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Topic: Electrical Anomaly—Update and Solution (Read 1175 times) previous topic - next topic

Electrical Anomaly—Update and Solution

I have a sudden-onset electrical issue that I cannot isolate. Suddenly, nearly every component in the mid-part of my U300 GV is INOP. It started with the galley overhead above the cabinet to the left of the entryway. No Hall Light, and not a single electrical component in the bath, i.e., fan, fan light, overhead fluorescents or bath vanity lights work. The circuit breakers for these on the engine firewall, are intact.

I don't know where to start running this down electrically, plus the suddenness of it is mighty peculiar.

1989 Foretravel U300 Grand Villa
Build #3410

Re: Electrical Anomoly

Reply #1
Check the GFCI outlet in the bathroom - see if it needs to be reset.
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Electrical Anomoly

Reply #2
Chuck— good point. Should have thought of that. Thanks!
1989 Foretravel U300 Grand Villa
Build #3410

Re: Electrical Anomoly

Reply #3
On second thought, the GFCI only kills the other 110V outlets on that circuit when it pops, so that was a bad guess.

Salesman switch by the entry door?
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Electrical Anomoly

Reply #4
On second thought, the GFCI only kills the other 110V outlets on that circuit when it pops, so that was a bad guess.

Salesman switch by the entry door?

No, salesman switch is operating normally. I did apply 110vac and reset the GFI oitlet in the bath, to no avail.

1989 Foretravel U300 Grand Villa
Build #3410

Re: Electrical Anomoly

Reply #5
Check the 12 VDC fuses at the base of the bed.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: Electrical Anomoly

Reply #6
The circuit breakers for these on the engine firewall, are intact.
Are you talking about circuit breakers, or are you referring to the fuses in the 12V fuse panel on bed face?

Do you have power to that fuse panel?  You can check with a multimeter by probing the little test holes on top of each fuse to see if they are hot.

If you do not have power to that fuse panel, then you need to check the 90A manual reset curcuit breaker on the main 12V panel in your central storage bay.  It is covered with a white fiberglass panel.  3 big round circuit breakers at the top of the panel.  The center one is manual reset by pushing a button that is accessed through a hole in the wall from the neighboring compartment.

1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Electrical Anomoly

Reply #7
Check the 12 VDC fuses at the base of the bed.

I checked them, but in thinking through it, I'm not sure that a visual check is necessarily adequate. I will check them with a meter to be sure. That does seem like it would be the logical answer—one DC circuit with the bath and hall on it.
1989 Foretravel U300 Grand Villa
Build #3410

Re: Electrical Anomoly

Reply #8
Are you talking about circuit breakers, or are you referring to the fuses in the 12V fuse panel on bed face?

Do you have power to that fuse panel?  You can check with a multimeter by probing the little test holes on top of each fuse to see if they are hot.

If you do not have power to that fuse panel, then you need to check the 90A manual reset curcuit breaker on the main 12V panel in your central storage bay.  It is covered with a white fiberglass panel.  3 big round circuit breakers at the top of the panel.  The center one is manual reset by pushing a button that is accessed through a hole in the wall from the neighboring compartment.

Chuck, thanks. I will test the 12DC fuse panel and then the electrical bay panel per your instructions.
1989 Foretravel U300 Grand Villa
Build #3410

Re: Electrical Anomoly

Reply #9
There are two different electrical systems in your coach. One is high voltage, such as 120Volt AC.  This is used for your plugs, AC's, TV, battery charger,  and other items that use power. This system normally uses circuit breakers.

The other system is low voltage, ie 12Volt DC  which is your lighting, power for refrig, if a LP one, furnace, fans, control power for the AC's  (yours may be different but the control wiring is mostly 12V in RV's but it takes 120V to operate the AC's) This system can use fuses and or circuit breakers of the 12V kind.

If you do not have 120V and your batteries run down you will not have any power to lights and such.
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: Electrical Anomoly

Reply #10
Open and close every breaker in the box
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: Electrical Anomoly

Reply #11
Guys/Gals,

All the non-functioning systems are 12 VDC, NOT 120 VAC.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: Electrical Anomoly

Reply #12
Guys/Gals,

All the non-functioning systems are 12 VDC, NOT 120 VAC.

