Where can I run wire for outlets and such?

[belfert]

My Dina bus has sheet metal on both the outside AND the inside of the exterior walls.  The interior sheet metal has holes cut so they could install spray foam insulation.  There is zero access to the wall cavities.

Given this, where can I run wire for both 110/24/12 volt outlets and switches that need to be mounted on the exterior walls?

Thanks for any help.

Brian Elfert

[FloridaCliff]

Brian,

Could you drill a hole at the top and the desired outlet location, and then use a fishe tape to pull the wire down?

Or run through the bays and then come up!

Cliff

[Ross]

I didn't mount anything on the exterior walls.  All outlets and switches are in divider walls or in the sides of cabinets.  There is only one spot, right under the dinette that I'd really like an outlet.  There is no cabinet there so I'll probably mount it in a surface box down close the floor.

[FloridaCliff]

Ross,

I also mounted all outlets in interior walls or in the parlor they will be installed in built in end tables.

My thought was that I would have two sided access for any reason in the future.

Cliff

[El-Sonador]

Hi Brian...

I too avoided running anything through the exterior walls. Receptacles and switches were rough mounted on the surface of the inside of the exterior wall in the galley, then later incorporated into the cabinetry to appear flush mounted. All wiring and plumbing was run through a wire chase along the floor on both sides of the bus under the cabinets [in the kick-plate section]

I also used this Kick-Plate section almost everywhere in the bus and doubles for running my ventilation ducts in there also.

This comes in handy after you have finished the conversion and need to run something extra. Just leave a pull-string in there for future additions.

Steve

[belfert]

Brian,

Could you drill a hole at the top and the desired outlet location, and then use a fishe tape to pull the wire down?

Or run through the bays and then come up!

Pretty hard to pull a fish tape through spray foam, although it could be done. 

If I put outlets at close to floor level coming up from the bays that will work.  I would like to have 12 volt and 120 volt outlets above the dinette as I expect passengers will want to plug in laptops and phones and such.  I guess surface mount raceway is fine under the dinette.

I have to figure out how to mount switches at the front of the buses for lights and such.

Brian Elfert

[FloridaCliff]

Brian,

Sorry about the fishe tape idea. I misread your post. 

I thought it was hollow.You could make a few round holes down the wall a pull from hole to hole if necessary.

On the entering lights.

I am going to set up some leds lights on the steps and underneath the sofa's to provide light until I get up in the cabin area.

Cliff

[NCbob]

I'm in the process of virtually tearing out everything the previous builder put in...mostly because it sorely shows  poor planning.

I have this wonderfully foamed ceiling running the full lentgh of the bus. No room in the walls...to speak of.  My contentions is that if I build (call it carve) raceways in the ceiling from front to back before I re-do the headlinier...I can also plan to leave pairs (or trio's) in the raceways should I ever decide to install a 3rd rooftop A/C.

Now, I'm not planning on mixing and matching high voltage and low voltage in the same raceways.  Low voltage left of center and high voltage (120VAC) right of center.  I'll leave a pull cord in each so the in the event I wish to add another circuit at a later date I only need to attach another pull cord on the new wire, pull it in and leave a pull cord in its' place.

Simple! It's called.....plan ahea
                                           d.  Opps!

NCbob
                       

[Ace]

Using a fish tape is easy but only if you use conduit to pull it and the wires thru which should be done anyway. I ran all my conduit in the side walls from outlet to switch to outlet etc. and even though it ran up and down like a roller coaster, it was easy to pull the wires thru. If you can, I suggest you do it this way. Putting them (outlets and switches)  in cabinets will have to be protected from objects stored in them which ultimately takes up storage space IMHO of course!

You can view an example of how mine was done on my picture site! 

http://groups.msn.com/AceRossiMotorsports/foolsgold.msnw

Ace

[David Anderson]

Brian,

I'm sitting here thinking about your question and my bus wiring and realize that I have no switches on exterior walls.  They are all on wing walls, cabinets, or furniture with access from within or behind.   The standard way to run wiring the length of the coach is through cove guttering just at the roof curve above the windows.  I ran some down at the floor through covered chases.

I have a flat ceiling 3.5" below my roof, so running across the bus was no problem for me.  If you don't have that you will have to surface wire with decorative covering or like suggested above, force fish tape between roof and ceiling.  Wow, that would be very difficult.

David

[TomC]

Even though I completely stripped the inside down to the bare metal, the only wiring that is buried is for the three roof A/C's, the two Fantastic fans and the TV antenna.  The A/C and antenna are in conduit to facilitate pulling new wire if need be (all my 120v is in light weight plastic conduit with stranded wire).  Then for all other wiring, I surface mounted the wiring running down the left wall near the floor for easy access-can't see it unless you pull up the wall covering.  You could do the same thing and just run the wiring for the A/C's (I assume you're doing roof airs?) straight up the wall behind cabinets to the ceiling.  Also could run wires underneath in the ceiling of the baggage compartments.  Good Luck, TomC