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fireflyinva · 05-24-2005, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by argosy20

5-The previous owner (not Richard) installed 120v lights where the 12v lights go.

Are you sure about this? Our trailer is doubled wired. All the lamps have two bulbs--one that is 120v, one that is 12v. I know this is also done on 62s, so that might be what you have (or if the lamps are newer replacements, you can probably fish out 12v wiring from the walls).

It's actually a pretty good system, the wiring on ours is nicely done with plastic covered wire--we really couldn't see any reason to change it, except to add a GFI.

Mary

TomW · 05-24-2005, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by argosy20

...Sooo, how do I hook up city water to the trailer, and how do I keep the water tank from filling and overflowing? Do I need to put an internal pressure regulator somewhere in the system, or can I just continue to use the external one I have always used at the campgrounds?...

Terry,

Brett already covered your plumbing questions quite well, but I thought a couple of pix might help. This image:

shows what Airstream used in 1967. The checkvalve is important for when you are using your potable water tank. If the CV was not there, and the hose end was not capped, water would go everywhere. BTW, they also make regulators with the check valve built in. Oh, and don't forget the Over Pressure Relief valve if you do not already have one.

My Overlander has a "One Stop Service Center" accessible via an access door above the bumper. While inconvenient by today's standards, the only complaint I have is that it is tough to stick both the shore power & shore water lines through the small access hole at the bottom of the door.

The attached thumbnail gives you an idea of how shore water is connected to the plumbing.

Hope this helps (I don't have a clue about the fuses

),
Tom

overlander63 · 05-24-2005, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fireflyinva

Are you sure about this? Our trailer is doubled wired. All the lamps have two bulbs--one that is 120v, one that is 12v. I know this is also done on 62s, so that might be what you have (or if the lamps are newer replacements, you can probably fish out 12v wiring from the walls).

It's actually a pretty good system, the wiring on ours is nicely done with plastic covered wire--we really couldn't see any reason to change it, except to add a GFI.

Mary

Mary, yes, I am sure there are 120v bulbs in place of the 12v ones, they are cleary marked "60w 120v". 12v lights are available with the same base as the standard household bulbs. I am guessing the 12v system is intact, it just has the wrong voltage bulbs installed throughout the trailer. I still can't find any fuses for the low-voltage system. I really don't want my new trailer doing its own little version of three mile island when I am out in the boonies.

If there are no fuses, I think I will put SOMETHING in the line to protect the system, even if it is only a 20 amp automotive glass fuse, in the + lead into the trailer.

05ModPod · 05-24-2005, 09:19 AM

Terry Have you checked all the secret compartments????

I was in a 64 GlobeTrotter and looking in their closet beside the bath there was a panel that you could remove and you had to be houdini to access it but wow there was the electrical stuff - the battery access door on the outside was fairly far away from that spot too - so you had to have 4' long arms.

Airstream must have employed gremlins in the early years

Have you looked behind the toilet, way in back of bath vanity, under beds pull out drawers or unscrew bed boards by wheel wells - it could be anywhere - but it should be there - unless of course it was removed and the PO only had a need for the 120V system???

overlander63 · 05-24-2005, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT6921

Terry Have you checked all the secret compartments????
Have you looked behind the toilet, way in back of bath vanity, under beds pull out drawers or unscrew bed boards by wheel wells - it could be anywhere - but it should be there - unless of course it was removed and the PO only had a need for the 120V system???

I have even checked in the black water tank, no fuses there, either

. No spot where it looked like there were even any fuses at one time. I guess I will have to get creative. Hello, Napa? I need...

overlander63 · 05-24-2005, 10:44 AM

Our Astrodome cover was gone when we got the trailer, and the cranks are non-operable, so I decided rather than spend a couple of hunderd dollars for a replacement Astrodome, I would take a piece of plexiglass, and some stainless steel screws, and build a skylight. Here is a photo or two of how it looks now.

thenewkid64 · 05-24-2005, 12:35 PM

Terry,

Check out the west marine for a small distribution block. They are comparably priced and will be available in a current style blade fuse configuration vs having to go glass fused like much of the aftermarket automotive.

