One light working the rest not

RichardandKaren

RichardandKaren

Free Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2017
Posts
149
Likes collected
163
Location
Leamington Spa
Funster No
50,836
MH
Rapido 786F
Hi - on a site in Wales and strange thing just happened. We’re on EHU. Earlier on today all internal lights working. Now, for no apparent reason, only one ceiling light working- all the rest not. All other electrics working fine. I have a CBE fuse board. According to my Rapido manual there are two internal light 20amp fuses and I have checked both ( incl swapping out for new fuses) and they are fine. However, when I pulled one of the fuses there was a red light showing behind it. That red light is no longer on. My suspicion is that the red light may mean a circuit isn’t working? It’s not the end of the world as we have one light above the bed working and two lights in the extractor hood working so there is light , but a visit to the loo in the night will be via torchlight!! Any suggestions how to remedy would help but otherwise a visit by my friend auto electrician may be needed ( I have used a chap before who was great with motorhomes).
 
That red light usually indicates the fuse has blown... You can even get fuses with the light integral to the fuse.
Are you certain the new fuse was good, check with a meter or swap it for another fuse from another circuit which is working.
 
Thanks Papajohn - I will check in the morning when there is more light ( and the effect of wine has worn off!!) . I have a multimeter with me but I’m not any good with it. What setting should I put it on and do I just stick the “ prongs” in to the the places where the fuse blades fit?
 
Set the meter to OHMS or Continuity, it should show a 1.....then put one probe on each 'leg' of the fuse.
If nothing happens the fuse has blown or is bad.
If the fuse is good the reading should be a figure beginning 0
 
Thanks I’ll try tomorrow. If there is no power to the circuit will it not show anything as well?

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To check for power you need to find an earth.
Set to DC volts, put the red probe in one of the fuse holes and the black to earth.
If there's no 12v try the other fuse hole.
You may be able to put one probe in one hole and the other probe in the other hole.... If the lights are on it should show 12v but the other way is more reliable.
 
Great thanks - I will do this tomorrow. Your advice is really helpful. I wish there was a basic course somewhere on how to use a multimeter as many of the problems reported on the forum seem to relate to electrical problems. Maybe YouTube is my friend 😀
 
Before checking the fuse for continuity, connect the two leads together: you should get the 0 type reading. If not then the leads may be faulty or you have a bad connection

Gordon
 
Well - a mystery it certainly is. There are supposedly two internal lighting circuits and both have 20 amp fuses. As I mentioned, only one internal light is currently working ( other than the two on the extractor fan which also are working and are on the extractor fan circuit). One of the lighting fuses has a red light glowing under it when I switch the non working lights on. The cbe manual confirms this means blown fuse. I have swapped the fuse over for a known working 20amp fuse and lights still do not work. I have pulled both lighting fuses and the one working internal light stays on so it’s obviously not on the lighting circuit anyway!! I have put my multimeter probes in to the fuse holders for both circuits. The one where there is no red light is dead showing 0 on the meter. The one with the red light is showing 5.27v.
About a year or so ago I had a problem with my 12v sockets not working and an auto electrician visited and got everything working again. Perhaps he changed the circuitry to get things working? He may have put an in line fuse somewhere else to do this and that could be the problem. If so I don’t know where that fuse is! We can live with lighting situation til we get home anyway and I suspect I should call the same chap out again to take a look.
 
Are the lights wired in as you would at home with down lighters ie into the 1st one then into the next one etc.

If so the one that is working is it the first one in the line.

If the above is correct there may be a break in the out going cable.

Just a thought

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The ghost is an annoying one though- lights all work on EHU but when I disconnect cable ( as I’ve just done as we’re moving on) then they don’t work! All other electrical items do work whilst off EHU
 
Got home and stopped on way and checked on Leisure battery - all lights working perfectly. Now on hook up on drive and still all lights working perfectly. red light on fuse holder gone out as well. So it's the worst case scenario really - an intermittent electrical fault! I know from experience with older cars how frustrating these can be to track down. So it's just fingers crossed for now.
 
Just to close this one off - it turned out that it was a loose earth connection causing the problems. It was hard to track down though as the earth connection was hidden behind a panel at the back of the cupboard that the TV resides in and we ( auto electrical chap and me) only found it by tugging on various wires and noticing that had an effect on the lights and then stripping out various cupboards/panels until we found the offending connection! Why couldn't they put earth connections in easily accessible places heavens only knows.

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Good result and at least you are more enlightened into checking future issues.
Well done(y)(y)
 

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