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Old 07-28-2008, 10:49 PM   #1
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1959 18' "Footer"
Carbondale , Colorado
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Novice 12-volt question

Hola!
I have a 59 18'er, have no idea how to hook up (re-hook) the lighting to battery power? If I pull into a campground with power hook-up, no problem, but if boondocking and want to turn the lights on, how do I power lights? Is there a connection to my TV? My battery that will be powering my water pump (not installed yet)?

Gracias!
Jeph
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Old 07-29-2008, 05:40 AM   #2
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Your little trailer may not have a provision for an on-board battery. It will have no Univolt or converter, as that didn't come about until 1964. Most of the trailers of that time had a 2EE battery mounted in a cabinet under the front window.
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Old 07-29-2008, 05:43 AM   #3
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Do you have a wiring diagram for the unit?

If not go on line and get a general one, All trailers are similar. A Battery in the trailer will run the 12 volt circuits in the trailer. It will be wired to a distribution panel where the power is share with lights and other accesories. The trailer should have a converter, so when you are on shore power it will charge your battery and opperate the 12 volt items.
If you use the TV to operate the trailer, you could drain the battery and not be able to start the TV.
This is short and very general but a simple diagram will help.

Good luck
dale
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Old 07-29-2008, 06:22 AM   #4
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It's likely the lights were all run off a single #12 wire from the battery. Do your light fixtures have two lamps with separate switches? In my '59 Tradewind, each light fixture has a 12V side and a 120vac side.

Some trailers of that era had a separate charging line that connected the tow vehicle generator to the trailer battery. There was a twist lock plug on the lower front curb side for this purpose.

Inside there was a twin fuse block with two screw in fuses. One fuse was for the air compressor and the other ran the lights and the furnace. The battery could also be charged with a standard 12V automotive battery charger when hooked to 120vac power.
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Old 07-29-2008, 07:22 AM   #5
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Phoenix , Arizona
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12 Volt Wiring Diagrams

Jeph ~

Since you asked the question, I imagine your '59 may have been similar to mine as I didn't have a 12 volt battery or system on mine when I got it. I did alot of research and ended up wiring in an IntelliPower converter and added a Group 27 battery. Attached are a couple of diagrams showing their installation plus where I ran wires for all of the 12 volt I put in. I used the aluminum for the ground so only needed to run a single positive wire to each light or 12 volt plug plus the newer style fridge.

Good luck with your installation.

Brad
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File Type: pdf 12v Electrical.pdf (139.5 KB, 177 views)
File Type: pdf IntelliPowerWiring.pdf (439.1 KB, 177 views)
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Old 02-10-2009, 10:14 PM   #6
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2008 19' Bambi
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Greetings fellow ASrs... I have a 2008 Bambi that I live in, 5 days at a clip, twice a month, throughout the year. The 5 day stretch is primarily a boondock, though, in a pinch, I can tap into shore power to top off my batteries (with some hassle factor involved). I winterized the trailer back in October, and have been pondering how best to address my electrical needs ever since. Without plumbing, I'm occassionally stalked by flies, if you get the drift (no pun intended), and have a few ideas that I would like to throw out here to Airstreamland to try solve my problemos.
First off.... heat. Nice to have a nice warm Bambi after 12 hours of work. Calculated the amp hour draw on the furnace fan. Then there is the plumbing. Would love to enjoy the showers I had prior to late October, but the power and propane consumption to keep the plumbing alive is nuts. Looked at skirting the trailer... looked at solar panels. Thought about 2 new bats on the trailer, and 4 in the back of the tow vehicle, then linking them all together for the 5 days... just to keep the bloody plumbing alive. Lots of weight. Kind of a waste of energy and expense.
Starting to glaze over.
So here's my current plan: It is my understanding that the AS factory installed Parallax 7300 series converter will tend to boil off my batteries if left on shore power for too long. Did not know that. Not a a true 3 stage battery charger. That's bad.
Thought about replacing the Parallax with a Xantrex DAC converter/charger...but this sucker doesn't have a program to deal with AGMs, which I am considering, nor does it have a program to equalize flooded bats.... what's up with that?. So, I'm thinking that I will: (1) Leave the Parallax 7300 in place
(2) Install a Xantrex Truecharge 2 (with both equalizing and AGM programs), with battery temperature sensor
(3) Install a Xantrex Link 10 to keep track of everything
(4) Install a marine style battery switch to disconnect the batteries from the Parallax system and connect them to the Truecharge 2, when needed.

