No Lights in Slide Out

[Super Thirty]

Was hoping someone has run into this and can provide their insight. Pulled into site last night. First time out this year. We have a Timber Ridge 260RLS. None of the lights work in the slide. There are 2 switches that control 3 led lights each above the dinette and the couch respectively. The power outlet on the dinette seat has power. Any suggestions?

[Tuquala]

If there aren't any other 12V lights that don't work, and other than blown fuse in the distribution panel, I would look under the slide (near rear on our 280) for wire problem, broken or shorted?? The 12V obviously is separate from the 120V outlet, but they run in the same plastic flex conduit.

[bob26rls]

Originally Posted by Super Thirty

Was hoping someone has run into this and can provide their insight. Pulled into site last night. First time out this year. We have a Timber Ridge 260RLS. None of the lights work in the slide. There are 2 switches that control 3 led lights each above the dinette and the couch respectively. The power outlet on the dinette seat has power. Any suggestions?

Did you check the fuses? It might be as simple as a failed fuse.

To kind of split the problem in half, the next thing I'd do is see if it's a 12V problem, or a ground problem. If you can get to one of the bulbs, check for 12V between the bulb socket and a ground point not on the slide. If you have 12V there, then check for continuity between the bulb socket ground and a ground point off the slide.

If it's a 12V problem, and if the connections on the switches are accessible, I'd check them next. It could just be a loose connection there.

I'd also check that all connections are tight on the fuse board. Those are easy to get to when you remove the converter cover panel. I found loose connections on my fuse board, connections that had never been tightened. I'd suggest removing both AC power and switching the battery to off if you do this check.

Those are the easy things to check. You might also jiggle any wires that you can access going into the slide-out, or under the dinette to see if you can get the lights to flicker. You might also run the slide in and out again. It's a long shot, but worth a try if you're getting desperate.

Is the outlet that works 12V?

If it's not not a lose connection or bad fuse, then it's a bad wire. If the fuse is blown, and it blows again when replaced, then you have a short. Try moving the slide in and see if the short disappears.

[egwilly]

If fuses are all OK (probe with multimeter every fuse), pop a switch cover in the dead circuit and check for 12V. Then work backwards from there.
You probably lost a ground wire somewhere in the loom.

[Super Thirty]

I’ve checked all the fuses and they are good. I’m going to check the wires running in the loom under the slide next. Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Got the wiring diagram from Tod so that helps seeing what goes where. I’ll let u know if I’m successful in tracking it down. May have to go by a multi meter as mine seems to be 1800 miles from where I need it.

[litzdog911]

Originally Posted by Super Thirty

... May have to go by a multi meter as mine seems to be 1800 miles from where I need it.

Isn't always the case? Murphy's Law in action.
Please keep us posted on what you find.

[j.smith]

I had a similar problem with the bedroom lights. Turned out the ground wire was never properly tightened in the terminal strip behind the power distribution panel and finally just pulled out.

In a 24RLS the 12v ground terminal strip is behind the power distribution panel. Remove the front cover and there are four screws holding the panel into the cabinet. Once the screws are removed you should be able to remove the distribution panel from the cabinet and find the terminal strip where all the white wires are connected. In my case the offending wire was floating in space. While you are there you might as well check / tighten the rest. They need to feed the guy who terminates the grounds more often, I found the majority of the connections loose.

Happy hunting...

[brulaz]

My trailer only has 12V in the slide (not 120VAC), fed by a coiled electrical cable underneath.

The cable wore through where it passes through the frame. The hole in the frame was just a crude weld/cut with no protection on the edges, and the wire had no additional plastic protection over the rubber coating, so it was just a matter of time before we lost 12V to the slide. Fixing it was simple.

But I would hope that a loom including 120V wiring would be better protected.

[egwilly]

BTW: best practice when checking the 12V fuses is to probe every one of them with the multimeter in the little holes in the face of them.
Don't trust your eyes when checking for a burnt fuse (lesson learned).

Good luck.....you'll find it eventually.

[Super Thirty]

Originally Posted by egwilly

BTW: best practice when checking the 12V fuses is to probe every one of them with the multimeter in the little holes in the face of them.
Don't trust your eyes when checking for a burnt fuse (lesson learned).

Good luck.....you'll find it eventually.

I didn’t have a multi meter so I used each of the fuses in a location where I could observe lights going on and off. Fuse is not the issue. Following through the wiring is a real PITA. Found that I’m not near as flexible as I used to be.

[bob26rls]

Originally Posted by j.smith

I had a similar problem with the bedroom lights. Turned out the ground wire was never properly tightened in the terminal strip behind the power distribution panel and finally just pulled out.

In a 24RLS the 12v ground terminal strip is behind the power distribution panel. Remove the front cover and there are four screws holding the panel into the cabinet. Once the screws are removed you should be able to remove the distribution panel from the cabinet and find the terminal strip where all the white wires are connected. In my case the offending wire was floating in space. While you are there you might as well check / tighten the rest. They need to feed the guy who terminates the grounds more often, I found the majority of the connections loose.

Happy hunting...

Here's what the mess of grounds and neutral lines looks like on my 26RLS as viewed from the access panel under the shower. As j.smith describes, you have to pull the converter completely out to access them.

[egwilly]

Originally Posted by bob26rls

Here's what the mess of grounds and neutral lines looks like on my 26RLS as viewed from the access panel under the shower. As j.smith describes, you have to pull the converter completely out to access them.

Looks like our mess in the Glacier Peak....had to install more supports under the shower floor due to excessive movement. Lots of debris in the area of the power converter. Very poor workmanship in my opinion. Wait until he sees the miles of black electrical tape ORV uses to organize the wires.

But then I'm a retired network engineer.

[bob26rls]

Originally Posted by egwilly

Looks like our mess in the Glacier Peak....had to install more supports under the shower floor due to excessive movement. Lots of debris in the area of the power converter. Very poor workmanship in my opinion. Wait until he sees the miles of black electrical tape ORV uses to organize the wires.

But then I'm a retired network engineer.

Yup, shower support is why I took this picture. I'm going to install two or three more supports before the next outing. I wasn't impressed with the wiring I saw in this picture. I'll pull the converter some day and see if I can't tidy things up and check all of the connections for tightness.

[BPTS]

We have a '19 24RLS. I pulled the WFCO converter guts to replace them with a Progressive Dynamics Wildkat. Every single ground was loose, every neutral was loose and 2 of them were not in the bus bar, they were just laying on it. One of the neutrals was the main shore power supply line.
Very dangerous situation.
Same with the "Junk ton" box behind the tongue, all sorts of loose wires, crimp connectors not properly crimped (obviously just squeezed with standard pliers instead of crimping pliers.)
I am repurposing the solar "on-off" switch at the main switch panel for exterior flood lights. Same shoddy work, the wires pulled right out of the spade connectors. I have found butt connections with bare wire showing (ceiling fan, brakes) and one of the leads for the brakes pulled out of the connector with just a moderate tug.
So far the quality of electrical work has been very disappointing. I will not feel entirely confident until I have gone through all of it.

Note to the Outdoor RV staff: train your electrical install personnel PROPERLY. The quality of their workmanship is atrocious and it is going to burn down somebodies trailer (if it hasn't already).
You should be ashamed of the product they are putting out.