Ensolite Seams and Furnace Power Questions - Fiberglass RV
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Old 04-27-2009, 08:05 PM   #1
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Hello,

I have an 85 scamp 16' and I have a few questions I have been unable to find answers for on this forum. Was wondering if someone might be willing to share some knowledge on the following:

1. The previous owner removed the Ensolite seam tape and caulked the seams. What would be a good replacement tape or would it be better to re caulk the seams?

2. The previous owner fumigated the Scamp with the cushions in the camper. I have ordered new cushion covers, but the insecticide smell is in the foam. Is there an effective way to wash the foam cushions to remove the odor?

3. I have begun to attempt to start the furnace. I noticed that the Furnace only has 12v power when the battery on the front of the trailer is connected. If the battery is disconnected and the trailer is plugged into AC power, the Furnace has no power yet everything else with the exception of the stereo and the furnace does. The camper was re wired by a liscenced electrician a few years ago and it appears tht is was wired this way intentionally by looking at the schematic. My question: Is this normal, or should the furnace be wired to the converter in a manner that allows it to always have power regardless if a 12 volt battery is present or not?

Thanks in advance
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Old 04-27-2009, 09:20 PM   #2
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Trailer: 1974 Boler 13 ft (Neonex/Winnipeg)
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Scamp sells the seam tape through their parts page, or you can order it through someone like U-line. It's a foam tape with adhesive on one side (originally they used two-sided tape and brushed talcum power on the outer side to reduce stickiness, but of course there's no reason to duplicate that).

Here's a link to the tape Scamp sells:

http://shop.scamptrailers.com/p-438-...tape-roll.aspx

And a link to Uline's page. I would probably choose a 3M foam tape, and look for a white one of appropriate width. Depending on your seams, it might be nice to get a slightly wider tape than Scamp sells.

http://www.uline.com/Product/AdvSearchResu...rds=foam%20tape

For washing foam cushions, I'd use either a bathtub or maybe a hard-sided kids wading pool. Or a tarp on the ground outside. The idea is to soak them with water and a bit of soap, and then do the "grape stomp" to clean them. Then rinse and allow to dry.

Maybe someone else here can chime on on whether it would be useful to add something like vinegar to the water...?

I can't speak to the furnace.

Raya
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Old 04-27-2009, 10:00 PM   #3
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Hi Tim,

Go to the document center on this web site and go to "owners manuals" for scamp section, page 15. It has the electrical schematic your looking for. The heater (+) is a home run from the power converter to the furnace on its own fuse, it is on my 95 as well, the (-) has been a problem on some floor plans as its sometimes pulled thru a cluster of wires in the front closet "using the blue auto snap taps"...I do not know your floor plan. Help is going to be a process of looking methodically because we do not know what the electrician did.

On some electronic boards found inside that era of NT series suburban furnace they placed a replaceable fuse (5amp) many were unaware of its exsistance on the ignition board itself.

Verify your 12v is really not there first, check (+) at the furnace and run a home run wire directly to the (-) on the battery and then the converter, do the same in reverse polarity for the other circuit checking (-). Make notes, my guess is you may have (+) but not (-) either with reference to the battery or the converter if its a wiring problem. Or the converter fuse is blown or the battery is not connected on one side. Check also for a blown thermal resetting breaker often up on the tongue protecting the wiring harness.

Feel free to post back what you find.

Harry
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Old 04-27-2009, 10:01 PM   #4
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You may have one of the converters we were discussing the other day where the battery is needed as a filter on some circuits so motor noise isn't fed back into the rest of the curcuits.
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Old 04-27-2009, 10:04 PM   #5
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My personal 2 cents....don't waste your time with the seam tape.......thats my only advice
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Old 05-04-2009, 07:12 PM   #6
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Hi Tim,
I washed each cushion separately - in a warm water bathtub with a little bleach (I had mold/mildew issues) and Simple Green. Vinegar and baking soda are great for odor removal as well. Maybe start with both, go easy on the vinegar so you don't end up with a vinegar smell in your cushions. Maybe try Simple Green? Soak for a half an hour then do the grape stomp, rinse very, very well, dry in hot sun.
Karin

Quote:
Hello,

I have an 85 scamp 16' and I have a few questions I have been unable to find answers for on this forum. Was wondering if someone might be willing to share some knowledge on the following:

1. The previous owner removed the Ensolite seam tape and caulked the seams. What would be a good replacement tape or would it be better to re caulk the seams?

2. The previous owner fumigated the Scamp with the cushions in the camper. I have ordered new cushion covers, but the insecticide smell is in the foam. Is there an effective way to wash the foam cushions to remove the odor?

3. I have begun to attempt to start the furnace. I noticed that the Furnace only has 12v power when the battery on the front of the trailer is connected. If the battery is disconnected and the trailer is plugged into AC power, the Furnace has no power yet everything else with the exception of the stereo and the furnace does. The camper was re wired by a liscenced electrician a few years ago and it appears tht is was wired this way intentionally by looking at the schematic. My question: Is this normal, or should the furnace be wired to the converter in a manner that allows it to always have power regardless if a 12 volt battery is present or not?

Thanks in advance
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Old 05-04-2009, 09:31 PM   #7
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Quote:
My personal 2 cents....don't waste your time with the seam tape.......thats my only advice
Brandy,

Are you saying that you prefer the look without the tape, or that you've tried one (or both) of the two tapes I mentioned and found them unsuitable for some reason?

I kind of like the look (and it is mostly cosmetic anyway), and I was thinking of replacing a couple of sections of mine with either the Scamp or U-line/3M tape, so I'm interested if you have negative feedback on either of them (and of course if you have a third recommendation).

Thanks,

Raya
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Old 05-04-2009, 09:56 PM   #8
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I replaced my old old yellowing scamp tape with nice new scamp tape......after 2 or 3 times out and the sun started to heat up the trailer....the tape dripped and dropped and never stayed put...finally I took the plunge ripped out the tape and caulked the seams and painted the inside....it took some doing because I seem to be more OCD than I care to admit. I like the caulking better (if done correctly I've seen some okay versions) than the stark white seam tape compaired to dreary grey my interior had become over the years....heres some pictures....

okay well thats not working...so next option....go to modifications and neat updates and I'll bump my photos for you
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