Belafonte Reboot....Ambulance to 4x4 Camper Conversion
- Thread starter tgreening
- Start date
Bernard_Roofus
"Jackaroo of all trades"
Well as far as the wiring goes, I gave up even with the prints. I rewired my entire ambo box from one end to the other. That way I know what goes where and what controls what. If you choose that route, marine grade electrics are the only way to go. Plus you will be able to customize it to your needs.
patoz
Expedition Leader
Carl,
I purchased my ambulance at a county auction on 11/02/13, and your thread was one of the first I found afterwards. My first though was, 'Hey, this guy is building my camper!' I read every word of your thread, and copied and saved all of the pictures. Having the pictures was almost like having an owner's manual, because all I have to do to see what's behind a certain wall or ceiling panel, is look at them instead of ripping mine apart.
It's hard to trace and troubleshoot wiring when you don't know what equipment is supposed to be there, or how it works. I would have been glad to help with the electrical if I had been around when you were at that stage, but most of that had been done before I got mine.
Mine has one thing I know you would have liked, since you installed it during your build. Notice the side window, however it does not open.
I would like to get with you later about where you sourced some of the items you used, such as the 9" clear rectangular lenses for the Wheeling side load lights, etc., but don't want to hijack this thread too badly.
Last edited:
patoz
Expedition Leader
patoz
Expedition Leader
Back in the 70's, we were building our own 'Shore Power' systems for ambulances and firetrucks just so we could keep the batteries charged. But regardless of how careful we were, it was not unusual to see a unit going down the road dragging a piece of extension cord. :smilies27 Enter the invention of 'Auto-Eject'.
Unfortunately, the early 90's Wheeled Coach units we are talking about do not have this feature. They just have the basic recessed male inlet. The green pilot light above it comes on when power is connected to let you know you have a good connection and power is actually being received.
flightcancled
Explorer
Actually, the Belafonte did originally have auto-eject, but the cover was busted and the audible*thump* sound when you hit the key was annoying, on top of that the plug would barely stay engaged, so I took it apart and removed the solenoid. Cool, yes, but just wasn't the right application.
patoz
Expedition Leader
Yeah, most manufacturers will offer different options which the customer can request. Mine was an old Rural Metro unit which is pretty basic when if comes to frills. The auto-eject unit is sort of expensive, but compared to ripped out cords, plugs, outlets, etc., plus delay in response time, I guess it's not really. But as you say, not really necessary for a camper.
flightcancled
Explorer
Belafonte Reboot....
Yeah the auto-eject may not be totally necessary, but it beats rewiring my 20 amp chord (or worse!). Plus I have to admit I get a kick out of it.
Have you figured out how the house batteries are tied in? I think I remember the PO had to add them.
I have been looking at banking batteries and tying them in to the position 2 spot on the drivers seat selector with the stock batteries (1DC and 1 starter) combined on position 1. I think that way the alternator will charge them when in BOTH and everything but the maintainer should function without issue.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yeah the auto-eject may not be totally necessary, but it beats rewiring my 20 amp chord (or worse!). Plus I have to admit I get a kick out of it.
Have you figured out how the house batteries are tied in? I think I remember the PO had to add them.
I have been looking at banking batteries and tying them in to the position 2 spot on the drivers seat selector with the stock batteries (1DC and 1 starter) combined on position 1. I think that way the alternator will charge them when in BOTH and everything but the maintainer should function without issue.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
It would be pretty hard to rip out the cord on this one. You'd have to either come in across the passenger seat, or come from the box, and frankly most of the time it's easier to exit the box and come around the truck and in the drivers door. Snaking my legs/feet around the doghouse and seat to get in there is a bit of a pain. I usually just go around. In that case, you can't open the drivers door with the plug installed.
Got it back today, with a brand spanky new non-leaking (so far) water pump. Yay! Bill was a tough chunk to swallow. Booo. Upside is they went ahead and diagnosed, then fixed, my cruise control for no additional charge. Yay! Think the service rep (dealt with him for years) felt a bit guilty about the mini-raping on the water pump. Did I mention my cruise control works like a champ? Yay!
