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Storage Bay Lights Don't Light Up

November 07, 2010, 08:56:06 pm

As we were loading our 1997 U295 for a trip to visit the grandchildren, I found that none of the storage bay lights work. I checked the wiring diagrams and did not find the circuits for the storage bays. I expect a fuse has blown, but I don't know where to look for it. It does not appear to be among the fuses at the foot of the bed.

The light in the engine compartment works. Lamps in the service entrance bay, water pump bay, and both sides of the large storage bay will not light. All other lamps and 12V circuits in the coach appear to work. The lamps in the bays worked last time I depended on them. I did put in a fresh bulb in one of the fixture, and experienced no change.

Where do you suggest that I search for a failed fuse, switch, or circuit? I've not seen evidence of critters in the coach, so I don't suspect a problem from rodents.

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Re: Storage Bay Lights Don't Light Up

Reply #1 – November 07, 2010, 09:27:28 pm

I am not familiar with your exact coach, but there are a number of fuses under the lift up dash. Take a look there.

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Re: Storage Bay Lights Don't Light Up

Reply #2 – November 07, 2010, 09:46:11 pm

When Something stops working, go back to the last time you. or anybody touched it. When something like this happens to me I always say " OK stupid, what did you since last time it worked. ( it may be as simple as burnt out bulbs )

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Re: Storage Bay Lights Don't Light Up

Reply #3 – November 07, 2010, 09:58:16 pm

I found no fuses under the dash covers. I also found none behind the panel in front of the passenger seat. I also looked behind the plastic shield in the basement that houses several relays and junctions. I saw no fuses. I did see a switch that I am curious about. I'll find out about that later.

The last interaction I recall with the basement lights was to turn each of them off at the fixture, because I was leaving the bay doors open for a couple of days after I flooded the bathroom. (Doh!) Perhaps the water from the flood caused a problem. It did not dump much water to the basement, but some did travel through the floor and dampen the carpet in the big storage bay. I did turn the switches back on and tried two fresh bulbs in one of the fixtures.

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Re: Storage Bay Lights Don't Light Up

Reply #4 – November 07, 2010, 10:43:36 pm

Fixed! Thanks to Pamela and Mike who guided me to the 12V breaker switch in the junction box in the main storage compartment. The panel is driver/street side, rear wall of the large bay on the 1997 U295. There is a fiberglass panel secured by two wing nuts. The breakers are little black boxes with tiny little black reset buttons on one end. I pressed the reset button and there was light!

I expect the flooding episode with the toilet caused enough current to ground to trip the breaker for the basement lighting circuit.

Thanks for suggestions, and special thanks to Pamela and Mike who guided me to the exact button to press.

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