Jim already answered correctly but I'll throw in my two cents. Escape only has a limited number of breaker slots to wire the circuits to so they double up on some breakers.
If you open the converter panel cover, you will see a number of circuits are doubled up on a single breaker. That's why when you turn off a breaker, more than one device loses power. Not the best choice but that is what they did.
Of course, right away I redid the breakers so each circuit has it's own breaker by using tandem breakers to replace the single ones. Below is a pic of my breaker panel.
Are you getting the idea that most of my trailer wiring has been upgraded / modified by now?
You have the inverter all outlets option. Those breakers feed all the outlets powered from the inverter. When you trace out the wiring on those two breakers, you will find that one feeds one side of the trailer outlets and the other breaker feeds the other side.
Here's the problem with that. The microwave per code is supposed to be on a dedicated breaker - it's not. The microwave outlet marked "microwave only" is commoned with half the outlets in the trailer.
I replaced the two single breakers in my trailer with 2 tandem breakers and split the microwave to it's own circuit.
For those that are in the US, note that these breakers are non-CTL so they are hard to find in the US as they have been illegal to use in new installs since 1965. Canadian code still allows them so you should be able to find them easily in Canada. https://www.schneider-electric.us/en/faqs/FA128354/
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise.
If there isn't a schematic then the tech can wire each trailer anyway they like that day.
I haven't bothered with the AC side yet. I'll save that for another day.
I get a laugh reading this thread. It's all deja vu for me. If you searched back about 5 years you'd find my thread about a schematic.
Wasn't one then and there isn't one now. Some things never change.
I've never bought the line that because there's lots of variations in what options owners choose there couldn't be a schematic. Every trailer has batteries, a converter, a furnace etc. All the basics could be on a schematic with other devices listed as optional.
At any rate having basic schematic posted is good. Thanks for that. I'll know what to expect when I get my new one in a couple of weeks.
Agree Ron each model would have a standard wiring Schematic to start with. At least that could be posted. Options way way too many variables. Would be nice if they could provide one for the options depending on what options one chooses when purchasing
In 1968 I wrote a grade 11 electronics exam. One of the questions was to draw from memory the schematic diagram of a 5 tube superheterodyne radio receiver and label all the components. Hard to imagine a tech wiring trailers every day that couldn't do that for a trailer in less than 10 minutes !
Am also looking for a listing of items on each DC fuse in the WFCO panel. Is the 30A for our Dometic DM2663 refrigerator? Is the "12V" circuit for all the DC outlet and USB charger panels scattered about the trailer?
I don’t think anyone answered this but yes the 30A fuse in the power center on the DC side should be for 12V operation of the refrigerator. For the lighting and outlets it is best to just pull the fuse and see what no longer works. This will give you an idea of what is on each circuit.
I found two circuit breakers after I removed a two ft by 5 ft piece of plywood under the mattress (about 50 wood screws). It appears one 50 A breaker is in the positive battery supply line, the other 30 A breaker is for the output from the solar charge controller.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tdf-texas
You have the inverter all outlets option. Those breakers feed all the outlets powered from the inverter. When you trace out the wiring on those two breakers, you will find that one feeds one side of the trailer outlets and the other breaker feeds the other side.
Tom: You jumped to the AC side of the system. I believe what Bob is describing above is still on the DC side. He probably meant fuse not breaker.
Tom: You jumped to the AC side of the system. I believe what Bob is describing above is still on the DC side. He probably meant fuse not breaker.
Yes, I can not find a fuse on the battery cables going to the 50 A breaker.
I did get a reply from Escape on my ask for a basic diagram showing how the batteries, solar controller, converter, tow vehicle were connected, and asked for location and values of DC fuses and beakers, and the indentification of the circuits fused in the converter.
Didn't address the diagram question. Explained the fuse and breakers were under the dinette seat box by the battery disconnect. Not !
Here is the picture I sent them of my DC fuses,
I did change the battery disconnect switch and moved the AC display from under the dinette table to the upper cabinet. The wire supplied is more than long enough to do this.
