Issue with the 3 Overhead fans. Intermittent power

Noah4448 · 04-10-2023, 01:01 PM

I have a 2019 Vista 29VE. During my 12,200-mile trip to Alaska last year my 3 overhead fans developed an intermittent failure. Sometimes they work and sometimes all three do not work. I have checked the parts catalog
https://catalog3d.winnebagoind.com/2019/19wfe29ve.htm
I do not find the fans in the catalog. Nor do I see the electrical routing for the fans. Finally, I don't see which 12-volt fuse they are connected to. If I could find this information I could use my multimeter to perhaps find the short or the sticky fuse. Would be nice to know if the fans are one a circuit by themselves of with other 12-volt devices.

Morich · 04-10-2023, 02:31 PM

Today seems to be the day to do the really, really deep dives into things on wiring.
Not a lot of info on the ceiling fans as they seem to be an option that likely was not a common thing??
Looking at this drawing for the 110 AC section:
https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File.../000164057.pdf

Down on sheet 8 in the lower right corner we get some info that may change things as it shows options. Option 1B1 for US or 265 for Canada, there is mention of cooling upgrade option 073 and I am guessing that is the fan option!

So if we chase that option 073, we find it listed on sheet 6! That only tells us which additional wiring harness part number they added but there is a triangle marking for note 2. Bottom left note 2 tells us detail drawing is EA , found on sheet 5 top left. Big bust as that tells me nothing worth chasing!

I'm with you in that I find nothing on the fans on the 110 AC drawings, so we have to hope for some info on other methods!

Winnebago has a system of stamping ID codes on wires.
If you pull one fan down, you may find that code stamped as this example:

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ID: 185599

Then with luck in finding that code, can you match it up using the "decoder" list?
If so that may give you an idea of the "from" and "to" of the wires.
https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...ical_guide.pdf

Best info I can dig out and not the best, for sure, but a start and with some luck? MAYBE!

Fully agree the parts is not any help and do not list that option!

As a second way , you might get some information on which breaker by flipping until you find which is feeding them. That means they have to be working to find it, though!

Do you see any breakers which are larger size than shown on the drawing to
match your RV?
If one were to tie three more fans onto another circuit, they might bump that up slightly to cover the combined load?

Possibly you would get far more correct info on a call to Winnebago. Some do report god results when asking the odd questions about framing in the ceiling and such which is not posted online. Maybe luck will be on your side?

Noah4448 · 04-10-2023, 06:02 PM

I really appreciate your help. Dark here now and busy tomorrow. I'll let you know what I find.

Morich · 04-10-2023, 06:21 PM

Good enough! Sometimes we need time to just rest up and come back again or get more info if we can.

Ray,IN · 04-11-2023, 02:17 PM

All 3 fans either run or not at the same time. That points to the power source as the problem. Have you tried individually turning off breakers or pulling fuses to locate the exact 12V circuit? All it takes is time, turn on the fans and begin pulling fuses one at a time until they stop running.

Morich · 04-11-2023, 05:32 PM

I don't think of this as being a short as that draws more current and likely to trip or blow a fuse. Since they are showing a second wiring harness, I'm thinking more likely the connector is not always making good contact.

But that is also likely to be someplace that is hard to find if we don't get more direction from Winnebago. We might hope that the plugs are put in some space like between the end layers of and upper cabinet. Maybe as simple as teasing off the inner layer to plug them together better?
But which cabinet might be the big prize?

One way to go if the info is not coming from Winnebago might be to invest in a wire tracing tool. I have some from a former lifetime and it can save a lot of trauma when searching for wires in the wall.
I've never gotten down to that level in an RV, so I don't really know how well they would work with all the differtent materials but thin stuff is better to work through than thick stuff like sheetrock, so when forced, it might be a good alternate.

Basic idea is pretty simple on these toolls but the price is debatable for the one time user. It is a spot where higher price and higher quality do get more, so how much is too much?
This is a cheap one that "might" work with the idea that we can know the wire goes from one fan to the next until it gets to the main harness and that is what is needed.
https://www.amazon.com/Finder-Genera...39828688&psc=1

The idea is simple as we connect the tone on the wires at one point and then sweep the detector along the ceiling in this case as we hear the tone get louder as we get closer to the wires. When the tone stops, it is often where we find the break or open in the wires.

Noah4448 · 04-17-2023, 04:23 AM

All, Again thanks for all the great information. I had the second Shingles shot and it kicked my ass, so I have not had a chance to get down and dirty and report the results of my trying your suggestions.

Morich · 04-17-2023, 09:32 AM

This is a group who should all know and understadn delays. Life happens!
But on the shingles shot, my wife and I have both just had the second round and neither had any major trouble that we could pin on the shot. My wife had a migrain but that is semi-normal!
I felt tired but that is also semi-normal!

What I would state it that I have had shingles and anybody who can get a shot and prevent having shingles is really wise to do so!

The ads talk about the pain of shingles. They LIE!! It is much worse and the medicines you have to take to survive are no fun, either!
I took meds that left me unable to read, watch TV, or do anything that required my eyes to focus and it took 30 days to get it all over.
Thirty days of almost being a zombie was as bad as the pain!!

GET THE SHOTS!

Noah4448 · 04-17-2023, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morich

GET THE SHOTS!

Completely agree!

Vaccine side effects are well worth having vice the bad sometimes deadly effects of not having the vaccine.

Ray,IN · 04-18-2023, 03:34 PM

Well, since this thread has totally derailed. My mom dutyfully had ner senior Shingles shots several years ago. She died in 2021, at 99 with severe shingles manifested on her head.The Dr. said it literally caused dementia..

Do not count on the shot preventing a severe case of shingles.

Noah4448 · 04-19-2023, 11:04 AM

All,
I called Winnebago customer service at 1-800-537-1885. I got a call back within 25 minutes with a spot-on answer.
1. The circuit breaker is in the lower left of the panel and is marked "Front Furnace EHX Fan."
2. The 3 overhead fans are not marked in the DC or AC wiring diagrams. The helpful customer service agent said their techs use the wiring codes printed on the wires as suggested above by Morich to diagnose issues.
3. The agent suggested checking the back of the fuse for a loose connection. So I am off to do that now.

The fans work. Everyone's help here in the forum is appreciated and I will use the information when needed. Probably when I am in the middle of Newfoundland in June. No problem I have a multimeter, 100-mile-an-hour tape, and a "Rubber Mallet!"

Noah4448 · 06-09-2023, 05:11 PM

Final Report out. 3 weeks of RVing up thru Montreal, Quebec, and Prince Edward Island. The roads in Quebec were quite rough. THE FANS CONTINUE TO WORK!! Go figure. I did the following prior to the trip. Took down and put back up one fan, pressed the fuse, and jiggled the back of the fuse. I appreciate the help I got here.

On to Newfoundland and Labrador.