Part 2 of 2.
After cutting the panel out, basically the same width as the factory panel, my next cuts were for the AGS brainbox (usually installed someplace where it is impossible to work with) and the remote switch with temperature sensor. I made a paper template of the opening I needed to cut with T square, taped the template to the ABS, marked the ABS with white crayon and drilled a hole near the edge and adjusted my fence and 'let her rip'.
Template:
While I was working on this, I took all the mounting screws I was going to use, stuck them in a scrap of cardboard and painted them back with Rustoleum Hammered paint. It doesn't match the factory screws perfectly, but its good enough for this task.
I predrilled all the screw holes, for the brain box I used my template. For the hole in each corner I made a quick template out of scrap cardboard right angle from a junkmail postcard, marked 3/4 of an inch on each side, drew a straight line with my square and marked the hole. I had to counter sink the screws for the brain box, luckily a bit was in the router box for that.
After cutting I needed to figure out how to keep the brain box offset so it sat flush. The brain box mounting holes are on the back of case, not the front, so I made 2 offsets out of scrap ABS (I think an 1" wide) and used MEK to glue them to the back of the ABS right by the openings. When gluing ABS, make sure the parts have smooth flat edges (for my install I used the factory edge as my cuts were not sufficiently flat and smooth). These offsets also stiffen the ABS, although its not really needed.
Part 3.
I marked the hole for the switch and the screws for it manually, centering as well as I could. The hole was offset to one side for the electronics on the back switch to protrude through, but all in all it didn't matter because the supplied face plate provided enough coverage that perfection wasn't required.
The point of no return. I now had to cut a hole in my RV wall to mount this. I drilled holes in all for corners and used a rotozip to cut the material out. I originally tried a razor knife, but I didn't have a straight edge and feared I was going to cut my own wrist off. I used pencil to mark the outline and did my best to follow it. I did give myself quite a bit of room in the template I made for the hole, so a few bobbles wouldn't be seen. Yeah, it is about as straight as a moth flies.
Then I saw the vent pipe. Dang. First I had to check that I didn't drill or rotozip it, nope it was good. Then I test fit (I designed this with the brain box on the top and the remote switch on the bottom) it and it didn't fit. However if I reversed everything it was fine, so that is what I did.
Here is the final product.
The cable that comes with the kit for the remote is 25' long. I bought a new RJ 12 6p6c connector and cut the cable and shortened it to 1'. If you don't have the tools for that you can buy RJ12 6p6c cables (flat not flipped) for about $4 online.
I am 100% satisfied with the end result, and I am quite happy I know how to use ABS to make panel mounts now. I am going to make a custom mount for over the circuit breaker box to house my inverter control panel and my surge protector control panels.
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