4" hole in front storage compartment floor

[RobWNY]

Does anyone know why there is a 4" circular hole in the front storage compartment of the floor in my 5th wheel? I found it when I took out the additional battery box that was screwed to the floor. There's plenty of openings for any spill to drain out and there's vents for any battery gas that's released so that's not the reason. I have no idea why this hole would be put there by the manufacturer. Excuse the poor picture. I couldn't get the flash on my camera to work.

[RobWNY]

bigorange wrote:
No idea, but now wondering if my FR 5er has one too...

I would bet it does. Looking in the compartment, mine was toward the back on the passenger side of the RV

[RobWNY]

rbp111 wrote:
I own a 2016 Big Horn 5th wheel. The holes were there so it could handle a generator. I opted not to have the generator installed, so the dealer covered the hole. He said he would do that to ensure that hitting puddles would not be a problem for my towing. He said that the splashing up of the water would/could harm something in the front of the trailer.

I'm not using a Generator in that compartment either so I got a roll of the tape that you use to cover seams on the corrugated underbelly and put that on the underside as well as on the compartment floor so no water or creatures will get in there.

[bigorange]

No idea, but now wondering if my FR 5er has one too...

[rbp111]

I own a 2016 Big Horn 5th wheel. The holes were there so it could handle a generator. I opted not to have the generator installed, so the dealer covered the hole. He said he would do that to ensure that hitting puddles would not be a problem for my towing. He said that the splashing up of the water would/could harm something in the front of the trailer.

[2012Coleman]

RobWNY wrote:

remdog*1 wrote:
Could it be for battery vent? Is your battery in there. Mine has hose from top of battery box to outside vent

No. I have the vent hose out the top of the battery box like you do. This was found underneath the plastic box which was screwed down to the floor.

I have the same thing - battery box floor has hole which I presume is for water drainage. Top of the battery box that screws down has hose leading to a vent - for vapor ventilation. I keep the top of the box screwed down even when the battery has been removed for storage.

[RobWNY]

Here's a followup. I emailed Forest River about the hole. Initially, they told me that the compartment can only hold 75-100 pounds. Now they are changing their answer to the hole is for a generator exhaust and the compartment can hold a few hundred pounds. Whatever it can hold, putting down a 1/2" sheet of plywood is a good idea and will strengthen the floor immensely.

[BurbMan]

Generator compartment makes more sense. You wouldn't want to carry much weight on the thin spot-welded floor pan, but a generator would be mounted to a frame, and the frame would sit on those lips around the edges, so that thin sheet metal pan isn't carrying the weight of the generator. Frankly, the way you describe it I would make a frame for the batteries too.

[RobWNY]

Super_Dave wrote:
A 1/16" plus or minus. If you are at all concerned, mine is spot welded to a lip. A piece of plywood that rested on the lip would carry a lot of weight.

Thanks Dave

[Super_Dave]

A 1/16" plus or minus. If you are at all concerned, mine is spot welded to a lip. A piece of plywood that rested on the lip would carry a lot of weight.

[RobWNY]

Super_Dave wrote:
It is designated as the generator compartment and while I don't have a generator in the spot, I do carry a few hundred pounds of stuff plus 2 batteries with no issues.

How thick is the sheet metal floor in your compartment?

[Super_Dave]

It is designated as the generator compartment and while I don't have a generator in the spot, I do carry a few hundred pounds of stuff plus 2 batteries with no issues.

[Lwiddis]

Termites?

[RobWNY]

It's rather amusing to be honest. When I got this 5th wheel, I emailed Forest River and asked them about how much weight I could put in that storage area. I was concerned because the sheet metal is so thin and it's only welded in there in a few places. They told me 75-100 pounds maximum. So in that large storage area, is a plastic battery box as I've mentioned. If I were to put a 40 pound battery in there, I have a lot of space left for nothing more than a vinyl picnic table cover, a pool noodle and a box of toothpicks HAHAHAHA

[dpgllg]

Moki wrote:
Many battery boxes have a small extended lip and a hole in the bottom. The theory is air has to come in to allow air to vent out the top. Had a cougar with that set-up.

My 2017 Grand Design has this as well. Hole in bottom and vent out the top.

Dave