Help with fuse blowing solution

LandHo · 04-18-2008, 04:25 PM

This is probably a chassis issue, but the 12v wiring is done by Winne. So I am posting it here. I'll describe all the symptoms and what I know.
1. keeps blowing marker lamp fuse #9, 20amps
2. sometime replacement fuse blows right away.
3. If I delay in replacing fuse, it may not blow for 15-60 minutes. But will certainly blow if I "drive" the unit around (see 4.)
4. If I do 3., but not drive MH, the fuse is fine. But if I drive, it may blow quickly or blow after 15-60 minutes.
5. When this fuse blows, my marker lamps, parking lamps (incl taillight) is not lit. Also, my instrument panel (IP) light goes out too (it thinks that I turned the lights off)
6. If fuse #9 is blown, the fuses for parking lite (#23) and fuse #19, will not have power. this tells me that fuse 23 and 19 is in-line after fuse #23...do I have a mis-wiring problem? Which may not be the cause of my fuse blowing but is a separate issue.
7. I've looked for obvious wiring shorts in the trailer plug/taillight area. and cleaned up their connections.
8. Shouldn't my taillamps continue to work? It should not be powered by the marker lamp circuit...right? But I don't think that's my fuse blowing problem.
9. My 4 way stopped working, which they fixed and they said THAT was causing my problem...I didn't agree (and I still blew fuse, so I was right)
10. I think I have a short somewhere, because it only blows fuse while I am on the road...however, see comment #2, which throws a wrench into this theory. Do I have a resistance issue? or both?
HELP !!!! I've already spent $700 on repairs...I am about ready to tell them to rewire that whole circuit...I blew one fuse late last year, and this year, it's been blowing this fuse since I took it out of storage. And it blows fuse with and without toad being connected.

LandHo · 04-18-2008, 04:25 PM

This is probably a chassis issue, but the 12v wiring is done by Winne. So I am posting it here. I'll describe all the symptoms and what I know.
1. keeps blowing marker lamp fuse #9, 20amps
2. sometime replacement fuse blows right away.
3. If I delay in replacing fuse, it may not blow for 15-60 minutes. But will certainly blow if I "drive" the unit around (see 4.)
4. If I do 3., but not drive MH, the fuse is fine. But if I drive, it may blow quickly or blow after 15-60 minutes.
5. When this fuse blows, my marker lamps, parking lamps (incl taillight) is not lit. Also, my instrument panel (IP) light goes out too (it thinks that I turned the lights off)
6. If fuse #9 is blown, the fuses for parking lite (#23) and fuse #19, will not have power. this tells me that fuse 23 and 19 is in-line after fuse #23...do I have a mis-wiring problem? Which may not be the cause of my fuse blowing but is a separate issue.
7. I've looked for obvious wiring shorts in the trailer plug/taillight area. and cleaned up their connections.
8. Shouldn't my taillamps continue to work? It should not be powered by the marker lamp circuit...right? But I don't think that's my fuse blowing problem.
9. My 4 way stopped working, which they fixed and they said THAT was causing my problem...I didn't agree (and I still blew fuse, so I was right)
10. I think I have a short somewhere, because it only blows fuse while I am on the road...however, see comment #2, which throws a wrench into this theory. Do I have a resistance issue? or both?
HELP !!!! I've already spent $700 on repairs...I am about ready to tell them to rewire that whole circuit...I blew one fuse late last year, and this year, it's been blowing this fuse since I took it out of storage. And it blows fuse with and without toad being connected.

Petro · 04-18-2008, 04:37 PM

LandHo;

I suspect you have a short somewhere that acts up when you are moving down the road. You did not say if it happens when not towing or just when towing. If your fuse blows when not towing I believe the short in on the coach. If it only blows when towing then I believe it is in the area from the umbilical connection back. These can be difficult to find sometimes. Good luck and keep us advised of the solution to your problem.

Don

skigramp · 04-18-2008, 08:44 PM

Could some varmits (mice or squirrels) eaten some insulation from a wire someplace that makes contact with a ground when you drive?

All Winnebago wires have letters / numbers on them ... this helps you trace them ... the letters / numbers are shown in the wiring diagrams ...

Captain Bud · 04-18-2008, 10:24 PM

Lift your dash and check the wiring bundle that lays on top of your emergency brake hardware. Lift it and insulate with a piece of wiring form...

LandHo · 04-19-2008, 01:52 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by skigramp:
Could some varmits (mice or squirrels) eaten some insulation from a wire... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

didn't find anything like that...

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Captain Bud:
Lift your dash and check the wiring bundle that lays on top of your emergency brake hardware. Lift it and insulate with a piece of wiring form... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

done that too...

LandHo · 04-23-2008, 06:57 AM

WHOA nelly...
They jumped the fuse and put a meter on it. shot to 120 amps and blew the fuse on their meter and fried my headlight switch. A short they say...

CaptBill · 04-23-2008, 09:49 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by LandHo:
WHOA nelly...
They jumped the fuse and put a meter on it. shot to 120 amps and blew the fuse on their meter and fried my headlight switch. A short they say... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm wondering if the "short" was caused by the tech inadvertently having his meter in the "Amps" position instead of "Volts", then connecting it to the headlight circuit and chassis ground. That would definitely cause the "short" that could both toast your headlight switch, and blow the fuse in his meter. Easy mistake to make, too.

I'm also wondering about that repair to your 4-way flashers. What did they repair? Did they re-wire or splice anything? If your brake lights are your rear 4-way flasher lights, could the fuse be blowing when you step on the brake (as oppposed to actually driving)? If pressing the brake blows the marker light fuse, it might be something to do with the 4-way flasher "repair".

I hope that you are not paying for the tech's education.

LandHo · 04-23-2008, 10:57 AM

Headlight switch replaced. 4 way (multi function device) replaced. Found 2 areas where the wires were chafed. Both under the "dashboard". Winnie taped these wire up, but did not tie these wires down nor were they wrapped in plastic looms. Tech is looking at every wire circuit there and looming the wires too. Also, some elec tape melted and seeped into one of the OEM connectors (one with about 40 wires)...they'll need to clean that one up too.

Ol'Joe · 04-25-2008, 04:34 AM

HI LandHo,
I didn't notice if you said your toad was connected or not but I went through a period when I was blowing fuses left and right. Did all you've done then I checked my umbilicals from MH to toad. I had one single strand of wire had come loose from a screw connector inside the plug and it would contact the the connector next to it , POW! Any way I cleaned the connectors removed the strand and it's been fine ever since.

LandHo · 04-26-2008, 05:39 PM

All fixed now. Guess where my economy stimulus check from the IRS is going? Yep, the repair shop...

I need to call someone at Winnie to b*tch. Basically, this was a problem waiting to happen. I suggest that you look at the jumbo mess of wires under your dash and make sure none of them are chafed.