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

[Brian Kemp]

Saw this problem was solved, but wanted to add my feedback on a cable 
tracker that others have mentioned.  I have a 5+ year old version from 
Harbor Freight, but it is no longer on their site. This appears to be 
the current version:

https://www.harborfreight.com/cable-tracker-94181.html

I was doing some renovations and had wires in electrical outlook boxes 
that I couldn't identify.  With the power off, I connected the signal 
generator and was able to trace the signal with the wand through the 
plaster walls.  Both went to locations in the wall with no exposed box - 
bad work by someone decades ago.  The plaster walls were a challenge and 
I only got a weak signal, but was able to know it was ok to cap the wires.

I also have about 10 phone jacks in my house, with some shorts in some 
of them.  The phone company installer initially just disconnected 
everything and reconnected only the two I was going to connect.  A few 
years later, I needed to move my DSL modem, so needed to activate a 
different jack.  Connected the signal generator and ran the wand over 
the disconnected wires at the central phone termination to find the one 
I needed to connect.

Brian

On 11/10/2021 4:15 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
>
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