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Old 04-30-2016, 02:54 PM   #1
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Question Weird Electrical Issue

Escape 13 2012/2013 edition;
Camping season 1st use this weekend.
My wife is using the trailer for a personal escape to a Quilting weekend.
I charged the Batteries on AC all last week. (Solar Panel Charging system as well). Thursday night everything OK. Friday night the only light she can use is the one over the small table at the front of the trailer. All other lights do not work. Fridge works, did not check the furnace. At 3 am the furnace kicks in. When the furnace burner shuts off, (Audible Click) All the lights that she had left on, and were not working comes on.
Any Suggestions
I know this is difficult to diagnose without being there with a multi-meter and the problem existing, but I need some direction as to where to start.
Thanks all for you input.
Greg.
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Old 04-30-2016, 03:03 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by comsult View Post
Escape 13 2012/2013 edition;
Camping season 1st use this weekend.
My wife is using the trailer for a personal escape to a Quilting weekend.
I charged the Batteries on AC all last week. (Solar Panel Charging system as well). Thursday night everything OK. Friday night the only light she can use is the one over the small table at the front of the trailer. All other lights do not work. Fridge works, did not check the furnace. At 3 am the furnace kicks in. When the furnace burner shuts off, (Audible Click) All the lights that she had left on, and were not working comes on.
Any Suggestions
I know this is difficult to diagnose without being there with a multi-meter and the problem existing, but I need some direction as to where to start.
Thanks all for you input.
Greg.
Hi: comsult... Bad ground to the frame? Could be rusty. When plugged into shore power your trailer power cord is grounded. As for the magic lamps... only Aladdin knows for sure. Just my theory... FWIW. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
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Old 04-30-2016, 03:26 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by escape artist View Post
Hi: comsult... Bad ground to the frame? Could be rusty. When plugged into shore power your trailer power cord is grounded. As for the magic lamps... only Aladdin knows for sure. Just my theory... FWIW. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

Good Thought, easy to check and resolve.
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Old 04-30-2016, 04:03 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by escape artist View Post
Hi: comsult... Bad ground to the frame? Could be rusty. When plugged into shore power your trailer power cord is grounded. As for the magic lamps... only Aladdin knows for sure. Just my theory... FWIW. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
I don't believe Escape uses the frame as a 12V current carrying conductor, so I'd suspect a lose ground either at the converter or the battery. The high current the furnace draws might have arced the bad connection enough to cause the lights to start working. If so, it will probably come loose again, so it should be looked for & tightened.

Of course, it could be something else - remote diagnosis is tough!
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Old 04-30-2016, 05:05 PM   #5
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In the famous words of my brother in law who was genius when it came to diagnosing problems, "Them grounds can mess you up." Grounding (loose wire) or corrosion would be my guess too.
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Old 04-30-2016, 06:14 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vermilye View Post
I don't believe Escape uses the frame as a 12V current carrying conductor...
Not normally, perhaps, but at least one owner reported that this is indeed wired that way in a 2014 19':
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC View Post
My negative ground was screwed to the frame. 18" away the converter ground was screwed to the frame.
I don't have a problem with using the frame as part of the negative side of the electrical system - that's normal practice in cars and trucks - but the cable connections to the frame need to be done carefully. I don't think any Escape frame connection is done the way it is in a modern car.

Of course, the mysterious problem may have nothing to do with ground connections.
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Old 04-30-2016, 08:47 PM   #7
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Yes, even the brakes have separate ground connections. My moneys on a poor ground.

