technical electrical

[redheadedtom]

This is my first attempt to try forums, so please understand if i sound like i don't know proper proceedure. On my 2000 safari six sleeper, i have a short in the light circut. I have thaced the problem to the light above the lav.sink and bath light. Both lights are fed from the light switch beside pilot light switch and come off the purple/black wire that goes to that switch. Here is my question. How do you access the wiring that disappears from each light up into the ceiling?

[TG Twinkie]

How do you know you have a short? Are fuses blowing?

[redheadedtom]

yes i am blowing the 20 amp fuse but only when i turn on that light switch

[Bruce B]

At some point you disassemble the trailer.
I did this to fix a short in the harness of our less than 1 year old Bambi!
It was a lot of work, but kind of fun (my wife nearly died when she saw what I was up to..).

After I was finished I stumbled upon this link. It would have helped in my diagnosis phase although I did figure it all out on my own!

Have fun....

Bruce

Airstream How To: Trailer Wire Routing (Shell to Finish) - YouTube

[Wazbro]

Here is a method that might work if you are lucky, solder a new piece of wire onto the old one and try to pull the new wire through with the old one. You must be careful to not make a lump and corners or going through a rib may stop it.

[rogerdodger]

Originally Posted by redheadedtom

yes i am blowing the 20 amp fuse but only when i turn on that light switch

That indicates your short is from the switch forward. Look into the light area, and wiring from the switch. The short can't be before the switch, or the fuse would be blown all the time.

[ventport]

Have you disconnected the light from the wiring and then turn on the switch? If the breaker trips then, the wiring is at fault, if it doesn't trip, the light is at fault.

[SteveH]

Check the most likely first. Remove the light fixture and check the wire where it comes out of the trailer inner skin.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, so you turn on the light switch and the fuse blows; Unless there are other things on that circuit, a 20 amp fuse seems to be too much. Anyway, I would remove the bulbs first, they can be internally shorted, but very rare. Still blows the fuse with the bulbs out, then remove the light housing assembly and disconnect the wires to it. Still blowing fuses, then you have a pinched or grounded wire. What was the last thing done to your trailer before the fuse started blowing? Was anything added that required screws to be used for mounting. While I was working on cars for a living, I solved so many electrical problems by asking the owner, "What was the last thing you did or had done to your car before this problem started?" Flashlight brackets, CD players, CB radios, and many many more. [screws through the wire looms or pinched wires were very common]

[Airslide]

Good post Bob..

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Airslide

Good post Bob..

Yep....sure is!

Customer, "I smell gas in my brand new Jeep Grand Cherokee."

Me, "I see a new radio up-grade."

"Yes Custom Radio just installed it"

Screw thru the the tank from the subwoofer install.

$750....thank you very much.

Bob

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Yep....sure is!

Customer, "I smell gas in my brand new Jeep Grand Cherokee."

Me, "I see a new radio up-grade."

"Yes Custom Radio just installed it"

Screw thru the the tank from the subwoofer install.

$750....thank you very much.

Bob

Hi, I worked on a van conversion that had a cabinet screw [about 4"s long] through the floor and into the gas tank.

[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, I worked on a van conversion that had a cabinet screw [about 4"s long] through the floor and into the gas tank.

There's a certain philosophy that some espouse, "A screw or bolt is never too long as long as it has threads all the way to the head."

Of course a 4" long screw might not fall under that one. Apparently they ignored the part where you need know what's behind things, though.

[papademojo]

Worked on a 2005 with same prob. You an access the wiring thru the light. Remove the fixture find the junction where the wires connect and replace the wire from the switch to the fixture. That should do it!!!