12 volt lighting on non-door slide out

[ledtraveler]

We have a 2011 Big Country 3450TS. A few days ago we noticed that the 3 separate lights on the non-door slide out are not working. As well the Jensen factory stereo on the same slide will not power on. We've reset all of the breakers, and have checked and tested all of the fuses.

Everything else in the RV works fine --- all other lights in the RV, as well as the tv, fridge, microwave etc ... the lights that are not working we guess would be 12 volt?

We're definitely not electrical experts ... but thought that we should be able to fix this ... any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

We did notice that when we removed the number 3 fuse from the fuse box, the red light came on, which we think indicates a fault? But what is the fault ...
Please help!

 

[danemayer]

H ledtraveler,

The #3 fuse sounds like it's ok. When you pull a fuse and the LED next to it lights up, it just means there's a load on the circuit.

Based on your description, I'd check under the slide to find where the 12V DC wiring enters from below. You may find a broken wire.

 

[Roller4tan]

look under the slide floor to where the wiring enters the slide, the insulation may be compromised by a metal backing for the lower rubber seals. If no issue there trace the wiring back to the junction box near the middle of the slide attached to the frame. check the wire nuts inside.

 

[ledtraveler]

We looked as closely as we could, and could not see any wires that look to be compromised.
Also we are not sure which specific wire\color\other we would be looking for ?? As we do not have any sort of a wiring diagram etc ...
We have lived in this RV full time since it was new, and other that when it was setup\delivered on this site when new, the RV never moves at all

- - - Updated - - -

H ledtraveler,

The #3 fuse sounds like it's ok. When you pull a fuse and the LED next to it lights up, it just means there's a load on the circuit.

Based on your description, I'd check under the slide to find where the 12V DC wiring enters from below. You may find a broken wire.

look under the slide floor to where the wiring enters the slide, the insulation may be compromised by a metal backing for the lower rubber seals. If no issue there trace the wiring back to the junction box near the middle of the slide attached to the frame. check the wire nuts inside.

We looked at the wiring that enters the slide, and none appears to have been compromised.
Also checked the wire nuts in the junction box, and they look ok as well.
Not sure what else we can look at?
It seems odd that the other 12 volt lights are fine ...
that Jensen factory stereo must be 12 volt too??
And of note, we live in the RV full time since it was new, and it never moves ...
Any other suggestions\ideas would be appreciated !!

 

[danemayer]

Did you pull each one test the 12V fuses with an ohm meter?

 

[ledtraveler]

Yes, we did test each individual fuse with ohm meter, and all were ok.
why is it that red led light would come on when we remove the #3 fuse ??
You had mentioned that when the red led light comes on with fuse removed, that would then indicate a load on the circuit,
Yet nothing is powered on, on that particular circuit ...

 

[danemayer]

Yes, we did test each individual fuse with ohm meter, and all were ok.
why is it that red led light would come on when we remove the #3 fuse ??
You had mentioned that when the red led light comes on with fuse removed, that would then indicate a load on the circuit,
Yet nothing is powered on, on that particular circuit ...

The LED next to each fuse provides a low-current alternate path to ground. When the device powered through that fuse position is switched ON, there is a path to ground. With the fuse IN, power takes the easier path through the fuse and not the LED, and goes to the device that's ON. With the fuse OUT, power goes through the LED, illuminating it. Since the LED only passes a little current, in most cases the device on that circuit will not work.

The signal booster for your Cable/Antenna TV is powered through a fuse, but you might not notice that it's ON. That could be #3.

To troubleshoot further, you may have to start checking for 12V DC at the wires going to the devices that aren't working.

 

[wdk450]

With multiple different 12 volt devices out in one area, especially different stuff like lights and stereo, I would suspect a bad common ground return wire was open (broken). What you need to do to test this is to bring 12 volts directly from a known good point like a circuit breaker on the bus bar through a long wire to one/all of the inoperative devices. You then use a test multimeter or test lamp wired to the positive 12 volt source and then see if you can get a good 12 volt reading by contacting the ground wire (or terminal). If you find the 12 volt negative wire is not connected, you have to start working your way back to the battery area testing over and over; or you can wire in a new 12 negative wire to the affected devices.