SOLVED: Electrical issues

[Shortest Straw]

Re: Electrical issues

Just trying to help avoid some overlooked areas. When doing a connection test where there is a wire nut, don’t only check to see if the wire nut is tight, but use a long nose plier and give each wire in that wire nut a good tug. Wire nut could be tight and a wire could have pulled out.

I get rid of the wire nuts in favor of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Lever-Nut-Co...ywords=Wire+connectors&qid=1598989133&sr=8-41

 

[danemayer]

Re: Electrical issues

I get rid of the wire nuts in favor of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Lever-Nut-Co...ywords=Wire+connectors&qid=1598989133&sr=8-41

That's what I've been using for the past 4 years. They're great. Tip of the hat to Jess.

 

[mlpeloquin]

Re: Electrical issues

First there are no electrical drawings for any Heartland trailers that are provided to owners. Second I had a heck of a time chasing down an open involving three electrical sockets. You really need to get a multi-meter and measure the voltage. Third the sockets are insulation displacement. That means the wires are pushed between two blades to make contact. My break was in one socket with three wires stacked one on top of another. The first wire in was not seated all the way to the bottom and the top wire vibrated free. The only way to find the open is to open the back of each dead socket one at a time to see the wires. It could be in the first one you open or the last depending on how the assembler wired the trailer. Do not do this with the trailer plugged in. A good heavy pair of needle nose pliers will allow you to seat the wires. I had to remove the second wire in order to properly seat the first. It takes effort to seat them. Then put the second one back and then seat the third properly in the contact. You will find it. It just takes time. Be careful not to break the back off the socket when trying to remove it. It snaps back on.

I forgot to mention that the open was in a working socket that fed the other three. So once you check the dead ones then start with the live ones.

 

[Shortest Straw]

Re: Electrical issues

First there are no electrical drawings for any Heartland trailers that are provided to owners. Second I had a heck of a time chasing down an open involving three electrical sockets. You really need to get a multi-meter and measure the voltage. Third the sockets are insulation displacement. That means the wires are pushed between two blades to make contact. My break was in one socket with three wires stacked one on top of another. The first wire in was not seated all the way to the bottom and the top wire vibrated free. The only way to find the open is to open the back of each dead socket one at a time to see the wires. It could be in the first one you open or the last depending on how the assembler wired the trailer. Do not do this with the trailer plugged in. A good heavy pair of needle nose pliers will allow you to seat the wires. I had to remove the second wire in order to properly seat the first. It takes effort to seat them. Then put the second one back and then seat the third properly in the contact. You will find it. It just takes time. Be careful not to break the back off the socket when trying to remove it. It snaps back on.

I forgot to mention that the open was in a working socket that fed the other three. So once you check the dead ones then start with the live ones.

Thank you for this explanation!!

 

[wdk450]

Re: Electrical issues

I have been long an advocate of replacing these insulation displacement connector electrical outlets. This is especially true if you use any high current appliances like electrical space heaters, tabletop convection oven/broilers, or electrical pressure cookers. If you analyze the metal to metal electrical contact area in a standard screw to wire outlet versus an insulation displacement narrow width V of metal, its got to be 5 - 10 times as much contact area on the screw type. You will need to enlarge the outlet cutout a bit, and install a single wide electrical box (plastic is fine) to hold the new outlet. Also, the screw compression of the multiple wires will make a RELIABLE electrical contact to the wiring. I have replaced ALL of the interior outlets in my rig.

 

[Shortest Straw]

Re: Electrical issues

Well I got my issue resolved finally.

Thank you to those that responded. Between all of you and HL support telling where the circuit went, it is fixed. The circuit in question goes down the door side, to the slide junction box, and then all the way to the rear, where it starts coming back forward.

After making sure the pedestal, the breakers, the fuses, and the outside junction boxes were working properly, I pulled the chloroplast down to see where the wiring out of the junctions was going, The junction box had a wire coming out of it going all the way to the rear of the rig on the door side, and the two boxes on the off door side went forward towards the panel.

So I took the electrical boxes out of the back wall until I found the one with the most wires coming out if it. That was the culprit. Turned the breaker off, pushed the wires down into the clips and it was fixed. That electrical box was on the back wall, off door side. It now has a residential type plug installed, and I am going to do all of them as soon as I can.

Thank you again to all that chimed in and hopefully this three day ordeal wont happen to anyone else. After seeing the quality of these electrical receptacles, I wouldn't count on it.

 

[jbeletti]

Mike - happy to hear the Forum Members and Heartland Customer Service lended you the hand you needed to find the culprit. For the most part, the IDC type recepts have been very reliable. I think in 9 coaches, I had one recept issue. Hoping you have no more!

I've marked this thread SOLVED

 

[mlpeloquin]

Re: Electrical issues

Well I got my issue resolved finally.

Thank you to those that responded. Between all of you and HL support telling where the circuit went, it is fixed. The circuit in question goes down the door side, to the slide junction box, and then all the way to the rear, where it starts coming back forward.

After making sure the pedestal, the breakers, the fuses, and the outside junction boxes were working properly, I pulled the chloroplast down to see where the wiring out of the junctions was going, The junction box had a wire coming out of it going all the way to the rear of the rig on the door side, and the two boxes on the off door side went forward towards the panel.

So I took the electrical boxes out of the back wall until I found the one with the most wires coming out if it. That was the culprit. Turned the breaker off, pushed the wires down into the clips and it was fixed. That electrical box was on the back wall, off door side. It now has a residential type plug installed, and I am going to do all of them as soon as I can.

Thank you again to all that chimed in and hopefully this three day ordeal wont happen to anyone else. After seeing the quality of these electrical receptacles, I wouldn't count on it.

wdk450, Bill, is the first one that told me, on the form, that he replace his with residential style sockets. I did several of mine. You need to use shallow retro boxes. Do not leave the residential style sockets open. I assume you did just that, but I would want to make sure you did.

Off subject. He also informed me about DeOxit. Get some and use it on your power cord connector(s) and power post. You can just watch the copper oxidation disappear. It also made my truck umbilical connector run cool. Copper oxide is an insulator.