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Brandon2022 · 07-01-2022, 10:24 AM

Good afternoon all. I am currently rebuilding a 1978 sovereign to serve as my permanent residence. I’m not concerned with making everything original, I just want it to be done correctly. I have never owned an rv prior to now and was surprised to learn that the vent fans are 12v DC rather than AC. I know that there are plug ins at rv parks, do these have a DC plug as well? Or is there an AC/12v DC converter that can be installed?

Fungus · 07-01-2022, 02:08 PM

You need a converter. There are threads here with wiring diagrams.

uncle_bob · 07-01-2022, 02:33 PM

Hi

RV's "as delivered" are targeted at being able to operate "stand alone" out in a field. Just how long they can do this varies from model to model. Very early on AS was a pioneer of the Univolt ( = single voltage / all 12V ) approach to a trailer. Depending on model year, you may find a *lot* of stuff in your trailer that operates only on 12V.

As noted above, the answer to plugging in is to have a 120V to 12V "converter / charger" to feed all of the various 12V gizmos. Another alternative would be to rewire it all for 120V. This would be a "gut job" rewire. The existing 12V wiring should *not* be depended on at 120V.

Bob

Wazbro · 07-01-2022, 02:52 PM

Also if you are going to tow the trailer anywhere you need to have a battery to operate the emergency breakaway break switch. This activates the electric trailer breaks if the trailer comes loose from tow vehicle and is required by law in most places.

Brandon2022 · 07-01-2022, 06:14 PM

Oh ok that makes sense. I’ll take a look around the forum for those wiring diagrams. I’m doing a complete gut on the wiring (some mice got to the existing wires at some point previously).

Are the converters a universal item that can be found at electrical supply stores, or are they rather an RV specific thing?

Wazbro · 07-01-2022, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandon2022

Oh ok that makes sense. I’ll take a look around the forum for those wiring diagrams. I’m doing a complete gut on the wiring (some mice got to the existing wires at some point previously).

Are the converters a universal item that can be found at electrical supply stores, or are they rather an RV specific thing?

They are more an RV specific thing, since you actually want a converter/charger and 1 or more batteries (flooded lead acid, AGM or lithium batteries) . An electrical supply store may get you a converter that isn't designed to be used with a battery. Unless you are just fixing this trailer up to sit stationary and never tow it anywhere, more details on intended use would get you better advise.

Many people go to bestconverters.com for the excellent customer service.

Brandon2022 · 07-01-2022, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wazbro

They are more an RV specific thing, since you actually want a converter/charger and 1 or more batteries. An electrical supply store may get you a converter that isn't designed to be used with a battery. Unless you are just fixing this trailer up to sit stationary and never tow it anywhere, more details on intended use would get you better advise.

Many people go to bestconverters.com for the excellent customer service.

That makes sense.

As for the trailer, I intend to tow it, park it, and live in it stationary for a few years.

dbj216 · 07-01-2022, 06:58 PM

Greetings from Colorado and welcome to these Airstream Forums. You can learn all about renovating your 78 Sovereign here. Check out the Knowledge Base, Airstream Trailer Forums at the bottom of the Forums page. Then click on Sovereign and your year range. Now start reading and see how others have prepared their trailers for full time living.

I helped a friend renovate his 76 Sovereign 31', and I have renovated a 75 Overlander 27', a 69 Globetrotter 21', and a 66 Trade Wind 24'. Crazy I am.
Here is the wiring diagram for the 66 Trade Wind. It is not necessarily relevant to your project, but if you start with the battery and trace every wire you will get a feel for it. It is basic wiring for sure.

Basically your trailer is 12v battery powered. The battery will power maybe 4 separate wire circuits. Each of the 4 circuits is protected by a fuse. Then Airstream added a 120v power panel so you can plug in the trailer and use 120 volt outlets, or an air conditioner, or more importantly a battery charger for the 12v battery. This transformer is called a "converter" as it converts 120v to 12v just like a car battery charger.

I told a friend once that you have to identify the function of every wire in your trailer. So as you disassemble to replace, identify every wire you take out; from the positive battery cable, to the wire that powers the water pump, to the marker lights on the outside of the trailer, etc, etc. Then we marked on the wall where we needed a 12v wire to power a light, a fridge control, a water heater control, a furnace fan, a roof vent fan, or even a tail light. There is a lot of stuff needing power. We did the same for all the places we wanted 120v power like the air conditioner, the converter, the outlets, etc.

David