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Old 04-05-2017, 07:28 PM   #1
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1973 29' Ambassador
Haughton , Louisiana
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 42
Rewiring a 73 29' Ambassador

I'm about to pull all interior skins and really need advise on wiring. I'd like to rewire the whole thing to start fresh and to learn how 12volt and the electric systems work, I will have a electrician help me, I'm going all new components except the a/c because it's new.i would love to hear from fellow streamers about this type of work. I really considered running all the wiring on the interior in an industrial looking way in stainless braid and other metal clad, for the look and for the accessibility down the road. Most of it will be running on baseboards hidden anyway. I'm thinking hard on it. Just don't know how practical it is. I want to make this airstream extremely easy to use and bullet proof and easy to troubleshoot problems without everything being hidden. I'm ready to hear some thoughts. Thx
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Old 04-05-2017, 08:10 PM   #2
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1983 31' Airstream310
Hillsburgh , Ontario
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I had to look up stainless braid wiring to see what you were talking about.

A couple of problems that I could see......

#1) any inspection of the trailer with wiring NOT inside a wall that can be exposed to being handled or snared by humans could be a big no-no by a DOT inspector.

#2) 12v wiring is different than 120v, 12v is strand wire and 120v is solid core wire. The reason stranded wire is used for 12v systems is to increase contact at connections and devices to reduce voltage drop. I'm just not sure if you could get stainless braided wire in the necessary gauge thickness that you would require, (12 volt wire for lights needs to be very thick).

#3) Weight; how much will that stainless wiring weigh?

IMHO I would still run wiring inside the walls, but by all means protect the heck out of it. I have used plastic tubes vulcumed into place in ribs for running wire and try to minimize how much movement the wiring will move.

https://www.amazon.com/Upgradelights.../dp/B003E2RI4M

Cheers
Tony
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Old 04-05-2017, 08:24 PM   #3
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1973 29' Ambassador
Haughton , Louisiana
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Thx Tony. Good input.
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Old 04-05-2017, 10:18 PM   #4
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1964 22' Safari
modesto , California
Join Date: Jul 2010
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Howdy captlou,
I don't think the stainless braid or metal clad wire is necessary. Some of our trailer have been around a long time without them and still truckin.
When you get the skins off the inside you will see the factory wires go through rubber grommets at every rib or skin penetration. You will probably run more wire than the original and may want to use plastic "snap bushings" instead of rubber grommets, your choice. I also ran some #4 welding cable though some pex tubing and suspended it temporarily with tape, then zip ties and Velcro because the were heavy.
Rolling down the road there is surprisingly little wire movement under the skins. When I tore the old wire out I checked for signs of rubbing. None found. They lasted almost 50 years.
Another tip, get some numbered/lettered wire markers, and label both ends and make a legend for the future.
I rewired everything and much, much more. I included a few examples.

Have fun,
-Dennis
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Old 04-06-2017, 01:10 AM   #5
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1973 29' Ambassador
Haughton , Louisiana
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Very nice Dennis, thank you
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Old 04-06-2017, 12:09 PM   #6
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1972 25' Tradewind
Calgary , Alberta
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Nice looking wiring and insulation batman!
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