Hinged Control panel?

[patagoniadave]

Sorry, this post is derived out of a couple of other threads, and some other things I have read, so there is some repeat information. I tried google, and the search here, and no obvious answers came up, so I thought I would make a clean fresh thread.

Here is the issue. When looking for a place to mount a surge protector, I pulled off what I thought was the main control panel / breakers, and found a secretly stashed breaker box under my fridge. Someone else thinks that it is 50 amp upgrade by a previous owner.

I have been thinking about it all afternoon, and I need a way to have easy access to it. Right now the outer breaker box / converter is mounted with four drywall screws in the osb cabinet material. If I keep taking them in and out, it will strip out the holes. Maybe I can replace these with some sort of wingnut, or quick release.

I was also envisioning the entire front box swinging out on a hinge, not sure how to mount the hinge on the box. Be even better if there was a replacement control panel that was already equipped to swing or quick release, I kind of want to replace the converter anyway.

There are a couple of reasons I want the access, tripped breakers for one thing. I may mount my surge protector in there, and imagine that I will want access to it? I have also read that you should shut off the main power switch when plugging in for fear of arcing. I thought I had been doing this, but now I am not sure everything is controlled by the outer switch.

So what I am specifically looking for in this thread, are some really great ideas on how to deal with the quick release of the outer box. Or maybe another idea that solves the same problem?

[jsmith948]

IMHO, you need to ascertain what that 'hidden' panel does. If there are breakers in the panel, I would identify which circuits they protect. Can you contact the previous owner? Maybe he added an auxiliary circuit to power plugs for heaters or a/c? As to how you would hinge the power dist. panel - it's shape would require an opening much bigger than the panel. Maybe you could mount the panel onto something like a drawer that would slide in and out? Good luck:)

[patagoniadave]

IMHO, you need to ascertain what that 'hidden' panel does. If there are breakers in the panel, I would identify which circuits they protect. Can you contact the previous owner? Maybe he added an auxiliary circuit to power plugs for heaters or a/c? As to how you would hinge the power dist. panel - it's shape would require an opening much bigger than the panel. Maybe you could mount the panel onto something like a drawer that would slide in and out? Good luck:)

I have an email out to the previous owner, about that and the slide roof "repair". Hoping to find out what was the cause of that before I strip the roof.

Anyway, some other nice folks here have pointed out that the original service was 30 amp (and the "main" breaker on my front panel was a give away, duh to me), and that it might make more sense to combine the original breaker box, with the expansion, into one normal rv 50 amp service. This would also have the added benefit of giving me a new converter.

Thank you for the response though, I was thinking of the drawer slide option as well, but did not think there was clearance in the rats nest for the rails.

[patagoniadave]

Any reason not to buy this for what I am talking about?

http://www.progressivedyn.com/all_in_one_pd4500_1.html

[JRTJH]

The P4560 is probably all you'll need. Especially if you're going to convert your incandescent bulbs to LED (to lower the heat output).

The 4560 cutout size is 10.125 x 13.25". I'd say that if you have that much room in the current "hole" you'll be good to go. Getting all your electrical power run through one distribution panel will make things a heck of a lot more "conventional" even if it doesn't make it "safer"

Are you positive that you have a 50 amp power cord coming into the RV? That is the only other 'missing link" to make the system "properly configured.

[patagoniadave]

The P4560 is probably all you'll need. Especially if you're going to convert your incandescent bulbs to LED (to lower the heat output).

The 4560 cutout size is 10.125 x 13.25". I'd say that if you have that much room in the current "hole" you'll be good to go. Getting all your electrical power run through one distribution panel will make things a heck of a lot more "conventional" even if it doesn't make it "safer"

Thank you so much. I have a supplementary electric heater, that occasionally flips the 30 amp main breaker. I need to get a more efficient one of course, but hopefully this will help as well.