Visit our Popular Forums

No. 13 · 05-13-2013, 09:04 PM

Thanks in advance for any thoughts to fix. Had fan running for about half an hour along with the range hood lights. Both just stopped working...checked 15 amp fuse...ok. Took off filter screen and found additional small glass fuse...also ok. Never had a problem before. Made by Baraldi...from Italy...no customer service number for the US. Thanks for any help. Gene

cwf · 05-13-2013, 09:49 PM

find where it plugs in to the electrics... is there power there? Did fan quit or lights or both?

No. 13 · 05-13-2013, 10:18 PM

Yes, both at once.

cwf · 05-13-2013, 10:40 PM

This probably runs on the 12Volt power... need to check for sure.. don't just look at fuse.. check with a meter or other method...like a continuity checker. I have had 'good' fuses fool me before..

Remove the panel where the wires are and carefully check power there.

SteveSueMac · 05-14-2013, 04:25 AM

Just grasping at straws here but you mention the fuses are ok. Was a breaker tripped? Check all those and if one is not on, click it all the way off them turn it on again.

Bruce B · 05-14-2013, 04:39 AM

Ours trips once a week when we are using the trailer. The 15 amp fuse located under the screen has always been the culprit. The open is frequently not visible to the naked eye.
Airstream suggested that a larger fuse was needed and it too is blowing. I am waiting for a replacement unit....
Check the fuse with an ohm meter or just replace it and see what happens.
Bruce

overlander63 · 05-14-2013, 05:41 AM

Get a test light, and check for 12 volt power to the hood. Then check for ground. Checking for ground in this case is connecting the test light to a known ground, touching the tip to the ground on either the fan or the light, and turning that item on. If the test light lights up, you have a bad ground.

No. 13 · 05-14-2013, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce B

Ours trips once a week when we are using the trailer. The 15 amp fuse located under the screen has always been the culprit. The open is frequently not visible to the naked eye.
Airstream suggested that a larger fuse was needed and it too is blowing. I am waiting for a replacement unit....
Check the fuse with an ohm meter or just replace it and see what happens.
Bruce

That fuse is 15 amp? It is a short little fuse? I will replace and try again. I will also get a light tester.

BAB · 05-14-2013, 04:56 PM

My 2012 did exactly the same thing about 3 weeks ago. It was that little fuse....which blew for no apparent reason. AND, it is not an easy size to find. (If Radio Shack doesn't have it, you KNOW it's a rare size.) I replaced it with the next higher amp size.

No. 13 · 05-14-2013, 05:45 PM

Hi BAB,

I spoke to Airstream this am and they are sending me a couple in the mail. They claim it is a 3 amp fuse but now use 5 amp. The unit was made in Italy and the fuse is a little unique I guess...it looks real short compared to most glass fuses. Thanks for the message.

overlander63 · 05-14-2013, 05:50 PM

I'd still pick up an inexpensive 12 volt test light. You never know when gremlins could strike.

BAB · 05-14-2013, 06:22 PM

Listen to Terry! I wouldn't leave home without my handi-tester! I did put a 5 amp fuse in and it worked fine....I suspect that when you looked at it you couldn't tell it had blown. The filament is about the size of a human hair....so a continuity tester was essential when I diagnosed this one.

cwf · 05-14-2013, 06:47 PM

Is that little fuse an "inline" or do you have a screw cap that holds it in place?

In either case, if I could get to the wires I would put in an automotive resetable breaker. Nothing like having to fumble with a fuse over you stove while cooking. With a resetable breaker you just press a tab to reset powers is then restored!

I would put a 5 amp.

Of course this is at user responsibility so beware. It is not a difficult change improvement but will likely give them cause to void any warranty that remains. But that should not happen because a 5amp fuse is same as the breaker. The breaker is meant to reset rather than replace.

