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trailerbikecamp's avatar
trailerbikecamp
Explorer
May 14, 2019

Having trouble locating short circuit

I have a 2004 Carriage Compass 30 RLS. Yesterday when I was leveling the camper, I blew a fuse, and all 12V power went off in the camper. The fuse is a 25A on a #10AWG black wire. I went back to the camper today with my multi-meter to find out what happened. Today, I found that everything that runs on 12V works, except one fantastic fan. The odd part is that, when I opened the fan it had two #14AWG wires. One was purple, the other white.

The powered cover for the fan is fine, but the fan doesn't run. Should I open the fan itself? Or look elsewhere to find the short. There is a 4A glass fuse in the fan, but this fuse is fine.

I have a second fantastic fan which works perfectly.

The 120V power is not plugged in
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    May 18, 2019
    SOunds to me like the fan motor may be toast.

    Disconnect one of the wires to the motor and put a fuse in that lead see if it blows.
  • BFL13's avatar
    BFL13
    Explorer II
    May 18, 2019
    Perhaps if the screen is bent in (up) the fan won't turn.
  • mchero's avatar
    mchero
    Explorer
    May 18, 2019
    note that that fan "might" have a switch on the vent.When closed the fan wont run.
  • trailerbikecamp's avatar
    trailerbikecamp
    Explorer
    May 16, 2019
    OP here. Jacks work, everything else seems to work except the one fantastic fan, the cover raises but the fan doesn't run. All the lights, the jacks work fine, the other fan works. There is a connection for a powered awning, that was never used. I may have gotten water in the exterior connection? I haven't tried the furnace. I will give it a good shakedown this weekend.
  • BFL13's avatar
    BFL13
    Explorer II
    May 15, 2019
    Can't think what would have a 25a fuse in your rig

    https://www.gardnerrv.com/product/used-2004-carriage-compass-30rls-747537-5

    The 2003 5er we had, used a 40a for the converter, a 30a for the slide, a 30a for the jacks. No 25 anywhere. Yours has that smaller bedroom slide ours didn't have--does it have its own fuse --25a? Assuming both electric.

    In the OP it said "while levelling" so was it for the jacks? If still blown do the jacks work? Or is it no jacks, no one fan, but everything else works?
  • mchero's avatar
    mchero
    Explorer
    May 15, 2019
    mounting ANY hardware inside or outside? Running a screw in a wall or roof could hit wire(s).
  • trailerbikecamp's avatar
    trailerbikecamp
    Explorer
    May 15, 2019
    I think I may have had multiple issues. Both a tripped circuit breaker and a short. The black wire I am trying to trace has an inline 25A fuse. This fuse blows as soon as a new fuse is put in.
  • eieioh's avatar
    eieioh
    Explorer
    May 15, 2019
    Better known as an intermittent open circuit. VERY frustrating to find.
  • MrWizard's avatar
    MrWizard
    Moderator
    May 15, 2019
    that is NOT a Short

    that is an interuppted missing connection

    shorts blow fuses or melt wires
  • BFL13's avatar
    BFL13
    Explorer II
    May 15, 2019
    Since the 12v power came back by itself, you must have blown a 12v self-setting circuit breaker instead of a fuse. Meanwhile your fan has another issue all by itself.

    It should have its own fuse at the DC fuse panel besides that little one of its own.

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