I think this is a 12vdc problem, as the services that are out are all 12v, I.e., hall lights, bath lights and bath fan.
1989 Foretravel U300 Grand Villa
Build #3410



Re: Electrical Anomoly

Reply #15
It is difficult to know the actual physical wiring arrangement on any coach, but it sounds like your problem may be due to a broken or loose connection on a main feed wire.  If the circuit breaker/fuse hunt doesn't get you there, then start with a signal generator on the main fuse lines and see if you can find an open circuit some where.  This is time consuming but may get results that can't be gotten any other way.  Have a great day  ----  Fritz
Fritz & Kathy Johnson
1991 36'

Re: Electrical Anomoly

Reply #16
If at a loss  Go to Lowe's  or Home Depot and get a signal tracker . Open up a non working light and put the red  lead of the signal tracker on the wire that going to the middle of the bulb. Some times you can just leave the black lead dangle  some times it helps it helps if you ground it  Then you can take the probe and start going around all of the fuses to see if you can hear the tone. If you don't hear anything there you can  then try following the wire to see where it goes.

I like the fluke toner generator  I seem to have the best luck with that one, but if they do not have that one,  one of the other brands will work

2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: Electrical Anomoly

Reply #17
If 12V I would look on the back side of the 12V fuse panel. Check the ground connections. What you are experiencing sounds a lot like what happened to me about three weeks ago. On our coach the third set screw down was not locking the bare wires in the hole, but exerting pressure on the electrical tape holding the wire bundle together.
Caflashbob noted that the "folks" at FOT were in a funk because they didn't get a raise and Mr Fore showed up with a new expensive truck. So, some disgruntled employees were reputed to put gremlins or problems in the wiring systems.
Nitehawk,  Demolition Lady, & our NEW master, Zippy the speeding BB cat.
1989 Grand Villa 36' ORED
Oshkosh chassis, 8.2 DD V8
2006 Saturn Vue AWD

Re: Electrical Anomoly

Reply #18
If at a loss  Go to Lowe's  or Home Depot and get a signal tracker . Open up a non working light and put the red  lead of the signal tracker on the wire that going to the middle of the bulb. Some times you can just leave the black lead dangle  some times it helps it helps if you ground it  Then you can take the probe and start going around all of the fuses to see if you can hear the tone. If you don't hear anything there you can  then try following the wire to see where it goes.

I like the fluke toner generator  I seem to have the best luck with that one, but if they do not have that one,  one of the other brands will work

Will do this first thing tomorrow. Thank you!
1989 Foretravel U300 Grand Villa
Build #3410

Re: Electrical Anomoly

Reply #19
If 12V I would look on the back side of the 12V fuse panel. Check the ground connections. What you are experiencing sounds a lot like what happened to me about three weeks ago. On our coach the third set screw down was not locking the bare wires in the hole, but exerting pressure on the electrical tape holding the wire bundle together.
Caflashbob noted that the "folks" at FOT were in a funk because they didn't get a raise and Mr Fore showed up with a new expensive truck. So, some disgruntled employees were reputed to put gremlins or problems in the wiring systems.

Well, I have had an inordinate array of electrical problems. I'll check this tomorrow. thanks.
1989 Foretravel U300 Grand Villa
Build #3410

Re: Electrical Anomoly

Reply #20
Are you talking about circuit breakers, or are you referring to the fuses in the 12V fuse panel on bed face?

Do you have power to that fuse panel?  You can check with a multimeter by probing the little test holes on top of each fuse to see if they are hot.

If you do not have power to that fuse panel, then you need to check the 90A manual reset curcuit breaker on the main 12V panel in your central storage bay.  It is covered with a white fiberglass panel.  3 big round circuit breakers at the top of the panel.  The center one is manual reset by pushing a button that is accessed through a hole in the wall from the neighboring compartment.

Chuck, I believe I may have been looking at the wrong electrical panel. I did not see anything that could be reset. This panel is not accessible from the adjoining bay.

1989 Foretravel U300 Grand Villa
Build #3410

Re: Electrical Anomoly

Reply #21
At the bed I have a 12 V fuse box.  left side , second from top is labeled bath fan and lights.
  There is only one BA (large) input for the entire box. entire12 V coach . 

Re: Electrical Anomoly

Reply #22
At the bed I have a 12 V fuse box.  left side , second from top is labeled bath fan and lights.
  There is only one BA (large) input for the entire box. entire12 V coach .

Yes, I have checked the fuses and no problem there. Another post referred to a "90A" panel that incorporated a "reset" function; , however, I do not believe I have located the correct panel as yet.
1989 Foretravel U300 Grand Villa
Build #3410

Re: Electrical Anomoly

Reply #23
When you say you are checking the fuses are you just looking to see if it is intact or putting a test light on it to verify it is passing power?
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago