1964 Bambi II Wiring Schematics?

[Janice]

Hello, I need help finding a wiring diagram for my 1964 Bambi II. The wires are a mess. Janice

[dudebb]

Hi Janice,
I just used the "search" feature to see if there is anything already posted.
Denver Aaron started a thread on 10-5-06 about his 63 Safari titled "63 electrical wiring diagram". On 10-8-06 he posts a very nicely done diagram which may be useful to you in the Bambi. I would think (but do not know) that the wiring for these close sized units might be the same or close to it. Anyway, check it out and see if anything matches to your bambi. You may also want to read through this thread past his 10-8 posting - maybe he refines his plan a bit more latter.
Good luck!
George
PS: I'm bringing our 62 Bambi home tomorrow - yes I'll post photos soon!

[dudebb]

Hi Janice,
I just noticed you are not too far from me. If anyone can confirm that the 62 and 64 Bambi's would be the same or close in their wiring AND if ours looks to be in good shape when I get it home, you can always come up and spend some time checking our electrical out. Just a thought. It could be like a Bambi party!
George

[47WeeWind]

Originally Posted by dudebb

... If anyone can confirm that the 62 and 64 Bambi's would be the same or close in their wiring AND if ours looks to be in good shape when I get it home, you can always come up and spend some time checking our electrical out. Just a thought. It could be like a Bambi party! George

George & Janice:

The electrical wiring for the 1962 Bambi and the 1964 Bambi II are very different, so one cannot be used as a pattern for the other. The 1962 Bami has parallel 12 and 110 volt circuits in the interior lights (each light has one 12 volt DC bulb and one 110 volt AC bulb), whereas the 1964 Bambi II has just 12 volt DC interior lights. You'll get really messed up copying one to the other; don't do it.

[53flyingcloud]

I totally agree with 47WeeWind.
Janice, you said, "The wires are a mess."
Not knowing just what you meant exactly, I'd recommend letting a trained professional look it over. If it's not been altered too drastically, He should be able to draw up a schematic for you. This would be a excellent starting point for est. a permanent record of your wiring needs. Just my thoughts.

[dudebb]

Thanks guys for setting the record staight on the 64 vs 62 bambi. I'm new to this and depend on the expertise of the group to keep me honest! Since the 64 Bambi was renamed a Caravel in 65 - would the Caravels be a good source for Janice to research?
Thanks,
George

[47WeeWind]

Originally Posted by dudebb

Thanks guys for setting the record staight on the 64 vs 62 Bambi. I'm new to this and depend on the expertise of the group to keep me honest! Since the 64 Bambi [II] was renamed a Caravel in 65 - would the Caravels be a good source for Janice to research? Thanks, George

Airstreams changed from year to year, and though they sometimes are similar from year to year, that is not always the case. The 1965 17' Caraval is a full width trailer (same width as longer trailers from 1965); the 1964 Bambi II is not. It is a scaled down trailer, both narrower and shorter than all other 1964 trailers. The 1965 Caravel is not a renamed 1964 Bambi II, its a whole new trailer (notwithstanding RJ's comment).

Moreover, the wiring for all 1964 Airstrerams was transitional. It was the the first year for the Univolt but the wiring differed from later years. For 1964, all electrical fans and the water pump motor were run on ~18.8 volts AC, not on 12 volt DC current. I think (but am not positive) that in 1965 a rectifier was added to the Univolt so the fans and pump motors operated on DC current instead of AC current. That's one reason why a 1965 Airstream is a misleading example to follow. Again, you'll end up getting your wires crossed.

So here's a simple suggestion. Instead of trying to figure out the electrical wiring for a 1964 Bambi II from a different year and model Airstream trailer, stick with a 1964 Bambi II as the proper template, as Janice requested in her first post. The 1964 Bambi II Owner's Manual has a wiring schematic that may help, so I recommend Janice obtain a copy of that owner's manual. As us handymen sometimes remember, when all else fails RTFM. But please realize the manual's electrical wiring diagram is only a schematic, which is a simple representation of the actual wiring. It is not an exact engineering drawing of every wire down to the precise location and type of each connection. And if some prior owner liked his wiring ideas better than the factory's, the challenge to sort it all out increases. But it can be done with patience and a VOM (volt-ohm meter), a name that reveals too much about my age. So Janice may want to shop for and purchase a Digital Multimeter.

With best wishes from the twin lead world,

[jeffsmattson]

When I plug into my truck the back lights on the Bambi come on. The brake lights still work and the turn signals work but the tail lights stay on all the time. I have to unplug the trailer to get them to turn off. The running lights work when I turn on my headlights/and parking lights. I am wondering if anybody knows of an access point to those wires in the rear. I am assuming that they have somehow been wired to the accessory + and come on whenever there is power too the trailer.

Thanks for the Help