Rear roof fuse blowing

I am having an intermittent electrical problem blowing the rear roof fuse.

The first trip, first night we had the TM we turned off all the lights and went out shopping. When we returned the fuse was blown. The second trip, second night I turned on the light in the hall by the back bed and pop, the fuse blew. I replaced it and I barely turned on the light and it blew again. I gave up and went to bed. Next morning I replaced the fuse again and turned on each light one at a time and the water heater ( which appears to be on that circuit) and it didn't blow.

Since the water heater was the only thing on everytime time - could it have a short or something? Any ideas?

(Otherwise we are LOVING our TM! I just camped all weekend and put it all up and took it down all by myself! I'm a short woman but with a little step stool I did it all.)

I am sure others more knowledgable will chime in but one thing I noted from your post. The hot water heater. While running the electrical element with the unit dry can quickly burn out and short out the element, that would be a short in the AC power system not the DC. The lights you were describing are all DC and DC uses fuses vice the AC breakers. So I don't think the culprit is your hot water heater.

A short in the DC wiring (insulated wire rubbed through or pinched) could be a culprit and maybe you moved just right in the morning that the bare wire didn't bounce against the frame metal - that time.

Hope this helped a little.
Bill

Hi THX for the reply. I don't know much yet about the TM systems, a lot to learn yet, but when the fuze is blown the red switch under the sink, where you flip the water heater on and off, does not light up. Maybe it's just the indicator light itself, though I believe all the other lights on that panel work when the fuze blows.

Electricial stuff is such a pain to figure out!

2007 model? Sounds like warranty work - how far away is your dealer? I would call them and see what they want to do. If it's a long way they may authorize the work to be done locally. OR call Ed at the factory, he may have some ideas.

The water heater switch you are talking about is for the gas water heater. That might explain the intermittant nature of the problem. The water heater does not have a pilot light. I uses some kind of electric element to light the gas. The propane detector and some of the fans are on the DC circuit also if I remember right.

The electric water heater element switch can only be access from outside the trailer. I recommend you find where that is. I only use AC power for the water heater except when someone takes a shower. It will actually use the AC and gas heater at the same time. Using both ensure you do not run out of hot water part way through the shower.

Hi - I have to read up on the water heater! I wrote to my dealer - Custom RV in Anaheim CA. We live about 3.5 hours drive from there. So we'll see what they say.

Lots to learn on the TM but I really love it!

The other "confusing" part about the "gas heat" switch for the hot water heater is ----- It doesn't come on and stay on. If the temp of the water inside the tank is above the set point the gas heat doesn't come on! (and the light doesn't light!) Your DC lights should always work unless the bathroom wall is down (there is a dc isolation "button" along the edge of the tub that parallels the rear bed. This button disconnects power to the whole rear end of the trailer (dc lights, florescent lights, CO2 monitor, propane monitor, etc). This is a safety feature to prevent a light being left on and pushed into the bed which could result in over heating and a fire hazard.

Bill.

I had a problem with the switch in the bathroom walls. It was not being pressed down far enough. The overhead lights in the rear shell would not work.

My temporary fix was to pace a piece of cardboard on top of the pushbutton until I got home.

At home, I adjusted the depth of the switch. Be careful not to hold the switch while tightening the double nut, as it will then give you the opportunity to order a replacement switch from the factory.

THX Bill - I didn't realize the water heater light would go on and off. Which makes my troubleshooting more problematic. Off to the dealer I think.

Hi - Spoke to Matt at Custom RV and he states that every electrical problem he has ever seen with the rear shell has had something to do with the cut-off switch under the bathroom wall. It may have something loose or shorted that moves around when you move around in the TM, hence the intermittent problem blowing the fuse. So they will take a look at that for me when I take it in.

Those folks are awesome - He offered to come in and meet me on a holiday because that's when I can take it down there. Great customer service.