Wire run questions - 2003 Knight

[JimC295]

Just thinking out loud here. Is there a wire run front to back on our coaches? In the future I'm thinking of running a coax from the rear to the front of my coach. Ive noticed in my basement it looks like there is something dropped down in the center and thinking it might be a space to run controls and wires front to back, yes, no?

[DavidL]

I doubt there is an official "wire run".  Those with Monacos certainly chime in.

You can look in the basement to see if a wire can go front to back down there and then up the floor.  On my Newmar, I used the HVAC duct that goes front to back in the ceiling.  Use Plenum rated cables to be official.

Coax?  Pretty old fashioned stuff...run Ethernet / Category 6 cable too once you figure out how to run anything the length.  I pulled all the coax out of my coach.  You can have it 🙂

Modern TVs all use HDMI.  The Category cable can run HDBaseT to HDMI devices.   Some call the end points "baluns".  That's how modern coaches are wired.

The effort is figuring out how to run the cable.  The cost of the cable is rounding error.

 

Edited June 1 by DavidL

[jacwjames]

On my coach there is space and it can be accessed by dropping the ceiling panels. 

I needed run a wire for the fuel pressure gauge I installed, I decided to just push a 3/4" conduit front to back.  My generator is on a slide so it gave me access.  There are already metal supports that had cutouts where wiring and tubing is already run and there was enough room to push the conduit through the holes, just had to guide it through as I pushed.  I was able to push the conduit over the fuel tank and then helped it over the basement partition.  Added a second 10' piece of conduit.  It got stuck above my middle basement bay and had to drop the ceiling to help across to the next compartment, where it got stuck again.  My smallest bay where by transfer switch and inverter are mounted does not have a ceiling and I was able to reach up and find the end and then pulled/pushed across the top of the wet bay water tanks where it day lighted just in front of the rear axle. 

Later I used the conduit and pulled a set of 5 wires, I needed a wire for the Bluesea I installed.  So I have 4 spare wires front to back. 

[Michael Powell]

2004 Monaco Dynasty passenger side toilet kitchen microwave, stove, and sink..What I did on the passenger side rear corner I have washer dryer...I started above the washer.  On the floor there is a box that has that I ran coax, cat 6e, and HDMI cable to under the bathroom sink...Little tough getting it up the wall between the kitchen wall into the upper cabinets but doable Go to Lowes and get a fish stick gonna need it...From there I ran in the top of the upper cabinets to the front A piller...On my coach there is a section about 3 to 4 inches that is exposed between the upper cabinets and the cabinet above the door.. At the windshield I ran cables that I needed to down the A windshield piller the other HDMI,COAX, and CAT 6E into the cabinets above the dashboard...I also at this time installed birdside view cameras on my coach with a hard drive recorder if needed in the event of an accident..you may contact me by email if u want to...

mpowell@powellwatson.com 

Michael Powell

 

[waterskier_1]

My experience:  Yes, the middle drop-down ceiling area is where Monaco ran many cables and hoses (PS, A/C, dash heat, etc. ).  But that basement ceiling doesn't run the entire length of the coach.  It stops behind the generator "bay" and forward or the waste tanks.  Getting from the engine compartment, past the engine and transmission,  and over the tag & drive axles, and over/around the holding tanks is the problematic area. On my old Dynasty ('97), I found "conduit" for hoses that I was able to fish wires forward. 

Bottom Line: There is no conduit or dedicated passageway from the rear (engine compartment) to the front (generator compartment).

  - Rick N 

[Doug and Nicki]

My 08 Dynasty has one. I ran a new video cable last Summer. On mine, there is a one inch plastic pipe that you can use. It is located in front of the rear axle. You craw under there and can sit up in that space and you will see it. 

[RNMCBR]

On my coach, there is a cavity running down both sides at the upper corners where the roofing curves over. There is existing wiring running through these cavities.
I ran cat6 cables down my driver’s side my using a Magnepull to pull a “torpedo” down this channel with a pull string. It was then a simple job to pull cables.

I used this method because a fiberglass push rod kept hanging up on what I suspect are clamps. This channel is accessible at the front A-pillar and in the rear upper cabinet behind my electrical panel. 
your coach might be slightly different at the rear but I am sure you have the same channels.

[johncvandoren@gmail.com]

13 hours ago, Michael Powell said:

2004 Monaco Dynasty passenger side toilet kitchen microwave, stove, and sink..What I did on the passenger side rear corner I have washer dryer...I started above the washer.  On the floor there is a box that has that I ran coax, cat 6e, and HDMI cable to under the bathroom sink...Little tough getting it up the wall between the kitchen wall into the upper cabinets but doable Go to Lowes and get a fish stick gonna need it...From there I ran in the top of the upper cabinets to the front A piller...On my coach there is a section about 3 to 4 inches that is exposed between the upper cabinets and the cabinet above the door.. At the windshield I ran cables that I needed to down the A windshield piller the other HDMI,COAX, and CAT 6E into the cabinets above the dashboard...I also at this time installed birdside view cameras on my coach with a hard drive recorder if needed in the event of an accident..you may contact me by email if u want to...

mpowell@powellwatson.com 

Michael Powell

 

 

15 hours ago, JimC295 said:

Just thinking out loud here. Is there a wire run front to back on our coaches? In the future I'm thinking of running a coax from the rear to the front of my coach. Ive noticed in my basement it looks like there is something dropped down in the center and thinking it might be a space to run controls and wires front to back, yes, no?

 

15 hours ago, JimC295 said:

Just thinking out loud here. Is there a wire run front to back on our coaches? In the future I'm thinking of running a coax from the rear to the front of my coach. Ive noticed in my basement it looks like there is something dropped down in the center and thinking it might be a space to run controls and wires front to back, yes, no?

My 2006 Knight 40DFD has two coax cables from the left rear electrical cabinet.  One is for Cable and one is for Satellite.  Both terminate in the audio video cabinet above the driver’s seat.  Your coach may have similar cables already running the length of yours.

[JimC295]

Thank you all,

You have given me plenty to look for and think about. I/ will not be full time in our coach so I can't justify a high dollar expenditure for cell service and all the associated hardware to find the strongest signal. I purchased a signal amplifier and directional antenna so my plan is to have a cable run from the front and terminate it inside the back engine doors to connect to a pvc post mounted directional antenna I'm hoping this will help in weak signal areas so that we can stream content when we are away from home.