A/C and wiring question

[Hoosierdaddy]

My 1969 Overlander does not have air cinditioning. I'm considering a roof top unit. I'm wondering if the factory would have run a wire for A/C to one of the roof openings. If so does anybody know which opening? I can only find one 30A breaker in the trailer. Should there be smaller breakers protecting circuits?

[bassfiddler]

Andy with Inland RV should be able to tell you if there was a wire installed from the factory for the AC. Some years did but I'm not sure which ones. If there is a wire already installed, and it's connected to a breaker, it will be a 20 amp breaker. The 30 amp breaker is the "Main" breaker for the trailer's electrical panel.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Hoosierdaddy

My 1969 Overlander does not have air cinditioning. I'm considering a roof top unit. I'm wondering if the factory would have run a wire for A/C to one of the roof openings. If so does anybody know which opening? I can only find one 30A breaker in the trailer. Should there be smaller breakers protecting circuits?

The wiring for a 1969 AC, is already in the ceiling, but it's "NOT" in any vent.

I have a chart at my office that will tell me where that wire is located.

I will post that info tomorrow.

Also, the other end is next to the circuit breaker panel, but "IS NOT" wired into the breaker box.

Andy

[Hoosierdaddy]

Thank you, Andy

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Hoosierdaddy

Thank you, Andy

The 120 volt AC wiring is located in the center of the roof, 125 inches rearward of station "ZERO". Station zero is the most forward main bow.

Cut a small hole and fish for the wire. Then you can enlarge the hole, forward or rearward, depending on which AC you get. You will also find a clear plastic drain hose along with the wires. Make sure you purchase an AC that allows you to use a drain pan,or one that has a drain pan built in. If not, water will run down the sides of the trailer, staining the shell..

You will also find the thermostat wiring in the same place.

If your not going to use an AC that has a remote thermostat, then just disregard the thermostat wires.

In case you want to use a thermostat, the other end of those wires are located in 2 different places.

If you have a "double" bed, the thermostat wires are on the road side of the trailer, 66 inches above the floor and 125 inches rearward of station zero.

If you have a "twin" bed model, then the thermostat wires are located 66 inches above the floor, but only 106 inches rearward of station zero.

The beginning of the 120 VAC wire, is in the wall next to the breaker box. You may have to remove the breaker box, in ortder to fish for that wire.

Hope this helps you.

Andy

[61 Streamy]

I have the same question for my 1961 Tradewind. Is there a wire already in the ceiling? If not, how difficult is it to add one?

[Hoosierdaddy]

Well I've cut a hole 3"X13" in the ceiling 125" aft of the first bow per Andys recommendation. I've found a bundle of low voltage wires and (2) 12-2 w/g romex wires. The romex seems to be just passin through (all wires are aligned fore-aft) and according to my pocket voltage tester both are hot. I cannot find a drain tube either. So far my conclusion is that this trailer was not prepped for A/C.
Actually I ended up drilling out the rivets in that area and peeling the inner aluminum ceiling panels down so I could see and stick my arm up in there to feel for it. Still nuthin....

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Hoosierdaddy

Well I've cut a hole 3"X13" in the ceiling 125" aft of the first bow per Andys recommendation. I've found a bundle of low voltage wires and (2) 12-2 w/g romex wires. The romex seems to be just passin through (all wires are aligned fore-aft) and according to my pocket voltage tester both are hot. I cannot find a drain tube either. So far my conclusion is that this trailer was not prepped for A/C.
Actually I ended up drilling out the rivets in that area and peeling the inner aluminum ceiling panels down so I could see and stick my arm up in there to feel for it. Still nuthin....

Those two 12-2 wires "are" for the AC.

Andy

[Hoosierdaddy]

Hmmm, I thought the A/C wire would be terminated in that area. These seem to be continuing to the rear .....I'll keep diggin' Thanks Andy!

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Hoosierdaddy

Hmmm, I thought the A/C wire would be terminated in that area. These seem to be continuing to the rear .....I'll keep diggin' Thanks Andy!

One goes to the rear where the breaker panel is at.

That dimension is approximate, therefore the ends of the wires might be a little forward of where the hole is located.

Andy

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by 61 Streamy

I have the same question for my 1961 Tradewind. Is there a wire already in the ceiling? If not, how difficult is it to add one?

