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JCR-1's avatar
JCR-1
Explorer
Oct 28, 2017

Lights out -Dilemma ???

Re: Coachman Clipper 17 FQ.. Have an issue where all the 12 v overhead lights went out . I haven't got a clue as to the cause. The fuse is good and replaced it anyway. There is power going to the fixture , but when I connect the ground wire at the fixture to the chassis ground the fuse pops. I am assuming these lights are on series circuit.There are 5 fixtures affected and all on the same fuse . Coachman technical service is useless as they cannot provide any wiring schematics for this trailer and there only answer is to check the fuse ?? Appreciate thoughts and help on this..Thx
  • JCR-1's avatar
    JCR-1
    Explorer
    Oct 31, 2017
    Found the problem.. The ground wire on the lighting circuit connected to the converter main (-) buss bar vibrated out.. Looked like the screw on the terminal wasn't tightened down to hold the wire in its slot. Had to take out the converter to locate the problem.All is good thanks for the comments
  • Sam_Spade's avatar
    Sam_Spade
    Explorer
    Oct 29, 2017
    drsteve wrote:

    This is why it is best to use a test light rather than a volt meter to chase loose connections.


    No doubt good advice in some circumstances but a "loose" connection will not blow fuses.
  • drsteve's avatar
    drsteve
    Explorer
    Oct 28, 2017
    prichardson wrote:
    Ditto. You probably have a bad connection in the circuit. A loose connection can carry enough current for you to read voltage with a meter but not enough to carry a load like a light. Since several lights are affected I would start at the fuse panel and check all connections on that circuit.


    What he said^^^^.

    This is why it is best to use a test light rather than a volt meter to chase loose connections.
  • prichardson's avatar
    prichardson
    Explorer
    Oct 28, 2017
    Ditto. You probably have a bad connection in the circuit. A loose connection can carry enough current for you to read voltage with a meter but not enough to carry a load like a light. Since several lights are affected I would start at the fuse panel and check all connections on that circuit.
  • Ozlander's avatar
    Ozlander
    Explorer
    Oct 28, 2017
    Lights would be in parallel not series.
    Each light should have 12 v across it.
    Make sure you are grounding the negative side of the light.
    I assume the rest of the 12 v stuff is working OK.
  • azrving's avatar
    azrving
    Explorer
    Oct 28, 2017
    Did you pull each fixture to see if a wire is off or which of them creates the problem. Find the first light in the string.
  • Sam_Spade's avatar
    Sam_Spade
    Explorer
    Oct 28, 2017
    JCR-1 wrote:
    The fuse is good and replaced it anyway.

    There is power going to the fixture , but when I connect the ground wire at the fixture to the chassis ground the fuse pops.

    I am assuming these lights are on series circuit.


    No HIGHLY unlikely that they are in series.

    Those first two sentences seem at odds with each other.

    Anyway, the most obvious cause is a shorted light bulb in that fixture OR the bulb socket itself is shorted OR the 12 V input wire is shorted to the body of the fixture, which is then connected to ground.

    This is assuming that the other 4 fixtures work properly if you leave that one ground wire disconnected.

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