How to Tell if Scamp is Roof Prepped for AC

[Shorton146]

Hello everyone, I'm the second owner and do not have the factory invoice/build sheet for my 2010 16' Scamp Deluxe. The original owner did not have AC put in by the factory. The factory cannot tell me if the trailer has been factory prepped for AC. If it has been factory prepped there is a wire up in the roof and the roof has been reinforced.

Before I start pulling the headliner apart I'm wondering if anyone has done this before and can tell me exactly where to look for the wire? ie what side it would be on? How far along to check? Or any easy way to tell if it as been factory prepped?

Many thanks,


Steve.

[gordon2]

Don't go tearing stuff up just yet!

The Scamp web site says:

On most 16 foot Scamps from the year 2000 the roof has been supported for the roof air. On 16 foot Scamps prior to this year most didn't have the roof air support. To check for support find the 120 volt wire tucked behind the fabric strip. This wire will be on the same side of the trailer as the 120 panel with the circuit breakers. Any trailers with the wire and support in the roof can have the roof air added.

Perhaps you need to talk to some else up there.

On my 2015 Layout 4 16 footer with A/C the wire goes from the A/C down the port-side wall roughly where the side bath wall meets the over-stove upper cabinet.

You probably can feel it as a raised area, or less compressible area, under the ratfur. I don't know if they connect the wire to the power distribution box (circuit breakers) or leave it loose when the A/C is not installed but that should be something they can tell you. If they do connect it to the breaker box, then perhaps you can start tracing it there.

EDIT: Took a closer look and it seems that in my rig the yellow A/C power wire from the circuit breakers goes to the back of the wheel well and then along to top and up the wall. But I cannot feel it far enough to figure out where. It ends up as shown in the photo but the exact route escapes me and it might be inconsistently done at the factory, or different in your layout.

[gordon2]

By the way, I think the fabric strip they are telling you to check in the one that covers the seam above the upper cabinet. This seems like the best place to start looking for the wire as it is pretty easy to glue back in place.

[Shorton146]

Here are some pictures of the scamp. Instead of a cabinet above the stove, I have the hanging closet (picture attached).

I did as you said inside the closet, opened up the seam to feel for a wire but couldn't find one, I felt right up to the side of the bathroom. Should I open the seam inside the shower?

I did feel the slightly thicker roof section. It feels about 12 inches wide and runs from port to starboard. No luck tracing from fuse panel as wires are not labelled and quickly disappear.

Thank you very much for your help!

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Shorton146

.. Should I open the seam inside the shower?

..

As I see it you have three options:

1. Call the factory again and insist that they give some guidance. It seems like they should be more help than just saying they can't tell you if it was prep-ed.

2. Remove the seam is sections in the closet and bath, etc (assuming that is the breaker box side).

3. Wait for someone who know more about this and/or has a DLX.

# 3 might be a good idea since no one else has chimed in yet. I'm sure there are people on in this forum who have rebuilt a DLX or put a roof A/C on one, its just a matter of when and if they see this thread.

[k0wtz]

I have a roof mounted a/c on our scamper 13 I wish it had a small 5 or 7,000 btu mounted in our closet.

much more efficient and I don't like all that weight on top.

just my 2c

bob

[stevebaz]

Beg, borrow or steal a metal detector and you should find the wire if its there.

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by stevebaz

Beg, borrow or steal a metal detector and you should find the wire if its there.

Wouldn't a stud finder do the same ( or is there Reflextex in there ) ?

[Gerry]

I would think if one was to just take off the trim going around the sky-light one would see the wire ends if they were there.

[John Linck]

I found the 12-2 w/g romex wire on my 2014 Scamp's ceiling by finger feel. This technique was effective and inexpensive.

But, I also has a contactless voltage detector that could do the job. (less than $10.00 at a home center) I used it to find old knob and tube wiring thru my old house walls. In that case the wires were at least 3 inches behind the plaster and lath and finger feel did not work so well. If you are into crystals and energy auras YMMV. I just made sure the trailer was connected to shore power to energize the wire for this trick.

On my Scamp 13, without AC, but prepped, the Romex ran straight up from the converter, across the ceiling and down the other side to the outlet below the pantry.

john



Pic at Bryce Canyon National Park on our maiden voyage in our new Scamp, 2014.

[k0wtz]

according to the previous owner of our 95 13f scamper it had been taken to the factory for reinforncement of the roof and the a/c installed there. something about a better new bow across the top.

bob

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by John Linck

...
On my Scamp 13, without AC, but prepped, the Romex ran straight up from the converter, across the ceiling and down the other side to the outlet below the pantry.

...

