Added awning lights, now they and basement lights don't work (36qbok)

**ependydad** · 06-15-2014, 09:56 PM

Today we added 12v LED awning lights. While playing with the remote, they went off (i.e. they worked and then stopped working). We pulled the power for them from one of the basement light fixtures.

None of my basement light fixtures now work nor do my docking lights on the front cap.

But, other lights inside work and so does my landing gear.

It happened while I was plugged into shore power and still doesn't work now that I'm on battery without shore power.

I assume a fuse somewhere blew, but I'm honestly not sure where they are or what a blown fuse looks like.

Any input for me for tomorrow? I've got minimal tools (don't own a multimeter currently).

Phil57 · 06-15-2014, 10:19 PM

Someone might have the exact location but the fuse is most likely in the front left side compartment the one you open with the round key to access the generator. They should be labeled and i is easy to tell it's blown. You might have overloaded the circuit.

**ependydad** · 06-16-2014, 07:34 AM

I'll look around. I don't have a generator, so I'll check in and around the battery (same approximate location). My converter had a whole crap ton of fuses as part of it- does anyone know if I need to check them/there?

Phil57 · 06-16-2014, 11:01 AM

Sorry I thought you had a Berkshire so the advice was worthless. I need to read better. I'm sure it's a blown 12volt fuse. There must be a compartment housing all or most of them. On mine they are all labeled.

**ependydad** · 06-16-2014, 11:03 AM

I appreciate the advice anyway. I found a bunch of fuses in my converter- I'll start there. I've got some extras and I'll just replace them one after another.

Unfortunately, none of them appear to be labeled.

Todouble · 06-16-2014, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ependydad

I appreciate the advice anyway. I found a bunch of fuses in my converter- I'll start there. I've got some extras and I'll just replace them one after another.

Unfortunately, none of them appear to be labeled.

A lot of converters have a red led light come on if the associated fuse is blown. Should be able to look at converter pretty quick and determine if any are
Blown. If not there then up near the battery may be some more inline fuse holders in the wiring runs.

**ependydad** · 06-16-2014, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Todouble

A lot of converters have a red led light come on if the associated fuse is blown. Should be able to look at converter pretty quick and determine if any are
Blown. If not there then up near the battery may be some more inline fuse holders in the wiring runs.

I did see that my converter had lights. I didn't have shore power when I went poking around last night- maybe that'll help me.

Thanks for the tips.

Hoping to look soon before donating blood tonight.

Arefbee · 06-16-2014, 07:37 PM

The trick is once you find the right fuse label it. Since you were doing electric work I'd look for a lose shorted out connections. That coild either interupt the circuit or blow the fuse.
If there a no LEDs on the converter just pull a fuse and replace it. If nothing changes use that fuse to test the next circuit. Label as you go for next time as you see things stop working. Good luck.

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dfskinner · 06-16-2014, 07:46 PM

Might want to check your outlets; first GFCI outlet in-line might have tripped.... happened to us last camping trip; half the lights worked and half didn't...... reset the breaker....

**ependydad** · 06-16-2014, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arefbee

The trick is once you find the right fuse label it. Since you were doing electric work I'd look for a lose shorted out connections. That coild either interupt the circuit or blow the fuse.
If there a no LEDs on the converter just pull a fuse and replace it. If nothing changes use that fuse to test the next circuit. Label as you go for next time as you see things stop working. Good luck.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Forest River Forums mobile app

So my converter was in fact labeled and has lights. Small labels, but they were there. None were lit up but I replaced 2 possible ones for good measure. No dice.

I started unwiring the led strip but ran out of time before my appointment with the vampires (Red Cross).

**ependydad** · 06-16-2014, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dfskinner

Might want to check your outlets; first GFCI outlet in-line might have tripped.... happened to us last camping trip; half the lights worked and half didn't...... reset the breaker....

Would that matter if they still don't work without shore power? I was just running on battery last night and had no luck.

I'll check them, either way.

**ependydad** · 06-17-2014, 12:41 PM

So I've futzed with this a bit- first things first, I removed the awning lights from where we tapped into the basement light. My basement lights still didn't work until I found that a fuse in the controller had blown (light came on- the label certainly didn't match the fuse

). That let my lights work.

I tried readding in the LED lights and they wouldn't work. I'm fairly positive that the basement lights continued to work.

Thinking maybe we had wires backwards for the awning lights, I tried switching them. Neither the awning LED lights nor the basement lights worked after that. I didn't think to check the fuse and simpy un-wired the awning lights from the basement light. When it still didn't work, I rechecked the fuse and it had blown again (though, the light on the converter didn't light up).

I was doing the wiring with shore power, so maybe I'm blowing the fuses when I'm doing the wiring. It took me a while to realize I should have probably unplugged that AND disconnected the battery. But I didn't get zapped, so I consider it a win.

So, that's where I'm at. My basement lights work, but my awning lights do not seem to work whenever I hook them up.

Davidceder · 06-17-2014, 06:18 PM

Maybe you blew out the LED controller?

Chewie · 06-17-2014, 06:43 PM

What brand led strip? I just added the Rollumup brand this week, was asking for the 12v adaptor and they said they didn't recommend wiring directly to 12v, instead using the 110v to 12v power pack. The lady at the company who manufactures them said they use such a small amount of voltage that if not wired up correctly you can blow the whole strip.

**ependydad** · 06-17-2014, 06:55 PM

I got the cheap slow boat from China ones from eBay. Don't know the brand.

Given my luck lately, I wouldn't be surprised to have killed them!

Chewie · 06-17-2014, 07:23 PM

Hopefully not. There are fuses for my basement and front lights in the battery compartment on mine too.

BigTJohn · 06-27-2014, 07:30 PM

Never do wiring with power applied. If you are doing wiring, get a VOM. Hopefully only fuses are the victims. Unwire everything, reconnect power after you gave restored it all back to original specs. Now shutoff 12 vdc, wire in the awning lights and double check. Then turn on 12 vdc and it should work.

Pullingpete · 06-27-2014, 08:09 PM

I've been using these lights for a while .., they only last a season for me ...but in love them

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**ependydad** · 06-28-2014, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigTJohn

Never do wiring with power applied. If you are doing wiring, get a VOM. Hopefully only fuses are the victims. Unwire everything, reconnect power after you gave restored it all back to original specs. Now shutoff 12 vdc, wire in the awning lights and double check. Then turn on 12 vdc and it should work.

I currently have it restored back to original. I have not rewired the awning lights in. I'll be sure to make sure those lines don't have power before proceeding (with a voltmeter).

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