Burro utility questions

[Jane D.]

2 areas seeking input for are:

A. Body side inlet/connections: I need help with knowing what hooks up to supply what on a couple of the inlet holes on the side of my Burro.

Outside photo: a. The one to the left of the square power cord cover
b. Round one bttm left, 3 in. diameter
Inside photo: Inside view of a. in outside photo


B. Electrical supply box: Never dealt with this kind of power inlet setup before so have a couple points I'd like help with. Guy who sold this trailer to PO installed a 120 volt flourescent light under the cabinet above the sink and tapped into the "push in" slots on the back of the outlet. As you can see the light fixture only uses the neutral and black wires of the romex. Ground is just hanging there. The other end of this ground wire is attached to the ground bar inside the metal j box that was added. Is that anything I should be concerned with before plugging this thing into power? Have never plugged it in, been under frame off restoration.

Also, you can see where a stranded ground wire, think it's an 8 ga., has been added to the back of the j box and was attached to the frame before I ripped out and replaced the rotten floor. I figure this has to go back to the frame but in all others I have ever done this wire was not stranded, it was solid 8 or 6 ga. Thoughts??? Stranded OK or should I switch it?

Thanks much for any help. jd

[David Tilston]

Since your fluorescent light is double insulated, there is no place to terminate the ground wire. Normally it would terminate in the electrical box that the cable runs into. It is not likely to be a problem.
#8 solid would be very stiff. I see that they installed a crimp connection on that stranded wire. Not bad. best confirm that the ground is also installed on the power inlet to the trailer and is continuous to this box.
I am however concerned by the lack of strain relief on the white cable entering the box. The black cable has it. Home Depot sells the required clamp, $0.50 worth of insurance.

[rabbit]

From "under the zinc" foto I see an "enclosure" for exterior electrification and what appears to be city (pressurized) hose fitting and hose above that and then another water hose fitting with no hookup and so going nowhere and of no practical utility. Below that another thru-hull hose fitting with Smoothbor fill hose for the fresh water tank attached and finally a sizable hole cover.

What Dave says about the box connecter for the Romex.


jack

[Jane D.]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

best confirm that the ground is also installed on the power inlet to the trailer and is continuous to this box.
I am however concerned by the lack of strain relief on the white cable entering the box. The black cable has it. Home Depot sells the required clamp, $0.50 worth of insurance.

David,

Thanks for the info. Ground wire is firmly attached on power inlet and is connected to the ground bar in the box. Strain relief bought, just not installed yet. Good eye!! That white cable is the jumper wire that runs up to the light with the hanging ground wire.

Rabbit,

Do you have any idea what the large hole would have been used for? It looks like it was made with that hole in it. Edges are smooth and appear finished like it was maybe part of the body mold.

The fresh water tank is in the trailer but was not hooked up so maybe this or the other small fitting with no hook up was used for that? Didn't know if this arrangement was standard or not. May be different on other trailers.

One of the hoses goes to the sink drain and the other goes to the sink faucet. Sound correct??

Thanks again, guys.........jd

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by Jane D.

Do you have any idea what the large hole would have been used for? It looks like it was made with that hole in it. Edges are smooth and appear finished like it was maybe part of the body mold.

The fresh water tank is in the trailer but was not hooked up so maybe this or the other small fitting with no hook up was used for that? Didn't know if this arrangement was standard or not. May be different on other trailers.

One of the hoses goes to the sink drain and the other goes to the sink faucet.

Fiberglass RV - Document Center - Burro

It looks to me like some Previous Owner didn't like where the Manufacturer put utility connection points and decided to do his own thing.

Download the 5 Burro Manuals from the link I provided. Primitive yes, but careful study might gain you some insight into what was removed. Looks like a previous owner did not want to bother with a water tank or its filler port.

[Jane D.]

Thanks for the link Frederick. Will check it out and see what I come up with. jd

[Carol H]

Jane, I have a hunch the large hole with the cover over it was the access hole for power cord storage and someone installed a 110 external plug to use in instead....... could be wrong but it looks to be the right size for one that may have looked something like this

[Jane D.]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Jane, I have a hunch the large hole with the cover over it was the access hole for power cord storage and someone installed a 110 external plug to use in instead....... could be wrong but it looks to be the right size for one that may have looked something like this

Carol, thanks much. I checked out the link and I bet you are right about why that hole is there. I had a friend of mine measure theirs and the size is about the same. That mystery solved.....

I can only assume that the other empty one may have been used for fresh water tank fill as the tank is there but not hooked up.

Thanks all, jd

[Jane D.]

After identifying what was what with the utility openings I wanted to get some power going to the Burro since I had never plugged it in before. It is a practice of mine to never put power to something that I am not familiar with. Today reaffirmed the importance of my practice!

Not good at all.....Old plug severly rusted at all 3 wire connection points.
Got new waterproof type plug at Lowe's, about $14.00. Much better.... Came with several sizes of sleeves to slide down on inlet cable to form water seal.

Also installed a new duplex outlet in original power box, old one was rusty inside, added strain relief to wire to the light and a new solid 8ga. copper ground wire from the j box to the frame.

Tested it with the plug in and got 2 yellow lights, indicating that all is good. Circuit breaker doing it's job correctly when tested. Undercabinet light works and have a fan going inside so all seems well. Now I can work at night since I have a light. Don't know if that's good or bad but will help to see what I'm doing so I can add 12 volt power!! There are 2 12 volt lights that have been stuck in the trailer but the wires for them are spliced into the running lights so you can't use them unless the umbilical is plugged into the tow vehicle. Duhh...???====Dead battery in the morning.

Thanks again for all help. jd

[RogerDat]

For what it's worth my scamp 12 volt lights on either end of cupboards are only live when hooked up to TV with a 7 pin Bargman plug. No battery mount on tungue so I assume it was built that way back in 77.

Maybe someone using a 4 pin wiring connector did a splice to get those interior lights working, sort of the opposite of my campers PO who just cut the old plug off and taped up the ends of the TV 12 volt feed lines when they put a 4 pin plug on. As in no interior light due to no power.

[Carol H]

Nice work Jane! I also spent the week-end installing an exterior water proof box only difference was I didnt have one to start with but had procrastinated as I had to pull out the rear bench and water tank to put it where I wanted but mostly am not as brave as you so playing with the electrical is not something I really like to do.

It always feels good when it all works out! You go girl! Keep us posted on your progress.

[Jane D.]

RogerDat -- Oh, so maybe running the risk of killing the TV battery was more common than one might think. Not a good idea IMO but I guess it got the job done for having an interior light.

Carol H -- thanks for the encouragement. I feel good about the new plug being able to keep out the water but not the outside cover so a replacement for that needs to happen also. In the future I want to install an inlet that the cord can directly plug into but for now this works. Post a photo of your job, I'm curious as to the parts you used from scratch.

If I could only get the door to stop leaking I would really feel like I accomplished something!!!!!

thanks jd