Wire colours.

[Wakesupremo]

Hi all. I havent trolled through all previous posts so this may have been dealt with before!!! I have a 1989 gulfstream. As im in UK i need to alter the wiring. There seems to be Yellow and white everywhere. which is live and which is neutral?

 

[Chuck v]

Wake,

Since you mention live and neutral -- we presume you are asking about the AC (mains) portion of the wiring. Is this the case? It would also be helpful if you specified the model name and class of the RV you are asking about... Maybe a class A coach???

The convention is that white is used for neutral/ground in the 110 VAC components -- but this color wire may also exist in much of the DC accessory wiring like the interior lighting, etc. Below is a representative diagram for a coach with a 30 amp shore power service.

Hope this helps get you started...

Chuck

 

[Wakesupremo]

Thank you for the reply. Its a 1989 Gulfstream that I am trying to bring back to life. I was referring to all the wiring. I have removed the AC unit from the roof as we won't need it in UK. There were several cables going across the opening in the roof where I have now fitted a rooflight as they are the same size. I just cut the cables as im taking the internal ceiling down and replacing it. I wondered what they were. I now know that some went to the two internal 12 volt lights but there are others that went across towards the kitchen area.

 

[Chuck v]

Wake,

There are many different Gulfstream vehicles that were made in 1989, so your description above is quite ambiguous. In fact, I looked around this site to learn from your registration page it is a Sunstream gas class A, likely with the Chevy drive-train and not the optional Ford on OshKosh chassis... But even with that extra information there are several models in this lineup at different lengths and for sure different configurations of appliances and accessories which drive detailed changes in wiring.

Attached is a link to the best data sheet I could find for the entire Sunsport range of models for 1989:

https://www.gulfstreamcoach.com/media/uploads/2/24971_sunstream1989.pdf

NOTE that there are eight different models with varying lengths and wheelbases...and each model had various options for both the front dinette and the rear bedroom layouts. Match what you have now to this document and we can know a bit more about what unit configuration you actually have.

Since the Air Conditioning unit was an option for all of the models, I would think the wires you encountered would have enough slack to rout them around any ceiling vent/skylight you need to install there. Let us know what you can ab0ut your specifics...

Once you have determined your correct model number, you should add it to your signature block so those forum members replying to your future posts can have a clue as to what a valid answer may be.

Chuck

 

[Wakesupremo]

Thank you for the reply again. Sorry but I assumed that there would have been standardised wiring colours across the complete range.
From the link you posted mine is a 8272 SP.
It has been messed with quite a bit so I'm trying to get it back to where it should be.
I am at the moment battling with the fridge. That has had a fair bit of messing with. the gas supply has been altered and the electrics were all disconnected. It might mean that once its connected up it still doesn;t work!!!

 

[Chuck v]

Sorry to hear your RV has been so heavily hacked by prior owners...it can be a challenge to undo some of those shade tree modifications for sure.

If your fridge is a Dometic or similar gas absorption unit, try to get a good manual by looking up the model number on the appliance tag then search on line and download it.

The GS data sheet for the 1989 units shows a 2 door, 2 way fridge...so it should work both on propane and on 12 volts DC, but the needed specifics will be from the actual manufacturer of the appliance. Posting pictures here might help...

Chuck

 

[Wakesupremo]

Thank you. Its actually a Norcold 663 which is a 3 way model. I have, at last, fitted a replacement circuit board and now have a light working on the 'eyebrow display' that says DC. However it still doesn't seem to want to do anything. More research required!!!

 

[Chuck v]

Sounds like you are making some progress... Here is link to the manual for this series of Norcold units if you have not found it yet:

https://techsupport.pdxrvwholesale.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Norcold-Refer-Model-663-Installation-User-Manual.pdf

 

[Wakesupremo]

Thank you very much for that. I have already printed that off. The replacement circuit board is slightly different and there is a good wiring diagram with it. The problem that I have is, because the wiring was already taken apart, Im not sure what each one does. I have through a process of elimination worked out the majority. I still dont have an interior light or, actually had the fridge working. There is 'DC'lit up now on the 'eyebrow' control panel.

 

[Chuck v]

Here is the wiring diagram from the document I sent you regarding the 663 unit.

Can you post the diagram you now have that you say has differences?? Are you presently powering your board with just AC, or is the DC supply also connected?

In the other thread, you mentioned that you had an 'uncommitted' blue wire -- and there is a blue wire shown above that goes to the door switch via J18 to turn on the interior lamp when the door is open... It is one of two that should be crimped into the lug that is labeled "J10" so maybe it has broken off from there and that would be a subtle thing to find by inspection.

