No univolt or Distribution Panel. Now what?

[VeggieBullet]

We had no need of the 12V system yet.
But I decided to start working on our 12V sys.
The PO gutted the rear bath out and on the process Univolt and Distribution panel went out.
Open the Batt Compartment and locate all the wires and according to our service manual was able to identify every color by their function except the big white wire. Everything is in the manual:
RED/BLACK/GREY/PURPLE/YELLOW/PINK /BROWN /BLUE
WHITE ????????
Connected our regular batt charger but obviously there was no ground to test anything
Few questions:
1: What is the white for? Ground?
2: Where do the Red & Black big cables from the batt are going to?
3: Can we just "BY PASS" the Univolt for testing purposes?
4: Best options for a converter?
5: Where & how the 12V ground is connected?
Thanks

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by VeggieBullet

We had no need of the 12V system yet.
But I decided to start working on our 12V sys.
The PO gutted the rear bath out and on the process Univolt and Distribution panel went out.
Open the Batt Compartment and locate all the wires and according to our service manual was able to identify every color by their function except the big white wire. Everything is in the manual:
RED/BLACK/GREY/PURPLE/YELLOW/PINK /BROWN /BLUE
WHITE ????????
Connected our regular batt charger but obviously there was no ground to test anything
Few questions:
1: What is the white for? Ground?
2: Where do the Red & Black big cables from the batt are going to?
3: Can we just "BY PASS" the Univolt for testing purposes?
4: Best options for a converter?
5: Where & how the 12V ground is connected?
Thanks

1. The white is ground.
2. Those wires went to the Univolt.
3. Sure.
4. Brand "X" or the one Airstream uses today.
5. The ground goes to the shell and chassis.

Andy 14.5K

[tkasten]

White goes to the ground block.

[idroba]

1. White is ground in most all Airstream systems, other than the negative cable from the battery, which is generally black.
2. The original red and black (+ and -) from the battery went to the missing Univolt most likely or the missing fuse panel.
3. Since the fuse panel is gone you said, the battery could be connected, via fuses please, to each of the distribution fuses, and thus you would "bypass" what you don't have. That way you can test each circuit. Your black battery cable could connect to the large white ground wire you have.
4. The Intellapower 9245 is a very good 3 stage converter charger, popular and relatively inexpensive (about $150 or less usually on the net)
5. See #3

[VeggieBullet]

Hi guys and thanks for the quick reply.
Tried connecting the white cable (ground) to the Black (Neg) from the Batt charger and is not making ground.
Where that White wire supposed to end? Does it have a particular OEM location or can I just ground it to the frame?

[xrvr]

See post 3. jim

[VeggieBullet]

anyone ever used one of these?

[BIGED52]

Originally Posted by VeggieBullet

Hi guys and thanks for the quick reply.
Tried connecting the white cable (ground) to the Black (Neg) from the Batt charger and is not making ground.
Where that White wire supposed to end? Does it have a particular OEM location or can I just ground it to the frame?

VeggieBullet, On my '67 Safari the white wire goes to the grounding block. The block was located in the battery box under the battery tray. My tray was metal and the block was mounted to the bottom of it. All the ground wires (White) for the 12 volt system were connected on the block and the white wire you are talking of completed the ground for all the 12 volt outlets, switches and lights. It was connected to the battery negitive side thru a 30 amp fuse mounted to a fuse block on the plywood floor next to the battery tray. Hope this helps. Happy Trails, Ed

[VeggieBullet]

Thanks guys.
Well it seems like until i figure everything out we should start testing everything with inline fuses so:
1) What size of fuses should we use to test the fans and lights one by one?
2) How about one of these WFCO 45AMP?
We have one on our slide in camper and no complains.
thanks