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Post by bigbill on Oct 13, 2013 15:31:28 GMT -8
When I removed the left side alum from my 1968 1500 I discovered a 3/16" twisted wire uninsulated cable that appears to be factory installed. It is grounded to the frame on the left front corner, then runs up the wall towards the ceiling. I did not see this cable when I had the roof open. There does not appear to be any other electric wires near it or in the direction it is going does anyone have any idea what it grounds and why? Or what purpose it serves. It is run through holes drilled in the framing and behind the insulation. It misses the 110 volt shore connector by 2 feet. Is this some kind of lightning protection and if so how would it work? I hate to appear stupid but this makes no sense to me, I don't see it in anybodies pictures that are doing a total rebuild. HELP
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Oct 13, 2013 19:25:13 GMT -8
It's an antenna that was installed by the DEA as this used to be a rolling meth lab.... The antenna connected to a transponder so they could follow it around. I have no idea Bill.
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Post by vikx on Oct 13, 2013 22:23:46 GMT -8
Do you have a breaker box in the trailer? The wire is probably the main ground for the 110 load center. Check to see if the box ground bar has the stranded 3/16 wire there? Normally, a factory ground would be solid copper to the frame but who knows what Shasta may have decided in 68...
Another thought is that the wire is a skin ground. (skin touches it, grounded?) I doubt it, but possible.
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Post by bigbill on Oct 14, 2013 3:39:21 GMT -8
No breaker box and it is in the center of the framing going through holes drilled in the framing and behind the insulation. I first thought it was maybe there to bond the skin to the frame but it appears to be isolated from the skin. Whatever it is it was probably installed at the factory. The framing is all in great shape on that side except the very bottom board so I don't need to pull the top panel but it looks like it would to the ceiling about four feet from the front of the trailer. The trailer only had one 110 volt 15 amp circuit originally or so it seems and nothing in the direction that the wire seems to be heading. I also don't know why it would have such a large ground when the power wires are 14/2. This is weird, I hope somebody has found this before on their unit and can solve this mystery for me.
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soup
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Post by soup on Oct 14, 2013 6:59:18 GMT -8
Normally this is the ground cable leading to the breaker box. I assume it is made out of aluminum? They usually are from this year. They are usually found behind the rear wheel well on street side running under skin to overhead cabinet breaker box in Lowflytes or in the closet of compacts and are almost always rotted away at the bottom where they appear from under skin leading to metal trailer frame and need replacing or scabbing where it comes out from the skin.
What do you mean there is no breaker box in your unit??!!!! There has to be a fuse block or breaker box somewhere. Have you checked under sink in cabinet or in the side of an overhead cabinet or on a side wall in a closet for the breaker box?
Any pics?
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Post by bigbill on Oct 14, 2013 14:45:08 GMT -8
Soup I have the closet completely removed, no electric. There is no breaker or fuse block in or around the sink cabinet, There is a light fastened to the bottom of the cupboard over the sink with an outlet on the light. There is also a light on the bottom of the cupboard over the front dinette with an outlet. the wire is alum, it exits at the left front corner and grounds to the frame at that location the bolt in the frame is a little rusty but no corrosion on the wire. I have not looked in the front cupboard above the window for a breaker box but I did wash it out when I first got the trailer and don't remember seeing one. The trailer shore line hooks to a wall rec with a 15 amp male receptacle approximately three feet from front corner about a foot up from the bottom. it is possible that the wire turns over top of the windows and goes into the either of the high cupboards. I think there might have been a single fuse right where the shore line enters the trailer but not there now. I plan to rewire the unit with a 30 amp main and four 15 amp circuit breakers. If the existing 14/2 checks out ok I might use those wires to the lights. but all new rec will have 12 ga wire. one circuit for the A/C, one for the microwave, and one for the rest of the receptacles, plus one for the lights. It also has what looks like a door bell transformer wired in to run the exterior light over the door. All the marks of a "professional" rewire.
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Oct 14, 2013 15:41:08 GMT -8
Just so you know, I lost the only Airstream I ever had to an electrical fire and I blame it on the aluminum wire. Aluminum wire expands and contracts a lot more than copper does from heating up and cooling. It slowly works the screws loose in the connections which get's worse and worse till it starts to arc. You never see this happening but over time it may finally arc so much that the pair shorts and now you have a huge lightning bolt type flash come shooting out of the outlet which catches what ever is there on fire.
If you are going to keep aluminum wire in your trailer you must go around once a year and tighten all the screws on all the connections.... Or take the chance of a burn.
Aluminum wire is now outlawed for use except large feeds to industrial buildings and damns and the like.
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Post by bigbill on Oct 14, 2013 16:55:50 GMT -8
Yes I went to school years ago on the dangers of using alum wire in Residential and commercial construction. My Shasta is wired with copper 14/2 w ground the only alum wire I have found is this 3/16" bare cable. I am not certain what or if it is connected to anything.
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Oct 14, 2013 18:34:17 GMT -8
OK Bill just making sure LOL... I make mistakes so you don't have to...
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Post by vikx on Oct 14, 2013 22:19:47 GMT -8
Big Bill, if you don't have a breaker box or fuse block for your 110, you're right, it's been removed. Wise to replace it...
The stranded aluminum wire has got to be/has been a ground of some sort. You may never know; PO's can add strange things.
Let us know how this turns out. A curiosity.
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soup
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Post by soup on Oct 15, 2013 4:52:22 GMT -8
Looks something like this?
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Post by bigbill on Oct 15, 2013 5:15:43 GMT -8
Yes it appears to be a ground wire I just can't figure out where it went originally. If I ever find out I will post the info. It travels through the framing going up at a 45 degree angle toward the rear, but I don't want to know bad enough to pull the top section of skin and all the windows to find out. If the angle continues it would wind up about half way between the front and the cabinets over the sink. It probably will get cut off and rerouted to the new breaker box.
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Post by bigbill on Oct 15, 2013 10:58:20 GMT -8
Soup Your picture got my curiosity up so went out and dble checked the cupboard over the sink nothing, then looked in the front cupboard over the dinette and saw nothing then stuck my head inside the door for a better look and found a very small gray breaker box with only room for one 15 amp breaker located against the ceiling and touching the door wall of the cupboard mounted to the left outside wall. A short person would never find it. The whole box is about 3" x 5" X 2 1/2" deep.
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soup
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Post by soup on Oct 15, 2013 15:26:23 GMT -8
BINGO! or maybe.... TAH DAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No applause please....Just throw money!
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Post by bigbill on Oct 15, 2013 19:18:46 GMT -8
As you know I am throwing money into this Shasta pit but it is almost water tight and air tight plus stronger than it was new. I still have to do the right side sill board and anything else I find then add some extra wood in the tail light area and it will be strong and secure ready for the road frame wise. My wife is scheduled for major surgery next month so that will stop the trailer repair for a while. She may wind up confined to bed for as long as twelve weeks, if that is the case I will have to practice my skills as a nurse on call 24/7.
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