68 safari

[submirj]

Does the 1968 Safari have aluminum wiring?

[till]

It could, my 1967 (California built) Ambassador has both aluminum and copper wiring. The aluminum is for the 12VDC and the copper is for the 110VAC.

[Stefrobrts]

My 68 Caravel has aluminum wiring, so I'd bet your Safari does too. Does anyone know what's the scoop on aluminum wiring? Is it really that big a deal?

[TomW]

Originally Posted by Stefrobrts

...Does anyone know what's the scoop on aluminum wiring? Is it really that big a deal?

No, in my opinion. It does require more attention during installalation & repair though. You may be interested in what I said about it on my Airstream web page.

Tom
p.s. Uh Tedd - I believe you got the two mixed up. The aluminum wire is for 120 vac.

[till]

Tom,
I hate to diagree, but in my Ambassador the aluminum is for the 12 volt system. Maybe in the West coast, they did things backwards to Ohio??

BTW I think I just got another rivet???

[TomW]

Originally Posted by till

I hate to diagree...

Hey! if that's the way your Airstream is wired, then we are both right.

But if the snow is not too thick around your Airstreams, I think it would behoove our listening audience if you could doublecheck the wiring in both of them.

The only reason I request you suit up is that I think Airstream would have used aluminum wire in both 12 vdc & 120 vac if they could have. It is my opinion that the largest gauge of aluminum wire commonly available was not suitable for low voltage, high current use.

Tom

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by Stefrobrts

My 68 Caravel has aluminum wiring, so I'd bet your Safari does too. Does anyone know what's the scoop on aluminum wiring? Is it really that big a deal?

Stef,
Two major issues with aluminum wiring and I am not sure if it is an issue with an AS or not. In many intallations they used a copper only device (plug or switch) with aluminum wiring. The terminal screws would loosen up causing arcing and the possiblity for a fire. Fairly easy fix is to a) replace the plug with a Cu/AL rated plug(stamped on the unit) or bond a copper pigtail to the aluminum wire with a crimp sleeve. The issues are that aluminum wire expands and contracts more than the copper wire does, leading to loosened terminals, and the other issue is that aluminum wire is more prone to stress cracking/ breaking from vibration than copper, mainly at connection point. If you are rewiring I would reccomend replacing aluminum with copper if possible, other than that just make sure the terminals are the correct type and tight. Also in an electrical overheating situation aluminum will melt down sooner than copper due to it's lower melting point.

Aaron

[till]

I will go out and check when I get back from Emily's skating lesson.

Under edit;
I went through my photos and found the attached two. One is a picture of the where the light goes in the front, the other is the reading lamp over the bed in the rear. I believe that the lights are 12 volts. I will wait for the blowing snow to stop to get a few more shots if you want.

[TomW]

That definitely looks like aluminum wire in 12 volt application.

No rush, but I would be interested to know if your Overlander is wired similarly.

Thanks for the effort,
Tom

[Stefrobrts]

I'm not planning to rewire. My limited restoration has only exposed one of the three 120v plugs, the other two are still impossible to access. I do need to run another 120v line over to the kitchen for the new fridge. I'm planning to get some help locally when it's time to figure out how to do that.

My trailer only has three 120v plugs. Everything else is 12v.

[till]

Stephanie,
I have 5, 110 outlets. Everything else is 12 volt just like yours.

It appears that California built trailers are aluminum wired for 12 volts.The Overlander has aluminum 12 volt wiring too. Go figure.....

[Stefrobrts]

110v, 120v, see why I will opt for help when it comes to wiring

That alumaflex looks like the same stuff as the 110v in my trailer, but the 12v stuff seems to be individual red and white wires, at least in the few places I've exposed it, like where the water pump is.

[till]

Stephanie,
I forgot, is your trailer a Ohio or California built??

110, 115, 120 Volts, it's all the same. Just which school you come from.
We run into the same thing at work, 208, 220, 230, 240. It is (most of the time) all the same to our line of work. You would get a kick out of the real readings from summer to winter of your acutual voltage in your home. I have seen 99 volts in the heat of the summer and 125 in the dead of winter.

[Stefrobrts]

Mine is CA built. Think that is the difference?

So if you're going to stick your finger in the socket do it during the summer? No wait, isn't it the amps that kill you? I took a little electronics in college

[till]

I was just seeing if maybe that the California trailers had aluminum 12 volt systems, vs Ohio.