have one pass thru bay, so every inch counts, especially for storing stuff you use infrequently.

The Dutch Star has the tank on the passenger side and not much space in there. I was able to mount a cord reel in the bay and plug it into the engine block heater, so I can turn it on and off from the panel inside the coach.

It works for powering stuff on the patio.

R. Wold.....another project for you!

[R.Wold]

I might need one of those - beats coils of extension cords. And yes I can always use a little more storage. I built that for my compressor but when it stays home I can use the space for other still. Like jugs of DEF.

Next is buying an electric pressure washer that I can partially disassemble and wedge into some wasted space in the wet bay.

Right now I’m adding a spot/flood to the rear roof and wiring it into the back up lights. I used the wire for the 10w solar panel back there as it goes straight from the chassis batteries to the right rear corner of the roof. That panel went when I added “real” solar.

Pic is of the light during testing. I was going to use two - one on each side, but testing after dark proved that one in the middle is more than adequate. It has a center spot which lifts up over 50’ back and flood modules on each side - really lights up the night.

I made a base plate that will allow me to use VHB tape to mount it - no drilling. I will also have a switch so I can turn them on while parked for extra lighting as necessary. Will really help with anything I’m towing.

[Winger2]

Very nice idea and execution

[Dutch Star Don]

Here's two posts on hiding a pressure washer in the frame.

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f103/ine...ct-258335.html


https://www.irv2.com/forums/f103/add...er-235418.html

On my current coach, I just bought the small Greenworks PW from Lowes. Good enough to wash, rinse and power a soap cannon.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Greenworks-...her/5001853429

[Winemaker2]

Nice job. I recently added a similar storage area fwd of my DEF tank and glad I did. Will try to remember to take & post a pic next time I'm at the storage place.

[Dutch Star Don]

As I get older, and even when I was younger, I had to create a list of all the parts I carried and where I was storing/hiding them. A year would go buy and I needed a part, but for the life of me, I couldn't remember where I hid it. Even worse, I would be rummaging through an area and find something I forgot I was carrying.

[R.Wold]

pretty much done with it and moving on. I also replaced the weird cheap single outlet that the block heater plugs into with a good comercial box and duplex outlet. You can see why I had to move the Active Air stuff - they had it right in the middle of all that wasted space - easy install for them but they left me some extra length on the air lines when I told them what I was doing. I made the mount out of 1/4” steel - very secure.

[USMCRET]

I love threads like this. Practical solutions that I would never think of. Priceless.