overlander63 · 05-24-2005, 03:28 PM

Those of you who are very observant, may have noticed a huge patch towards the street side rear, where the water heater used to be. Why the PO removed it in the first place, is anybody's guess, as he didn't replace it, and didn't even have the water lines blocked off to use cold water.
So, while Marie was trying to scrape up tiles off the floor, I decided to remove the huge patch and see how much I would have to repair, to repair the repair. Umm...
Anyway, I removed about 45 rivets, and 50+ screws, and found a only slightly larger than normal hole in the side of the trailer. Any ideas on how to patch, without replacing the whole panel, and having it look acceptable?

overlander63 · 05-25-2005, 06:02 PM

Today I installed a "newsed" Coleman A/C unit on the Overlander. The unit came from a retired Argosy trailer, the A?C worked, but the fan motor wouldn't run. I took the fan motor off the "old" A/C that was on the Overlander (same A/C, just a couple decades older), and installed it in the "new" unit. I only had to get a little creative, the only problem is there is one less wire on the old motor, so I only have "high" fan speed, but it is cold. I now have to plug up a rust hole I saw, and promptly forgot as I was putting the A/C up on the trailer. We have indoor cold showers, now.

overlander63 · 05-26-2005, 02:42 PM

I took the A/C unit apart this morning, found the rust hole where the water was pouring into the coach, cleaned the rust out of the hole, and put a layer of fiberglass mat in the hole, with resin poured on top of it. While I was at it, I also fixed the soft spots on the floor with some fiberglass mat and resin, now that I have the leak stopped.
I also patched the hole where the water heater hole was, and installed the replacement water heater. Now all I have to do is plumb it, and hook up LP to it.
I checked the stove, and oven, they both work as intended, with no leaks, so one less thing to repair/replace. Less work is good.

overlander63 · 05-27-2005, 04:14 PM

The (leaking) galvanized fresh water tank was removed today, the trailer is now about 100 pounds lighter. I hooked up municipal water to the trailer, and found a spot where the PO had not adequately winterized the coach after his last sojourn in it. I put a temporary patch on the leak, now we have non-leaking fresh water, now all I have to do is plumb in the water heater so we can take hot showers. Things are moving quickly here for now.

fireflyinva · 05-28-2005, 07:32 AM

Hi there Terry!

Great progress! We'll be removing our water tank soon (though it's a bit further down on the list, right now dealing with leaks). Speaking of leaks, what about that big hole? Any thoughts on what to do? We have a big hole where our furnace used to be. Fortunately, we have the old covering, though it was dented (maybe someone drove into it?) and it took a bit of cutting to remove.

The deal is, we're going to put our batteries where the furnace sat. We were thinking of either buying some random access door or panel (hopefully one that vents) and installing it there. Then we considered having a custom door fabricated. Now we are looking into options for mock installation of the old covering (maybe with a hinge? sliding rails?) that allows easier access to the opening.

We're curious to see what you do!

By the way, Airstream Dreams sells replacement astrodome covers for $160. Still a bit pricey, but cheapest I could find--and it looks like you have a good solution for at least now.

Mary

overlander63 · 05-28-2005, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fireflyinva

Hi there Terry!

Great progress! We'll be removing our water tank soon (though it's a bit further down on the list, right now dealing with leaks). Speaking of leaks, what about that big hole? Any thoughts on what to do? We have a big hole where our furnace used to be. Fortunately, we have the old covering, though it was dented (maybe someone drove into it?) and it took a bit of cutting to remove.

The deal is, we're going to put our batteries where the furnace sat. We were thinking of either buying some random access door or panel (hopefully one that vents) and installing it there. Then we considered having a custom door fabricated. Now we are looking into options for mock installation of the old covering (maybe with a hinge? sliding rails?) that allows easier access to the opening.

We're curious to see what you do!

By the way, Airstream Dreams sells replacement astrodome covers for $160. Still a bit pricey, but cheapest I could find--and it looks like you have a good solution for at least now.

