I am redoing a vintage Camper

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hey can someone give me some ideas on this here. ive tried to find flex hose but cant find any that work. the white pipe is 1 1/4 inside and 1 1/2 on outside and im not sure what the tank nozzle is but i need to get these connected, so any ideas would help. I need to connect them.
 

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got my batteries on the way and got my 6awg wire I need to hook them up so now its just waiting for them to arrive
 
hey can someone confirm that 6awg wire will work to connect my batteries from my panel to the batteries? I am seeing people say 2awg. I may be just over thinking it and getting nervous that I got the wrong wire. I am thinking about car batteries and I am sure the cable is thicker so I just want to be sure I am correct and 6awg will work
 
"Work" - nebulous term. But knowing what you're building with I would say you're good. My class A uses 8ga and it "works". Unless you have some specific voltage drop value I would say 6ga will probably be fine. If you have some misgivings, you can directly measure the drop using the proposed length and a nominal load before you install or terminate anything.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
 
"Work" - nebulous term. But knowing what you're building with I would say you're good. My class A uses 8ga and it "works". Unless you have some specific voltage drop value I would say 6ga will probably be fine. If you have some misgivings, you can directly measure the drop using the proposed length and a nominal load before you install or terminate anything.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
I know I use terms that can mean anything but I am not sure of camper terms I mean I have learned a lot from you guys on here so I apologize about the terms.

ok great I was worried about that. I am now trying to see how I can get all my 12v system into 11 spots on the fuse board. I didn't want to wire stuff together like all the vent fans as one or the 2 porch lights as one as I was afraid of over loading it .

However I may have no choice and because of that I may run out of wire since I have already ran wire for some things.
 
To be sure, you can't run every single device to the fuse panel, there just isn't enough room for the wiring and terminations. So you have to decide what stuff will be direct, generally high current that demands it's own protection vs sundry loads like lights that can be daisy chained.

1737382999028.png

This is a screenshot of my winnebago schematic. Can't read the text at this resolution but it illustrates how some stuff has one device to one fuse, and other stuff has multiple devices wired together external to one fuse. Takes some forethought to balance the currents across the panel but as long as you're organized about it, the wiring at the panel becomes more manageable. It's important to remember that fuses don't protect devices, they protect wiring. Every device doesn't need it's own panel fuse and anything that does require it's own fuse can be fused right at the device.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
 
To be sure, you can't run every single device to the fuse panel, there just isn't enough room for the wiring and terminations. So you have to decide what stuff will be direct, generally high current that demands it's own protection vs sundry loads like lights that can be daisy chained.

View attachment 177780

This is a screenshot of my winnebago schematic. Can't read the text at this resolution but it illustrates how some stuff has one device to one fuse, and other stuff has multiple devices wired together external to one fuse. Takes some forethought to balance the currents across the panel but as long as you're organized about it, the wiring at the panel becomes more manageable. It's important to remember that fuses don't protect devices, they protect wiring. Every device doesn't need it's own panel fuse and anything that does require it's own fuse can be fused right at the device.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
well this is what I came up with

DC Fuse Power Source

F1 Back Lights 8w x 5 40w = 3.33amp 5amp

F2 Front/Back Porch Light 2.7w x 2 5.4w = .45amp 1amp

F3 Trailer Lights 5amp 7amp

F4 Front/Bathroom/Back Vent 5w ea so lets say 15amp

F5 Kitchen/Bathroom Lights 8w x 4 32w = 2.66amp 3amp

F6 Front Lights 8w x 5 40w = 3.33amp 5amp

F7 Radio 5amp

F8 Water Heater 3amp (guess)

F9 Refrigerator 2-5 amp 5amp

F10 Water Pump 3.5 - 8 3 5amp

F11 Furnace 4- 10amp 10amp

54.27amp


This is so I had places for the water heater,fridge, water pump,and furnace so tell me if you think this would work or you can show me a new list based on what I have and tell me how you would do it.