I presume you have the switch shown below in the NORMAL position...right? This component has additional blue wires as seen in the diagram above.

The other switch (slide switch needs to be in the auto position as well for operation from either AC or DC and not exclusively gas, I believe.

Chuck

 

[Wakesupremo]

Thank you for that. I havent got the other switch on my fridge, just the eyebrow with the slideing switches. I have replaced the original pcb with one from Dinosaur electronics. The terminals are slightly different. Not sure how to post that diagram. Ill try to work it out.

 

[Wakesupremo]

Hi again. Here is a pic of the terminals on the new board. As you can see they are a different configuration. It doesn't have the humidity storage switch facility but, im not sure that my fridge has that. Theres a dark blue wire that comes down with the other interior light etc wires and I think another whitse wire that I don't know where they go.

 

[Chuck v]

The D-15650 controller board is meant for a Norcold 8683 3-way fridge and may not work correctly on your older 663 in your coach, although it is listed as replacing Dino catalog # 61565022.

The actual correct boards for the Norcold 663 would be either the 61647622 or the 618666 (the choice depends on if you need short or longer wires to the igniter...but the 618666 can be used for either need.) The Dinosaur electronics site is very clear that you MUST match your board choice to the actual original part number on the board you are replacing -- do you still have that board?? Was the board replacement done prior to your acquiring this RV, and if so did the last owner admit to the fridge not working with this replacement board?

According to the Dino website, this is the board you SHOULD be using...

A c;lose up color picture of the wiring at the board in your rig now may be helpful...

Good luck!!

Chuck

 

[Wakesupremo]

Thanks again. I was certain that I ordered board number 61647622. Have they sent me the wrong board???

 

[Chuck v]

OK, I checked on the Dino site and the board you now have is listed as a proper replacement for the 61647622 so you should be OK... Sorry for any confusion my earlier post caused.

Just another thought -- you say the DC light is on at the eyebrow panel, but IS THE AC light on? The Norcold manual states that the DC mode may maintain cooling but will be quite inefficient, so real operation needs to be either on AC or gas.

Also, the Humidity switch must be in the NORMAL or HIGH HUMID positions and not in the center OFF position -- so you need to verify this!!

Was there any cable plugged into the small modular connector in the upper left hand corner? ADDED under edit: -- that modular connector goes to the eyebrow board. I think that is what would connect to the humidity switch... The flying wires from the board in the area circled below would go to the humidity/storage switch, the internal light and the gas ignition module.

In the original Norcold manual it would be the wiring in the red box here -- and note this is the source of all of the blue wires but not the white wire:

 

[Chuck v]

CAUTION !! It looks like the board you have now is not a direct replacement.

I tried to confirm my first paragraph above and now cannot find the Dinosaur page reference that said the board will work in your fridge. Therefore this statement below is in question:

Looking at the two boards, it is clear that the 'flying leads' that attach to the two versions are 6 wires on the 618666 board and only 4 wires on the D-15650 board as highlighted below. These are the wires seen under the tie-wrap strain relief:

Do you have the original Norcold board or pictures of it? Do you have pictures of the fridge itself (and the wiring...) where the board goes? These pictures could help.

Thanks for being patient with me as I learn about these Dino boards...

Chuck

 

[Wakesupremo]

Thanks again for your information. The original board is exactly the same as the pic you posted the other day with the wiring diagram. Heres a pic of the wiring diagram for the new board.
You are absolutely correct when saying about the different flying leads. I can't make it operate as the fridge manual says it should. I, only getting 9 volts out to the gas c solenoid coil which, I don't think, is enough for it to operate and I also don't have any ignition from the ignitor box!
There are 2 blue wires coming down from the top also with either 1 or 2 whites. I have the interior light working so thats the blue attached to J1 I have no idea what the other blue is or where it goes!

 

[Chuck v]

Since you have the original board, and yo say the wiring was disconnected when you got the RV -- have you tried making the original Norcold board work? With that board, is the connection of all the wires you question now much more obvious?? I guess I need a picture of your refrigerator innards where the board mounts to get a better idea of the excess wires and their colors.

All things considered to this point, I believe the replacement board you have may not be correct and the Dino 618666 is the correct choice. Sorry...

What do you know for sure of this refrigerator's history -- when did it last work and why was the board and wiring messed with in the first place?? Remember: The first rule of intelligent maintenance is "if it is working, don't fix it."

Chuck

 

[Chuck v]

Found a picture of the original Norcold 663 board and a listing of the connections. Hope this helps you:

 

[Chuck v]

Your original Norcold board should have the check box for part number 61647622 marked off as its build configuration as seen below...