Question, did anyone receive a wiring schematic for their new automobile? new home? or any other electrical install? Although basic wiring outlines are fine, again model specific but adding an option (we all know options are always added) will change that wiring dependent on who does the install. That person may not know how to go back and change an electronic map. Very problematic trying to keep track of changes. Perhaps that is why Airstream or other trailer makers do not have customization. You have to take the good with the bad, the ability to have what you want but do not ask how it got there....if we make it too hard for the manufacturer then they may end options and just make a cookie cutter type trailer.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
Yes, I can not find a fuse on the battery cables going to the 50 A breaker.
The Maxi fuse will be inside the battery box connected very close to the positive battery terminal. Most people only find it after it has blown and they are trying to find why there is no 12v.
The Maxi fuse is installed as close to the battery as possible and is there in case of a dead short circuit. Without the fuse as protection, the wiring could overheat, melt and even lead to a fire. Earlier Escapes did not have the Maxi fuse - only the thermal breaker. If your trailer doesn't have the Maxi fuse, it would be a good idea to add one.
If you look at the pic 1 below, the Maxi fuse is inside the black fuse holder under the label "battery #1 positive".
Pic 2 shows a Maxi fuse holder and where the fuse is located.
__________________
Normal people believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Engineers believe in fixing it so that it never breaks.
Question, did anyone receive a wiring schematic for their new automobile? new home? or any other electrical install? Although basic wiring outlines are fine, again model specific but adding an option (we all know options are always added) will change that wiring dependent on who does the install. That person may not know how to go back and change an electronic map. Very problematic trying to keep track of changes. Perhaps that is why Airstream or other trailer makers do not have customization. You have to take the good with the bad, the ability to have what you want but do not ask how it got there....if we make it too hard for the manufacturer then they may end options and just make a cookie cutter type trailer.
Actually I do have the schematics for my Silverado, Accord and both Harley's. The house has all the breakers labeled and connections are only allowed in an accessible electrical box, so actually quite easy to figure out and trouble shoot.
In past days we used to get schematics for all our electronics, then they became disposable and so are no longer needed. Not so with cars, trucks, boats and trailers....
Without a schematic diagram showing the whole picture it's difficult to trouble shoot a problem. The poor family heading for Tuk with a dying battery was difficult to help because no one really knows how his trailer is wired. Getting an automotive tech there to look at it might take him a day just to figure out some of the wiring.
To see the DC wiring coming into my trailer I had to remove the mattress from the rear bed, take out 50 wood screws and piece of plywood 2'x5'. I had no idea under there was a 50 A thermal breaker on the main battery cable and a 30 A thermal breaker on the solar charger wire until I could see it. A schematic does not tell me where components are located but it allows me to figure out a fault by the symptoms, then where to look electrically with a DVM to confirm and diagnose a problem.
I had asked Escape the location of all fuses and DC breakers and was told they were beside
the battery disconnect switch in the front of the trailer. I'm sure all the Escape employees are doing their best to help us. They just can't supply information that does not exist.
Didn't address the diagram question. Explained the fuse and breakers were under the dinette seat box by the battery disconnect. Not !
I think whoever answered your question was simply referring to the power center installed in the dinette bench which houses all the DC fuses and AC circuit breakers.
This thread makes me think I should finally sit down and create a complete schematic for a generic Escape trailer - DC and AC.
Is the format I used for the schematic readable enough to allow tracing the wiring or should I use a different format?
Tom: Anything you do would be useful with the caveat that owners need to make sense of it relative to their own specific trailer. We know many of them have differences even with the same options.
Oliver has some very nice schematics starting on page 40. Might be a good reference... https://olivertraveltrailers.com/wp-...ers-Manual.pdf
Tom: Anything you do would be useful with the caveat that owners need to make sense of it relative to their own specific trailer. We know many of them have differences even with the same options.
