# RV 12V Electrical problem



## 111307 (Apr 13, 2008)

Hope someone here can help me out.

Have been parked up in mid France (Allier) in our 1996 Georgie Boy Persuit for 6 weeks now with no problems at all. Yesterday we were pumping black water into barrels when suddenly the macerator pump ground to a sudden halt and we noticed that the control switch light had gone out. We contacted the manufacturer who said could be a safety cutout, wait 24 hours and try and start it again. No problem with that an everything else was working great.

This morning I went out to see if the macerator would re-start but as soon as I switched it on smoke started to come from the wire end of the pump and so immediatly switche it off again. It was red hot to touch. My wife who was in the bus then said that when I turned on the pump the water pump light in the kitchen (which was on at the time) dimmed and then went out completely.

After doing a quick check I noticed that all the internal lights, water pump, water level checking panel, cooker extractor fan, outside porch light ect running on 12V were not working. All the vehicle dash, radio, indicators etc worked fine as did everything running off the hookup connection.

I went back outside an checked all the circuits on the breaker and they were all on. I then checked all the fuses on the 12V fuse panel and they are all OK (none blown). I then checked all the fuses in the engine bay of the bus and they were also OK. 2 of the 30 AMP fuses were of the metal type and so the wife took them to a local garage and they tested OK. I contacted the manufacturer of the converter and it appears to be working fine and the battery intellicharge system is indication that it is charging the batteries OK. I tested the 12V DC socket on the passenger side of the dashboard and that has a current as do all the 110V sockets on the buss.

I am at a complete loss as to what to check next. We will be living in the buss with 4 dogs full time for the next 3 months and the thought of no flushing loo or running water in the kitchen is not one I want to contemplate. I should also add that I am an electrical numbnuts and consider that any piece of wire I am about to touch will kill me. So if anyone has any ideas please try and explain in terms that a 3 year old might understand.

Really hope that someone can help out here.

Should add that most of the French mechanics we have called are either not willing to come to the camp site or have said they will not touch an American RV.

Kind Regards, Mike & Sue in France.


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi Mike check you house battery cables, one of them may be loose or defective.

Your macerator sounds U/S, but it might be just jammed, you need to turn the blades manually, mine has a screwdriver slot in the end of it for this purpose. Also mine has a blade type internal fuse which isn't mentioned in the instructions.

Olley


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## AberdeenAngus (Jul 26, 2008)

Def. sounds like you've stalled the macerator motor and blown a fuse.
I'd like to bet you'll find something solid has got jammed in the macerator teeth. 
Check all your fuses again. Actually pull each one and test it. If you don't have a multimeter - you can pick them up for about £30.
As Olley says, you'll need to rotate the macerator blades by hand, the wrong way, to free them off.

Hope that helps.


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## 103356 (Mar 11, 2007)

Where did you have the macerator connected to the power supply? The macerator draws a very high current and the cables connecting it must be of the correct gauge. I had a specific additional 20A circuit wired into my RV just for the macerator, to ensure I didn't overload the existing wiring. From your description, it does sound as though you have overloaded a supply cable (the smoke bit was the clue) and that you may have actually burnt out a cable. That might explain why there is no 12v power, but the fuses have not blown. Fuses can accept an overload condition for quite some time before blowing, and it is aways possible that the insulation on two wires has melted and caused a burnout without blowing the fuse. Have you checked that all the fuses are the correct rating, as per the MH manual. It is not unknown for previous owners of vehicles to up a fuse rating 'because it stops it blowing all the time!!' (i.e. a 30A fuse protecting 10A cable.... :roll: ). I suspect you do need an electrician with the necessary test kit to check the wiring harness.


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## 111307 (Apr 13, 2008)

thanks for the replies and advice. I think that Chrisd posting is the more likely scenario and that I need to investigate the wiring and discover where the wiring goes and the power flow. Unfortunately the previous owners had the pump fitted and I think they simply made a spur from one of the other connections.

We are going to see if a French motorhome dealer and service station in Moulins can help tomorrow. I just hope they do mobile calls because we would certainly not get the buss through their gate and into their compound or garage.

Now using a patio light and citrus candle to provide light and a 25ltr water carrier in the loo.

Will let you know the outcome and thanks again for the advice.

Kind Regards, Mike L


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## 103356 (Mar 11, 2007)

Good luck with your investigations and hope you manage to get it sorted. Citrus candles are all very cosy, but they are no substitute for real lighting....


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## 111307 (Apr 13, 2008)

Well after 3 days of trying to find a mechanic who understands electrics and is willing to come out to the site we have given up for now. All the French garages will not not touch a motor home so we drove to our nearest motor home garage in Moulins. Their mechanics are all on holiday for the whole of August (normal for France)and even then they do not do house calls!!! They said bring it in, but we pointed out that due to the location we would not get it into their yard and they simply shrugged;;;tough.

Mobile mechanics are extremely rare in France and there are none in the Whole Department, so no luck there.

We are now trying to find an electrician who may be able to discover where the problem lies.

I took the macerator pump off and discovered scorching of the thin wires and the unit smells burned out so I will order another pump.

I have replaced every fuse on the buss with new fuses and still no power. To check some of the system I switched the ignition on and the intellicharge system immediately cut in and showed the system charging the batteries (we have a bank of 5 batteries). Again being total ignoramous on electrics I am totally stumped. 

I purchased a multimeter but cannot figure our how to use the bloody thing! 

Will keep you posted on developments.

Rgds, Mike L

Rgds, Mike L


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## Superk (Aug 22, 2005)

Hi Mike

Sorry to hear about your problems - macerators do jam occasionally and usually at the most awkward moment - a build up of hair from the shower waste round the blades can cause it. 

I'm sure you've checked fuse locations from the manual but if not could you have missed one. On our RV there were, as best as I can recall, five fuse panels - one in the bedroom overhead locker fitted by the manufacturer, another fitted by the UK converter, then in the front outside locker, under the dash, and under the bonnet.

I hope the French guys can sort you out - most won't touch an RV or don't know where to start.

 
Keith


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi mike, no idea of where the fuses are on a GB but somewhere their should be one main fuse for all the 12v electrics supplied by the house batteries, it would I think be rated around 60amps, this then supplies feeds to all the other smaller circuits via their smaller fuses.

Mine is behind the batteries, which are under the step, try to trace the positive wire from the house batteries, and you should eventally find it.

Olley


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