And this is the scary part... rig up a (protected) Zodi, on demand hot water shower system in the loo.... (that way I can leave my plumbing winterized and still get a hot shower....save for a bit of flow through the gray water tank while I have heat on in the AS).

Looking to replace the original marine hybrid bats with either two 6 v
AGM bats , or two 6 v deep cycle golf cart bats (like the Trojan 125)
with around 300 ampH.

....would love a bit of feedback...
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Old 02-11-2009, 07:22 AM   #7
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Hi Jeph, Most 18footers where park models which means the trailer was meant to be plugged into 120v to have power to everything. If you have this light and it has two switches on it one side is 12v and the other is 120v. That would be your only 12v light source. From your pics I don't see a battery though. I like flyfshr had to wire for 12v. I went into the trailer at dusk and took a look to see were I would need light to have a fuctional trailer while boondocking. Power for frig and a 12v acc. plug if needed. Good luck
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Old 02-11-2009, 07:25 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Harper View Post
Greetings fellow ASrs... I have a 2008 Bambi that I live in, 5 days at a clip, twice a month, throughout the year. The 5 day stretch is primarily a boondock, though, in a pinch, I can tap into shore power to top off my batteries (with some hassle factor involved). I winterized the trailer back in October, and have been pondering how best to address my electrical needs ever since. Without plumbing, I'm occassionally stalked by flies, if you get the drift (no pun intended), and have a few ideas that I would like to throw out here to Airstreamland to try solve my problemos.
First off.... heat. Nice to have a nice warm Bambi after 12 hours of work. Calculated the amp hour draw on the furnace fan. Then there is the plumbing. Would love to enjoy the showers I had prior to late October, but the power and propane consumption to keep the plumbing alive is nuts. Looked at skirting the trailer... looked at solar panels. Thought about 2 new bats on the trailer, and 4 in the back of the tow vehicle, then linking them all together for the 5 days... just to keep the bloody plumbing alive. Lots of weight. Kind of a waste of energy and expense.
Starting to glaze over.
So here's my current plan: It is my understanding that the AS factory installed Parallax 7300 series converter will tend to boil off my batteries if left on shore power for too long. Did not know that. Not a a true 3 stage battery charger. That's bad.
Thought about replacing the Parallax with a Xantrex DAC converter/charger...but this sucker doesn't have a program to deal with AGMs, which I am considering, nor does it have a program to equalize flooded bats.... what's up with that?. So, I'm thinking that I will: (1) Leave the Parallax 7300 in place
(2) Install a Xantrex Truecharge 2 (with both equalizing and AGM programs), with battery temperature sensor
(3) Install a Xantrex Link 10 to keep track of everything
(4) Install a marine style battery switch to disconnect the batteries from the Parallax system and connect them to the Truecharge 2, when needed.

And this is the scary part... rig up a (protected) Zodi, on demand hot water shower system in the loo.... (that way I can leave my plumbing winterized and still get a hot shower....save for a bit of flow through the gray water tank while I have heat on in the AS).

Looking to replace the original marine hybrid bats with either two 6 v
AGM bats , or two 6 v deep cycle golf cart bats (like the Trojan 125)
with around 300 ampH.

....would love a bit of feedback...
Hi Harper, You might what to start a thread with this post or move it to a different thread.
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Old 02-12-2009, 08:48 AM   #9
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Good idea Lee...
Will start a new thread. Thanks
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