NEW AC FOR 63 Globetrotter

[easyride]

I just purchased a non-air conditioned Gt,would it have the 110 volt wire and drain in the roof,I`ve read newer models do,even though they didn`t have Ac from the factory.Any help would be appreciated.Thanks,Dave

[byamcaravanner]

I have not looked in the roof of my '63 GT, but since the only openings are the astradome in the front and the fan vent in the rear... neither of which you would make a good place for the A/C... I would say it is not pre-wired.

[overlander64]

I don't believe that the '63 models were universally pre-wired for air conditioning, but one way to determine whether your coach may have been is to check the 120-volt AC circuit box looking for an unused circuit which would indicate air conditioning preparation. A vintage friendly dealer or the Airstream factory should be able to give you the details on the air conditioner location -- I know that in the 1960s and as late as 1978 that the air conditioner was not installed in an existing vent -- it was placed a measured distance from the main #1 roof bow and the hole was cut centered on the roof.

Good luck with your investigation!

Kevin

[byamcaravanner]

Here is an example of where NOT to mount a roof top A/C

[easyride]

Originally Posted by byamcaravanner

Here is an example of where NOT to mount a roof top A/C

I notice your GT has spare on back,I`ve also read they go behind the propane tanks,any idea which is correct? Also does anyone know how many panels back from the front skylight does the ac go? Thanks,Dave

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by easyride

I notice your GT has spare on back,I`ve also read they go behind the propane tanks,any idea which is correct? Also does anyone know how many panels back from the front skylight does the ac go? Thanks,Dave

Wires are not in your trailer for an AC.

The Ac must be located so that more of it's weight is forward of the axle, than behind the axle.

Then, the roof must be reinforced length wise, betwen the 2 main bows where the AC will be located. That reinforcement is done with "stringers."

Nothing must be mounted on the bumper. If you do, your asking for frame-shell damage.

I know, people do it anyway, and then complain of the cost to fix what they did.

Andy

[easyride]

Thanks Andy and all others,I`m getting smarter all the time. Dave

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by easyride

Thanks Andy and all others,I`m getting smarter all the time. Dave

Many of us can be helpful, but usually it helps to spell out the year and length that your talking about.

You own a 73, but were talking about a 63.

Can be confusing.

Andy

[easyride]

Andy,I own a 73 and 77 Overlander,and just bought a 63 Globetrotter,just can`t figure out how to update profile.Dave

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by easyride

Andy,I own a 73 and 77 Overlander,and just bought a 63 Globetrotter,just can`t figure out how to update profile.Dave

In your profile you could list "many."

Nah, just kidding.

Depending on which coach your talking about, there are 3 answers to the same possible question.

But it does help knowing what year and length a person is talking about.

We go through this everyday, and some answer, "what difference does it make, it's an Airstream."

Oops.

We can best help someone, if we are on the same page as they are.

That's also helpful to others as well.

Andy

[putback]

If its usefull I've removed the interior skins form a '64 safari with no sign of ever having A/C. Between the skins in the space where the AC would go it had a 12/2 wire capped and coiled leading back to, but short of the box, end coiled. Instead of a single continous rib it has 2 half ribs that end aprox 8" from the ctr line of the roof. 1 fore, 1 aft of the ctr skylite. And, a rectangle marked in red on the inside of the outer skin. Possibly early '60s were built to recieve A/C ? Also found old flat antenna wire between the skins, ends coiled with no exit holes. A 16 ga 12 volt wire capped where a extry door light would go. Looks like they were built ready to recieve the options, if the customer was willing to pay.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by putback

If its usefull I've removed the interior skins form a '64 safari with no sign of ever having A/C. Between the skins in the space where the AC would go it had a 12/2 wire capped and coiled leading back to, but short of the box, end coiled. Instead of a single continous rib it has 2 half ribs that end aprox 8" from the ctr line of the roof. 1 fore, 1 aft of the ctr skylite. And, a rectangle marked in red on the inside of the outer skin. Possibly early '60s were built to recieve A/C ? Also found old flat antenna wire between the skins, ends coiled with no exit holes. A 16 ga 12 volt wire capped where a extry door light would go. Looks like they were built ready to recieve the options, if the customer was willing to pay.

