Electrical shorts are fun

[MyronL]

You know, how on them television police series… (Major Crimes is my favorite) …sometimes the crew is totally stumped? Detective Lieutenant Louie Provenza tells them, with that deep gravelly voice… “Alright, go back over all the evidence, and the interviews, get back to the scene of the crime, and find out what we missed!”

Love that deep voice of experience. Well, over the last couple months I’ve been totally stumped by an electrical short in the trailer. I have wasted a couple dozen 15 amp fuses trying to track it down.

No ceiling lights in my classic 2013 19. No other electrical trouble. Have looked everywhere. The WFCO 8955 PEC distribution Center continues to blow that fuse, …one fuse only. Thus far, disconnected every ceiling fixture, the bathroom light, the stove vent fan, the curbside porch light. Yes, every add-on light fixture I added on. Thought it might be the WFCO printed fuse circuit board but it tested good. Still no joy. Everything else works fine. What a downer.

I did not want to take the trailer into Tom's RV. Nobody likes hunting down electrical shorts. Was going to write this as a plea for help, or at least to ask for a diagram of where the factory ran hidden bundled wires so I could fish for them.

Glass of lemonade in hand, in a canvas chair beside the trailer, resting up a bit before dragging my bones back in there, I heard Detective Provenza’s voice. (Before you use that plumbers fish line behind the bathroom wall,) he said…” go back over what you’ve done, and find out if you missed something.”

There was one thing that came immediately to mind. Some time back when I replaced the front porch switch, the wires running up inside the fiberglass column were very short and I messed one connection up. Thought I had fixed it and the light did work for a while, but it always seemed chancy. With Provenza’s voice in my head, I decided to disconnect and pull out that entire wire from down under the sink. It’s not an easy thing to do when you got the flexibility of a mature giraffe. Did it.

And that was where the short was! Thank you, detective.

[Patandlinda]

Always great when you succeed! Pat

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by MyronL

Glass of lemonade in hand, in a canvas chair beside the trailer, resting up a bit before dragging my bones back in there,

Those kind of problems drive me nuts. If it had been me the lemonade might have had a bit of kick in it. Glad you've got it beat.

Actually I just spent 8 months tracking down a problem in my car. It was truly driving me nuts. Turned out that a fuel injector that twice tested OK had a defect. Sometimes you just have to keep beating your head against the wall until something gives.

Ron

[Iowa Dave]

My brother in law passed away some years ago at a young age. Whenever I had an electrical problem on trailer wiring I would call him. He would calmly recite the alphabet of possibilities and when he got to the end he would say “Those grounds will mess you up.” And about 2/3 of the time I’d go over the grounding and find the problem. Point being you can’t always trust your first inspection and you might have two of the same problem at once especially wiring shorts that have been real hot. Glad you guys got your stuff fixed. I haven’t had lights for 9 1/2 days but 126 mph winds will do that too you. Picked up a few apples off the ground today. This is the second load. I can hear the deer in the woods above me singing “We’re in the money.”
Iowa Dave

[MyronL]

Dave, Nine and a half Days That'll keep you grounded. Stay safe.

[AKCamper]

Whenever I have a short to locate I put a buzzer like the kind used for seatbelts in where the fuse goes using jumper wires. I remove all the loads like the light bulbs in your case. I then proceed to wiggle wires and move things till the buzzer sound off. Bingo there is the short.

[Mike G]

I have never tried wearing electrical shorts. They sound overly stimulating.

[dfandrews]

Originally Posted by Mike G

I have never tried wearing electrical shorts. They sound overly stimulating.

Not in the stores: they're not a Current style, There's to much Resistance in the marketplace.

[Mike G]

Originally Posted by dfandrews

Not in the stores: they're not a Current style, There's to much Resistance in the marketplace.

They couldn't get buyers amped up about them, eh?

[Tom&Joan]

Don and Mike, I love you guys! My kind of humor as my wife will attest. Watts up next?

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by Tom&Joan

Don and Mike, I love you guys! My kind of humor as my wife will attest. Watts up next?

They don’t size electrical shorts like regular clothing. They are sized according to joules.
Iowa Dave

[dfandrews]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

They don’t size electrical shorts like regular clothing. They are sized according to joules.
Iowa Dave

Wattever, dude!

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

They don’t size electrical shorts like regular clothing. They are sized according to joules.
Iowa Dave

I've been thinking that there'd be some way to work electrical shorts into an old Mae West joke. Joules would fit but I thought the better of posting it.

Ron

[dfandrews]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

I've been thinking that there'd be some way to work electrical shorts into an old Mae West joke. Joules would fit but I thought the better of posting it.

Ron

It's would have to be the banter between her and W.C.Fields, for sure. Ah, Yessss!

[Iowa Dave]

I live a life of lesser boundaries. Give me land, lots of land, neath the starry skies above, don’t fence me in.
Was looking at the Milky Way last night as I crossed the yard to the Escape where I’ve been sleeping for ten days while the power has been out when I saw a shooting star. Reminded me of the song and the great camping I’ve experienced over the years.
Iowa Dave

[MyronL]

In regards to the title of this thread, you guys have nailed it. I am now convinced I made the right decision to not include any pictures of my shorts.

[Dave Walter]

I guess I misunderstood Myron's post. I thought that he was talking about his "electrical shorts"!

[Tom&Joan]

OHMy gosh, this thread has taken a shocking turn!

[dfandrews]

I'm waiting for the page of posts starring a squirrel cooking poutine electrically!

[Mike G]

Originally Posted by Dave Walter

I guess I misunderstood Myron's post. I thought that he was talking about his "electrical shorts"!

Those would be perfect shorts for a nocturnal flasher, are they being sold by Zappos? But I'm not too hot about them. Pretty positive I'll pass.