Figured out why I didn't appear to have a block heater. I don't. Well, half of one. The heater appears to be installed, but the cord is MIA. Bit the bullet this afternoon, put on my cold weather gear, and low crawled across a couple of drifts and snuck up on it from blind side. Yep, gone. No big deal, at least I know the scoop, and hopefully the heater itself actually functions. How to check? Just a continuity test? I think I'll go ahead and order a whole kit vs just the cord, on the off chance it's bad. Price difference isn't that great and worst case I end up with spare heater.
Figured out a semi-solution ( I think) to my switch issues. The sub panel back in the box appears to use similar switches, so I think I can pull the cover from one of the spares there to use up front. The ones on the sub look like they are standard switches with blade connections on the back, no fancy schmancy circuit board to plug into, so I can ditch all those and keep as parts donors for the ones up front and replace the subs with the more modern rockers you see in todays Fords. I know there's a source referenced somewhere around here where you can buy a complete panel with as many switches as you want, but I lost the link. Have to find that again and save it.
Idle control and that amp meter appear to be completely non-functional. I haven't dug into it, but I know I can turn on every light, switch, and function possible, and that meter never moves from zero, and the idle doesn't budge. Is there a fuse in that system somewhere? I'd like to get that functional, but I must admit I'm not all that crazy about crawling around under the hood and/or squirming under the frame in this weather. I could get it into my detached garage, but still, I'm turning into a real warm weather mechanic.
Noticed something funky with the temp gauge. Every once in a while it will drop down to "zero", and ride there for a bit before suddenly jumping back up to temp. I tried a bit of high tech trouble shooting, but my tapping on the gauge cluster yielded inconclusive results. I'm going to hope it's just a dodgy connection at the sending unit. I tried searching for that this afternoon till my fingers went on strike for warmer working conditions. IOW, I got cold and gave up.
All my A/C outlets work! Woo Hoo! Microwaved burrito goodness awaits! Only on shore power though. I have to take a look at the inverter situation. I don't think any of the batteries are wired into it to provide A/C, though I could be wrong. I know the outlets were dead without shore power though. Without that my only recourse is manifold fired burritos, which while fairly tasty are a bit of a pain to prepare. I think I'm going to have to beef up the house battery situation, and replace that Vanner 1000 inverter with something just a bit bigger eventually. Would like to have a bit of breathing room on the wattage. I likes me some burritos.
Axles: Biggest I've found for the dually config is just shy of 34", and if I recall the load rating was on the low side, though x4 made it a non issue. I "think" my RAWR is right about 7,500 lbs. I'm not willing to live with a 33" tire on this configuration, so if that means I have to ditch the duallies then so be it. A dually front axle is not the best configuration off road anyway. Too much rim hanging out there unprotected. I'll pick up a matching set of SRW 1-tons, and some H1 rims and 37" Goodyears. The load rating is plenty and the cost is acceptable. Plus H1 rims are just cool.
Let's see, what else?
Got it back today, with a brand spanky new non-leaking (so far) water pump. Yay! Bill was a tough chunk to swallow. Booo. Upside is they went ahead and diagnosed, then fixed, my cruise control for no additional charge. Yay! Think the service rep (dealt with him for years) felt a bit guilty about the mini-raping on the water pump. Did I mention my cruise control works like a champ? Yay!
Figured out why I didn't appear to have a block heater. I don't. Well, half of one. The heater appears to be installed, but the cord is MIA. Bit the bullet this afternoon, put on my cold weather gear, and low crawled across a couple of drifts and snuck up on it from blind side. Yep, gone. No big deal, at least I know the scoop, and hopefully the heater itself actually functions. How to check? Just a continuity test? I think I'll go ahead and order a whole kit vs just the cord, on the off chance it's bad. Price difference isn't that great and worst case I end up with spare heater.
