Conversion van wiring,,Help!

[Shamu]

I stripped  Shamu aka 93 chevy g20 mark 3 conversion van, down and the wires are everywhere.  I'm ready to just cover them all up,,,has anyone dealt with conversion van wiring or has wiring diagram for Mark 3 thanks!

 

[ViaVacavi]

Are they all connected to something, or do you have loose ends all over the place?

If everything is sill connected, you can simply tuck them into some wire loom for organization and protection, then route it all out of the way. If you have loose ends then you're going to have to determine what they go to. If you don't have one, pick up a cheap multimeter if you need to trace out any loose wiring.

I checked around online a bit and found a schematic for 1999. It might not be exactly the same but there are probably some similarities:
http://www.eastcoastautotoys.com/pdf_files/wiring/1999_electrical_schematics.pdf

 

[Shamu]

Are they all connected to something, or do you have loose ends all over the place?

If everything is sill connected, you can simply tuck them into some wire loom for organization and protection, then route it all out of the way.  If you have loose ends then you're going to have to determine what they go to.  If you don't have one, pick up a cheap multimeter if you need to trace out any loose wiring.  

I checked around online a bit and found a schematic for 1999.  It might not be exactly the same but there are probably some similarities:
http://www.eastcoastautotoys.com/pdf_files/wiring/1999_electrical_schematics.pdf

 

[Shamu]

Thanks so much! Some I know are connected to lights in the back that I know I won't be using. Can I just remove or cut them?

 

[TMG51]

Thanks so much! Some I know are connected to lights in the back that I know I won't be using. Can I just remove or cut them?

My first impression is that if you're not confident of that answer, you probably shouldn't start cutting wires out of your van....

But if you're certain what they go to, and certain they're not feeding anything else, then you can cut the wires out as long as you don't leave anything positive exposed or cut positive/negative wires at the same time. The entire van body is grounded, so it is the same as a negative wire. Positive touching van = your own personal firework show. Cutting a bunch of wires together will achieve the same when the wire cutters make contact between positive/negative, so don't do that either.

 

[ViaVacavi]

If you know what their original function was and you want to remove or cut the wire that's not a problem. Be sure to make the cut end electrically safe though (wire nut, electrical tape, etc) to make sure it won't give you issues if it comes in contact with the vehicle ground

 

[Mobilesport]

Can you post pictures of the wiring?

 

[Shamu]

I have to make pictures smaller to post them. I thought about just leaving them, ive disconnected wires from the lights that I won't be needing, and thought I should just tuck them in between the insulation. I have ground wires all over connected to the body and nothing else. Can I just remove them?

 

[Mobilesport]

I have to make pictures smaller to post them. I thought about just leaving them, ive disconnected wires from the lights that I won't be needing, and thought I should just tuck them in between the insulation.  I have ground wires all over connected to the body and nothing else.  Can I just remove them?

Yes ,   you can remove the ground wires

 

[SternWake]

My starcraft conversion van wiring in the back was for the tri fold sofa bed, the rear AC unit and the rear lighting.


I kept all the rear lighting circuitry as it is 14 awg and already in position to be reused, the trifold sofa bed actuator now motor opens and closes a conversion van sliding window behind my compressor fridge via the original but relocated rocker switch, the rear AC unit long gone, but the 12 sae gauge wiring to it has been retasked in other projects.

All I really did was move the conversion fuse block to the house battery.  Actually i just cut the wire and used a new fuse block as the original did not lend itself to fiddling.  

CAn't imagine ripping it all out rather than spending a few minutes with a digital multimeter  masking tape and a sharpie figuring out what wire is what, and reusing it.  LED lights don't need 14awg, but I certainly wouldn't rip it out to replace it with 22 awg.

 

[Mobilesport]

My starcraft conversion van wiring in the back was for the tri fold sofa bed, the rear AC unit and the rear lighting.


I kept all the rear lighting circuitry as it is 14 awg and already in position to be reused, the trifold sofa bed actuator now motor opens and closes a conversion van sliding window behind my compressor fridge via the original but relocated rocker switch, the rear AC unit long gone, but the 12 sae gauge wiring to it has been retasked in other projects.

All I really did was move the conversion fuse block to the house battery.  Actually i just cut the wire and used a new fuse block as the original did not lend itself to fiddling.  

CAn't imagine ripping it all out rather than spending a few minutes with a digital multimeter  masking tape and a sharpie figuring out what wire is what, and reusing it.  LED lights don't need 14awg, but I certainly wouldn't rip it out to replace it with 22 awg.

