Another What is it?

[airstreamcaravel]

On my Caravel above the road side service panel is a small
aluminum flap.

My thought for years was it was a "hanger" for the service door.

(really dumb)

Then I thought (while polishing last week) that maybe it was an old wire hole for a little light to britghen the service panel area for those night hook ups.

(Even Dumber)

Upon closer examination of the silicon filled outside hole and the
hole in the service door inside frame and the discovery of a rubber hose connecting the two areas,

I have come to my third and final, hopefully correct conclusion THAT......

It is an escape for Hydrogen gas from the service area where the battery off gasses.

You can see this thing (very small) on the picture of Steves Caravel ...

If needed I can take a pic.

OK experts! Whats the real answer?

Please! HALP!!

DMC

[airstreamcaravel]

Well?

[airstreamcaravel]

Halp Anyone have an answer? RV ANDY?

[airstreamcaravel]

I don't think that hole should be plugged.

[BobbyW]

It used to hold a Red light and wire ran in the hose for protection.It was to indicate Univolt was working. I have one on my Globetrotter.

-BobbyWright

[airstreamcaravel]

Thanks Bobby!

I guess thought #2 was right. I liked the outgassing idea although.

I'd love to see a picture of your little original light!

DMC

[airstreamcaravel]

No one else has any opinions. IS Bobby Wright?

[Inland RV Center, In]

The hole above the access door is for a battery vent. The battery was mounted in that compartment, that also had a cover on it. That battery cover had a piece of clear plastic tubing that went to the "exhaust vent."
It's sole purpose was to allow the battery gasses, to properly vent.
Plugging the hole will defeat that purpose.

Andy
inlandrv.com
airstreamparts.com

[BobbyW]

Thanks Andy.

I went and looked at mine and found 2 of them. One has a Red light in it and the other one is similar to yours but it has also been plugged.

I have just not got to my electrical yet. Now I have to figure out why they plugged it. When I bought this Globetrotter, the previous owner had a battery sitting on the floor in the road side closet and a cable big enough to jump start an 18 wheeler running from the battery to a Sears battery charger, that I have since removed when gutting.

-BobbyWright

[airstreamcaravel]

RV Andy ... thanks for your expert clarification as always!

I wasn't yet convinced that it was for a light. Thank you Bobby
for your at bat!

I guess now I have a good reason to remove the "plug".

I have posed the question about venting of the battery compartment on S.O.B.'s (some other boards) but never got a
decent response.

I guess if we give it time, it all comes together!

Thank you all again!

DMC

[airstreamcaravel]

Bobby,

I also have a Sears Battery Charger and a Sears circut breaker box!.

(the Caravels by design had no built in charger)(don't ask me why, MAYBE RV ANDY knows?)

I am wondering if both of ours had/have after market electrical
"enhancements" or did Airstream have something going with Sears for a few years.

What a surprise, VERY CURIOUS!

DMC

[Inland RV Center, In]

The univolt was not installed on the early trailers, only because of cost. It's real simple to add it to the trailer. No more guessing when to kill a battery charger.

Andy
inlandrv.com
airstreamparts.com

[Silver Bullet Queen]

Ok...I have a question about univolts and battery chargers and the like.
I have a battery charger ( and a battery) in the closet by the battery storage. The PO told me the battery charger will do the same job as the univolt. What does the univolt do? I don't want to ruin anything by running the wrong equipment but would like to wait on the expense of the univolt if I could.
I know this may be a dumb question.. but hey .. I'm a blonde. be kind.

[airstreamcaravel]

Here's my understanding, I'm sure other will pipe in and correct
or clarify.

Battery chargers ... older ones, will not stop charging when the bat had reach 100% charged, many will continue to trickle charge and you run the risk of overcharging and boiling the eletrolyte (water) and killing your bat SOON!

Univolts or Intellichargers (debate forthcomming Im sure)
electronically sense the battery state and the charge rate and adjust or turn off flow accordingly. As well as providing 110v AC
to 12v DC conversion to the camper.

I purchased a "modern" bat charger that has this similar feature.
and use it when my little solar hook up doesn't gen the amps.
This was before I "found" the old sears bat charger under the curbside goucho.

Not sure if in the long run I will move towards a "real" univolt.
I am leary of digging into the "Rue Goldberg" solution on hand.
The previous "electrical engineer savant" owner added a panel with volt meters, amp meters and several DPDT switches that I am still figuring out. Even more curious is that the switches and gauges are under the goucho. Completely out of view and unreachable without removing the bottom cushion.

Strange?

[airstreamcaravel]

That would be the roadside goucho .. in front of the head.

Port forward of the aft. In that there land yacht.

better that I correct myself.

DMC

[davidz71]

Do a forum search under BATTERY SITES and click on 12 volt trouble by thread starter Chuck. I (Davidz71) posted some battery info and some websites that have great battery/battery charger info which explains different types of chargers. I use a 5 watt Solargizer solar charger/maintainer to keep up my state of charge but if I have used the batteries heavily on a trip and bring the TT home, I hook up my BatteryMinder to 110 v. power. It is a multi-level charger capable of charging 4 batteries at the same time. It desulfates (shakes the battery plates) to help solid material clinging to the plates fall off and mix with the liquid, charges, keeps a maintenance charge (floats a charge). It takes about 3 days to run the full charging sequence if I have run my batteries hard. You can leave the unit connected for years without fear of overcharging, boiling out water, etc. I no longer have the old univolt but a Magnetek unit was in its place when I purchased the TT. I do not let it run long if plugged into 110v.