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Re: [Shop-talk] Finding a Blown Fuse (Automotive)

To: shop-talk@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] Finding a Blown Fuse (Automotive)
From: Pat Horne <patintexas@icloud.com> 2903e8d5c8f:6.0.425,18.0.790,17.0.607.475.0000000 definitions=2021-11-10_13:2021-11-08_01,2021-11-10_13,2020-04-07_01 signatures=0 mlxscore=0 suspectscore=0 malwarescore=0 bulkscore=0 spamscore=0 clxscore=1015 phishscore=0 mlxlogscore=999 classifier=spam adjust=0 reason=mlx scancount=1 engine=8.12.0-2009150000 definitions=main-2111110000
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 2021 18:50:58 -0600
Delivered-to: mharc@autox.team.net
Delivered-to: shop-talk@autox.team.net
References: <CAP7dBXAUkTD2CXpZES70onWfajOE3XgaUxhfUH2xjqkWwoPfYA@mail.gmail.com>
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Eric, there is a device that is used mainly in telecom/networking that 
will help you find the problem. Check out the Klein vdv500-820. It's in 
the $65 range, but there are cheaper ones down below $20 from china. The 
Klein unit usually has a stronger signal than the Chinese units but 
since you probably won't have much use for it in the future, so the 
cheaper ones may be fine for you. There are two alligator clips on it. 
Make sure all the cargo lights are off & connect one clip to the wire 
that is dead & the other one to ground. You should be able to follow the 
wire back to the problem. For the tone generator to work well, the 
circuit needs to have no load on the circuit. By this I mean all the 
lights & other loads like the TPMS booster need to be disconnected. The 
cable tester contains a continuity tester mode so you can verify that 
all the loads have been removed.

Do a search for the Klein unit on Amazon. There is a video there that 
shows how the unit is used, but not in depth.

How are you verifying that the fuses are good? If you are just looking 
at them, they may still be bad or making a poor connection. Use a volt 
meter & measure voltage on both ends of the fuses to verify them.

I can walk you through the troubleshooting if you need help.

Peace,

Pat

On 11/10/2021 6:15 PM, Eric Russell wrote:
> Oh wise & beneficent Shop Talkers - I've run into a situation that has 
> me stymied. I need help locating a blown fuse in a motorhome.
>
> We recently bought a new (to us) motorhome. When installing the signal 
> booster for a TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) I 
> accidentally shorted a 12V wire in the cargo bay lights. There was a 
> small spark (followed by a few swear words). I then went on a hunt for 
> the blown fuse. There are three fuse panels in this motorhome. Two in 
> the Ford chassis (F-53) - one under the hood and the other inside near 
> the parking brake - plus one in the motorhome's 120V - 12V power 
> converter. I could not find a blown fuse anywhere.
>
> I contacted the manufacturer (Thor) who has actually been quite 
> responsive & has tried to help. After asking for my vehicle's VIN they 
> emailed me some schematics (not actual wire diagrams but more a map 
> showing the general location of outlets, switches, etc with 
> indications of which circuit they belong to). There are two schematics 
> that appear to apply to my motorhome - one indicates the cargo lights 
> are connected to the Ford panel by the parking brake, another 
> indicates they are in circuit #6 of the converter's 12V panel. Neither 
> of those fuses are blown. While there I checked all the fuses I could 
> locate - none were blown. I've also signed up to a couple of motorhome 
> forums but have not been able to find an answer there.
>
> Finally - my plea for help - is there any device one can use to trace 
> where a circuit originates? I've seen an electrician use a device to 
> find out what outlet goes to which breaker in our house.
>
> I've followed the hot wire from the cargo bay light back to where it 
> enters a wire harness along the motorhome's frame rail. I'm loath to 
> rip open the wire harness trying to chase the wire further upstream. 
> As far as I can tell there is nothing else in this circuit - 
> everything else is working properly. Of course I can live without 
> cargo bay lights but it bothers my OCD to have it not working (when I 
> know it did before my screw up).
>
> -- 
> Eric Russell
> Mebane, NC
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> Shop-talk@autox.team.net
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>
-- 
We support Habitat for Humanity, a hand UP, not a hand OUT

