Ac hot wire

[Notmyfault]

Hello all, I have a 2018 wilderness 2775RB. My ac stopped working and I have the issue narrowed down to a broken hot wire someplace in the ceiling. I wondered if anyone else has had this happen? What to do about it? Doesn’t seem to be much access between where the wire goes up the wall to the ceiling and to ac

 

[cookie]

Have you done a continuity test on that wire? How did you determine that there is a broken wire?
Although anything can happen, it would be very unusual for a wire to just break somewhere in the wall or ceiling.

Peace
Dave

 

[Notmyfault]

Thanks for the reply cookie, I had a heck of a time tracing the hot wire. The hot wire leaves the breaker, goes under the belly and comes back up through the wall in the pantry, at that point I have power. I used a simple power tester that you hold against the wire and lights up if there is power, I confirmed I have the correct wire by turning the breaker off and testing again. I also bypassed the hot wire by running a wire from the breaker to ac, everything works fine that way but wife will not let me leave it that way

 

[cookie]

Where the wire goes into the underbelly there may be a junction box under there or along the frame with spliced wires. You might have to drop the Coroplast a bit to check.
Check in that box for a loose connection.

Peace
Dave

 

[Notmyfault]

The power wire seems to be a solid run from breaker box to ac. I have pulled the plastic down from underneath. I was hoping the issue would be a junction box, but no luck. I am hoping I can tie some new wire to the bad one and pull it through then junction together in a box beside furnace. My fear is it will not pull through the styrofoam insulation and is probably zip tied to a truss or something. I really do not want to tear the ceiling out of the unit just to replace the wire

 

[Notmyfault]

The power wire seems to be a solid run from breaker box to ac. I have pulled the plastic down from underneath. I was hoping the issue would be a junction box, but no luck. I am hoping I can tie some new wire to the bad one and pull it through then junction together in a box beside furnace. My fear is it will not pull through the styrofoam insulation and is probably zip tied to a truss or something. I really do not want to tear the ceiling out of the unit just to replace the wire

I do agree it is odd that a solid wire just break, the ac worked up until a few days ago, not sure of any stress points in the ceiling

 

[wdk450]

Did the AC stop working while sitting at a site, or would not start up just after a move to a new site? The latter situation might suggest a bad connection somewhere.
Harbor Freight Tools (and other places) have a tool set of stiff fiberglass rods that screw together to make a cable pull. Maybe you could punch through the foam insulation with that.

3/16 in. x 33 ft. Fiberglass Wire Running Kit

Amazing deals on this 3/16In X 33Ft Fiberglass Wire Runner at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[Dahillbilly]

Thanks for the reply cookie, I had a heck of a time tracing the hot wire. The hot wire leaves the breaker, goes under the belly and comes back up through the wall in the pantry, at that point I have power. I used a simple power tester that you hold against the wire and lights up if there is power, I confirmed I have the correct wire by turning the breaker off and testing again. I also bypassed the hot wire by running a wire from the breaker to ac, everything works fine that way but wife will not let me leave it that way

those non-contact testers will show you have power BUT it may not be 110vac. They will show voltage as low as 25vac, use a volt meter to test the voltage at the ac and at the breaker for ac. Been there done that as the saying goes!!

 

[Notmyfault]

Did the AC stop working while sitting at a site, or would not start up just after a move to a new site? The latter situation might suggest a bad connection somewhere.
Harbor Freight Tools (and other places) have a tool set of stiff fiberglass rods that screw together to make a cable pull. Maybe you could punch through the foam insulation with that.

3/16 in. x 33 ft. Fiberglass Wire Running Kit

Amazing deals on this 3/16In X 33Ft Fiberglass Wire Runner at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

I noticed the ac not working after getting back from a short trip, thanks for the tip on the wire pulls, my only guess is maybe there has been a screw through a wire or a wire damaged at some point and I am the lucky one it decided to break on, it is a complete open circuit, I have 120 bolts at the breaker an zero at ac, the breaker never tripped

 

[Notmyfault]

I noticed the ac not working after getting back from a short trip, thanks for the tip on the wire pulls, my only guess is maybe there has been a screw through a wire or a wire damaged at some point and I am the lucky one it decided to break on, it is a complete open circuit, I have 120 bolts at the breaker an zero at ac, the breaker never tripped

I think my next step is to remove the inside panel of the pantry, hopefully from there I can pull straight on the wire

 

[Notmyfault]

those non-contact testers will show you have power BUT it may not be 110vac. They will show voltage as low as 25vac, use a volt meter to test the voltage at the ac and at the breaker for ac. Been there done that as the saying goes!!