That's how all the trailer were wired for the AC, starting in 1964.

Andy

[Overlander & Sea]

Check out post #78 of GT1963's thread Flight-of-the-Ladybug.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f135/flight-of-the-ladybug-30272-6.html


They cut a hole in the roof to install an A/C in a '63 Globetrotter.

[easyride]

Andy,you seem to have missed the title of the post [NEW AC FOR 63 GLOBETROTTER]
Dave

[Overlander & Sea]

Originally Posted by easyride

I just purchased a non-air conditioned Gt,would it have the 110 volt wire and drain in the roof,I`ve read newer models do,even though they didn`t have Ac from the factory.Any help would be appreciated.Thanks,Dave

On the wiring, on my '63 Globetrotter, the factory rear roof fan runs on 110v or 12v. It has a city power/battery switch. The 110v goes through a transformer. My question is, if you install a new fan that runs on 12v only(or just run the old fan on 12v?), can you use the 1110v wire for the A/C if you extend the wire?

[63air]

Your 63 is not prewired ,you will have to install a new circuit for the a/c. I did the wiring for mine when I put in a new box and breakers . It is not to bad of a job but you will have to partially remove some interior pannels to get the wire where it needs to go. The other thing is you will have to cut a hole in the roof, that I left to the pros at Ace Fogdall in Cedar Falls, Iowa based on the recommendation of Overlander64. It is really important to cut in the right spot and not all A/S dealers are familiar with the older trailers and where the A/C should go ( which is not in an existing vent).

[goransons]

If your GT is wired like our safari, 110 comes from the bathroom to that box, then from that box on to the kitchen, so I would venture to guess that circuit is probably already maxed out, even without the AC unit. Probably need to really calculate it out, figure out how many outlets/lights will be on that one breaker, then add the draw of the A/C and figure out what gauge wire that would call for and what size breaker. I'd venture to guess you'll find it exceeds what you have. The good news is, it is possible to get a wire without too much trouble down to your breaker box. It isn't super perfect, but it will work.

I assume again that your vent is just abou the same as our 63, in which case you can remove the rivets that hold the trim around it and have some reasonable access to between the skins. If you access the area just rear of the back bow/rib (depending on your preferred terminology) behind your tub, you can drill a small hole, and feed an electrician's tape up to by that vent, then you can drill holes in the ribs/bow etc to move forward from there. The reason that will work is that rear of that last rib/bow (the start of the end cap) there are no horizontal supports, just fiberglass insulation to work through if the mice haven't beat you to it. you might have to remove your bathroom door/curtain stuff to be able to flex the end cap down enough to fish out that end of the tape. Don't forget to either use the snap in plastic wire protectors or rubber grommets when you pass through the metal.

This of course doesn't address Andy's point that your roof isn't or may not be reinforced correctly to hold that up, but those braces he mentioned should be able to be added once you cut the 14x14 hole in the right place. Watch out for wires when you do that btw, dropping the ceiling in our safari showed that every inch of wire counted, they zigzagged any which way to save wire,not like the newer units that all run in specific locations.

hope that helps.

[byamcaravanner]

Originally Posted by Overlander & Sea

My question is, if you install a new fan that runs on 12v only(or just run the old fan on 12v?), can you use the 110v wire for the A/C if you extend the wire?

Sure don't see why not... as long as 110V wire is at least 14ga. With the fan removed and the new hole cut for the A/C it would be easy to extend the wire... the bigger problem is routing the drain tube from that location. You may be able to back track a little and drop down in the closet.

[63air]

I brought the new wire up between the door frame and window on the street side. Had to drill a hole in the rib (and grommet it) then straight up to the ceiling. I would be very uncomfortable using 14G wire for an A/C circuit. When you start up the air you are very close to the capacity of the wire plus your wire is in a confined hot space and heat drops the load capacity of wire. I think 12g is recommended , I went with 10g as I like a big margin . I guess that comes from having a friend who was a lineman and with him , bigger was always better when it came to wire.

[Inland RV Center, In]

If in doubt, "EVER" about a wire size, use the next size up, or even 2 sizes up.

When wires will be buried within the walls, over doing it with the size, is an absolute plus.

Andy