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<html>
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    <p>Eric, there is a device that is used mainly in telecom/networking
      that will help you find the problem. Check out the Klein
      vdv500-820. It's in the $65 range, but there are cheaper ones down
      below $20 from china. The Klein unit usually has a stronger signal
      than the Chinese units but since you probably won't have much use
      for it in the future, so the cheaper ones may be fine for you. 
      There are two alligator clips on it. Make sure all the cargo
      lights are off &amp; connect one clip to the wire that is dead
      &amp; the other one to ground. You should be able to follow the
      wire back to the problem. For the tone generator to work well, the
      circuit needs to have no load on the circuit. By this I mean all
      the lights &amp; other loads like the TPMS booster need to be
      disconnected. The cable tester contains a continuity tester mode
      so you can verify that all the loads have been removed.<br>
    </p>
    <p>Do a search for the Klein unit on Amazon. There is a video there
      that shows how the unit is used, but not in depth.</p>
    <p>How are you verifying that the fuses are good? If you are just
      looking at them, they may still be bad or making a poor
      connection. Use a volt meter &amp; measure voltage on both ends of
      the fuses to verify them.<br>
    </p>
    <p>I can walk you through the troubleshooting if you need help.</p>
    <p>Peace,</p>
    <p>Pat<br>
    </p>
    <div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 11/10/2021 6:15 PM, Eric Russell
      wrote:<br>
    </div>
    <blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:CAP7dBXAUkTD2CXpZES70onWfajOE3XgaUxhfUH2xjqkWwoPfYA@mail.gmail.com">
      <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
      <div dir="ltr">Oh wise &amp; beneficent Shop Talkers - I've run
        into a situation that has me stymied. I need help locating a
        blown fuse in a motorhome. 
        <div><br>
        </div>
        <div>We recently bought a new (to us) motorhome. When installing
          the signal booster for a TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring
          System) I accidentally shorted a 12V wire in the cargo bay
          lights. There was a small spark (followed by a few swear
          words). I then went on a hunt for the blown fuse. There are
          three fuse panels in this motorhome. Two in the Ford chassis
          (F-53) - one under the hood and the other inside near the
          parking brake - plus one in the motorhome's 120V - 12V power
          converter. I could not find a blown fuse anywhere. 
          <div><br>
          </div>
          <div>I contacted the manufacturer (Thor) who has actually been
            quite responsive &amp; has tried to help. After asking for
            my vehicle's VIN they emailed me some schematics (not actual
            wire diagrams but more a map showing the general location of
            outlets, switches, etc with indications of which circuit
            they belong to). There are two schematics that appear to
            apply to my motorhome - one indicates the cargo lights are
            connected to the Ford panel by the parking brake, another
            indicates they are in circuit #6 of the converter's 12V
            panel. Neither of those fuses are blown. While there I
            checked all the fuses I could locate - none were blown. I've
            also signed up to a couple of motorhome forums but have not
            been able to find an answer there. </div>
          <div><br>
          </div>
          <div>Finally - my plea for help - is there any device one can
            use to trace where a circuit originates? I've seen an
            electrician use a device to find out what outlet goes to
            which breaker in our house.</div>
          <div><br>
          </div>
          <div>I've followed the hot wire from the cargo bay light back
            to where it enters a wire harness along the motorhome's
            frame rail. I'm loath to rip open the wire harness trying to
            chase the wire further upstream. As far as I can tell there
            is nothing else in this circuit - everything else is working
            properly. Of course I can live without cargo bay lights but
            it bothers my OCD to have it not working (when I know it did
            before my screw up). <br clear="all">
            <div><br>
            </div>
            -- <br>
            <div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature"
              data-smartmail="gmail_signature">
              <div dir="ltr">Eric Russell
                <div>Mebane, NC</div>
              </div>
            </div>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
      <br>
      <fieldset class="mimeAttachmentHeader"></fieldset>
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</pre>
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    <pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">-- 
We support Habitat for Humanity, a hand UP, not a hand OUT</pre>
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