Help - lost something down back of sink unit

DoubleWah · Apr 8, 2013

Just had a wonderful first adventure in our new Cali - 9 days touring round England and Wales. Freezing temperatures, but lovely and warm inside!

However, I did something very stupid. We had a carbon monoxide detector temporarily stowed on top of the cutlery drawer and I accidentally pushed it back so that it slid down a space at the back of the under-sink cabinet - between the cabinet and the panel of the van. I can't reach down that gap and am stumped as to how to get it out!

Any ideas?

I can't leave it, because eventually it will run low on batteries and start beeping loudly. Imagine if that happened at a campsite! Also, eventually the battery will start leaking, which would be messy. What's down there? Are there any easy panels to remove? Why on earth is there a gap? How dumb do I feel?

Cheers in advance for any advice!

Simon

Andresz · Apr 8, 2013

Did it fall behind the waste water tank?

Californiaman · Apr 8, 2013

If it makes you feel any better, I almost got myself stuck in that cupboard when drilling new holes to raise the level of the shelf. I managed to wedge my arms in but nearly failed to get them back out again!

Without looking at the build of the cupboard, the only thing I would suggest would be to get in there with a mirror or a small digital camera to see what it looks like and to see if any opportunities for removal present themselves.

DoubleWah · Apr 8, 2013

I think it's actually fallen inside the column behind the passenger seat. Just below the sink there's a space where the wall of the cupboard doesn't extend to the outside skin of the van, so I reckon it might have fallen sideways to the right. Is it possible to remove the trim easily behind and to the left of the passenger seat?

Can't believe what a ridiculous situation I've got myself into!

(Smart idea about a digital camera, by the way - as long as I don't drop that too!)

S

Andresz · Apr 9, 2013

You may try to get inside the space behind the passenger seat by removing the 12v and 230v sockets. Especially the 220v socket has relatively big hole behind it.
If not, removing the sink should do the trick.

sebking · Apr 9, 2013

They usually have a five year battery life so gives you some time to find it !

beardie · Apr 9, 2013

Most phones with cameras have a led flash. Take a couple of photos or a video to help locate it. iPhones have the camera and flash on the top so are ideal.

Don't drop it though;-)

beardie · Apr 9, 2013

sebking said:
They usually have a five year battery life so gives you some time to find it !

I would be more worried when the alarm decides to go off as I am sure the ventilation won't be very good down there!

Californiaman · Apr 9, 2013

If you can see it and there is a little room to move you could perhaps try something like a draughtsmans curve. They are flexible but retain their shape so, you may be able to feed it in and navigate to the alarm. A blob of bonding agent on the end and a little patience and what have you got (yeah, probably two things stuck behind the cupboard...

)

http://www.rexart.com/product16889.html

Californiaman · Apr 9, 2013

Tie some string to the end of it before you go for it...

owen_h · Apr 9, 2013

Enough metal in the detector that a strong magnet on a string might pull it out? Yacht chandlers sell really strong ones for picking up stuff people have dropped overboard. They are quite bulky though, might not fit in the gap.

beardie · Apr 9, 2013

owen_h said:
Enough metal in the detector that a strong magnet on a string might pull it out? Yacht chandlers sell really strong ones for picking up stuff people have dropped overboard. They are quite bulky though, might not fit in the gap.

A strong magnet will probably attach itself to the van side panel before anything else. If its really strong you may not get it off again!

2CV67 · Apr 9, 2013

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/24-Flexible-C ... 0494622114

With dentist's mirror, of course...

DoubleWah · Apr 9, 2013

Once again - you guys are all brilliant!

Will try as many of these suggestions as I can. I'm getting the sense, looking at the hole at the back, that it'll have ended up quite far forward from the sink itself. I reckon it's behind the plastic trim on the pillar by the passenger door. Perhaps that's easier to remove than the kitchen unit. (Although I don't know how to go about removing interior trim...)

S

Andresz · Apr 9, 2013

DoubleWah said:
Once again - you guys are all brilliant!

Will try as many of these suggestions as I can. I'm getting the sense, looking at the hole at the back, that it'll have ended up quite far forward from the sink itself. I reckon it's behind the plastic trim on the pillar by the passenger door. Perhaps that's easier to remove than the kitchen unit. (Although I don't know how to go about removing interior trim...)

S

Leave the removal of the kitchen unit as a last option. It is much easier to remove the sink, and my guessing is that it should be enough to get access to it.
Also if I understand well the place where the thing had gone is just behind the 230 V socket, so you may go and try this way.

HistoryBob · Apr 11, 2013

It might be useful for you to take a look at the Technical Manual which is on the Downloads section of the Forum. There are diagrams there of the panels etc which may just help you.

Have Fun

Bob