20 Amp Fuse keeps blowing

[Hiro]

Hello.
I have Jayco Jay Flight SLX 154BH hooked up with 110v at my garage.

My 20Amp(previous owner put it instead of 15Amp, pic5) fuse keeps blowing for some reason. If I turn on the 15 Amp breaker(pic7), the fuse blows but there are 5 led lights are turned on and 4 led lights are turned off. I took off all the lights that are not turned on(4 LED lights), It worked (20Amp fuse did not blow)for a while then it started not working again after a few days. Next I took off all the lights that are turned on(5 LED lights). but still did not work. I tried 15 Amp fuse bc the information on the piece of paper says 15Amp(pic2, pic3) instead of 20 Amp( this was set by from previous owner) but It still did not work. So I opened the panel and it looks like the hot black wire looked damaged like in the pic(pic7). I am not sure if this is the cause but can I just cut the damaged part and re-wire? or is there anything else I can try before that?
Thank you in advance.

[PaulB12]

That bare wire probably is your problem.
Tape with electrical tape, put the right fuse in and try again.
PaulB12

[us71na]

The wire going to the 15 amp breaker should be repaired. The knick in the insulation has nothing to do with the 20 amp fuse blowing. If there is enough slack, cutting it is the best option. Just make sure your shore power is turned off before you start working.

The 15 amp breaker controls your converter. The 20 amp blew fuse is on a 12 volt circuit. It really should be a 15 amp fuse. If it is blowing, there is a short in that circuit. You need to trace that circuit and find the short. Since the circuit is in a slide out look at the wire bundle where it goes into the slide. Once you find the short and fix it, replace the 20 amp with a 15 amp. It is never a good idea to replace a fuse with a larger value one.

[Hiro]

Thank you for your reply.
The trailer does not have slide out. So It should just be connected to the led lights. I checked all the wires that are connected to the leds(by pulling the wires out from the hole as much as I can) but I did not see any issue.


The wire has enough length to cut and re-wire so I will try and replace with 15 Amp.

[us71na]

I would check all the led bulbs. One of them could be shorted.

[Cavie]

Originally Posted by Hiro

Hello.
I have Jayco Jay Flight SLX 154BH hooked up with 110v at my garage.

My 20Amp(previous owner put it instead of 15Amp, pic5) fuse keeps blowing for some reason. If I turn on the 15 Amp breaker(pic7), the fuse blows but there are 5 led lights are turned on and 4 led lights are turned off. I took off all the lights that are not turned on(4 LED lights), It worked (20Amp fuse did not blow)for a while then it started not working again after a few days. Next I took off all the lights that are turned on(5 LED lights). but still did not work. I tried 15 Amp fuse bc the information on the piece of paper says 15Amp(pic2, pic3) instead of 20 Amp( this was set by from previous owner) but It still did not work. So I opened the panel and it looks like the hot black wire looked damaged like in the pic(pic7). I am not sure if this is the cause but can I just cut the damaged part and re-wire? or is there anything else I can try before that?
Thank you in advance.

What is the black wire with the yellow wire nut on it for? Cut the bad spot out of the black wire and place a wire nut on it. Replace the 20 amp fuse with a 15 and get back with us. How do you have 9 lights on in such a small trailer? The fuse blows because you have a direct short. Tell us what does not work with the fuse blown.

[damaltor]

Originally Posted by Cavie

What is the black wire with the yellow wire nut on it for?

What I found doing a bit of research on replacing the power center in our trailer, is that the black wire w/yellow wire nut, is an option provided by the manufacturer (WFCO) to connect another appliance on the same breaker with the converter.

[Cavie]

Originally Posted by damaltor

What I found doing a bit of research on replacing the power center in our trailer, is that the black wire w/yellow wire nut, is an option provided by the manufacturer (WFCO) to connect another appliance on the same breaker with the converter.

So it's a short pigtail hooked to the converter breaker.? That is a code violation. Two wires under one breaker screw. I've never seen that done from the factory.

[Hiro]

Here is the info of the wire.

[damaltor]

Originally Posted by Cavie

So it's a short pigtail hooked to the converter breaker.? That is a code violation. Two wires under one breaker screw. I've never seen that done from the factory.

This is how it was done on our 2020 Jayco, seemed pretty unsafe to me...

[Cavie]

Originally Posted by damaltor

This is how it was done on our 2020 Jayco, seemed pretty unsafe to me...

I see how they got around the NEC with the special crimp-on connector.

[Hiro]

Ok. I fixed damaged hot wire with the wire nut and replaced with 15 amp fuse.Removed all the possible devices(Audio device, Smoke detector, All 9 leds). It still blows the fuse as soon as I turn on the 15 amp breaker.
Other thing that are connected to this breaker are the Awing, the outside led strip light. but I am not sure if I can even disconnect the power.



