12 volt electrical problem

[63air]

Today I was in the Trotter getting ready for a trip next week and had all the 12v interior lights on.While moving around in the trailer my lights all went off. If I bounced up and down they would go on and off. Checked the battery and main ground and they both are good.

When the power is off nothing 12v works ; if it is on everything works. So... it looks like I am dealing with a loose connection, short or broken wire. Has anyone else had this problem in a '63 so I can make an educated guess as to where to start?

How is the wiring run in the 63? Does it go from point to point or is there one main power wire with a splice off of it for each light ,fan and the pump?

What would be the best way to determine if its a short , loose connection or broken wire. Finally is it possible to pull in new wires or am I faced with removing parts of the interior (my last resort)

[Zeppelinium]

Originally Posted by 63air

...When the power is off nothing 12v works ; if it is on everything works...

Do you mean when the "lights" are off? Or do you mean if you unplug from shore power? If the latter, I'd guess it's either a totally destroyed battery or an intermittent in the battery cable--could be postive or negative wire.

In any event it is a main wire (everything is dead or not dead tells me that), not a distribution wire, so I don't think you'll be faced with pulling wires to your lights and pump.

The one thing you didn't say you checked was the converter connections.

[overlander63]

Hmm, in 1963 there wasn't a 12v charging system, it had to be added by a PO.
Your problem could be as simple as a dirty battery cable, which would be where I would start.

[SafeHarbor]

If ALL the 12 VDC stuff goes off when you bounce, I think I'd start by looking at the main fuses from the battery in the power distribution system (fuse box, to us older fuxts). Tapping each one (my trailers have them one on both the positive and negative sides of the batteries) with something like a plastic writing pen just may expose an old, tired, worn fuseholder and that's something EASY to check.

Lamar

[63air]

63 Overlander thanks for steering me to the obvious. I went back to the battery and started checking connections and jiggling wires . I found that the main ground wire was loose where it attaches to the trailer. This is a single screw under the gaucho that goes into the wall. As hot and dry as it has been here , I surmise that the wood it was into had shrunk , thus the loose connection. Tightened the screw and it looks like things are back in order. What a fooler, it looked tight but wasn't. Found the problem in about five minutes once I started looking for something simple I am going to relocate this ground and use a better connection than a screw.