Re: [VAL] A question for 1969 owners

[Glyn Judson <glynjudson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

    Joy,

>>snip  The original battery housing covering the battery allowed the hydrogen
>>to be vented outside.

    That's exactly what it appears to be.  I even have the top hold down
piece with a grommet in it that accepts that tube.

>>snip  Sure wish I knew what you were talking about the "right colored wires
>>unterminated".  The DC wiring should terminate in a fuse block that is mounted
>>to the inside of the rear hatch surround.

    The wiring bundle from the connector at the tongue leads to a terminal
strip under the street side of the Gaucho, accessible from a small door
under the trailer.  It then leads aft on the street side and emerges in that
rear corner through the plywood.  That's where I found several unterminated
wires (loose and not connected to anything).  There isn't much space to work
there unless I were to remove the holding tank first.  I just went outside
and measured the work space.  It's 2 1/2" from the inner skin to the tank
side and the wire bundle emerges through the plywood about 4-5" to the left
of the access door frame, not enough to look into the hole in the inner skin
in the same place. 

    I see no evidence of a fuse block ever having been there.  Even if there
were one at one time, it would be almost impossible to see the condition of
a given fuse short of removing them one at a time and bringing them into the
light of day.  

    I surmise that the loose wires attach to mating wires hidden in that
hole.  It appears that I'll need to fish around in that hole to hook and
then pull them out.  I can then reattach the wires and hopefully start to
see lights go on when I energize the connector at the tongue with 12v.

>>  You'll need to verify what voltage is on each and most likely need your tow
>>vehicle and umbilical connected.

    I assume that all those wires leading aft are 12v.

>>The color code of '69 has no relationship to the current code.

    Yes but at the back end where the wires are disconnected, red still goes
to red, blue still goes to blue, etc.

>>You must have a service manual and/or the owner's manual.

    Yes I do and it was from that diagram that I finally determined that
those wires were coming from up front.

>>snip  The best bet is to buy a very expensive battery that is ventless and add
>>a second. 

    Good suggestion.  I have a two-part steel battery tray on a riser that
for all the world appears to be the original.  What did the factory ones
look like?  

    I don't want to sandblast, prime and paint them only to find out they're
not the right parts.

>>  Do you have the original charger?  The Intelli Power and controller are
>>great additions and weight 5 pounds >>rather than 50.


    Yes I do and it seems to be working.  To what degree though, I don't
know.  

>>  If I were to do it again and not want to restore the trailer to it's
>> original design, I'd get a black water holding tank that sits on top of the
>> floor.

    Mine is on top of the floor now and it looks just like the one in the
photo in my owners manual, so I assume it's the original.  It's lime green
with a same-size sheet of plywood over it. All of that I can see appears to
be in good shape. 

>>  The the floor in the '69 is really a pain.  Best to do it all right up front
and not be disappointed later.

    That's the plan.  I finding parallels between working on my Caravel and
work on our boat.  One repair leads to another, to another to another.  And
to get to the repair, most everything in the back half of the trailer/boat
has to come out first.

    There's one great difference.  If I drill a hole in the floor the
Caravel won't sink.  ; - )

>>  In any event, the floor must be removed as well as the entire bath.
>> Replacing the pinched plywood is a real pain and can't be done without full
>> access.  Not a shell off, but .  .  .

    I hear you son!

    Thanks for all the good information, really,

    Glyn