I didn't want all the lights on one but if I have to I will.

what you see in bold is the size fuse I would use
 
Only one miscalcuation/typo I see, 3 vents at 5W is 15W not 15A. But you've got plausible numbers for everything so as good an estimation as you will probably need. If you have this many fuse positions available you can be as granular with circuit protection as you like. But you are also making things more complicated with home runs using lots of wire for individual circuits. No question you reach a 6 of one half dozen of another point of circuit/load combinations and if you like having things split up a certain way by function or location, then that's what you do. I would only offer to reserve a spare fuse slot or two for future expansion or change of mind, there's nothing like wanting to add something later and you don't have to shuffle stuff around to fit it in.

Did not see any "accessory" circuits - do you have any power ports for plugging in 12V or USB stuff?

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
 
Only one miscalcuation/typo I see, 3 vents at 5W is 15W not 15A. But you've got plausible numbers for everything so as good an estimation as you will probably need. If you have this many fuse positions available you can be as granular with circuit protection as you like. But you are also making things more complicated with home runs using lots of wire for individual circuits. No question you reach a 6 of one half dozen of another point of circuit/load combinations and if you like having things split up a certain way by function or location, then that's what you do. I would only offer to reserve a spare fuse slot or two for future expansion or change of mind, there's nothing like wanting to add something later and you don't have to shuffle stuff around to fit it in.

Did not see any "accessory" circuits - do you have any power ports for plugging in 12V or USB stuff?

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
so it would be best to run all lights on one circuit, vents fans on one,etc instead of trying to split them up.
 
"Best" is more nebulous than "work". Grouping by function has it's perils, you lose the light circuit and you have no lights at all. Group by area, and you could lose the functionality of an entire room or system. I note in mine, lighting is split up over four fuses. One that runs the bedroom light is connected to a side marker, galley, and porch light. The fridge and dinette are together. The furnace and roof vent share a supply. Maybe there's a formula there that OEM's use to combine circuits but I would bet it's as much convenience in running/connecting the harnesses as it is operationally strategic for fault tolerance. It's going to be a compromise, and this isn't a spacecraft where a mistake will cost lives. If you come up with an arrangement that makes sense to you then run with it. Or maybe download documentation for a unit you consider similar, and see how they did it. If it works you're done, if not then you can blame someone else.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
 
"Best" is more nebulous than "work". Grouping by function has it's perils, you lose the light circuit and you have no lights at all. Group by area, and you could lose the functionality of an entire room or system. I note in mine, lighting is split up over four fuses. One that runs the bedroom light is connected to a side marker, galley, and porch light. The fridge and dinette are together. The furnace and roof vent share a supply. Maybe there's a formula there that OEM's use to combine circuits but I would bet it's as much convenience in running/connecting the harnesses as it is operationally strategic for fault tolerance. It's going to be a compromise, and this isn't a spacecraft where a mistake will cost lives. If you come up with an arrangement that makes sense to you then run with it. Or maybe download documentation for a unit you consider similar, and see how they did it. If it works you're done, if not then you can blame someone else.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
I will come up with a plan. So I can be sure I have plenty of wire.
 
I also understand you need to consider the distance of wire run as heat created with current resistance.
You need to consider the wire size, distance, and load current. Also I do not think Al wire is as efficient as Cu.
 
I also understand you need to consider the distance of wire run as heat created with current resistance.
You need to consider the wire size, distance, and load current. Also I do not think Al wire is as efficient as Cu.
what is AI and Cu?
 
I think I am gonna do it like this

DC Fuse Power Source

F1 All inside Lights 8w x 14 112w = 9.5amp 10amp

F2 Front/Back Porch Light 2.7w x 2 5.4w = .45amp 1amp

F3 Trailer Lights 7amp

F4 Front/Bathroom/Back Vent 5w x 3 =15w 3amp

F5 Radio 5amp

F6 Water Heater 3amp (guess)

F7 Refrigerator 2-5 amp 5amp

F8 Water Pump 3.5 - 8 3 5amp

F9 Furnace 4- 10amp 10amp

F10 OPEN

F11 OPEN

Power(red) to panel -> light 1 -> light 2(no switch for these) -> to switch > light 1 -> light 2 -> light 3 then to -> switch for bathroom light -> light 1 - to switch for kitchen -> light 1 -> light 2 -> light 3 -> to front lights without switch -> light 1 -> light 2 ->switch for front lights -> light 1 -> light 2 ->light 3

or something like this I will look this up to be sure I'm correct
 
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