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Old 04-30-2016, 09:37 PM   #8
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The connections to the battery post are rotten . Mine where rusted almost right off at the positive post(s) ( mild steel ) ?. Changed them for copper .
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Old 04-30-2016, 09:45 PM   #9
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The Trailer is coming home tomorrow night. Will check all grounds, including between the batteries and battery ground next week. Will update this post with anything I find.
Seems to be a consensus that a ground is the problem.
Greg
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Old 05-01-2016, 07:08 AM   #10
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I'd have to say that "you have been grounded to a halt" in this case......
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Old 05-01-2016, 10:35 AM   #11
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I'd have to say that "you have been grounded to a halt" in this case......
LOL, if you can't laugh in a bad situation, then all is lost. Will make for a good....So there I was.... story.
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Old 05-12-2016, 10:36 AM   #12
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Resolution finally


So after spending an inordinately long time chasing wires and checking grounds, I found out the problem.
Power to certain lights would just go out and come on intermittently.
Our bed is made permanently, so crawling underneath the bed to check the fuses was a royal PITA, but no fuse out LEDs and everything seemed OK there.
Continued to check cables and grounds.
I then decided to do my trouble shooting at night with a flashlight.
Noticed an occasional red glow under the bed, that would come on intermittently..... AH HA Gothcha.
A Loose Fuse.
The clamps holding the fuse was so loose, that it would take a minor vibration to have the fuse disconnect.
Tightened the fuse clamps with a pair of needle nose pliers.
NO MORE ISSUES.
Thanks to everyone who chimed in to help.
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Old 05-12-2016, 10:54 AM   #13
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Thanks for the followup to help other folks out.
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Old 05-12-2016, 11:06 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by comsult View Post
A Loose Fuse.
Glad it was something simple to fix. Too bad things like that are such a trouble to diagnose though.
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Old 05-12-2016, 12:12 PM   #15
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What kind of fuse Is under the bed ? Are you refering to one of the many crimp butt connectors ?
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Old 05-12-2016, 12:27 PM   #16
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On the 17 ( and I presume 13 ), the fuse box is located toward the rear of the driver side bench. With the bed made up, you have a choice of squirming on your belly to reach it or tearing the bed apart. When set up as a dinette, it's easier to check fuses.
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Old 05-12-2016, 12:27 PM   #17
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Could it be the converter is under the bed/dinette in the 13' Escape?
Comsult noted that the bed is permanently made up which I guess means they put the table down, make the bed and keep it that way?? Thus the converter, which holds the fuses, is under the bed?
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Old 05-12-2016, 01:37 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by comsult View Post

So after spending an inordinately long time chasing wires and checking grounds, I found out the problem.
Power to certain lights would just go out and come on intermittently.
Our bed is made permanently, so crawling underneath the bed to check the fuses was a royal PITA, but no fuse out LEDs and everything seemed OK there.
Continued to check cables and grounds.
I then decided to do my trouble shooting at night with a flashlight.
Noticed an occasional red glow under the bed, that would come on intermittently..... AH HA Gothcha.
A Loose Fuse.
The clamps holding the fuse was so loose, that it would take a minor vibration to have the fuse disconnect.
Tightened the fuse clamps with a pair of needle nose pliers.
NO MORE ISSUES.
Thanks to everyone who chimed in to help.
Hi: comsult... You sure have to watch those under bed "Dust Bunnies". They're liable to pull anything loose!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
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Old 05-12-2016, 01:59 PM   #19
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Fuse panel

On our 2010 19, the panel is under the bench on the divers side, dinette area. A little flat keeper requiring a small Phillips driver to loosen the screw will allow access. I was in there the other day and learned that there were about a half a dozen automotive blade type fuses with a 10 amp rating and two or three with a forty amp rating in the panel along with three circuit breakers. I checked my 4 boxes of blade fuse assortments and found they only went up to 30 amps, so I picked up a card of 40 amp fuses, 4 for about three dollars at the auto parts store. I also accessed the fuse on the 6 volt battery setup in the front box. It too is a blade type but is called a maxi fuse and is 50 amp. I picked up a spare of that one too. They are about $3.50 each. Though I have yet to need them on a camping trip, I live the motto, Be Prepared. For about 10 bucks you could replace them all. That's not bad. One of the blade type fuse pullers would be handy too if you have overdeveloped fingers like me from clutching cold beer bottles for the past 50 years.
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Old 05-12-2016, 02:14 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jubal View Post
What kind of fuse Is under the bed ? Are you refering to one of the many crimp butt connectors ?
An in line fuse outside of the converter ?
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