The real culprit sounds like the Italian job is beginning to fail or the fuses are not really 3 amp.

cwf · 05-14-2013, 06:49 PM

Her is a link as an example
Circuit Breaker (5 Amp Breaker) By Seachoice Products:Amazon:Sports & Outdoors

No. 13 · 05-14-2013, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlander63

I'd still pick up an inexpensive 12 volt test light. You never know when gremlins could strike.

Ordered one this am.

No. 13 · 05-14-2013, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cwf

Is that little fuse an "inline" or do you have a screw cap that holds it in place?

In either case, if I could get to the wires I would put in an automotive resetable breaker. Nothing like having to fumble with a fuse over you stove while cooking. With a resetable breaker you just press a tab to reset powers is then restored!

I would put a 5 amp.

Of course this is at user responsibility so beware. It is not a difficult change improvement but will likely give them cause to void any warranty that remains. But that should not happen because a 5amp fuse is same as the breaker. The breaker is meant to reset rather than replace.

The real culprit sounds like the Italian job is beginning to fail or the fuses are not really 3 amp.

It has the screw-on cap. I think I will see how the 5 amp fuse works. This is the first time this has happened. I like your idea though for a resettable breaker. Could be the Italian job. Do you what Fiat stand for? "Fix it again Tony!"

Bruce B · 05-15-2013, 03:55 AM

Wow,
Ours is popping a 20 amp fuse these days! I found a 15 in it when it blew the first time. We have been going through these (I found them at Home Depot incidentally) pretty regularly and have in contact with the dealer about the situation from day one. Dealer has only seen the trailer once and at that time they installed a larger 20 amp fuse. It popped the next time we used the range.
Whatever is happening to my unit is causing a sporadic dead short. The combined amp draw of the light and the fan is less than 10 amps when tested so I am sure there is a fault somewhere in the fan motor itself. I expect the replacement any time now so I will report back on what I find when I replace it.
Bruce

cwf · 05-15-2013, 07:22 AM

I had an Italian built hydraulics on my BMW motorcycle. They were both replacednat least once. I suppose there is a problem with electrics they build...?

I would have replaced.

No. 13 · 05-15-2013, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce B

Wow,
Ours is popping a 20 amp fuse these days! I found a 15 in it when it blew the first time. We have been going through these (I found them at Home Depot incidentally) pretty regularly and have in contact with the dealer about the situation from day one. Dealer has only seen the trailer once and at that time they installed a larger 20 amp fuse. It popped the next time we used the range.
Whatever is happening to my unit is causing a sporadic dead short. The combined amp draw of the light and the fan is less than 10 amps when tested so I am sure there is a fault somewhere in the fan motor itself. I expect the replacement any time now so I will report back on what I find when I replace it.
Bruce

Bruce,
Are we talking about the same unit? Airstream told me that these fuses are from Italy and very hard to find in the States. Electrical is not my strong suit...but how can a 20 amp fuse blow before the 15 amp fuse in the fuse box? Also, is AS sending a whole new range hood? Direct to you or the dealer? Thanks.

Bruce B · 05-16-2013, 03:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by No. 13

Bruce,
Are we talking about the same unit? Airstream told me that these fuses are from Italy and very hard to find in the States. Electrical is not my strong suit...but how can a 20 amp fuse blow before the 15 amp fuse in the fuse box? Also, is AS sending a whole new range hood? Direct to you or the dealer? Thanks.

I don't know what model range hood you have but it is the same manufacturer.
As for the 20 amp fuse blowing first, fuses are rated as fast or slow blow. It is possible to see short "spikes" of current that exceed the rating of a fuse. Thus in this case the 20 amp blows before the 15 amp blows. As to the availability of the fuse, I just matched the voltage and amps of the original in Home Depot. They have a surprising number of strange fuses there.
In this case the dealer will get me a replacement unit (entire range hood) as we are certain that the short is within the unit somewhere and the manufacturer doesn't supply individual parts.
Bruce