wire nuts/ crimp connectors

Welcome to VTT.

If you are going to ask a million questions, maybe at least let us know if your asking about AC (shore power) or DC (battery power). Be specific.

Answers only help (you and others) if they address a specific question.

For example, in a general answer it could be said that stranded wire is always best practice in any moving vehicle application. It would also be best to use crip connectors, and a dielectric grease on all connections. But we are not actually building off road vehicles subject to extreme vibrations, off-shore boats subject to vibrations and salt corrosion, or high speeds like on a race car/motorcycle, etc.

In the sleepy world of vintage trailers, always use (proper gauge) stranded wire in your DC Battery systems. It's the most common type of wire and fuse panels you will find at any auto parts store, or specialty electronics store. Crimp connectors, and dielectric grease is the preferred connector. Just make certain that you use a quality wire crimper, not a cheap one. But some here at VTT will insist on using twist wire caps. There's lots of different qualities of stranded wire, but most of the pricier stuff is made for special applications, like high heat in an engine compartment, of for grease and oil. John's Rule, no solid core 14ga wire on your DC systems.

There's nothing wrong with running conduit and pulling individual stranded AC wires. I do not do it. I use the proper wire gauge 14/12/10 Romex for my AC circuits. I make sure that every hole run through a metal stud has a proper plastic gromet bushing. Every Romex wire is properly supported and cannot easily flex with vehicle vibration. I have never had a broken Romex wire, I tow my trailers thousands of miles every year. I know where my past built trailers are and stay in touch with past owners of my trailers, the Romex solid core wire, properly installed will not give you any problems. It's been used in trailers since the 1940's to my knowledge.

That said, please use the most current national wiring codes when rebuilding your trailer. Just because a manufacturer got away with twisting and taping wires with friction tape in 1950 does not mean it's a good idea today. Wire your trailer with the idea that the new 'someday" owner will have a coffee pot on, a Microwave turn on, a hair dryer on, and the converter will kick on to recharge the battery. You have to plan the system to work in a worse case example. Today, we use boxes for the electrical connections. John's Rule, Never, NEVER splice a wire between two points. It has to be solid all the way, NO SPLICES.

Ask away.

John Palmer

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As to the AC or DC, most vintage trailers in the 40's and 50s didn't come with a battery in it, so if you wanted lights, you pulled up at your trailer park and connected to an extension cord attached to a post providing electricity. This is the AC that John mentioned in his post. You plugged in the extension cord into the receptical in the side of your trailer. That's called shore power, the term probably taken from the boating world when you come into your dock and need electricity. The wiring is like whats in a house.

But, then technology comes along and people want to "dry camp" or boondock which means you would be camping without shore power out in the "boonies". Your power has to come from somewhere, so someone figured out you could bring it with you with a battery. Thus wiring was set up in trailers to utilize power for low voltage lights from the battery, that would be DC or a 12 volt system that Vikx mentioned in one of your other questions. You can't run much on battery power. If you have a battery operated fridge, they don't run more than a day or less before they drain the battery. Hence the use of low voltage lights in the trailer.

Solar power cells come along as technology advances and now you have a charging system to contend with that will charge your battery or batteries depending on your need as long as you are getting sunlight.

Youtube is full of videos on the RV basics of electricity. That will fill answer a lot of questions you might have with the AC/DC systems.

Rod

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