Did you have a window A/C, or A/C that was plugged into a standard outlet? Or was the outlet below the pantry in addition to the A/C wiring? I'm confused. For the model and year of the OP's trailer I am pretty sure there is a dedicated romax run to the roof for the A/C. Also I think his model is likely the same as mine in that the converter and power distribution center (PDC / AKA Fuse and circuit beaker box) are separate units. So the A/C wire runs from the breakers, not the converter.

Perhaps a tone generator would work. Usually used for tracing telephone or data wiring, it might work but the problems with many methods is 1. The wiring is under the metal foil insulation, and 2. finding the other end of the wire.

As for the voltage detector, thats fine if you can start at the PDC. But even if the wire is connected the PDC, I can't imagine they installed a circuit breaker and that the wire is energized.. So its a catch-22, how do you locate the wire if you can't ID it. Might be able to ID in the rats nest of wires through the process of elimination.. hard to tell without seeing it in person.

[John Linck]

Originally Posted by gordon2

Did you have a window A/C, or A/C that was plugged into a standard outlet? Or was the outlet below the pantry in addition to the A/C wiring? I'm confused.

So its a catch-22, how do you locate the wire if you can't ID it. Might be able to ID in the rats nest of wires through the process of elimination.. hard to tell without seeing it in person.

I did add a rear window AC for a Summer wedding trip. Normally we avoid hot weather camping. The Romex was thick enough for the finger feel method to be pretty easy. Not sure about finding low voltage DC non-bundled conductors. Since my Scamp installed Romex powered the absent roof top AC and as well as the pantry outlet it was on a breaker and energized. I added another outlet under the rear window to power my window AC. I used the original Scamp installed romex for my roof mounted solar panel, de-energizing my pantry outlet at the same time. Someday I plan to run juice to that abandoned outlet, but we almost never have shore power so the motivation is slim.

john

[k0wtz]

john are you primarily a boondocker? we just finished a 3 week jaunt not one night spent at a campground!

bob

[Darral T.]

Serial Number? Call Scamp and give them that and they should be able to look up YOUR camper and give you a definite answer. I'd be more concerned about the roof than the wiring as that COULD be done but most likely (as others have already stated) is already wire-prepped if the roof is the reinforced one.

I'd have to agree to go with a floor/closet model if it isnt. The $100 + cheapy A/Cs are much more attractive than what you will pay for a roof model $700+?

I DO have the roof model and have to disagree with others that have it and dont like it. It's up out of the way and QUICKLY can heat/cool the Scamp from its location. Dont have to worry about setting stuff in front of it and it doesnt take up ANY floor/closet space! But that's just my opinion.

Another "CON" for roof mount A/Cs? VERY difficult to work on! BTDT!!

[k0wtz]

darral we just went through ark from ms I got on washboard on i55 so bad I thought I had a broken axle. I finally drove about 3 mi on the blacktop shoulder side. I got out and looked nothing wrong but finally checked the highway and I saw why things were shaking so bad. By the way it was new pavement!

in all my life I have never been on washboard like that and this was on an interstate. I still wonder how my roof handled it no shocks on the trailer you know.

we finally pulled over and the inside of the trailer was a mess!

bob

[Darral T.]

Bob, some of the key words there are Arkansas and Mississippi. BUT, I ran into the same sorta situation pulling down from Backus through Wisconsin! Wow... I looked over at my wife and we both looked like we were horseback riding!!

Well obviously, the Scamp's suspension was working for you and honestly, the little fiberglass shells are TOUGH! I'd be MUCH more worried about the old stick-n-tins with them LEAKING after such a trip!!

Originally Posted by k0wtz

darral we just went through ark from ms I got on washboard on i55 so bad I thought I had a broken axle. I finally drove about 3 mi on the blacktop shoulder side. I got out and looked nothing wrong but finally checked the highway and I saw why things were shaking so bad. By the way it was new pavement!

in all my life I have never been on washboard like that and this was on an interstate. I still wonder how my roof handled it no shocks on the trailer you know.

we finally pulled over and the inside of the trailer was a mess!

bob

[k0wtz]

well it was an astounding ride I watched the semi drivers dealing with it too. but they all have shocks and shocks on their trailers hard on us guys!

bob

[Darral T.]

I dunno that it's ever discussed on here, but really, that's when I would DEFINITELY make sure the ball and hitch was greased! That's the way it was with ours in Wisconsin- we were "porpoising" so that means the truck rearend was bobbing up and down working the ball/hitch OVER!

I bought a ball cover not too long ago at an RV dealer that works REALLY well to keep the grease on the ball and NOT on my pants...haha... and also keeps dirt/grit off the ball when not in use.

Mine is not an "etrailer" brand but looks like this one- with a tether so you dont lose it! I HIGHLY recommend these.

https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories...2-00-3220.html

Originally Posted by k0wtz

well it was an astounding ride I watched the semi
drivers dealing with it too. but they all have shocks and shocks on their trailers hard on us guys!

bob

[gordon2]

Major topic drift!