chris
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1958 Shasta Airflyte
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Post by chris on May 6, 2016 12:11:33 GMT -8
I'm about to attach the new skin to my recently acquired 58 Shasta. It has been modified a bit over the years (with extension cords and 4-sq boxes screwed to the walls), and I'm trying to return it to more of its original style. I can't find any evidence on the camper that there was any 120V lighting originally installed. Once the skin is removed, you can see all original wiring which consists of three light runs, one over the table, one over the kitchen, and one at the head of the bed. The original lights are gone. I would have just stopped there and purchased 3 12V lights, but...
As I search for vintage Shasta lights on the internet, I regularly come across lights advertised to be for my era of Shasta that are clearly 120V lights with receptacles on the sides. Does anyone know what a 58 Shasta would have originally come with? Although it could have been removed over the years, did my camper originally come with ANY 120V accommodations (hookup receptacle/cord or anything)?
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Hamlet
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Post by Hamlet on May 6, 2016 13:10:17 GMT -8
I believe it did. Our Compact is a little newer, but it came with 120 and gas lamps. The lights above the sink and above the table were 120' and there's a gas lamp up in front to the side of the sink as well. When we redid Hamlet, we wired in LEDs, but they are on 12 volt. We have a converter/inverter, so ultimately everything runs off the battery. The past few winters I was able to run a small space heater that plugged into a wall socket, even when the electricity was out. Or maybe I'm hallucinating. Hmm. But I do remember staying warm when it was 14 degrees.
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chris
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1958 Shasta Airflyte
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Post by chris on May 6, 2016 13:28:10 GMT -8
Thanks for the info. I guess this question isn't really holding up the reskinning anyway. I'll run the wires to where the lights go and install them later. But the difference it DOES make is this: If the lights were 120V, where was the power hookup? By the time I got this camper, some previous owner had "enlarged" the back storage area by making it a permanent bed that went from the back wall all the way up to the sink/cabinet. At that point they moved all the wiring junctions back to there, installed a small breaker panel on the floor and fed it with a piece of romex with a plug on the end and poked it out through a hole punched through the baggage bin door. Alaska engineering at it's finest, but I'm thinking that's not how the folks at the factory did it... :-)
I was moving all the wiring back to where (I think) it was. In the compartment under the front left seat (Shared with the water tank). Can anyone confirm this? I guess it doesn't really matter where I put it, but I have a weird compulsion with putting things back the way they were supposed to be.
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yas
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'63 Shasta Airflyte
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Post by yas on May 6, 2016 18:34:59 GMT -8
 My Airflyte is a '63, but I suspect the electrical system was similar. You can see the original 120v inlet in this photo - closest to the front is the water inlet, next is the electrical inlet. Single circuit in a box below the street side bench. Light over the table, sink, and sconce by the bed are 120v. Light in front of the refrigerator is 12v (maybe 6v?) powered by a dry cell in the far aft kitchen cabinet. Do you have some mystery wires in that cabinet? Here's a picture of the original sconce:  |
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Post by vintagebruce on May 7, 2016 7:56:20 GMT -8
My '59 Airflyte has the single circuit box under the street side front bench and 120v lights placed similar to what yas described. My '61 Compact is similar to Hamlet, with post production after market "period" looking 12v lights placed just under the storage cut outs on each upper storage space on both sides. I believe they were tied into the running light wiring harness and run directly off the tow vehicle battery.
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Post by vikx on May 7, 2016 23:01:10 GMT -8
Both of my 57 Shastas had a "plug" on the street side (dinette area). In fact, Butch Cassidy has the original cord that won't release. I'll replace that when installing a side wall inlet. LOL
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