Breakers and fuses

Red_Rover

I bought a 2017 320 last week.  I saw there are no descriptions or identifying information with regards to which breakers and which fuses are connected with the various appliances and systems of the camper.  So I went about trying to find out which was which.  I turned on all the appliances, lights, etc., then I went about turning off and on the breakers to see what turned off.  There are two breakers in which nothing turns off.  Then I pulled fuses one by one.  Of the seven fuses, nothing turns off when five of them are pulled.  Am I missing some appliances somewhere? What should I do next?  Thanks.

Yoshi_TAB

Hi,

I posted this in another thread.  It's from a 2021 /320.  It may help to chase down your unknowns.  I'd bet there are only a few  differences (if any).

Fuses & Breaker Panel information (vanillacommunity.com)

Your missing Alde 110 ; #3?

If you have no microwave, your last 110V circuit will probably not go to anything..I think.

Did you have the shore power off when testing the 12V circuits?   Shore power provides the 12V power in the converter to run the 12V items (if plugged in)

The last breaker is a double (takes up to slots in the panel).  It can be split into  two breakers & circuits.  I almost did that to wire my converter charger (which is pigtailed into the the #2 ;15 amp circuit) to have the ability to turn it off, but I took another approach.

ScottG

Is that a photo of your power center? If so, the sticker just above the fan tells you the 12VDC circuits, and the sticker below the fan (on the door panel) tells you the 120VAC circuits. 

Just be aware that those labels have occasionally been known to be wrong.

pthomas745

Did you find the Fuses For Newbies file? The file was developed in 2016 or so, and the descriptions of the power center fuses should match or confirm the photo you posted above.

The two fuses at the bottom,  the 30 and 40 amp, are basically battery charging (the 30 amp) and the Reverse Polarity Protection for the battery cables.  When you pulled the 40 amp fuse, you say you lost "lights", but you may have lost all 12V items in the trailer.

There are a lot of threads about some of the weird labeling on some of the converter boxes.  No matter what, good for you for looking this over for your own trailer!

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/3512/fuses-for-newbies/p1

PS: Fuses for Newbies needs some nice updating!

Red_Rover

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and suggestions.  I realize that I didn’t write what my goal was for evaluating the breaker/fuse box.  My goal was to verify that what is written in the box is actually the way everything is set up.  I began by turning on all the appliances, lights, etc. and then I pulled a fuse out one at a time then I turned off breakers one at a time.  Where I wrote ‘Unknown’ means that after I pulled out a fuse or turned off a breaker nothing turned off.  Everything was still running. Then I put each fuse back in or I turned on each breaker one at a time after each test.  

Now I must admit, the ‘DC Circuit #4 PUMP, SEE-LEVEL, LP DECTEC. 10 AMPS’……I have no clue as to how/where I would check to see if those three things are connected to this fuse.

I have seven unknowns to deal with.  The one outside the upper right-hand corner of the photo, which would be number eight, is bogus.  I forgot to delete it.

Sharon_is_SAM

@Red_Rover - to test the fuse circuits, unplug from shorepower and turn on the battery switch.  To check the water pump, turn on your water pump next to the See Level monitor panel.  Then remove one of the 10 amp fuses to identify which circuit contains the pump.  Same for the See Level - just watch to see if the lights go out.  The LP/CO detector should have a light visible when turned on near the floor on the driver side bench.  

BrianZ

@Red_Rover Here's what the converter circuits look like in our 2018 320S, which was built in mid-2017..

Good to see that you are taking the time to get to know how your electrical system is configured, so you'll be able to troubleshoot & identify when you have an issue.
Also, don't be confused when you see things like the fridge listed under both AC & DC circuits, since some can/will use two or more power sources (e.g., fridge & Alde).

grassgd

My trailer has 6 breakers and list only 5 services.  The 120 volt outlet on the outside of the trailer was not list on the sticker showing the AC Breaker Circuits.

ScottG

@Red_Rover, something worth emphasizing is that the 15A 120V breaker in slot #2 doesn't directly power the lights, fan, etc. That circuit (ambiguously labelled GFI) provides power to all of the 120V outlets, and to the power center's internal 120V --> 12V converter. It's the converter that in turn powers those devices via the 12V fuse block.

This can be even more confounding since appliances such as the Alde and 3-way fridge still require a bit of 12V power for the electronics, even if you are running the unit on 120V. In short, very few things will actually run if the battery is disconnected and the converter is not receiving power.