Figured out a semi-solution ( I think) to my switch issues. The sub panel back in the box appears to use similar switches, so I think I can pull the cover from one of the spares there to use up front. The ones on the sub look like they are standard switches with blade connections on the back, no fancy schmancy circuit board to plug into, so I can ditch all those and keep as parts donors for the ones up front and replace the subs with the more modern rockers you see in todays Fords. I know there's a source referenced somewhere around here where you can buy a complete panel with as many switches as you want, but I lost the link. Have to find that again and save it.
Idle control and that amp meter appear to be completely non-functional. I haven't dug into it, but I know I can turn on every light, switch, and function possible, and that meter never moves from zero, and the idle doesn't budge. Is there a fuse in that system somewhere? I'd like to get that functional, but I must admit I'm not all that crazy about crawling around under the hood and/or squirming under the frame in this weather. I could get it into my detached garage, but still, I'm turning into a real warm weather mechanic.
Noticed something funky with the temp gauge. Every once in a while it will drop down to "zero", and ride there for a bit before suddenly jumping back up to temp. I tried a bit of high tech trouble shooting, but my tapping on the gauge cluster yielded inconclusive results. I'm going to hope it's just a dodgy connection at the sending unit. I tried searching for that this afternoon till my fingers went on strike for warmer working conditions. IOW, I got cold and gave up.
All my A/C outlets work! Woo Hoo! Microwaved burrito goodness awaits! Only on shore power though. I have to take a look at the inverter situation. I don't think any of the batteries are wired into it to provide A/C, though I could be wrong. I know the outlets were dead without shore power though. Without that my only recourse is manifold fired burritos, which while fairly tasty are a bit of a pain to prepare. I think I'm going to have to beef up the house battery situation, and replace that Vanner 1000 inverter with something just a bit bigger eventually. Would like to have a bit of breathing room on the wattage. I likes me some burritos.
Axles: Biggest I've found for the dually config is just shy of 34", and if I recall the load rating was on the low side, though x4 made it a non issue. I "think" my RAWR is right about 7,500 lbs. I'm not willing to live with a 33" tire on this configuration, so if that means I have to ditch the duallies then so be it. A dually front axle is not the best configuration off road anyway. Too much rim hanging out there unprotected. I'll pick up a matching set of SRW 1-tons, and some H1 rims and 37" Goodyears. The load rating is plenty and the cost is acceptable. Plus H1 rims are just cool.
Let's see, what else?
I would like to get with you later about where you sourced some of the items you used, such as the 9" clear rectangular lenses for the Wheeling side load lights, etc., but don't want to hijack this thread too badly.
If he doesn't have that info still, I believe I have the receipts for those lenses. Let me know and I'll hunt it up.
It would be pretty hard to rip out the cord on this one. You'd have to either come in across the passenger seat, or come from the box, and frankly most of the time it's easier to exit the box and come around the truck and in the drivers door. Snaking my legs/feet around the doghouse and seat to get in there is a bit of a pain. I usually just go around. In that case, you can't open the drivers door with the plug installed.
Got it back today, with a brand spanky new non-leaking (so far) water pump. Yay! Bill was a tough chunk to swallow. Booo. Upside is they went ahead and diagnosed, then fixed, my cruise control for no additional charge. Yay! Think the service rep (dealt with him for years) felt a bit guilty about the mini-raping on the water pump. Did I mention my cruise control works like a champ? Yay!
Figured out why I didn't appear to have a block heater. I don't. Well, half of one. The heater appears to be installed, but the cord is MIA. Bit the bullet this afternoon, put on my cold weather gear, and low crawled across a couple of drifts and snuck up on it from blind side. Yep, gone. No big deal, at least I know the scoop, and hopefully the heater itself actually functions. How to check? Just a continuity test? I think I'll go ahead and order a whole kit vs just the cord, on the off chance it's bad. Price difference isn't that great and worst case I end up with spare heater.
