Electrical mystery

[tinstartrvlr]

Today I had a mechanic come to me to do some wheel bearing work. Put the slides in and all was well. When he finished, I went to put one of the slides out and it's no go. Fortunately I had a mechanic handy, and he checked the switch and discovered there is no power to the switch. Using a jumper from another switch that had power, we were able to move the slide. So, obviously no power from fuse panel to switch. Fuses all good. Wire from switch disappears into the wall and somehow makes its way to the fuse panel along with all the other wires in the switch panel. No signs of mice, or any particular reason to think a screw pierced the wire somewhere along the line, but I guess it is possible.
Trying to trace the wire would probably require removing cabinets, cutting holes, etc. to try and find the problem.

The mechanic pigtailed power to the switch so all is working. Guess I will never know unless I start tearing things apart, unless someone has any ideas....!

[tinstartrvlr]

"I did that a few years back only it was not a 30 amp get it at the auto parts store fuse, it was a 200 amp "T" fuse costing $60.00"

T fuse? Never heard of it. Fuse I took out looks exactly like the other fuses in the fusebox, typical flat blade auto fuse. Educate me-I always like to learn something new!

[down_home]

Those little colored fuses are supposed to be easy to detect when blown. It may be discolored or the strip of metal inside shown as broken.
I've noticed and done it too, pulling everyone of them just about until I found the bad one when all that might be required is to look at them good.

[RoyF]

My new in 2008 fiver blew a slide-out fuse in 2009. Have had no problem with the slides since then. Maybe you won't either. Keep extra fuses on hand, just in case.

[wa8yxm]

RoyB wrote:
Could be your mechanic accidentally zapped it... Most always is the last thing that was being down haha...

Glad you found it...

Roy Ken

I did that a few years back only it was not a 30 amp get it at the auto parts store fuse, it was a 200 amp "T" fuse costing $60.00

[pianotuna]

I would be going to circuit breakers instead of fuses.

[tinstartrvlr]

Think I made it blow. Slide was a little sticky since it hadn't been moved in quite a while so I stayed on the switch until it decided to move. Live and learn!

[wa8yxm]

Some times just yo annoy you fuses fail.
Happened to the power company where I was parked, no power to half the park.

[D_E_Bishop]

Maybe it just got tired and melted. Maybe it was marginal and the added load of extending made it blow, who really know and if the new fuse last for two or three years, who cares.

If it blows again soon, start trouble shooting, there are units that you can connect in place of the fuse, put a fuse in the tester and it'll give current flow during different operations. There are units that will remember the load on failure.

[RoyB]

Could be your mechanic accidentally zapped it... Most always is the last thing that was being down haha...

Glad you found it...

Roy Ken

[kellertx5er]

Now the question is what made it blow in the first place ...?

[tinstartrvlr]

Roy was correct.

Found 2 30 amp fuses coming off the batteries. One of them was blown. Guessing one fuse for each of the larger slides, and the smaller fuse in the breaker box probably goes to the small slide.

Thank you again!

[ScottG]

Slides usually have an auto resetting breaker someplace. It has probably failed or has loose/corroded connections.

[tinstartrvlr]

Roy,
There is nothing specifically listed in the fuse panel for the slideouts, although there is 1 12v fuse that is labeled "S/O Hitch". We assumed (right or wrong) that it is for the Slide Outs and the tongue jack. I'll take a look around the wiring coming off the batteries. Thanks.

[RoyB]

I have a small fuse block mounted on the wall where the battery is located for my slide-out on my 5th wheel. Fuses are not in the 12VDC Distribution panel...

The newer trailers most likely will have reset type circuit breakers perhaps...

Check in the near vicinity of your batteries.

Roy Ken