Drilling a hole in my trailer

[awellis3]

I want to put a 15amp recepticle on the slide out of my trailer to plug an extension cord to. Another extension cord will be attached on the inside. It is a battery charger inlet from West Marine.
I don't want to start drilling and hit a frame member. I want to install it so it exits under the rear dinette seat. Looking at the slide, it will be where an access door would be, opposite the one shown here between the slide's edge and the window.


Is it safe to assume that a frame member runs along the side of the window and that drilling a foot or so rearward from the window's edge would miss a frame piece? Is there a way to be sure? Will a stud finder work in this application?

[another_newfie]

I had installed the same thing in my first stick and tin rig. I just carefully planned my location for the hole and picked a spot where it was very unlikely anything was in the wall. It worked out fine.

When we traded to our next TT I was going to do the same, but it had a slide so I instead passed the extension cord in the slide instead. I do the same on my fifth wheel. Avoiding the need to drill into the rig.

[Cypressloser]

A studfinder should work, but would it be possible to go through the storage compartment door in the slideout instead to avoid drilling a hole through the outside wall of the trailer and hide the cable under the carpet along the wall. The storage door could easily be replaced if you decide to sell the trailer later.

[textman]

Tried using one of those stud finders before, but every time I picked it up it went off!

[RSchleder]

Originally Posted by textman

Tried using one of those stud finders before, but every time I picked it up it went off!

Sounds like you needed a new stud finder. They work really well if you get one that's not a "cheapy" or defective.

[MeepMeep]

Originally Posted by RSchleder

Sounds like you needed a new stud finder. They work really well if you get one that's not a "cheapy" or defective.

Don't think that's what TextMan was getting at.....

[textman]

What MeepMeep said!

[textman]

all kidding aside... awillis3, you should be fine cutting into the side, just be sure to check for those studs and be sure there are no electrical wiring running in that area. Drill a small shallow pilot hole and use some wire to fish around to be sure there is nothing in the cavity other than insulation.
Good luck!

[awellis3]

Originally Posted by Cypressloser

...would it be possible to go through the storage compartment door in the slideout instead to avoid drilling a hole through the outside wall of the trailer?

I thought of that and am still thinking on it. The inside cord will be permanently attached to the fixture, so every time I open the door the cord will be involved. There is unused space under the rear dinette seat for cord storage. The space in the existing storage compartment is pretty full as it is.