Taking a class - CLASS CANCELLED!!!

[Oldragbaggers]

My one overwhelming fear about this build has been the electrical. I mean, having nightmares type of fear.

I have read almost every single thread in this section, all 23 pages of them, plus the stickies, and the announcements. The result off all that studying is even more trepidation.

All these wiring diagrams and talk about the right battery/inverter/converter/WFCO is wonderful information for the person who already has an idea what to connect them together with, what parts you actually need (every single tiny little one of them) or what it would look like if you were standing in the store staring at it. (No black and red diagrams on the wall at home depot with parts numbers by them.) My heaven, there are so many sizes, colors, configurations, boxes, bags and bins....where does an electrically challenged person even begin. For me, it would need to be pictures (lots of them) and very detailed instructions. Much more than, say, a shot of your whole electrical panel put together already.

But, realizing that you fine folks here on the forum didn't take me to raise, and my shortcomings in skills are not your problem.... I did what I hope will prove to be a strong step in overcoming this fear and propelling me confidently forward with the project, I signed up for a basic electrical wiring class at the local community college.

Once that is finished (it's a 6 week non-credit type deal starting in a couple of weeks) I will be able to come back and read all this wonderful information and hopefully then it will make some sense to me. I'm thinking maybe the "lightbulb will come on" as it were.

Thanks for all the great information you have all posted. It's nice to know it will all be here when I have the basics and can make some use of it.

[bobhenry]

I am afraid you may be disappointed. I imagine it will be oriented to AC wireing and the DC concepts will go begging. What did the class catalogue say was the contents of the course?

What type of camping are you planning?

Do you really need multiple storage batteries for weeks in the weeds?

On my last 2 builds ( the chuck wagon and Rip Van Winkle) I went strictly AC. No converters, no inverters, no on board chargers, Just a simple male plug-in dangling out from under the trailer. I have dc lights in the barn build that have yet to be used. The only build with ac and dc was Chubby and I simply placed a on board battery in the galley. It was charged at home and used very modestly on outings w/o power.

We camp with our Hoosier Tearjerker group and always at improved parks with AC available so I haven't missed the DC side of life. If you can live with AC only the members of the board could and would be most happy to jump in and help.

[Oldragbaggers]

Thanks for the reply, Bob,

It's a basic AC wiring class. I need to know the very basics of what is what concerning wire and connectors and such. Then hopefully I can follow the nice diagrams posted on this site to do the rest.

My needs are very simple. I want an AC and DC system, but it's still extremely basic. All I need is:

DC - 1 overhead light in the cabin, one overhead light in the galley, the Fantastic vent/fan and maybe a 12v automotive type am/fm radio CD player. That's it. Period. Only one small onboard battery. We plan to camp where there is electricity most of the time. I would expect that if we were to ever spend the night without power it would be in the course of traveling when we just need to "pull over somewhere" to sleep or if we need to camp at a biking trail head for a night.

AC - One outlet in the cabin and one outlet in the galley. (And the battery charger of course.)

That's it. We also plan to carry battery operated lights and a Coleman mantle lantern. No porch light on the trailer. We may carry a couple of solar walkway lights to stick outside, but here on the east coast lights at night just attract bugs. We'll use a battery operated lantern for trips outside the trailer at night. The AC wiring in the cabin is for a DVD player or the computer, charging the cell phones or whatever. In the galley, perhaps an electric skillet, coffee maker or maybe a small microwave.

The trailer lights are separate off of the car.

I know it's a simple system, and to most of you would be a no-brainer but from the viewpoint of someone who knows nothing at all about wires or connectors or anything else, looking at even a simple wiring diagram means absolutely nothing if you don't have the foggiest notion how or with what to put it all together. That is what I am hoping to learn in the class. (Also pointers on how not to fry myself would be nice.)

[bobhenry]

The biggest single secret to AC wiring is this little limerick...


Black to gold, white to silver , and green to ground !

[48Rob]

Becky,

Congratulations for taking that step!

As Bob points out, A/C and D/C are different, but in general, many parts and equipment are similar.

It will be easier than you think learning the basics of electricity.

Once you finish the course, you shouldn't have any trouble understanding the differences between the two, and laying out your systems will be a breeze!
You're a pretty sharp person to start with, so I can't see you having a bit of trouble.

Rob

[Oldragbaggers]

Thanks Rob, for the vote of confidence. I'm looking forward to it now.

[nevadatear]

And you are smart to include both. Although you state you will mostly use the ac, on the west coast it is a different matter, where AC use is rare and DC is most of the time. If you ever sell your little gem, it will be of benefit to have both.

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Let me suggest that AFTER you finish your course in house wiring, you supplement it with one or more of the following books:

Boatowners Illustrated Electrical Handbook by Charlie Wing

Managing 12 Volts by Harold Barre

Basic RV Electricity and Protection - A Primer by Dale Lee Sumner

RV Electrical Systems by Bill and Jan Moeller

Automotive Wiring and Electrical Systems by Tony Candela

You can get any or all of them from Amazon, but let me sugest you first see if your local Public Library can borrow them for you via Interlibrary Loan. You can then look them over and decide which to add to your permanent library.

Regards
John

[Oldragbaggers]

Thank you John for those recommendations and I will definitely do as you say and see if I can get them from the library.

[S. Heisley]

Optimistic Paranoid wrote:

Managing 12 Volts by Harold Barre

Of the books that I read before wiring my trailer, the above was the single most helpful book! Kuddos

Wiring a trailer is a little different than wiring a house because you want to secure trailer wiring really, really well, especially the connections. (You don't frequently pull houses down dirt roads or take them on the freeway at 55 MPH or more.)

[Dean in Ct.]

Good luck with the class! I'm sure there will be a lot to learn even if it doesn't translate directly to your build. I was once told "Electricity is really good stuff. Just don't get any ON you!"

[Oldragbaggers]

Well, I have decided that, if after this class I still do not feel confident in wiring the trailer, then we will be going primitive. An extension cord for AC and everything else off of batteries and liquid fuel.

As Clint Eastwood says... "A (wo)man needs to know her limitations."

Dean, I will definitely try to keep your advice in mind.

[viffer07]

think of electricity as water. a tank, pipes, a switch, a flower pot and a return path back to the tank.
tank as the source. pipes as wire. faucet as a switch and the flower pot as the load ( fan, light, ac, wall plug etc) and a way to get the water back to the tank.(wire). electricity has to go in a loop .
out on one wire through switch, load and back on another.
radio shack has some really simple books on circuits that would be helpful.
i hope that helps and doesn't confuse you.

[jdarkoregon]

Becky,

Everybody learns differently, good for you if classes work for you.

The suggestions given above are pretty darn good, in fact great. I learn by tinkering, so here's another suggestion.

Get a battery, something small that doesn't scare you, maybe one of those squareish 9 volts, you know the ones in the smoke detectors.

On a table, connect a small light bulb (flashlight size or maybe a DC fixture you have already purchased)

Wear some rubber gloves, and tinker, Maybe go to radio shack and get some wires with clips on the ends, so you can clip the ends to things like battery terminals, wires from fixtures, or switches

Have fun learning, no matter how you do it,

John

[Shadow Catcher]

Using something like a Progressive Dynamics power center simplifies wiring immensely http://www.progressivedyn.com/110145%20 ... 20Only.pdf

I will also caution you to include more outlets and lights than you think you need. The PD power center has 12 12V fuses and I am using them all. Admittedly CR has lots of outlets both AC and DC but as an example, I wanted a Sirius receiver to attach to the stereo (automotive) and there went 5A fuse, and a 12V Outlet for the Waeco refrigerator and there went a 10A fuse...