I know I have 120 volts after the breaker, but the ac has zero voltage. The wire for the ac has voltage in the wall before ceiling but the end of the line at the ac has zero voltage. I put a temporary wire from the breaker to the ac and everything works fine

 

[Notmyfault]

I know I have 120 volts after the breaker, but the ac has zero voltage. The wire for the ac has voltage in the wall before ceiling but the end of the line at the ac has zero voltage. I put a temporary wire from the breaker to the ac and everything works fine

Thanks to all who helped me out here. The issue has been resolved. It ended up being in a cheap wire splice box in the hollow wall befor it goes into the ceiling. It is all back together except the pantry

 

[wdk450]

I wonder if this factory splice is legal? Aren't all 120 volt wire connections in a house NOT supposed to be within walls, and always inside a conduit box?? I get this from watching contractor Mike Holmes "Make It Right" TV shows.
Some of our retired professional electricians on the forum advise us on this.

 

[Notmyfault]

I wonder if this factory splice is legal? Aren't all 120 volt wire connections in a house NOT supposed to be within walls, and always inside a conduit box?? I get this from watching contractor Mike Holmes "Make It Right" TV shows.
Some of our retired professional electricians on the forum advise us on this.

I am not a electrician, but know a little about it. I was always told never put a splice where it is not accessible. I really doubt travel trailers fall under the same rules as houses. This box would be the last one of my choice for making a splice, the wires get pushed in place and as they do the connectors pierce the insulation. I am not sure it is rated for the same current load as the wire. I am just glad I didn’t have to mess with the wire in the ceiling

 

[wdk450]

Per the hidden 120 volt wirenut splice you found inside a wall, and " I really doubt travel trailers fall under the same rules as houses."

I bet travel trailers burn just as easily (or easier) than houses.

 

[mlpeloquin]

I think you missed what he found and did himself. The wires were in a hidden insulation displacement box. I believe he put the wire nuts on himself. He needs to put some support in and add a shallow home junction box for the wire nut connections. Otherwise it is still considered a safety/fire issue. I don't think he could rewire to eliminate or move the connection, but perhaps put an access to it through the cabinet and label it.

 

[wdk450]

OK, I understand.

I replaced ALL the Insulation Displacement Connector outlets in my rig many years ago with standard, screw-type connection outlets. I got the clue when I noticed the pilot light on my electric space heater blinking when the heater was on with the old IDC outlet. I can't believe the IDC spring fork connections have enough contact area (2 mm square??) to do the job for a standard 15 amp outlet. I would guess that a standard house outlet has about 20 square mm of contact area on each screw head/contact plates.

Has anyone ever seen IDC outlets in a standard house??

 

[david-steph2018]

Thanks to all who helped me out here. The issue has been resolved. It ended up being in a cheap wire splice box in the hollow wall befor it goes into the ceiling. It is all back together except the pantry

You may be able to tie a new wire to the old and gently pull it thru. Then have enough of the new wire to run straight to the breaker box. This way you would not have a splice in the line.
Maybe tape a fish tape to the wire and gently pull it thru then pull a new wire thru in its place.

 

[Notmyfault]

I am not familiar with how they run the wires through the styrofoam roof insulation, I pulled on the wire and didn’t feel much give, I am content with having the splice where it is now that the power is passing through. I will do as mlpeliquin mentioned and put the nuts in a box. The wires are twisted together with pliers, wire nutted and taped, hundred times better than what I had

 

[Hollandt]

I am not familiar with how they run the wires through the styrofoam roof insulation, I pulled on the wire and didn’t feel much give, I am content with having the splice where it is now that the power is passing through. I will do as mlpeliquin mentioned and put the nuts in a box. The wires are twisted together with pliers, wire nutted and taped, hundred times better than what I had

I would be surprised if the original slice was rated for 20 amps. Maybe loosely rated for 15 amp??