Community Forums

Dank1945 · 01-01-2017, 07:49 PM

Hi folks,
I have that I have no power to the lights in the bedroom only. Is there a fuse for that area alone? Where is it?
Thanks,
Dan

BFlinn181 · 01-01-2017, 09:05 PM

There are generally two fuse panels. One will contain 12v fuses that protect the driving functions; turn signals, wipers, headlights, tail lights, etc. The other fuse panel contains the living functions, interior lights, water pump, furnace, water heater, refrigerator, etc. That panel is often with the converter/charger or the levels panel. Mine is behind a door in the base of the bed in back.

A through exploration of your RV will pay off in many ways. As you search cabinets, closets, compartments, and all other spaces in your RV, write down make and model of every component you discover. On a winter evening, use Google and find documentation for each of the parts that make up your RV. A listing of fuses and circuit breakers can help sometime when you're camping and something doesn't work.

dix39 · 01-01-2017, 10:23 PM

What BFlinn181 says is certainly correct. I have been doing what he advocates for the year we've owned ours and there are still things I haven't figured out about it. There is a lot to learn.

Our Flair is only 26' and a '94 on a Chev P30, so it is probably different. It has some breakers/fuses at the converter. There are also some on the outside right front firewall and some hidden under the part of the dash with instruments, radio, etc. which simply lifts up from the front. I don't remember what fuses/breakers are where, but I'll check tomorrow if you haven't found them by then. There is also a GFI receptacle in the lavatory that should be checked. If you have one it could be elsewhere, just look for it and check to see if the circuit could be broken there.

Ours has a wall switch in the bath. There is also a switch on the light. I couldn't figure out why the switch on the light wouldn't work and had the light down and was in the process of disassembly before I saw the wall switch, duh.

Best of luck with the thing.

Steve

Dank1945 · 01-02-2017, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dix39

What BFlinn181 says is certainly correct. I have been doing what he advocates for the year we've owned ours and there are still things I haven't figured out about it. There is a lot to learn.

Our Flair is only 26' and a '94 on a Chev P30, so it is probably different. It has some breakers/fuses at the converter. There are also some on the outside right front firewall and some hidden under the part of the dash with instruments, radio, etc. which simply lifts up from the front. I don't remember what fuses/breakers are where, but I'll check tomorrow if you haven't found them by then. There is also a GFI receptacle in the lavatory that should be checked. If you have one it could be elsewhere, just look for it and check to see if the circuit could be broken there.

Ours has a wall switch in the bath. There is also a switch on the light. I couldn't figure out why the switch on the light wouldn't work and had the light down and was in the process of disassembly before I saw the wall switch, duh.

Best of luck with the thing.

Steve

Thanks for the reply. I dont have a wall switch, but i will look for a gfi in the bathroom. Yes, there are two panels, one in the front drivers side and one under the dash drivers side. Both are very awckward to access. Only breakers in the converter panel. I will have to check all fuses. This is a F53 chassis.
Thanks

BFlinn181 · 01-02-2017, 08:29 AM

Most likely the fuse panel under the dash is for chassis (driving) circuits. A GFI is for 120v AC power, not 12v. Switches for 12v are smaller and don't look like 120v switches which typically are the same as in 'sticks and bricks' buildings. A GFI is capable of controlling more than one outlet, they are often 'daisy-chained' as the first outlet in a circuit. That way the second, standard outlet is protected by the GFI function. I've never seen a light daisy chained in a GFI circuit.

Most 12v RV light fixtures have a switch built in. In addition, a wall switch might be in the circuit to allow control without reaching up. Another reason a light might not work is the bulb might be burnt out. Replace with proper bulb, don't just install one that fits. Many plastic lights have been melted by installing a brighter bulb.

dix39 · 01-02-2017, 01:26 PM

Again, Bob is correct.

I just checked the panels in our Flair and nearly all the coach fuses/breakers are located at the converter panel. Ours is at one of the seats to the dinette, I'm not sure where yours would be. You could try plugging the coach in to outside power and listening for the hum to locate it. There were fuses to a couple of light circuits on our panel.

There are fuses on our outside firewall for the propane moniter and moniter panel, but no inside lights.

All the fuses behind/under the dash are for the chassis, lights, horn, engine, etc. Check closely to be certain there is not an access door of some kind there. We (my son and I) worked through the radio and heater control panels for several days before finding the easy access on ours.

The GFI receptacle is , as Bob said, only in the 120v circuit and it controls several receptacles. I did something to make it pop last Summer and had a heck of a time running it down. At that point I thought our bedroom lights were 120, but they are not.

As soon as I buy a "new to me" vehicle I start looking for manuals. I found chassis manuals for ours at good prices on eBay and bought one there. Coach wiring and other specific information seems difficult to come by. Another poster here listed this website; Fleetwood Motorhome Diagrams & Technical Assistance – RV Wiring Diagrams . I contacted them via email and the next day they sent me a considerable amount of electrical information that I printed out, I just haven't had time to study it yet.