Mary

Mary, it looks like the furnace actually works, I don't know how that happened. After verifying operation, I will attach the cover a little more permanently than how it was (it was just hanging there, I took it off to keep from losing it). As far as something to go in the hole where your furnace was to acccomodate a battery, PM me, I may be able to help you. Something like an actual battery box assembly out of an older Airstream product.

overlander63 · 05-29-2005, 11:49 AM

We got a new to us dual power refrigerator in the hole where the PO had put a 110v only fridge, and hooked it up to shore power yesterday, tomorrow I will hook it up to LP, and hope it works. It works on 110, so we have half the bettle won.

TomW · 05-29-2005, 12:25 PM

Terry,

Mine didn't work on LP at first even though it had a pilot light burning. Turns out the jet was partially clogged.

A quick test on yours is to adjust the air on the pilot. If you can get it to "roar", or be a little on the noisy side, your jet is probably clear. Think about cleaning the flue, though, if it looks like it ran on the rich side in the past.

Tom

overlander64 · 05-29-2005, 02:03 PM

Greetings Terry!

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlander63

I have even checked in the black water tank, no fuses there, either

. No spot where it looked like there were even any fuses at one time. I guess I will have to get creative. Hello, Napa? I need...

I have been searching my notes and files for information on the original 12-Volt DC fuse arrangement that was typical of the pre-Univolt Airstream coaches (basically prior to 1964). I finally found the photo (I am not certain, but believe that it was posted by Markdoane) posted below of the 12--volt fuse block in the surface mount configuration (I have also seen them in an opening in the front wall that was hidden by an aluminum access plate that was held on by screws). I have seen at least two possible configurations -- typically with the front lounge, the panel was near the center of the front wall below the window and fairly close to the floor -- typically with a front dinette, the fuse block was mounted on the front wall on the curbside hidden within the confines of the booth seat base.

Good luck with your detective process!

Kevin

overlander63 · 05-29-2005, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlander64

Greetings Terry!

I have been searching my notes and files for information on the original 12-Volt DC fuse arrangement that was typical of the pre-Univolt Airstream coaches (basically prior to 1964). I finally found the photo (I am not certain, but believe that it was posted by Markdoane) posted below of the 12--volt fuse block in the surface mount configuration (I have also seen them in an opening in the front wall that was hidden by an aluminum access plate that was held on by screws). I have seen at least two possible configurations -- typically with the front lounge, the panel was near the center of the front wall below the window and fairly close to the floor -- typically with a front dinette, the fuse block was mounted on the front wall on the curbside hidden within the confines of the booth seat base.

Good luck with your detective process!

Kevin

Thanks, Kevin. It is beginning to look like the trailer never had fuses, or any other kind of 12v circuit protection devices.

I found a fuse panel at Boater's World, it is a bakelight type panel, with all brass contacts to reduce potential corrosion. Only about $10.

overlander63 · 05-29-2005, 06:48 PM

We had become used to having a grey tank in our little Argosy, so I am putting a grey tank in the Overlander. While not the biggest grey tank in the world, it should be enough to hold a quick shower, and maybe a round of dish water.
I am going to replace the weird dump valve for the black tank at the same time, as it has no adapter for a slinky, it leaks, and the pull handle is broken off. Other than that, there is nothing wrong with it.

Now all I have to do, is route what looks like plumbing spaghetti over to the new grey tank.

overlander63 · 05-31-2005, 02:36 PM

It didn't take long to get tired of resetting the 15 amp breaker in the garage from the 15 amp power feed wire to the trailer, I upgraded the line and plug to 30 amp service.
Strangely enough, it looks like the trailer originally had 30 amp in it, but somewhere along the line, it was cut off, and a 50' long chunk of extension cord with a 15 amp plug was grafted on it.
Now the trailer no longer has to try to suck a fire hose's worth of electricity through the electric equivalent of a straw.

05ModPod · 05-31-2005, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlander63

We had become used to having a grey tank in our little Argosy, so I am putting a grey tank in the Overlander. While not the biggest grey tank in the world, it should be enough to hold a quick shower, and maybe a round of dish water.....

Hi Terry-sounds like you are having a lot o fun! what size and location will your new grey tank be?