Bus Modifications

We have been home about two weeks, and we have finished two modifications to the Bus. 

The first revolves around a TV antenna modification that we had Brannon Hutcheson of Custom RV, Inc in Red Bay complete while we were there.  In 2008, Tiffin started putting an “omni-directional” TV antenna on the Bus as an option over the crank-up Batwings.   I missed that note, and we ended up with the Batwing!!  We had Brannon correct our oversight with the installation of a Winegard Omni-Directional  ( Winegard Roadstar RS-2000) antenna.  This one is fully automatic and tracks the station, so we can watch a channel while driving down the highway without constantly tweaking the antenna.

Brannon had mentioned to me that since the Omni-Directional is digital, it relies on “line of sight”, and at times, may not receive as many channels as the old batwing did!   I asked him to not remove the old batwing, and made plans to install an A/B switch so that we could easily use either antenna.  Here is a picture of the final installation of selection switch, which I installed in the cabinet in front of and above the passenger seat:

The second modification was the replacement of the fluorescent lights above the kitchen counter with round halogen lights……. exactly like the ones that Tiffin installs in the dinette hutch.

Here’s a picture of the change out over the kitchen sink (the first with the fluorescent and the second with the halogens):

Note that the single gang switch under the upper cabinets and to the right of the light fixture (to operate the light in the stained glass window) has been upgraded to a two gang to also operate the pair of halogen lights.

Here is a pair of pictures showing the difference in the lighting (without flash) of the new lights:

Here’s a couple of pictures of the other end of the counter…………..

The following picture shows the effect the two new pairs of halogens on the kitchen counter, and the original pair in the hutch with all other lights off:

Patsy likes the ‘white-light’ look of the halogens.  She has never liked fluorescent lighting!!

Our next trip is in about two weeks, and this time, we are taking our grandson, Matthew, on his first 10-Day road-trip.  We are heading back to Red Bay for some Bus upgrades.