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Old 02-04-2022, 06:15 PM   #1
Carlos Mas
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Default 12V power distribution fuse # 2

My 2003 3023 TM keeps blowing #2 fuse immediately
I now have everything working except the forward ceiling lights.
The switch by the door tests good but the hot wire to the switch shows a short.
I’m stumped as to where between the fuse panel and switch the short could be.
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Old 02-04-2022, 06:20 PM   #2
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What type and model of the converter? Does it say on the face of the fuse box?
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Old 02-04-2022, 06:29 PM   #3
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parallax power components 6300 Q series
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Old 02-04-2022, 08:46 PM   #4
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After the fuse blows, what works, and what does not?

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Old 02-05-2022, 07:08 AM   #5
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Lightbulb One likely candidate is the water heater.

If the fuse gets blown instantly (every time you replace it) and nothing at all is turned on, then it' might be a short circuit in the water heater.

After turning off the interior switch (which controls propane), go outside. Verify the exterior switches (for electric power) are off as well (at the moment, I forget whether there is a 12v enablement switch, but there is definitely a 120v power switch).

A short circuit can be caused, in two ways, by a failed 120v heater element. A broken heater element can directly contact its own outer casing, causing the short circuit, or the burn-out can create a tiny crack (or hole) in the casing, allowing tank water to get into the heater element. This frequently occurs when the 120v electric element was accidentally left "powered on" while the tank has been emptied for winter (or between trips). It takes only a few seconds for the element to burn out.

The other possible cause is a collapsed and broken anode rod, with one of the broken pieces (or a mound of sludge) creating a short circuit. For that case, remove the bad anode rod and spray-clean the water heater interior by using the Camco hose adapter which is built for that job (it's cheap). Then put in a new anode rod.

Before doing any testing "powered up", be sure that the water heater has been filled with water.
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Old 02-05-2022, 09:28 AM   #6
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Rick- Isn’t a short in the water heater an issue on the 120VAC side, whereas the fuse would be 12VDC?
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Old 02-05-2022, 10:42 AM   #7
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Thanks for all the input
This trailer is new to me and I’m trying to get it ready to use
The forward ceiling lights are not working and I’m getting no charge on the batteries.
I am testing 14.8 volts where the power joins the 12 v panel
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Old 02-05-2022, 10:46 AM   #8
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Default Yeah, that 120-VAC. Here's 12-VDC

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shane826 View Post
Rick- Isn’t a short in the water heater an issue on the 120VAC side, whereas the fuse would be 12VDC?
Yeah, my previous post was about 120v and the resulting circuit breaker reset.

But 12v can blow a fuse, if it has a short circuit on its way to the gas valve and igniter (or if those units have failed internally).

The first place for a failure is at the TM interior switch. (It is lighted, and includes a ground connection). It is possible for the switch itself to provide a connection to ground in some modes of failure.

Step 1: pull all 3 wires from that lighted switch under the sink (taking note of which wire is which). Put in another fuse. If the blows immediately, then the short circuit has already occurred within the 12v wire from the fuse panel into the switch. If the fuse does not blow, proceed to step 2.

2) Before re-assembling the switch or turning it on, verify the 12v "hot" wire has no connectivity (infinite resistance) versus the ground wire. Then re-assemble the switch with just two wires - the ground wire and the 12v "hot" from the fuse panel If the fuse blows (even if "off" position), replace the switch.

3) Next, turn the switch "ON". (It still has only two wires, the 12v "hot" and the ground). If the fuse blows with no downstream load connection, replace the switch.
- - -
If it wasn't the switch, it's gonna get messy. (and I might not be exactly right about this, I'm doing it from memory with the TM "down" for winter).

At the upper left of the outside face of the suburban unit (underneath a cover where the one of the screws is hard to get at) the DC thermostats are on the right side of the assembly, the AC thermostats are on the left.

The 12v DC main comes into the "safety" upper thermostat, and you may disconnect that wire. Check the wire end for less-than-infinite resistance to "ground" (the bare case of the water heater itself) -- if you don't have INFINITY, there is a short in the long and somewhat hard-to-get-at wire leading from the switch into that upper DC thermostat.

If that wire was OK, then you can plug it back in. The lower thermostat output wire (the lower thermostat does all of the normal switching between about 110F and 130F) connects the gas valve unit, check that wire and pull that lead (so that it doesn't touch anything). Now go back inside and turn the switch "ON". If the fuse blew, then THAT wire (from the running thermostat to the valve assembly) is bad and needs to be replaced. But if the fuse stayed OK, and you measure 12V on the end of that wire, then the problem is likely within the gas valve unit or the igniter's power supply.

You can verify that the 3 other wires all look good, but possibly need a service manual to proceed further. I'm hoping that it's merely the TM interior control switch gone bad!

At the lower left, multiple wires enter and exit the gas valve, with two wires
First check that no continuity exists on TM's DC wire going to the upper thermostat versus ground (the blank metal case of the water heater).
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TV = 2007 4runner sport, with a 36 volt "power boost".
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Old 02-05-2022, 10:56 AM   #9
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Default The power converter is working ...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Carlos Mas View Post
Thanks for all the input
This trailer is new to me and I’m trying to get it ready to use
The forward ceiling lights are not working and I’m getting no charge on the batteries.
I am testing 14.8 volts where the power joins the 12 v panel
In many models of TM, there is a switch to control the forward ceiling lights. But, if the 12V supply wire for the ceiling has shorted out, that could correspond to your blown fuse.

From your power converter's 12v fuse board, one wire (fused 30A) goes to the batteries, where yet another fuse is present before reaching the first battery terminal. Through many model years, TM used a spring-loaded glass fuse at the battery end. Over age, and with possible exposure to weather and H2S gas, the spring inside can rust and become non-conductive. I'll recommend replacing that spring-loaded fuse with an ATC version. (Just be sure that the leads for the ATC are large, AWG-10).
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TV = 2007 4runner sport, with a 36 volt "power boost".
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Old 02-05-2022, 11:04 AM   #10
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Thank you!
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