'60 Ambassador 12vdc panel

[Safari Tim]

I'm trying to make heads or tails out of the DC panel in my '60 Ambassador. It consists of several wires and two glass 20amp fuses. I had to remove many wires that a PO added.

There are two white ones screwed to the wall which are grounds of course. I've identified one that powers all the 12vdc lights and the two ceiling fans.

I also tried to identify the wire the should come from the battery compartment up front but could not locate it near the fuse panel.

In the picture there are three black wires to the left of the fuse panel. The one closest to the panel powers the lights. I cannot identify the other four black wires.

[overlander63]

Tim, do you have access to a power probe? This tool lets you power up wires, and check to see if they have power, or continuity, and come equipped with a 10 amp internal circuit breaker.
With it, and a 12v power source, you can power up those wires, and see what comes on in the coach without extreme danger of causing further damage.
http://www.powerprobe.com/

[Safari Tim]

Thank Terry,

That is basically what I did. I have a digital volt meter, 12v test lamp and a power supply. I powered them up and the one wire powered all things 12v in the trailer.

So now I am just trying to figure out what the rest do. I assumed one should be a RV battery feed to the fuse panel, one should be a 12v feed from the tow vehicle to charge the RV battery while under tow. I could not verify this with my ohm meter though. And it would not tell me what the other two black wires were for.

[overlander63]

Ugh. Our Overlander had a similar setup, only with a pair of self-resetting 20 amp circuit breakers instead of the glass fuses. Trial and error found the charge line had broken off inside the belly pan, and the 12v+ lead from the battery was nipped off just inside the battery compartment. Everything in the trailer runs off that one little wire. I have managed to split the trailer iinto two halves electrically, with 15 amp spade-type fuses. If I do more, it will require ripping out panels and rewiring everything, a step I am not willing to take right now.

[Safari Tim]

Thanks Terry,

I had not considered a broken wire from the battery or charge line. Silly me, expecting 46 year old stuff to work ;-)

I will probably be removing a big enough section of the belly pan to add a grey tank some day. Maybe I'll add some more DC convience circuits then going under the floor and up through the appropriate cabinets.

Anyway, thats in the future. Got to figure out what I have now ;-)

Thanks for the info.

[Shacksman]

Hi Tim;
I picked up a 60 Ambassador International last weekend. We stayed at Rob's place for awile, while we sorted out the paperwork to get it over the border.
I have started at the other end, taking apart the bathroom to update the plumbing. So far it's better then exected no major floor rot. I haven't tryed out the 12 volt yet. It looks like your picture. I'll hook up a battery tomorrow and see what happens.The 120 works OK so far. We are going down the same road it seems, so keep in touch.

[Safari Tim]

Hey Doug,

Yep, I heard about your purchase. I think you made out a little better than I did ;-)

I pulled out the conservativly challenged dinette benches a PO made in mine. Removed 90% of the glued down hardwood floor. Yuck! So I could check for rot. So far so good. Only one 2" section near the jouise window by the door.

I hope the backend is as good as yours!

Humm.... guess I better better get my old parts on eBay before you do!

[Shacksman]

Tim, I need the burner for the Bowen water heater. For some reason it's missing. It holds water so I don't know why someone would remove and lose the burner. Must be lots of them thrown away when replacing the heater just to find one now.

[Safari Tim]

Originally Posted by Shacksman

Tim, I need the burner for the Bowen water heater. For some reason it's missing. It holds water so I don't know why someone would remove and lose the burner. Must be lots of them thrown away when replacing the heater just to find one now.

Well, you're one up on me. I don't even have the Bowen in mine. Someone replaced it with a small residential unit...