Airstreams didn't have factory wiring in place for a/c until the mid 1960's. Our '63 had the air conditioner wired into the 120 v light wiring. I wasn't enthused about that, but it didn't cause any trouble. Your alternative would be pulling off interior skin to get the needed wires where they go.

[HowieE]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Those two 12-2 wires "are" for the AC.

Andy

There should not be a reason for "TWO" 12/2 wires to feed the AC. And how did you test for voltage without breaking into the shield of the wires.

I suspect you have uncovered general 120 volt receptacle wiring so far.

[Hoosierdaddy]

There should not be a reason for "TWO" 12/2 wires to feed the AC. And how did you test for voltage without breaking into the shield of the wires.

My thought was that those wires go to receptacles etc. I used a non-contact voltage tester like this Volt Sensor Pocket Tester

There is a breaker box in the front beside and behind the weather/clock in the overhead cabinet. It contains 3 breakers.. all of them connected. I have not found any other wire that is not being used. If I dont find anything else I will try to determine what those 2 wires feed and use one of them if possible

[Hoosierdaddy]

UPDATE... My son has one of those fancy wire tracers that he uses in his business. He put a signal on each of the wires from the breaker box and traced them. He lost signal on one of them about 60" aft of the 1st bow in the ceiling. I proceeded to tear the whole ceiling out and voila!!! the A/C wire. It had been cut and taped off by a P/O. Turns out that originally this unit had A/C but it had been removed.
Now I'm wondering how much of the drain tube they tore out......Havent found a bit of it inside. There appears to be a 1/2" copper tube exiting the floor just inside of the front driver side wheel. I'm going to try pushing a piece of copper wire up that tube and hope it comes out in the ceiling area inside.

[Wsmith]

Originally Posted by HowieE

There should not be a reason for "TWO" 12/2 wires to feed the AC. And how did you test for voltage without breaking into the shield of the wires.

I suspect you have uncovered general 120 volt receptacle wiring so far.

There is a two part device called a tracer or tick tracer, you can get them with clips or a plug end. The toner can trace wires but if wires are running together you have to be careful.. for false signals from induction. Some work on low voltage and others on regular 120v the latter usually being much more expensive.

[Kevo]

I will chime in with my question here....I am in the middle of replacing my unit as well. The wire that feeds my A/C looks like standard Romex, only its black, and not shielded in that stuff that the rest of the trailer wires are. When i removed my unit, there was the one wire for the A/C and another wire that just appeared to be "looped" through where the opening is. Any idea what this wire is ? I am glad I found it, as someone, possibly the PO had peeled back a portion of the wire insulation ( for testing maybe ) and then just wrapped the bare wire back in electrical tape. Which was now almost useless. On to my question....there is a switch with a small transformer over the galley that seems to turns the A/C unit power of and on. When checking with a volt-meter, when the switch is on, it reads a full 120v to the two a/c wires, with the switch off, 62 volts. Can anyone tell me what this little transformer is for ?

Here is a link to a couple of the pictures .....

[HowieE]

From the look of the diameter of your taping job I have to question how you were able to separate the 3 wires, hot, neutral, and ground.

You should never bury a splice joint in electrical wiring. You should cut a hole in the ceiling close by and put in a shallow box, wire connectors, and plank cover with wire nuts on each of the 3 connections.

You did not say where you are reading 68 volts but it sounds like there is a problem. You should never be able to read other than line voltage or open in an AC circuit. Reading half voltage indicate a problem, possibility something wired in series and dropping half of the voltage across that item.

[Kevo]

Thanks Howie...The joint was not a splice, the actual wires were never cut, just the insulation peeled back, I felt it was better to tape them back up really well, rather than cut the wires and install a junction box. As for the voltage, it was on the black romex that feeds the A/C. with the switch on, there was 120v across the two hots. with the switch off there was 62 volts across the two hots. Mind you the old A/C while it did not cool, did come up, power up and run the fans. I Will grab a few pics of the little transformer in question and put them up as well.

[HowieE]

There is only 1 wire that is hot in a 110 volt circuit. You should read 110 volts between the positive lead, Black, and the neutral, White, or ground wire, Green.

Please help us figure out what is up by describing where you are measuring 68 volts by wire colors.

[Kevo]

Will do....just as soon as it quits raining :-)
thanks Howie !!