Even if this 15 amp fuse blows, All the devices are functioning except 4 led lights. When I removed these 4 led light first time, it worked. but then it keeps blowing now. what could cause this kind of situation?


Thanks!

[damaltor]

Good thing you got that wire fixed, that was a fire waiting to happen. That particular breaker is to your converter, which is supplying 12v DC to your trailer, as well as charging your battery.
Your problem lies within your 12v circuitry, if when the 15A fuse blows the only thing not working is those 4 lights, like you say, that is where your problem is. There is a short somewhere in the wiring to those lights, it could be behind the panel feeding the lights, at the lights or anywhere along the way. Curious, are these lights on a wall switch, there could be a short there?
There is really no need to be checking your awning, ext lights, radio, etc., because if they work when the fuse has blown, they are all on different circuits.
Also curious, do you have a battery connected to your trailer at the moment or is it disconnected?

[Hiro]

Originally Posted by damaltor

Good thing you got that wire fixed, that was a fire waiting to happen. That particular breaker is to your converter, which is supplying 12v DC to your trailer, as well as charging your battery.
Your problem lies within your 12v circuitry, if when the 15A fuse blows the only thing not working is those 4 lights, like you say, that is where your problem is. There is a short somewhere in the wiring to those lights, it could be behind the panel feeding the lights, at the lights or anywhere along the way. Curious, are these lights on a wall switch, there could be a short there?
There is really no need to be checking your awning, ext lights, radio, etc., because if they work when the fuse has blown, they are all on different circuits.
Also curious, do you have a battery connected to your trailer at the moment or is it disconnected?

Yes. These 4 led lights are the lights in the image. I took it off completely and still blowing So there might a short behind the panel? if so, is there anything I can do at this point?(I don't think I can take the panel off).


The battery is disconnected.

Thanks!

[Cavie]

Originally Posted by Hiro

Ok. I fixed damaged hot wire with the wire nut and replaced with 15 amp fuse.Removed all the possible devices(Audio device, Smoke detector, All 9 leds). It still blows the fuse as soon as I turn on the 15 amp breaker.
Other thing that are connected to this breaker are the Awing, the outside led strip light. but I am not sure if I can even disconnect the power.



Even if this 15 amp fuse blows, All the devices are functioning except 4 led lights. When I removed these 4 led light first time, it worked. but then it keeps blowing now. what could cause this kind of situation?


Thanks!

The awning and outside strip lights are not hooked to the breaker. They are 12 volts. All lighting is 12 volts. The breaker is 120 volts. You need to disconnect the load side of the Converter and see if the 15 amp breaker trips. Converter only, no load attached. The converter may be bad. 12-volt and 120 volts are separate systems except for this connection. the converter is a battery charger.

[Hiro]

Originally Posted by Cavie

You need to disconnect the load side of the Converter and see if the 15 amp breaker trips. Converter only, no load attached.

Ok. I am not sure what to do. where is the load side of the converter?
Thanks.

[Cavie]

Originally Posted by Hiro

Ok. I am not sure what to do. where is the load side of the converter?
Thanks.

The converter has 120-volt input side and 12-volt output side. Disconnect the 12-volt output-side. The Converter is located within the 120-volt, 12-volt fuse/breaker box.

[damaltor]

Originally Posted by Hiro

Yes. These 4 led lights are the lights in the image. I took it off completely and still blowing So there might a short behind the panel? if so, is there anything I can do at this point?(I don't think I can take the panel off).


The battery is disconnected.

Thanks!

Sorry, the panel I was referring to is the fuse panel, there could be a short in the "rats nest" of wiring behind your power center. (see pic)
I don't think your problem really has anything to do with the breaker for the converter. Try this, turn off the breaker for the converter, replace the 15A fuse and then re-connect your battery (don't turn the breaker for the converter back on). Does the 15A fuse blow, if so, then your problem is a short in the wiring to those lights. Also, if those lights are switched, look at the wiring to the switch.

[Hiro]

Originally Posted by damaltor

Sorry, the panel I was referring to is the fuse panel, there could be a short in the "rats nest" of wiring behind your power center. (see pic)
I don't think your problem really has anything to do with the breaker for the converter. Try this, turn off the breaker for the converter, replace the 15A fuse and then re-connect your battery (don't turn the breaker for the converter back on). Does the 15A fuse blow, if so, then your problem is a short in the wiring to those lights. Also, if those lights are switched, look at the wiring to the switch.

Ok. I will check behind the power panel.
Do you think I can connect the dead battery?
Thanks!

[damaltor]

Originally Posted by Hiro

Ok. I will check behind the power panel.
Do you think I can connect the dead battery?
Thanks!

No the battery does need to have a charge.