What is this black box

[Brown cat]

Any one know what this is?
Inside a cabinet on the back wall of our 2012 Cougar fifth wheel is this plastic black box.
There is nothing on the outside to indicate what it is.

[chuckster57]

Most likely covering some wiring. It’s just held in place by a few screws, I would take it off and investigate.

[sourdough]

I had a 2014 Cougar High Country 319RLS that had a black box similar to that in the pass through. I'm sorry I'm not 100% sure but I believe it had some sort of controller/control board in it....I just can't remember what for. Pull the lid and look inside. It may be for the remote that operates the slides, awnings etc. if you have one??

[NH_Bulldog]

Like has been mentioned, likely just a box to protect some wire connections.

[wiredgeorge]

I had to resist telling the OP it was his flight recorder....

[GlasNav]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

I had to resist telling the OP it was his flight recorder....

Psst, Black Boxes are Orange. But, you already knew that.

Yes it was funny.

[JohnBike]

If you remove the cover a find a loop of romex, then you might have an “inverter-ready” rig. That cover looks identical to the one I removed before installing an inverter.
Your next clue might be a set of breakers or fuses marked something like “INV”.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by JohnBike

If you remove the cover a find a loop of romex, then you might have an “inverter-ready” rig. That cover looks identical to the one I removed before installing an inverter.
Your next clue might be a set of breakers or fuses marked something like “INV”.

I don't recall 2012 Cougars having inverters.

[NH_Bulldog]

Especially not one at the extreme opposite end of the trailer from the battery source….

[JohnBike]

Originally Posted by sourdough

I don't recall 2012 Cougars having inverters.

They did not. The specs for the 2012 units do not include pre-wiring for an inverter. That said, the chances that the “black box” might contain such prewiring is minimal.

[JRTJH]

Likely that it's a cover for the "terminal connections" for either the tail lights or possibly an aftermarket addition to cover wiring for a hitch receiver added by a previous owner. ??????

[drycamper]

Kinda remember it being wires for the remote slider/awning, like mentioned earlier.

[rlh1957]

Surprise! probably nothing or a few wires terminated there for solar components add on.
I use mine now for a parts tray when working!
We have a Cougar 29RKS

Thus part of the Solar prepped sales pitch.
Most real solar components and connections installed won’t even use this.
Remove the screws and check.

It could cover other wire terminations too.

If mine had a screw on a panel, box or any cover I’ve removed and inspected what’s there.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by rlh1957

Surprise probably nothing or a few wires terminated there for solar components add on.
I use mine now for a parts tray when working!

Thus part of the Solar prepped sales pitch.
Most real solar components and connections installed won’t even use this.
Remove the screws and check.

The OP's cover in question is on the rear wall of his trailer. All the "battery related connections" for solar or an inverter are forward, adjacent to the battery area. I couldn't imagine running 00 gauge cables from the battery to the rear of the trailer to power an inverter or to connect to a solar charging system..... Talk about "expensive with no specific benefit" .....

Also, his trailer is a 2012 Cougar. There were no "factory installed solar options" back then. Those all started around the 2017/2018 year models if I remember correctly and were, in those early years, just a plug on the side of the trailer for a portable solar panel. Mostly Zamp brand which didn't easily connect to any other brand of portable system without adapters or rewiring... They were all on the roadside, forward part of the trailer, usually adjacent to the front passthrough.

[MJCougler]

We have a 2019 Cougar and the back side (inside the RV) of the shore power cable connector in the cabinet at rear has a similar black box.

[Brown cat]

I didn't want to attempt to remove the screws from the plastic cover unless it might be something interesting or useful. Many times the plastic breaks and or the screws tend to back out while traveling after being removed.

[Brown cat]

Our inverter is toward front below the corner cabinet opposite the bathroom.

[Brown cat]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

The OP's cover in question is on the rear wall of his trailer. All the "battery related connections" for solar or an inverter are forward, adjacent to the battery area. I couldn't imagine running 00 gauge cables from the battery to the rear of the trailer to power an inverter or to connect to a solar charging system..... Talk about "expensive with no specific benefit" .....

Also, his trailer is a 2012 Cougar. There were no "factory installed solar options" back then. Those all started around the 2017/2018 year models if I remember correctly and were, in those early years, just a plug on the side of the trailer for a portable solar panel. Mostly Zamp brand which didn't easily connect to any other brand of portable system without adapters or rewiring... They were all on the roadside, forward part of the trailer, usually adjacent to the front passthrough.

Exactly right.
There are connects on the underside back edge of the couch slide out, have no idea what they are for look like coaxial TV connections, but have found no benefit to TV reception when hooked to cable. There is a coaxial cable for TV inside the propane bottle storage compartment. We believe added by previous owner for the TV in bedroom.

[Dennyha]

Often, they use those covers over the slide room controllers.

[dutchmensport]

You are all wrong! My Montana has the exact same box. Under that box is the water turn off valve that attaches to the water hose going to the refrigerator ice maker.