LOFAT36
Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 08/09/2015
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
 Offline
|
I have the same problem with my bathroom fan. Put in a new fuse and it lasts 2-3 times and blows again. Everything else works fine.
|
ScottG
Bothell Wa.
Senior Member
Joined: 02/25/2005
View Profile
|
LOFAT36 wrote:I have the same problem with my bathroom fan. Put in a new fuse and it lasts 2-3 times and blows again. Everything else works fine.
Is that the old style glass fuses like Fantastic fan uses? If so you can buy slow-blow fuses of that type. Might solve your problem.
|
RvNewbieFl
Florida
Full Member
Joined: 11/26/2016
View Profile
Offline
|
I just recently purchased a 2011 Primetime Lacrosse ultra light. I live in Florida. It was delivered 2 weeks ago and is currently sitting in my driveway.I was able to open the slides and set it up. I went and checked the grey water/ black water ect, and noticed the battery was low. So i charged the battery and later i went and bought a 12g extension cord and plugged it into the house.I knew not to run things due to limited power. So ive never turned on air/heat or microwave. When I plugged it in, I noticed that the main power cord was wrapped in electrical tape. (Notified them and they said I needed to replace it, they would be happy to price it for me). I did turn on the stereo. And a two lights while cleaning it. (Arrived uncleaned). I know it was in some sort of accident while they were delivering it.One fender was completely ripped off and the other held in by 2 screws. Slight damage in front and ding on one slide. I asked the dealer for two fenders. And i would put them on if he sent them here to my house. At first he only agreed to one fender. The awning motor didn't work at walk through. Neither did the tv. And number 9 fuse was blown but said they would replace. When it arrived number 9 fuse still had a light. I checked the 15amp fuse and replaced it.2 hours later it blew again... I replaced it with a 20 amp fuse because the box says not to exceed 20amps.. but once again it blew. I tried turning stuff on and off. Minus air heat water heater microwave ect.but couldn't get it to blow. I left it and checked it 2 hours later and same #9 red light. Basically long story short. I'm already eating the cost of 2 tires a spare. The awning. Replaced the water line to the refrigerator (no water line) but they did finally get me keys to the outdoor kitchen and undercarriage, so I can take that off my list. and with needing to purchase a new TV. The only one it came with doesn't work. this is adding up quick. I still haven't even finished paying all of the down payment due on the 1st. I have an ohm meter and line chaser. Tried everything I know to do. The refrigerator still works with #9 showing red. I did have to email manufacturer for owners manual hoping to get a diagram of that load is on the fuse. They emailed me a generic owners manual with no real info in it. I don't see any markings on the fregerator so I don't know what kind it is. After they sent the tech here to my house to fix the main power cord. I seriously doubt I can get them back out here. The main guy just yells athe me .. really yells and just hangs up on me. "I don't have time for this " he says. I'm lost... I love my new rv... and im going to make the best of it but also want to be safe. So much for my extended warranty I bought. Alot of places around me won't even look at it they say it's only been 2 weeks. We dont do warranty work on rvs that we didn't sell. I have seen you all answer great questionsite on here. So its time to turn too the smart people. Any help is sincerely and greatly appreciated.
|
RvNewbieFl
Florida
Full Member
Joined: 11/26/2016
View Profile
Offline
|
It's a 2011 Primetime Lacrosse ultra light model 318BHS... 35ft 6in...
|
RvNewbieFl
Florida
Full Member
Joined: 11/26/2016
View Profile
Offline
|
Also the tv didn't have any rca jack to the tv. So when I slide out the stereo to connect them. I noticed 3 rolls of white tape. With 8 wires going into each one. I unrolled the tape and found 4 speaker wires rolled into each roll of tape. I have since put on the proper connectors. Also when I added the drain plug for the refrigerator. I noticed a blue wire running randomly into the insulation. I carefully moved some of the insulation and the blue wire just fell out. I don't know what it goes to or if it's live. Thsts today's project. But it does have a connectors on it and I'm sure it either goes somewhere or needs to be capped off. I know absolutely nothing about rvs.. nothing.. But I have Google and you tube and people in here. I'm learning as fast as I can. Reading everything and watching every video I can find about rvs and how they work. I now have a basic understanding. I've built airplanes my whole life, so I'm not completely stupid. However airplanes are a totally different bread.I would gladly just stick with what I know. But this isn't going to diagnose itself. And because im not an authorized person to work on it. Im limited in how far I can go. I can test, and I can only look for now. I have all the tools needed and if i dont have something in will go buy it) I will do anything to needed to be safe. At this point. I'm sure I'm forgetting a few things. But at this point ive told you all everything I know.
|
|
|
RvNewbieFl
Florida
Full Member
Joined: 11/26/2016
View Profile
Offline
|
ScottG wrote:Other things that may be running are the radio memory and the propane detector, carbon monoxide sensor. Or there could just be a wire someplace that has been compromised by a staple or other sharp edge.
