how much to have rewired

[heybaby1]

Has anyone here ever had their trailer professionally rewired completely? I am seriously considering restoring my Custom '57-8 Overlander 26' and wiring is one subject I am not to comfortable doing myself. I would love to see what you guys paid. I will have the trailer tore down so the wiring will be easily accessible. Thanks--Marvin

[uwe]

I rewired my trailer 95%. I left only the wiring for the taillights and side markers, as it was in good condition and working perfectly well.
Rewiring is only really worthwhile if the inner skins are off, and if you are converting from the old 110V system to a modern RV standard. Such as it is found in new Airstreams. Otherwise you will just be adding a circuit here and there, etc.
To give a price idea based on your question is somewhat difficult, because you did not state if the inner skins are off, and to what extend you want to take the rewiring.
Figure $ 80.00 -$ 100.00 per hour for a competent RV technician, and about $ 500.00 for just wiring materials and grommets. I am guessing at about 2 full days for the wiring job on my trailer.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by heybaby1

Has anyone here ever had their trailer professionally rewired completely? I am seriously considering restoring my Custom '57-8 Overlander 26' and wiring is one subject I am not to comfortable doing myself. I would love to see what you guys paid. I will have the trailer tore down so the wiring will be easily accessible. Thanks--Marvin

The cost will also depend on keeping the wiring original, or changing it all out to include a univolt, lights inside and out, 12 volt outlets, etc.

If your not going to do it yourself, take the trailer to an Airstream dealer or service center, that has plenty of experience reworking Airstreams, from the ground up.

There are way too many tricks of the Airstream trade that the shop must know, so that you don't have problems down the road. Circuit breakers, 12 volt and 120 volt, outlets, lights, appliances, are some of the considerations that must take place, prior to any electrical overhauling.

Since the vast majority of the wiring is behind the sheet metal walls, and furniture, the costs to rework a failure would be staggering.

The additional costs will pay many dividends in time.

Andy

[markdoane]

I've rewired mine completely. As Uwe said, you need to be in a complete, walls out rebuild.

With that said, some of the factory wiring was less than satisfactory by today's standards.

I rewired for 50a/240V, 8 circuits. All the 120V wiring is armored cable with a ground wire. The wire is called MC lite. Your electrician can get it, or Home Depot sells it.

For 12Vdc service, I installed an 18 circuit fuse panel for lights and appliances, and separate service for the hitch jack and breakaway switch. I ran all the 12v cabling in plastic conduit. That turned out to be a good idea as I have made a few changes and upgrades.

I think you can plan on two days for an electrician if you have everything laid out and know exactly where you want the outlets, appliances, control wire, thermostat, CO and propane detectors, power taps, and pumps.

If you let him/her go at it without a precise plan, it will take at least four days.

[robandzoe]

Will your panels be out? We did our 58 30' Sovereign of the Road.

Sweet Sovereign of the Road: February 2007

Will you provide materials? 12v and 110v? Copper alone right now is high $$$ - will you have them re-insulate? I'd say at least 10 hours to just install wiring. If you want skin put back in, and outlets.. I'd say another 10 hours at least. New Charging systems. Hookup? New Zolatone next. If they have to take old skin and wiring out... another 5 hours. At $60 per hour at a shop, that is $1500 in just labor. Add another $600 for parts at least. Overall, I'd say $3000 just for wiring. That's with no snags. New fans? New lights? The price just goes up!

[heybaby1]

Thanks everyone, sure is a lot of wiring in these old things. Ultimately I would like to be able to pull into a campsite and plug in to their outlet. Not interested in 12v or gas at all. Running the wiring and breakers etc. is all I need done, I can take care of the panels and insulation.

[azflycaster]

Originally Posted by heybaby1

Thanks everyone, sure is a lot of wiring in these old things. Ultimately I would like to be able to pull into a campsite and plug in to their outlet. Not interested in 12v or gas at all. Running the wiring and breakers etc. is all I need done, I can take care of the panels and insulation.

If you intend to use shore power only and no gas to run your trailer you will may find yourself with not enough power to run everything you want. I would suggest that you do an inventory of all the items you wish to run and find out how many amps they each require. The 30 amps provided at an RV Park will only go so far.

[robandzoe]

I understand that YOU only want 110 from hooking up at campgrounds. But, I highly recommend, that if you have the walls open, that you run a few more wires for 12v as if you ever sell the trailer, having 12v will command a higher re-sale price. 12v will be critical for Rallies that are DRY camping or for BOONDOCKING experiences. You would not have to hook these wires up, just have them in the walls and diagram where they are, for future use. Just a good recommendation in my mind.

Rob