22 replies to this topic

[wild]

nixfwc......See Rusty's post of Jan 6 under the restore 58 topic for Ash paneling reference.

 

wild

[nixfwc]

Thanks for the response. How did you do your house battery wiring? I have been thinking of using the outside 12 volt plug with a cable through the lower outside wall to the battery. It looks to me in new Alaskans they have the wire hanging on the inside going into the upper cabinets. I am calling Brian today so I will inquire. 

The ash paneling would be great but I am not ready to take that on just yet.Still need to replace my heater and install a water heater and pump.

[wild]

My house battery is to the rear of the drivers side wheel well.  From it I ran #10 wires through a rubber tube and back to a common negative ground and positive fuse block (I plan to put a kill switch where the wired go inside the camper but have not yet).  I have a positive lead from the truck battery (through a solonoid) that also ties to my pos. fuse block.  With that runs a ground from the truck frame to the common neg. camper connection. The solonoid keeps the truck battery isolated from the camper unless the engine is running.  All 12v circuits are tied to the fuse block and ground except one wire that powers the marker lights when the truck lights are on.  I use the original connections at the top of the camper and power them from the pos. fuse block, common neg. connection and the one pos. marker light wire that starts at my rear taillight.  Although I do have 110v bulbs for the overhead lights, I keep it simple and only use 12v.  I'll add a few pics to make this a bit clearer.

 

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[nixfwc]

Very nicely done. I have been trying to go through the factory Alaskan plug next to the 110 connector but may switch over to having the wiring go inside the camper floating next to the wall like the new Alaskans. I have my battery currently in the camper on the side next to the water tank. I also have a Four Wheel camper so the campers come off the truck. I am also installing a Fantastic fan powered vent and have yet to find a 12 v line to the vent area. The early wiring diagrams look as if there should be a feed there. Anyone else found that wire? Also have not been able to get all my running lights operating.

[Rusty]

I installed a couple spare computer fans in my vent a few years ago and picked up the 12v in the breaker panel over the door in the ceiling...the bottom panel slides to the side to expose the "wiring" inside.  They draw very little juice and work well for exhaust over the stove.

 

I had to grommet through the side of the aluminum vent trim and fed wires to the box through the ceiling....only a few inches.  installed a lighted switch on the side of the panel box...they are so quiet you don't realize they're on.

[wild]

Very nicely done. I have been trying to go through the factory Alaskan plug next to the 110 connector but may switch over to having the wiring go inside the camper floating next to the wall like the new Alaskans. I have my battery currently in the camper on the side next to the water tank. I also have a Four Wheel camper so the campers come off the truck. I am also installing a Fantastic fan powered vent and have yet to find a 12 v line to the vent area. The early wiring diagrams look as if there should be a feed there. Anyone else found that wire? Also have not been able to get all my running lights operating.

I may not keep using the outside connectors as they don't seem very weather resistant, but I am only using 12v.  Thought about installing the battery inside but would need to seal the area and vent to the outside if I did.  I'm using a deep cycle marine battery.  The present location is easy to get at, but I will put a cover over it at some point.  The running lights were a bit of a pain but cleaning up all the positive connections and making sure the grounds were good (the alum. skin is grounded - or should be) did the trick.  I have one set of marker lights (group of 3 in front) that are too corroded to use, all others work fine.  Not sure that there is a 12v line near the vents, but one crosses inside the top somewhere to power the passanger side interior lights.  Might take a fishing expedition to find it.  Good luck!

 

wild

[wild]

I installed a couple spare computer fans in my vent a few years ago and picked up the 12v in the breaker panel over the door in the ceiling...the bottom panel slides to the side to expose the "wiring" inside.  They draw very little juice and work well for exhaust over the stove.

 

I had to grommet through the side of the aluminum vent trim and fed wires to the box through the ceiling....only a few inches.  installed a lighted switch on the side of the panel box...they are so quiet you don't realize they're on.

Rusty, that sounds like a great idea.  Can you post a picture of the vent w/fans?  Thanks!!!!!!!  My breaker panel is on the drivers side at the front of the main cabin top storage area.  A little more difficult to get to the vent from there.

 

wild

[nixfwc]

Wild, my circuit breaker is on drivers side front also. I am hoping there is a powered feed at the back of camper that I can use to power the fan. Otherwise it looks as if I will have to drop a ceiling panel to add the circuit. Not looking forward to that. Anyone have an idea as to the ceiling power leads? Also what sort of heaters do your Alaskans have. Mine has an ancient Hydro flame ARC 10. Very rusty and not staying lit in the pilot dept. Not allot of space for anything else. Anyone replaced their heater?

[Rusty]

Be cautious of original propane equipment...the original gas refrigerators were vented into the interior of the camper and none of the appliances were very efficient.  One of the first things anyone should add is a CO monitor and a smoke detector

 

Wild...I've got a few pics of the fan install...I'll put them up a little later...they're in another computer...in another galaxy.

[nixfwc]

I have the larger fridge in my Alaskan and yes it is vented to the inside which I thought was strange but have not tackled yet. There is only a small exterior vent on the side by the fridge. No opening vented door . Fridge seems to work well but I may try to modify it to vent to the outside. The three way fridge in my four wheel is vented to the outside and I installed 12 volt computer fans at the top vent. I have a CO alarm so I may set it up and see if it goes off in the alaskan with the fridge running.  My Alaskan has the original oblong welded propane tank on the passenger side. I am hoping it is still ok; I have not tried to get it filled yet. It barely fits between the camper and the truck fender well .Lots of $$ going into restoring this alaskan.