Don't be Con fused

[Blaydon]

Hi Folks. I had a problem with charging and control panel - outlined in another thread.
The reason I have opened this one is ...Don't get 'Con Fused' by the Fuses.

One of the in line fuses on the 12v side had blown. It took me ages to spot - and had I spent a bit of time looking before the problem, it would have saved me a lot of grief. Imagine late at night in a dark and cold place! Take a good look at your van to be sure you know where things are.
Also - the fuses are not the usual car fuses. These are 30mm (29.5mm). If yours are the same, pick a couple up, so you are ready.

I would like to thank all those Funsters who helped.
I would also like to than Ash from Vanbiz - who gave me great advice and links.

Cheers all!

 

[Minxy]

Definitely worth knowing where your fuses are and what they are for, I drew up a diagram for ours as the Carthago manual just gives details of which 'block' they're in and what amperage they are, stupidly there's no diagram to show exactly which slot so I made my own diagrams and thought we were sorted ... trouble is I hadn't anticipated that some of the fuses had been placed in the wrong slots!

When our awning light stopped working I identified the fuse for it (the only 5 amp fuse in the block) which we changed but no joy, after trying three different ones (one of which definitely worked in another 5 amp slot) it still wouldn't work therefore the dealer ordered a replacement to be fitted. We dropped the MH off last week (Monday) for our damp check and other warranty work and collected it a few days later to be told that they'd just changed the fuse and it worked so no need for a new light ... eh? Do they have 'magic' fuses or something? The only 'clue' we got was that they'd changed the grey 2 amp fuse, not the orange 5 amp fuse! Hmmmmmm ....

Totally bemused, when we got home I double checked the info in the manual and it was indeed indicated that the only 5 amp orange fuse in the block was for the awning light so how come it was linked with the 2 amp grey one? I put on my 'fictional' Deerstalker hat and carried out some Sherlock Holmes-esq detective work with hubby playing Watson and by taking out each fuse individually then trying the equipment etc it was supposed to be for we discovered that the fuse for the awning light (5 amp orange) was in the slot for the Carthago fitted 2 x USB sockets (on the left of the cab, not the Fiat dash ones) and the 2 x USB fuse (2 amp grey) was in the awning light slot, consequently I swapped them round to their correct positions.

As the techies knew the correct slot for the awning light that's why they changed the grey fuse and hadn't gone by the fuse colour/amperage mentioned in the manual as we had - the awning light only having a 2 amp fuse may be why it had blown in the first place being underpowered; fortunately we never overloaded the USBs so their being an 'over-rated' fuse in that slot hadn't become a safety issue).

So the moral of this story is ... don't just go by the manufacturer's manual 'text', if it hasn't got a diagram go out and physically check them yourself by pulling the fuses out to check exactly which piece of equipment etc they are for and then make your own diagram based on that.

NOTE: If anyone wants me do let them have the below diagrams (assuming they have the same set-up) or wants me to do one for them, just let me have details and I'll happily adapt them or draw new ones up.

 

[Blaydon]

Wouldn’t it be great if there were wiring diagrams and proper handbooks that gave you real information. The manufacturers are keen to take our money, give limited support and then cut you loose with a free pen and a smile at the next show. I was told the workshops for my vehicle are taking bookings for February so there is little chance to get a repair even if I had the money.

Sorry for the rant but we all pay lots of money and seem to get little service from some dealers.

 

[Minxy]

Have to say that the service from Go European's aftersales has been fantastic, no complaints whatsoever, makes a pleasant change!

 

[cyberyacht]

There seem to be fuse boxes all over the place. Minxy Girl, can you indicate where the ones you posted are located please. Why an owners handbook is lacking a wiring diagram is a mystery. It's not as if vehicle electrics are simple to comprehend these days.

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[Minxy]

There seem to be fuse boxes all over the place. Minxy Girl, can you indicate where the ones you posted are located please. Why an owners handbook is lacking a wiring diagram is a mystery. It's not as if vehicle electrics are simple to comprehend these days.

