Community Forums

99hlane · 09-10-2010, 06:27 PM

hello i have a small problem with my 12 volt fuse panel. three of my fuses arent geting power to them and the other six are? i originaly started invesigating when my fresh water pump,radio and black tank gauge werent working and i traced it down to the fuse panel .those three were not reciving power these three fuses are all next to eachother and are labeled aux 1,2,3 the other six are labeled 123456 and are all powered up fine . i took the fuse panel out and brought it in my shop and hooked it up to a batt tender then took a test light to it and suprisingly only the three that didnt work were now working and the other six were not. i am now completly confused . on my wiring diagram i noticed the two poles were labeled c and d . c is pos and d neg it seems preety cut and dry ?it was working fine last week . is there something im not seeing or mabey something eles causing my fuses to not recive power? thanks for any help

Good man · 09-10-2010, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 99hlane

hello i have a small problem with my 12 volt fuse panel. three of my fuses arent geting power to them and the other six are? i originaly started invesigating when my fresh water pump,radio and black tank gauge werent working and i traced it down to the fuse panel .those three were not reciving power these three fuses are all next to eachother and are labeled aux 1,2,3 the other six are labeled 123456 and are all powered up fine . i took the fuse panel out and brought it in my shop and hooked it up to a batt tender then took a test light to it and suprisingly only the three that didnt work were now working and the other six were not. i am now completly confused . on my wiring diagram i noticed the two poles were labeled c and d . c is pos and d neg it seems preety cut and dry ?it was working fine last week . is there something im not seeing or mabey something eles causing my fuses to not recive power? thanks for any help

99hlane,
Sorry you are having problems... I am sure you will get some help from someone who knows exactly what to do, depending on what kind of set-up you have on your RV...

...Which brings me to this IMPORTANT point. What kind of RV do you have? What make, model engine configuration, etc. When you ask for help, it really gives anyone who wants to respond a leg up if they know these things.

Generally speaking... and I can do no more at present without knowing more... it sounds like there is another fuse block up-line feeding this block.

I am conjecturing that you are looking at fuses in a block under the dash and finding the conditions you stated. What you probably need to look for is another electrical distribution box with a gang of fuses, breakers, etc.

It will be somewhere upline toward the batteries and alternator. It perhaps will be in the front end of the coach, in an engine bay, or evena a side compartment.

It will have physically larger sized fuses and they will have larger amperage values... perhaps 25-40 amps ...serving the sub-circuits in the "downline" fuse block you are working on.

Follow the large wire bundle or the big wires on the "hot" side of the block you are working on... they will take you back to the distribution box of which I speak. Let us know what you find...

Good luck,
Jim

Rick Long · 09-10-2010, 06:57 PM

Is it possible that the AUX receive power from one of the 1 thru 6 and one of those has a bad fuse or bad ground?

ps... about 80% of all RV electrical problems ultimately end up a bad ground.

Martind4 · 09-10-2010, 07:14 PM

Would these fuses be powered from the ignition switch and only operate when the switch is "on" or "acc"? Is there a battery on/off switch that affects these circuits?

I chased a similar problem in a car once and all I had to do to fix the problem was turn on the ignition switch. Did I feel dumb when I finally figured it out.

wingnut60 · 09-10-2010, 07:38 PM

Question behind the question? How have you determined he has a motor home?
What am I missing?
Joe

Good man · 09-10-2010, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wingnut60

Question behind the question? How have you determined he has a motor home?
What am I missing?
Joe

"

Wingnut60,
Assuming you are addressing that question to me... can't be sure, because you did not quote nor give a salutation

... but,

I used my superior abilities at READING and extradorinary powers of deduction... when I read the following;

"hello i have a small problem with my 12 volt fuse panel. three of my fuses arent geting power to them and the other six are? i originaly started invesigating when my fresh water pump,radio and black tank gauge werent working"

... and surmised that any vehicle with a black water tank and fresh water pump was most likely a motor home. Additional clue is that he is on a forum dedicated to RVs.

Could be faulty logic... we'll see.

It's all good,

Jim

wingnut60 · 09-10-2010, 07:53 PM

No harm done, but I have a fresh water pump, a black water tank, a radio and I am on an RV forum, but I don't have a motor home?
Joe

Good man · 09-10-2010, 07:59 PM

Oh my GOSH, Wingnut60... you are RIGHT!!! I did assume it was a MH because when he said fresh water pump, black tank gauges and a radio, my limited mind went right to a Motor Home ...completely ignoring 5ers and TT and anything else.

I am stunned... it is the FIRST mistake I have ever made in my life!!
Well... it's still all pretty good anyway...
Thanks!
Jim

Good man · 09-10-2010, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wingnut60

No harm done, but I have a fresh water pump, a black water tank, a radio and I am on an RV forum, but I don't have a motor home?
Joe

Agreed, Joe... I just saw your post above after I ate the humble pie!

...I guess it sort of reinforces the point that having a complete description of a given RV will yield a better chance of finding a good fix.
It's all good,
Jim

wingnut60 · 09-10-2010, 08:06 PM

All in the quest of good fun.........I made the killer assumption that since he was posting on the TT-5th wheel section, that was what he had. What do I know?
Never too late for the first mistake, mine's gonna come along sooner or later...

And, honestly, I really WAS trying to figure out how all the replies leaned towards a MH--I re-read his post 3 times after all the replies wondering about it.

Thanks,
Joe

Rick Long · 09-10-2010, 08:27 PM

Interesting... When I read his original post I wonder what he had, sooooo... I scrolled up to see what forum he had posted in.

Good man · 09-10-2010, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wingnut60

All in the quest of good fun.........I made the killer assumption that since he was posting on the TT-5th wheel section, that was what he had. What do I know?
Never too late for the first mistake, mine's gonna come along sooner or later...

And, honestly, I really WAS trying to figure out how all the replies leaned towards a MH--I re-read his post 3 times after all the replies wondering about it.

Thanks,
Joe

I'm just glad to be part of the fun with people who play as well in the sand box as you do, Joe...
I think this is a perfect example of a psychological phenomenon called "Frame of Reference" ... it is what happens to us when we come from a certain perspective... ME and as an owner of a motor home, YOU with some other kind of RV... We read the same thing and I assumed it was a MH.
Another example is that a person never really notices all the blue Volkswagens, until they own one.
If you DO ever make that first mistake, I'm betting your calm demeanor and even-tempered demeanor will carry you through just fine.
I'm assuming "wingnut" for Air Force... and I thank you for your service if so.
Take care,
Jim

wingnut60 · 09-10-2010, 08:40 PM

They make blue VWs?

And I could only wish that the name implied military, can't take that kind of credit.

Question for you: does an '89 qualify as a vintage, or do you have another one?
Its been a long time since being around a Detroit Diesel--the ones I was near was on oilfield pumping equipment and they really screamed when wound up.

Joe

Luv2go · 09-10-2010, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 99hlane

...those three were not reciving power these three fuses are all next to eachother and are labeled aux 1,2,3 the other six are labeled 123456 and are all powered up fine .

99hlane:

It sounds like you have an older design converter. As Rick mentioned, check the fuses, but it also could be the converter itself, it has a relay going to a few of the outputs. Most RV mfr's use these outputs for things like radio, tank monitors, etc, that are affected by the unfiltered power supplied by the other outputs. If you're electrically inclined, you can replace the converter with a better one, or try to replace the relay in the current converter.

A great tool to check this with is a cheap DMM, you can get them for $2 at Harbor Freight. The 12V side of life has some really general good info on 12V systems in RV's.

Good Luck!
Stewart