AC/DC etc., ect.

[Marlboro Mafia]

NEWBIE ALERT!

Sorry for a possible redundant thread, but. . .

I just bought a '61 Safari.

Are all of the interior lights supposed to be 12 volt? Are the wall sockets the only AC inside? Some lights are AC and some are 12 volt in this trailer.

Seems to me that it would be best to have all lighting to be 12 volt off of a battery then worry about charging the battery.

[Tin Hut]

Welcome!

My '67 has all lights on 12 volt and all outlets on 120.

[Marlboro Mafia]

That's what I thought. It makes more sense.

[markdoane]

All the lights and the furnace in my '59 are both AC/DC

[overlander64]

The lights didn't go to strictly 12-volt until the Univolt became a standard feature in 1964. Prior to that most lights in a coach were dual powered - - separate bulbs for AC and 12-Volt - - and some were separate fixtures. In fact, if your coach has its original fans in the roof vents and the original furnace blower motor, you will likely find that there are small transformers that allow those devices to operate in their native DC (there is confusion in my notes on this point as I have written 18-Volt AC is the output of these transformers) environment when connected to shore power - - this might also apply to an original water pump as well, but that is a point that I haven't heard mentioned.

Kevin

[bothbobs]

I have analyzed the electrical system of my '64 Bambi II and have one "mystery" yet to solve...

First what I have found: All the interior lights are 12V DC when on battery, 12V AC when on "city power". There do not appear to be any 110V lights. The water pump is 12V DC only. There is no fan as near as I can tell, or it was removed by an earlier owner. The furnace did not have a blower. There is a 12V power/charging circuit from the trailer hitch wiring (Blue wire). (The refrigerator was propane only.)

There is a 2 switch panel which switches the lights and water pump to either "city" or battery power. This panel has automatic reset overload breakers.

Feeding this switch panel for "city power" there is a large transformer which produces 12V AC for the lights, and 19V AC which should run to a rectifier to be converted to 12V DC, for the water pump and battery recharge, and indeed the wire goes into the wall. As there is no 12VDC power produced (the water pump does not get power when switched to "city power" as it should) I am assuming the rectifier is bad. I also don't think it is a simple silicon diode bridge because these were not yet common at that time, or it would 1) not have required such a large voltage drop and 2) would have been mounted on the 2 switch panel.

The mystery is WHERE is the device located where the 19V transformer output goes.

I have drawn up a schematic of the electrical system, which I will post when I get it done in a computer readable format.

In the mean time, if someone can confirm what I suspect about the rectifier, and suggest where I can find it, I would be most greatful.

[thenewkid64]

I am unsure as to the output side of the 19 VAC but I have a guess. I would bet it went to the battery. The DC battery would act as a load and would reduce if not eliminate the AC waveform since it cannot be changed to an AC output. I think the old pump in your model would have been a Grover Air pump to pressurize the tank. Who knows how sensitive to the AC noise the motor would have been.

[Rick Dotson]

We have a '61 Safari. I am new to the hobby, it seems that there is a lot to learn and no two trailers are alike. Our trailer has two seperate electric systems. Every light fixture has two bulbs and two switches. One 110vac and one 12v. All the wall outlets are 110v. It seems that the battery charger is missing. I am try to decide if I should add a charger or get an inverter/charger combo. It also looks like some reworking of the electric is in order, because it appears to have been hacked a few times. This trailer will keep me busy for a while.

Rick

[RivetED]

Originally Posted by Rick Dotson

We have a '61 Safari. I am new to the hobby, it seems that there is a lot to learn and no two trailers are alike. ...This trailer will keep me busy for a while. Rick

Welcome Rick, Keeping busy is what this hobby is all about for most (I guess ). Even with a new '04 I'll bet my 'to-do' list is a lot longer than you'd think. Anyway; keep busy, have fun, send & receive tips, post your trials & tribulations, & perhaps we'll see you down the road & share a cold beer or two! .

[Rick Dotson]

Who knows we might be traveling to Colo. this year and see you on the way. Or maybe you drive east? (I don't know what for).

I will try to post anything that I find out.

Rick

[flyfshr]

Rick -
Does that mean you're planning on attending the VAC Rocky Mtn. Rally at the end of July/beg. of Aug. in Colorado Springs? There's still some room left if you hurry.

FF

[Rick Dotson]

Actually we were planning to visit some friends who moved to Denver. We had not thought of attending any rallies. Although It might help set a date for the trip.

We were thinking to go to S. Dakota as well.

[flyfshr]

S. Dakota is beautiful, Especially the western part. Check out Deadwood, Wind Cave, the Badlands, Wall Drug, Custer State Park, Bridal Veil Falls...that does it, I want to go right now

FF

[47WeeWind]

Marlboro Mafia: Does your 1961 Safari have a "Land Yacht" plaque riveted to the outside forward of the door? Does it have a small battery compartment on the front panel of the trailer? If yes, then it has a dual voltage system of separate 12 vdc and 115 vac circuits for lights. The 12 vdc circuit used regular size (same size as 115 vac) light bulbs that were 12 vdc. Battery charging was from the tow vehicle. You should be able to wire a modern converter having a smart 3 stage battery charger into your 12 vdc circuit. I like IntelliPowers for that job.

BothBobs: In 1964 only, the first year for the Univolt as Kevin mentions above, it was a simple AC transformer with two outputs: 12 volts AC for all lights and 18/19 volts AC for the fan (which you trailer apparently does hot have) and for the original PAR [Peters and Russel, mfgrs] water pump. If your present water pump is marked for 12 vdc only, it is likely a more modern replacement water pump. In my 1964 19' Globe Trotter, I replaced the ac only Univolt transformer with a 40 amp IntelliPower converter and Charge Wizard that keep the battery charged when the trailer is plugged in, which is all the time because I store it at my house. I really like the IntelliPower converter/battery charger.

[Rick Dotson]

I have the international and it has the dual system. I will check the intelliPowers, because what ever had been charging is no longer there.

[RivetED]

Good idea about the 'Smart/Intelle' chargers of any kind, they won't 'fry', boil, overcharge, your battery as a constant trickle charger can.

[47WeeWind]

Originally Posted by Rick Dotson

I have the international and it has the dual system. I will check the intelliPowers, because what ever had been charging is no longer there.

Rick: Very nice that you have an International Safari! The only battery charging in 1961 (even on International series trailers) came from the tow vehicle generator or alternator; there was no separate transformer in 1961 for park based 12 volt use or charging when plugged in; plugging in a land line only gave you 115 vac. There was no trailer based battery charger in 1961. You simply discharged the battery when using it at night and charged it the next day from the tow vehicle when travelling.

Along with an IntelliPower, you might consider installing one or two larger batteries some where else on your trailer than in the thin battery compartment on the exterior front panel. Use that for storage and move the batteries elsewhere.

[Marlboro Mafia]

As it turns out, someone has added a small older Sears 6 volt battery charger under the sink. This apparently charged the massive 6 volt battery located on the outside front in a little aluminum box and provides 6 volts DC when connected to AC.

The lights all have DC and AC bulbs and I will keep it orginal except for switching to 12 volt. I plan on installing a newer charger.