As Bob says, the more you know about these things the better off you will be when problems occur, especially if you're a long way from home. I'm thankful for him, and others, who are willing to share their knowledge.

Steve

Dank1945 · 01-02-2017, 06:56 PM

The plot thickens... I have to give more info on my problem. I know my bedroom lights all worked fine at one point, but never tested the GFI receptacle in the bathroom, so I can't attest to its condition.
The same day I found out that I had no lights in the bedroom, I was replacing several ceiling lights in the living room, as well as the one in the bathroom, with LED units, they all worked great after replacing them with the new ones.
After replacing the bathroom unit, I moved to the bedroom and replaced the ceiling unit with a new one, and when I tried to test it I found that it didn't work. Checked the two lights at the head of the bed, and they didn't work either.
Enter today: I tested all fuses, both under the dashboard and in front of the engine bay, with an ohm meter, and they all tested OK. I also tested the 3 fuses located in the inverter, OK.
I have also replaced the GFI receptable in the bathroom on speculation that it might be the guilty party, but I have no power in the new receptacle either.
Right now I believe my next move is to get a hold of a wiring diagram for the coach, in order to do some logical troubleshooting.
Thanks for your help,
Dan

Dank1945 · 01-03-2017, 06:39 AM

Thanks for the replies.
All outlets work, except the gfi in the bathroom.
The light fixture on the bedroom ceiling is a brand new 12v led unit. I believe the 2 light fixtures on the wall by the head of the bed are also 12v but didnt check, they were working a few days ago but dont work now.
The converter unit has all breakers not fuses, and i have reset all of them.
The rv is constantly plugged in to 120 supply.
I do have a question aabout the gfi: i believe when you press the test button, the reset is supposed to jump out, but nothing happens here. Same with the old one. I think that indicates a problem in the circuit?
Cheers
Dan

BFlinn181 · 01-03-2017, 10:50 AM

The GFI is a separate issue from the 12v bedroom lights. Plug a lamp or other portable 120v item into the GFI outlet. If it works, then push the 'TEST' button and it should go out, then 'RESET' should make it turn on again. They do go bad. If it's bad, check for a tripped circuit breaker in the 120v breaker panel. Turn the breaker OFF, then on again, a tripped breaker often 'looks' on but should be reset to be sure. A not uncommon issue with 120v service in an RV is the wiring clamps in the breaker panel (and the Auto Transfer Switch) can 'relax' over time and need to be snugged down. Of course only do this with shore cord unplugged!

You'll have to continue searching for the HOUSE fuse panel. I'm sure you've got one, it will have fuses for the water pump, refrigerator, furnace, etc. besides the interior lights.

Dank1945 · 01-03-2017, 02:08 PM

Hi,
I resolved the issue with the GFI receptacle. Checked the wiring and I had installed the white from one cable to the black of the other cable (two cable setup). Also, the original GFI was defective, so I needed to change it anyways.
Still wondering what to do about the lighting in the bedroom. I just sent a request for a diagram to Fleetwood. Hopefully they'll provide me with one. I have checked all fuses that I found with a meter, and none is blown. I have not found any fuse that is labelled "lighting" anywhere. I think I am going to open up the circuit breaker panel and take a peek inside for any abnormality.
Cheers,
Dan

Dank1945 · 01-04-2017, 10:11 AM

Hi folks,
Thanks for all your help, I really appreciate it. I FOUND the fuse panel... it was so obvious I couldn't see it, like you can't see the forest for the tree in front of you. It was right next to the breaker panel in the converter box... strangely enough labelled 12V panel. Sometimes you look at something and you don't see it.
Everything is back to normal, with new LED fixtures (some, not all) installed. Very happy.
I also contacted Fleetwood and they email me all wiring diagrams and plumbing diagrams for my RV the next day. If everyone needs them I'll be very happy to forward them, just send me a private message.

BFlinn181 · 01-04-2017, 10:24 AM

Glad your problem is resolved, thanks for reporting back.

dix39 · 01-04-2017, 04:43 PM

Yeaa!! That is good to hear.

Steve

tropical36 · 01-07-2017, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dank1945

Hi folks,
Thanks for all your help, I really appreciate it. I FOUND the fuse panel... it was so obvious I couldn't see it, like you can't see the forest for the tree in front of you. It was right next to the breaker panel in the converter box... strangely enough labelled 12V panel. Sometimes you look at something and you don't see it.
Everything is back to normal, with new LED fixtures (some, not all) installed. Very happy.
I also contacted Fleetwood and they email me all wiring diagrams and plumbing diagrams for my RV the next day. If everyone needs them I'll be very happy to forward them, just send me a private message.

Good that you got it fixed and most sure you learned a few things along the way, which is most usually the case.
Also, by now, you should know that all lighting is 12vdc and comes from the batteries by way of the house fuse panel, so no 120vac wiring, breakers, inverters, GFI's and the like have anything to do with it and especially when the problem is restricted to a certain area.
Whole house darkness and dead batteries, as a result of a converter or inverter/converter input or output failure is another story.