This one is going to take some detective work by removing one thing and then another to see what happens. You really need an ohm meter to try to track down this shot.
I would not replace the fuse and leave the rig though.
I super tried. I can't get it to blow on purpose. Tried turning on and off stereo, lights, ect. Gave up. Turned everything off let it set overnight with only the refrigerator on electric mode. Came out in the morning and #9 15 amp fuse popped again. Replaced it with the maximum allowed per the label 20amp fuse. Same result.
|
RvNewbieFl
Florida
Full Member
Joined: 11/26/2016
View Profile
Offline
|
ScottG wrote:Dick_B wrote:One thing for sure is that it is not a short circuit. If it was the C/B would blow immediately. So it's got to be an overload.
Not really, in the industry we would call this a soft-short. Either way, there's no rule that says it isn't a short unless it blows a fuse or a breaker immediately.
Also, the short may not exist until something else happens (movement, something turned on, etc) thereby not tripping the circuit protection until a later time.
The fregerator seems to working fine. It hasn't moved. And the only thing I had on was the refrigerator in electric mode. No lights. No nothing else and checked it in the morning and it still popped.
|
mike-s
Michigan
Senior Member
Joined: 10/23/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
Putting larger or different type fuses in is never a solution, and can only make things worse. The fuse panel can handle 20 A, but that doesn't mean all the wires on that circuit can.
With that fuse out, go around turning everything which runs on 12 V on/off. Does the pump come on? Any lights? Fans? Furnace? Water heater? Make note of everything which works and doesn't. You don't have a problem with any of the stuff which works, so that will narrow it down.
I'd be suspicious of the awning motor, perhaps it's on that circuit and powered, but "frozen," so constantly drawing power. Does it get warm? Can you disconnect it and cap the wires to eliminate it from the equation? Also, the TV which isn't working. If it's a 12 V model, unplug it, maybe the power supply is bad and drawing the power. See below for how to roughly measure the current through that fuse, don't just wait hours to see if it blows again. If disconnecting the awning and TV didn't cause the current to drop, you've got more troubleshooting to do.
If there are multiple wires going into the panel, you can start troubleshooting there - disconnect all of them going to that fuse circuit. Then use your meter set to 20 V to see if there's a voltage between each removed wire and where it was connected. If you see a voltage, that wire is trying to draw current. Mark it and set it aside. Do that for all the wires going to that circuit. When done, reconnect all the ones where there was no voltage, they're not the problem.
Now you've got a wire (maybe more) which could be the problem. Some things, like a CO2 detector, will draw power but not enough to cause problems (unless they're broken).
So, take your meter, set it to the 20 V ranges, and measure across a new 15 A fuse on that circuit. Fuses have a bit of resistance, with a 15 A 3AG fuse, you'll see about 10 mV (0.01 V) across the fuse for every amp going through it. If you were blowing 15 A fuses in an hour or two, it's drawing over 15 A, but not by much. So, the meter would read around 0.15 V when the problem wire is connected. It's not exact, but if you see <0.01 V, that wire isn't the problem.
Now take the "problem" wires, one at a time, and connect them back to the circuit. You should be able to identify the one which is drawing too much. Reconnect the others and set that one aside.
Now go back and try the things which didn't work in the first test - most should be working. Whatever doesn't is broken or on the bad circuit.
|
RvNewbieFl
Florida
Full Member
Joined: 11/26/2016
View Profile
Offline
|
I haven't turned on anything so far but the stereo and tv...the refrigerator.. and a few lights...So im unsure about the pump, air ect. Ive ruled out the awning. The stereo, and they tv.. I think... checked each breaker with everything off reads zero.. then reads a good 13.6... nothing to low or to high.... made sure today the blue mystery wire wasn't touching anything. It's possible it was touching metal. But unsure. I'm obviously frustrated. So all breakers are showing green (for the moment). I'm going to finish cleaning it today. And i guess see what happens... hopefully it's the blue mystery wire. And I can figure out where it's supposed to connect to or cap it off... just duck taped it out of harms way for now. (Away from any metal). If... and that's a big if... everything is still green in the morning. I would like to try out the stove, hot water tank, and switch the refrigerator to gas... just a little nervous at this point. I don't think it's a direct short. Or the fuse would blow right away. And other then it being marked as interior. I have no idea exactly what it running. I can't find anything but something is pulling amps from somewhere.
|
LOFAT36
Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 08/09/2015
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
ScottG wrote:LOFAT36 wrote:I have the same problem with my bathroom fan. Put in a new fuse and it lasts 2-3 times and blows again. Everything else works fine.
Is that the old style glass fuses like Fantastic fan uses? If so you can buy slow-blow fuses of that type. Might solve your problem.
Yes it is a glass fuse. I guess I could get slow-blow fuses from NAPA or someplace like it.
|
|
|
