Wiring Short in Slide-out Wall

[DoWeRVandHow]

Just coming up on near two months after the 1- year warranty and I have a short in the wiring from the switch to the overhead dining fixtures. Need to see if anyone has had this issue and how they resolved it. Called Keystone and they told me that they do not have any wiring diagrams of how the wires are routed in the wall and up to the overhead fixtures. I do see that the walls are hallow with batting insulation. I wanted to know if I were to remove the window and pull the staples in the paneling if that would be an easy job or not? Any I recommendations would be great.

Thanks.

[BB_TX]

Before I went that far, I would pull the switch out and gently pull on the wires and see if it appears they might pull thru. If so, then securely attach new wires to the existing wires and pull them thru. I would solder the wires and use heat shrink tubing. Might get lucky.

Curious. How did you determine the location of the short? Is it blowing a fuse when you turn on the switch? Did you use an ohm meter to check continuity between hot and neutral or ground?

[mlh]

I’m wondering how you know the short is in the wall and not somewhere else. Say where the wires go into the slideout or before that.
Lynwood

[BuilderBob]

Ditto with BB TX & mlh! I would make sure the short isn't in where fold back & forth to the slide before I pull windows & walls apart or even in the light it's self.

Bob & Carol
Washington St
2017 HC HM352RL 2008 Dodge 3500 DRW CC LB 4x4

Happy Trails

[Carl n Susan]

I too am wondering how you found the short?

It is true there are no wiring diagrams available from Montana. But over the years we have learned some of their tricks. You don't say what year/model Montana you have so this may differ from your configuration.

The 120V supply comes in to the slide from a junction box under the slide (at the back). This has been a frequent source of trouble as the junction box tends to leak and corrosion causes issues. I believe the power then runs over to the middle of the slide where there is a channel vertically. It powers the 120V plug and sconce light in the wall and then goes up to the ceiling fixture. Alternatively, they might have run the 120V power run the power up the wall near the entry, and then along the top of the slide with a drop down to the sconce and wall outlet. Bur that would require a junction box in the ceiling and I have never encountered one. That is why I believe it comes up from the floor feeding the various connections along the way.

A continuity test of the wiring along this path may uncover the root cause of the problem.

[mlh]

I would do what is easiest first. I would check out the light but there is little change the problem is there.
Lynwood

[BB_TX]

Are those lights 120 vac or 12 vdc?

[DoWeRVandHow]

Well just a quick update on my short issue. After I moved my rig and had some time to further chase the issue, the issue has gone. I tried wiggling the wire bundle all the way from the slide to the power panel and I could not blow the fuse. I am sure I will cross paths with this in the future and most likely at the worst opportune time. Thanks for all the insight. By the way this is a 12 volt circuit.

[jimcol]

While everything is working a tone generator with an amplifier could identify how the wires are routed.

[DoWeRVandHow]

I did purchase a ECT3000 to chase the short. But as I said the short was no longer existing. I really did want to hunt this down and get it corrected. So the search continues.