Figured out a semi-solution ( I think) to my switch issues. The sub panel back in the box appears to use similar switches, so I think I can pull the cover from one of the spares there to use up front. The ones on the sub look like they are standard switches with blade connections on the back, no fancy schmancy circuit board to plug into, so I can ditch all those and keep as parts donors for the ones up front and replace the subs with the more modern rockers you see in todays Fords. I know there's a source referenced somewhere around here where you can buy a complete panel with as many switches as you want, but I lost the link. Have to find that again and save it.
Idle control and that amp meter appear to be completely non-functional. I haven't dug into it, but I know I can turn on every light, switch, and function possible, and that meter never moves from zero, and the idle doesn't budge. Is there a fuse in that system somewhere? I'd like to get that functional, but I must admit I'm not all that crazy about crawling around under the hood and/or squirming under the frame in this weather. I could get it into my detached garage, but still, I'm turning into a real warm weather mechanic.
Noticed something funky with the temp gauge. Every once in a while it will drop down to "zero", and ride there for a bit before suddenly jumping back up to temp. I tried a bit of high tech trouble shooting, but my tapping on the gauge cluster yielded inconclusive results. I'm going to hope it's just a dodgy connection at the sending unit. I tried searching for that this afternoon till my fingers went on strike for warmer working conditions. IOW, I got cold and gave up.
All my A/C outlets work! Woo Hoo! Microwaved burrito goodness awaits! Only on shore power though. I have to take a look at the inverter situation. I don't think any of the batteries are wired into it to provide A/C, though I could be wrong. I know the outlets were dead without shore power though. Without that my only recourse is manifold fired burritos, which while fairly tasty are a bit of a pain to prepare. I think I'm going to have to beef up the house battery situation, and replace that Vanner 1000 inverter with something just a bit bigger eventually. Would like to have a bit of breathing room on the wattage. I likes me some burritos.
Axles: Biggest I've found for the dually config is just shy of 34", and if I recall the load rating was on the low side, though x4 made it a non issue. I "think" my RAWR is right about 7,500 lbs. I'm not willing to live with a 33" tire on this configuration, so if that means I have to ditch the duallies then so be it. A dually front axle is not the best configuration off road anyway. Too much rim hanging out there unprotected. I'll pick up a matching set of SRW 1-tons, and some H1 rims and 37" Goodyears. The load rating is plenty and the cost is acceptable. Plus H1 rims are just cool.
Let's see, what else?
You got the cruise control working?!?! I hate you....
The shore power connection is just a charger. You'll either need a separate inverter or replace the vanner with an inverter/charger ($$$).
The high idle seemed to be intermittent, figured that it only worked in certain situations/circumstances.
patoz
Expedition Leader
Thanks guys, but I just looked at the pictures side by side of both ambulances, and mine uses a different type which I just found. Mine uses the Whelen model 97 light, which looks like this: http://ambulanceparts.com/whelen97seriesclearlens.aspx . Kind of expensive when you need eight of them (2 x 4 sides)! I would love to change these to LED, but $$$$.
Life Star Rescue is one I found a while back, and they have parts for the tail and interior lights etc.
Life Star Rescue is one I found a while back, and they have parts for the tail and interior lights etc.
Yep. Works like a champ. I had the same problem with an Excursion I had. There's a pressure switch in the brake lines that would start leaking internally and intermittently short itself out, till complete failure. This switch also fed into the cruise circuit. IOW, if it went bad the cruise wouldn't work. I "think" this may have also been the source of that intermittent brake light you were seeing on the dash. Time will tell on that one.
Roger on the charger. I had been looking at the mfgr's website and ran out to check something, and noticed that I had gotten myself confused about what model was actually in there. Doesn't matter all that much, because I had intended to change what I "thought" was in there anyway. Derrrrr.
I'm going to look for a fuse or breaker or something concerning that high idle circuit. I can picture it only working under certain, and thereby "intermittent" circumstances, but I would think the amp gauge would be reading no matter what, and it doesn't. Dead at zero.