Oliver has some very nice schematics starting on page 40. Might be a good reference... https://olivertraveltrailers.com/wp-...ers-Manual.pdf
Thanks for the link - I was looking for it as Oliver does do a good job of documenting their wiring and would be a good example of how it should be done. The layout diagrams are useful - I'll give them a shot with the caveat that any custom wiring would not match.
Who knows! Maybe sending Escape a copy of the finished diagrams might help them to wire the trailers close to a standard way of doing it.
__________________
Normal people believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Engineers believe in fixing it so that it never breaks.
The Maxi fuse will be inside the battery box connected very close to the positive battery terminal. Most people only find it after it has blown and they are trying to find why there is no 12v.
The Maxi fuse is installed as close to the battery as possible and is there in case of a dead short circuit. Without the fuse as protection, the wiring could overheat, melt and even lead to a fire. Earlier Escapes did not have the Maxi fuse - only the thermal breaker. If your trailer doesn't have the Maxi fuse, it would be a good idea to add one.
If you look at the pic 1 below, the Maxi fuse is inside the black fuse holder under the label "battery #1 positive".
Pic 2 shows a Maxi fuse holder and where the fuse is located.
Thanks again, nope no fuse on my trailer, must have run out of them that day.
You are right it needs a fuse. I may buy one that goes directly onto the battery post. There is lots of energy in these batteries.
I was surprised I didn't find one.
I know on boat's they must have a fuse within 7" of the battery terminal.
Actually I do have the schematics for my Silverado, Accord and both Harley's. The house has all the breakers labeled and connections are only allowed in an accessible electrical box, so actually quite easy to figure out and trouble shoot.
In past days we used to get schematics for all our electronics, then they became disposable and so are no longer needed. Not so with cars, trucks, boats and trailers....
Without a schematic diagram showing the whole picture it's difficult to trouble shoot a problem. The poor family heading for Tuk with a dying battery was difficult to help because no one really knows how his trailer is wired. Getting an automotive tech there to look at it might take him a day just to figure out some of the wiring.
To see the DC wiring coming into my trailer I had to remove the mattress from the rear bed, take out 50 wood screws and piece of plywood 2'x5'. I had no idea under there was a 50 A thermal breaker on the main battery cable and a 30 A thermal breaker on the solar charger wire until I could see it. A schematic does not tell me where components are located but it allows me to figure out a fault by the symptoms, then where to look electrically with a DVM to confirm and diagnose a problem.
I had asked Escape the location of all fuses and DC breakers and was told they were beside
the battery disconnect switch in the front of the trailer. I'm sure all the Escape employees are doing their best to help us. They just can't supply information that does not exist.
Bob
But you do not have schematics for your house wiring, just the termination terminals and as you say the breakers are labeled, as are the ones in an Escape. Do you know where each 120v wire is in your house walls? The issue I think is finding a wire somewhere and not knowing what it is power to...but you can mark each 12v circuit by pulling the fuse and same for 120v by throwing the circuit, same as in your house. But the wires inside the walls are the unknowns, as they are in the Escape, correct?
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
Thanks again, nope no fuse on my trailer, must have run out of them that day.
You are right it needs a fuse. I may buy one that goes directly onto the battery post. There is lots of energy in these batteries.
I was surprised I didn't find one.
I know on boat's they must have a fuse within 7" of the battery terminal.
Actually, travel trailers are now required to have one close to the battery terminal too.
It is starting to look like you need to do some rewiring on your new trailer. From the pic you posted earlier, the tech that did your wiring was having a bad day - the wiring doesn't even make sense.
Just rearranging where the wires land on the thermal fuses would take care of most of it. Below are schematics you could use.
Schematic 1 - what your wiring looks like now.
Schematic 2/3 - what your wiring probably should be - pick whither you want the emergency brake always hot or not.
Correcting the wiring should be as simple as moving a few wires around on the thermal breakers - all the wiring is there, just connected to the wrong terminals. While your at it, you might want to change some of the ring terminals - I just love the one on the battery disconnect bottom terminal.
__________________
Normal people believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Engineers believe in fixing it so that it never breaks.
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