In the garage on the driver's side behind the large metal grill where the isolation etc switches are. In ours the boxes are near the bottom of this and you have to take off the top of the boxes to see the fuses (one grey and one white), below are photos of the inners with labels (one lot of labels coloured the other left white):

 

[cyberyacht]

Ta mutchly. I've also got another one at the forward end of the battery compartment with a few fuses in it. Don't you just love these puzzles!

 

[Captain Yoghurtpot]

Definitely worth knowing where your fuses are and what they are for, I drew up a diagram for ours as the Carthago manual just gives details of which 'block' they're in and what amperage they are, stupidly there's no diagram to show exactly which slot so I made my own diagrams and thought we were sorted ... trouble is I hadn't anticipated that some of the fuses had been placed in the wrong slots!

When our awning light stopped working I identified the fuse for it (the only 5 amp fuse in the block) which we changed but no joy, after trying three different ones (one of which definitely worked in another 5 amp slot) it still wouldn't work therefore the dealer ordered a replacement to be fitted. We dropped the MH off last week (Monday) for our damp check and other warranty work and collected it a few days later to be told that they'd just changed the fuse and it worked so no need for a new light ... eh? Do they have 'magic' fuses or something? The only 'clue' we got was that they'd changed the grey 2 amp fuse, not the orange 5 amp fuse! Hmmmmmm ....

Totally bemused, when we got home I double checked the info in the manual and it was indeed indicated that the only 5 amp orange fuse in the block was for the awning light so how come it was linked with the 2 amp grey one? I put on my 'fictional' Deerstalker hat and carried out some Sherlock Holmes-esq detective work with hubby playing Watson and by taking out each fuse individually then trying the equipment etc it was supposed to be for we discovered that the fuse for the awning light (5 amp orange) was in the slot for the Carthago fitted 2 x USB sockets (on the left of the cab, not the Fiat dash ones) and the 2 x USB fuse (2 amp grey) was in the awning light slot, consequently I swapped them round to their correct positions.

As the techies knew the correct slot for the awning light that's why they changed the grey fuse and hadn't gone by the fuse colour/amperage mentioned in the manual as we had - the awning light only having a 2 amp fuse may be why it had blown in the first place being underpowered; fortunately we never overloaded the USBs so their being an 'over-rated' fuse in that slot hadn't become a safety issue).

So the moral of this story is ... don't just go by the manufacturer's manual 'text', if it hasn't got a diagram go out and physically check them yourself by pulling the fuses out to check exactly which piece of equipment etc they are for and then make your own diagram based on that.

NOTE: If anyone wants me do let them have the below diagrams (assuming they have the same set-up) or wants me to do one for them, just let me have details and I'll happily adapt them or draw new ones up.

View attachment 556055 View attachment 556057

What a lovely post and very informative.
Just wish I had a van that had that much equipment

 

[Puddleduck]

This thread

Electric nightmare on departure day

Hi all, I made some adjustments to our Adria sunliving which involved moving the Electrobloc 208S - not disconecting, mind, just moving while I dismantled a bulkhead. I had to disconnect the poitive terminal from the battery to route a cable and - massive mistake(?) - I did not switch off the...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

gives some pointers for people with Adria vans.

 

[Blaydon]

The last bit - I hope.

I went to Vanbitz for another job, and raised the 40 amp fuse problem. We had a discussion and it turns out the fuses in question were put in by the self-leveller installers, nothing to do with our friends at Cornish Farm. I then contacted the guys at LNB trailers - who put in the self-level system, and they came back to me in about 15 mins and gave me the answer - upgraded fuses. So......
If in doubt - talk to those who know, ask the questions even if they seem a bit daft, and good people will always help.
We now have everything sorted.
A big thanks to the gents at Vanbitz for sorting out our alarm, and for the advice and good humour when dealing with idiots like me.

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[Folkranger]

Well much of the 12v electrics has been changed in our van by the previous owner and no clue to what is where. I reckon it will be easier to find a blown fuse if it happens than work through them all now, trying to identify what circuits each protects just in case.