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Old Navy · 06-07-2020, 10:36 PM

'05 Alpine Coach Dometic Fridge, gas was popping so was off to perform basic maintenance. Inadvertently grounded the 12 vdc lead when disconnecting it. Spark! Oops! Checked fuse panel, fridge not listed. Checked all fuses both visually and with ohm meter. Negative.
The end of the wire is burred like it has been in and out before (I bought in 2012) No AC or DC current on that line. I have tested all other reachable 12 vdc uses in the coach, lights, pump, basement lights. All normal. Traced the 12v wire that shorted. It disappears into a bundle in a basement compartment. Any suggestions? Similar experience?
Owner's manuals: Dometic says where and how to connect 12vdc, 120vac and propane. Nothing about fuse or breaker. Alpine Coach doesn't mention the fridge. Wiring Diagrams no reference to the fridge. Hmmm.

Unplanned Tourist · 06-08-2020, 12:03 AM

If you get yourself one of those wire tracer tools, you can follow the power wire back to the fuse.

Happy Glamping.

Old Navy · 06-08-2020, 08:24 AM

Thanks to "Unplanned" for suggesting a wire tracer. Never heard of, or used, such a thing. Searching now.

HarryStone · 06-08-2020, 02:25 PM

As a future suggestion, never disconnect the positive terminal first.

Old Navy · 06-08-2020, 10:00 PM

Thanks all for your help. It's what makes this site so valuable. Per recommendation, I bought a tracer off the floor at Home Depot. A little bit of reading and experimentation gave the first lesson on discerning the difference between standard fuzz and static riding the AC line and the investigative Beep Beep Beep. Soon we were off following the beeps. They did NOT go to the fuse board, other appliances or lights. They descended into the basement never to be heard again. Repeated several times. Finally settled on a (15 amp) unused pair from the where the previous owner had taken out the antenna director.
It ran near, and two holes down from the fridge, spliced the pair with some excess wire and connected it to the 12vdc input for the fridge. Worked fine!
Made certain to go back and relabel the highjacked connection on the fuse board. Yes there is a tied off end of a 14 guage red wire in the bowels of my coach. So?