But anything he hooked to them wires would be powered from the starting battery drawing it down.
I assume you guys are talking about the wires in the ceiling

 

[SternWake]

On mine, moving the conversion van fuse block feed wiring to run on house battery fuse block, was step number one, and quite simple. The Stereo's power cable went to house battery fuse block at the same time. Man I hated how one had to have the key in ACC to listen to the stereo, and it would shut off opening or closing windows.

Only the dome/ courtesy lighting was a bit confusing, and i just wound up leaving that as stock, so those lights could draw down engine battery if left on, but with LEDs in them it would take a week or 2.

But in my system as it currently is, house and engine battery are one and the same. I could drop in another deep cycle battery and turn a few switches for going back to a 2 battery system, but I see no need for it at the moment.

 

[Shamu]

Thanks, I have similar ideas, especially the bed motor, what amp or wattage would be appropriate to hook up to it? I'm trying to insulate and leave open the wiring I plan to use, like rear speaker connections, the rear 12 volt, and yes, I want to put my battery and everything right where the extra "fuse or whatever box" which is right behind the driver seat. I'm going to get on the computer and make my pics small enough to post. There is also a TV connection going to the fiberglass top that I think is an antenna? I would love if you lived nearby to come over and show me how you moved that box behind the driver seat or integrate it into my setup. Thanks everyone for your feedback, please keep it coming, I'm recording my journey so hopefully I can help others in the future

 

[rvpopeye]

My mechanic gave me his grandad's 90's Mark3 for reusing as much as I wanted as long as it would still run ! They wanted it for a demolition derby!

I does indeed have a lot of wiring !

Mine had a nice pair of 10GA going all the way back to the electric motor for the rear seat/bed , tons of lighter GA stuff for the lights and stereo . The lights were all daisy chained so most of that was short pieces.
I traced them all to the dash and cut them there and then pulled them back through wrapping the positive (B+) ends with a roll of electric tape.

I also salvaged the stereo ,12 volt TV and VCR , some switches and all of the small lights including all the grab handles and a lot of nice solid dark walnut boards and doors from the cabinets , dash trim etc. (I LOVE DARK WALNUT)
And best of all the 2 rear captain's chairs ,,,
Most of it is now part of my Chevy class C , the rest is in one of my storage compartments.

I never did find out how it did in the derby!

 

[SternWake]

My conversion van fuse block on my Dodge b250 starcraft conversion was by the driver's left foot on the firewall. it tapped into a 12awg wire right by the ignition switch, and did not use a relay as it should have.
I cut and terminated this wire powering the original conversion van fuse block, then moved it to my rear fuse block that is attached to house battery.

The window motor switch was wired for 10awg, and it would blow 30 amp fuses if there was too much weight on the bed when I tried to move it up or down, But that function was defeated early on in my ownership and the just left it in BED mode. The speedo cables going to the screw drive mechanisms would always get pulled from their housings by sliding things under the bed and back out, leading to tool throwing curse fests or sleeping on 1/3rd the available bed space.

I hated that jackknife sofa. So uncomfortable. it was a happy day when I removed it took a sawzall to it and recycled it. A flat plywood platform now holds my new mattress, and can be removed easily for carrying sheets of plywood inside.

I do like the bed motor mechanism opening and closing the window behind my compressor fridge, but it took some engineering to accomplish cleanly without binding and is about 4 inches shy of opening the window fully.

 

[Shamu]

My mechanic gave me his grandad's 90's Mark3  for reusing as much as I wanted as long as it would still run ! They wanted it for a demolition derby!

I does indeed have a lot of wiring  !

Mine had a nice pair of 10GA going all the way back to the electric motor for the rear seat/bed , tons of lighter GA stuff for the lights and stereo . The lights were all daisy chained so most of that was short pieces.
I traced them all to the dash and cut them there and then pulled them back through wrapping the positive (B+) ends with a roll of electric tape.

I also salvaged the stereo ,12 volt TV and VCR , some switches and all of the small lights including all the grab handles and a lot of nice solid dark walnut boards and doors from the cabinets , dash trim etc. (I LOVE DARK WALNUT)
And best of all the 2 rear captain's chairs ,,,
Most of it is now part of my Chevy class C , the rest is in one of my storage compartments.

I never did find out how it did in the derby!e

I saved the walnut boards too, !! Not sure where Thier going yet