The microwave plug was the first clue-it was hanging a little loose. Just checking every ckt. after my inverter install & found what I thought was no power at microwave. Turns out there was power at L1, but L1 was shorted to neutral. I traced it from panel to junction box just under slide- without benefit of wiring diagram- I found the short was in the slide-not the main body of trailer- also found there supposedly is to be 3 circuits to slide 1 to GFI, 1 to entertainment area, and 1 to microwave. Found a set of unconnected live wires in junction box at trailer frame- looks like they were intended for GFI. Looks like they piggy backed GFI onto either entertainment or microwave circuits. Looking for junction where they changed back to NMD from strand wire in the flex connection to slide-so I removed the TV and backing, then fireplace. Found a junction box and determined the short for the microwave was from that junction up to outlet box. As I needed to find where and how they connected everything I'm on a search and destroy now. Cut the wall panel out behind fireplace and found one potential for short- a screw for cabinet was driven through the wire for microwave. I guess tomorrow I'll do more search & destroy by removing the stove and wall panel to find junction. I've looked in all the boxes and it is looking like they junctioned in the wall. As of now I have no power on the kitchen slide at any boxes and just 2 circuits at the transition junction behind fireplace box where they changed from strand to NMD. I'll have to run that third power circuit up and in the flex and then try to find the hidden junction. Anybody have any guesses that may save more than all the wall panelling below counter height coming off? Unit is 2006 Landmark Shenandoah- any input is appreciated.
Wiring problems in kitchen slide.
- Thread starter Hoser43
- Start date
I'm not familiar with the Shenandoah so everything I say here is just a shot in the dark.
It seems odd that after 6 or 7 years that a short would show up. Not impossible just seems odd. Especially after a new install of an inverter.
Have you checked all of the wire nut connections? It is not unheard of to find a bad connection.
I also don't think you will find any hidden junction boxes hidden in the walls. Junction boxes, by code, must be accessible.
You mentioned a short possibly caused by a screw. Are you tripping a breaker?
Maybe you are digging to deep for the cause.
Dunno, but these are some things that came to mind after reading your post.
Let us know what you find.
Peace
Dave
It seems odd that after 6 or 7 years that a short would show up. Not impossible just seems odd. Especially after a new install of an inverter.
Have you checked all of the wire nut connections? It is not unheard of to find a bad connection.
I also don't think you will find any hidden junction boxes hidden in the walls. Junction boxes, by code, must be accessible.
You mentioned a short possibly caused by a screw. Are you tripping a breaker?
Maybe you are digging to deep for the cause.
Dunno, but these are some things that came to mind after reading your post.
Let us know what you find.
Peace
Dave
I've worked for a few decades in HVAC and so wiring & trouble shooting is not new. I did in fact find a screw through a 14/2 wire. When jiggled it would create a short-as measured on my multimeter. As there are no other junction boxes showing-by deduction there has to be a hidden junction somewhere. As well I found the line intended for the fireplace was left live in the frame junction box at the edge of the slide. They also ran two sets of 14/2 stranded wire over to the slide from that trailer junction box. They coupled the ground wire and neutral together to run the two circuits. I've decided my best way out of this is to run new three ckts. of 14/3 stranded wire to the slide to restore the three circuits- and then abandon the wire in the walls in the slide. I'll surface mount the new supply wires up high in the base cabinets and then fish it up to the first outlet box for each circuit- and then hope the connections downstream of the first outlet box are good. That way I can maintain the originally intended three circuits and correct this situation.
Finished my electrical tricks. I took out the fireplace and found all the problems located behind the panelling on the wall behind FP. Found where screw went through wire, used it to pull new wire to GFI @ kitchen. Found where they had coupled ground & neutral together. Ran three new strand 14/3 wires from main body to slide. Used line labelled Living Room to supply power to Fire Place & Entertainment. Used Line labelled Fire Place to first kitchen GFI, then fished wire from there to next counter plug, there was already wire to third counter plug. That makes all plugs at counter on GFI. Ran wire to Microwave & now it works. While at it noticed slide was tilted in, through reading manual I lowered slide at outside adjustment, so it is now level with trailer body. Checked all circuits on shore power and inverter- looks like I'm good to go camping. Maybe head south when winter gets serious here. Oh, and I filled outside wall behind panelling with spray foam insulation- hopefully that will help some this winter.
