FIRE! Electrical Short and Slide-Out Controller Fire
I was running the Fantastic Fan while unlocking the slide-out on our 2005 Safari 28 S/O. The Fantastic Fan stopped and locks failed to open. I found that all 12v. lights in the slide (reading and table) also failed to work.
Any ideas on what wire could short the lights, slide lock, and fantastic fan at the same time?
While trouble shooting, I opened the Power gear Slide-out Controller box to check the circuits. One was melted. I pulled on the box for a closer look and a fire started at the melted circuit! Lucky for me... no damage to the RV.
This was Friday. The lights and fan did not work before or after this incident. However, today, Sunday, I found the slide-out lights working!
What's going on??? Any ideas / input would be appreciated.
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It seems that the lights, Fantastic Fan, and electric lock pull too much power for the circuit. I spent some time trouble shooting this afternoon and can't figure out how, why, and when the circuit resets itself. It seems random.
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"THINK OUTSIDE THE big white BOX"
the breaker reset after the short became an open and the breaker cooled. it sounds like somewhere in or after the controller box, you had a short. start with mexray's suggestion.
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Have you opened the access panel under the slide? Not sure about yours but on my S/O there is an umbilical cable that allows power to the slide when extended or closed. How is that cable? Chaffed somewhere? Pinched?
The S/O controller might have had some loose terminals to the box. If one of the terminals is loose it may still work but you will get excessive heat build up and may not blow a fuse. Here is another thought, Maybe there is some binding going on with the slide. When that occured it pulled down your 12volt source to where the fan ran at a very low speed or off and all the lights dimmed. Because the S/O controller was melted and couldnt detect overcurrent and do its job it pulled down the whole electrical system. You could have a few things going on here that all reared their ugly head at once. Get a new controller box. Make sure all the terminals are tight. Replace the damaged ones. Check the umbilical cable and motor wiring. Lube any moving parts under the slide. Give it a few tests and see what happens.
If you have a manual I would study it. It is unlikely that the slide and lighting are on the same circuit. However if you have a short in the slide and draw down the voltage to a point that the current goes up in another circuit, lighting, you might also blow that second circuit.
The circuit breaker for the lighting reset with time and is normal.
You have a short in the slide PAST the point at which you say the melted wire. Most likely that wire is bad all the way back to the panel and should be replaced.
Wires that lead to the lock, fan, and slide lights run behind the refrigerator. The harness was tucked to the left when you open the door behind the refrigerator. The harness was loose, dirty, and had evidence of shorting.
Whoo Hoo!!! All I need now is a replacement Slide-Out Controller and I'm back on the road!!!
Thank you all for your input.
__________________
"THINK OUTSIDE THE big white BOX"
Wires that lead to the lock, fan, and slide lights run behind the refrigerator. The harness was tucked to the left when you open the door behind the refrigerator. The harness was loose, dirty, and had evidence of shorting.
Whoo Hoo!!! All I need now is a replacement Slide-Out Controller and I'm back on the road!!!
Thank you all for your input.
Congratulations! It feels good to hone in on the culprit. Was it found through the outside access door behind the refrigerator? I have noticed that there is some sharp aluminum edges in there. I should check mine.
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