Location of fuse?

[Jay and Raylene Todd]

We had an incident a few evenings ago that caused our power cord reel to try to retract. Once the cord was as tight as it could get apparently the fuse blew. Now the cord won't go in or out. We have an '06 Patriot Thunder with a multiplexing system. I don't know that the power cord is part of the system but I do know that the water hose take up reel is on it so I suspect the power reel is as well. I have looked at the manual for the reel, the RLC Cablemaster, and it shows a 20 amp fuse in the power line. None of the multiplex boxes I have found are labeled for the power reel and none of the boxes have any 20 amp fuses either. Does anybody out there know where the fuse for my power reel might be located?

[Joel Ashley]

Quote from the manual:  "WARNING: If you are not familiar with the standards and practices for DC electrical systems, it is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that you contact a qualified electrician before proceeding.

The RLC-Cablemaster comes with (2) 14 gauge wires attached to the motor via the power switch assembly.
These wires should be connected to the 12VDC power source.
 
The white wire should be connected to the positive terminal (+) and the black wire should be connected to the negative terminal (-).
It is IMPORTANT to install a 20 amp fuse close to the power source in-line with the white wire. This installation will prevent damage to your coach."

I've never had to chase down the in-line fuse that is likely involved, but you may have to by following the white wire off the toggle switch.  I see no reference to the device in any of my electrical breaker locations, nor my wiring diagram book, so I'm presuming the in-line fuse exists.
http://www.glendinningprods.com/gmp/pdf/cablemaster/cm-models/rlc/Cablemaster_RLC_-_Manual.pdf

-Joel

[David T. Richelderfer]

For what it's worth, in my coach the power reel and bed slide motor work off the 12v panel at position 15 with a 20 amp breaker.  (It's actually a power cord retract that rolls the cord into a bucket, I think.  There is not a reel.)  The panel is labeled as such and a few times I have popped this breaker when the power reel motor did not stop when the cord was all in.  Resetting the breaker fixed my issue each time.  It sounds like your 2006 coach may have had electrical system changes made subsequent to my 2004 being designed.

[Frank Towle]

Power cord reel fuse blew twice - my fault both times.  Held 'IN' too long, overloaded motor. 

Replaced with plugin 15 AMP self-resetting circuit breaker from auto parts store.  No more problems from that - if it trips, just finish packing up and picking up, go back to switch and finish reeling in the power cord.  Takes a minute or two to reset itself.

 

[Jerald Cate]

I had an occasion, during my travels this past summer, to replace a power reel fuse due to a bonehead move I made while packing up to leave a park.  My power reel fuse is also in the bedroom DC panel. 
I always hold a rag around my power cord as it's retracting to remove moisture and debris from the cord before it's sucked up into the reel assembly.  While holding the rag around the cord, my fingers on the switch and my wrist propping the door up I let the door slip and close on the cord.  The cord fell right in the feedthru hole in the door and was continuing to be sucked into the door since I didn't get the switch turned off before the door closed.  Needless to say I panicked for a second before the reel motor overloaded the circuit and blew the fuse.  Fortunately no damage was done other than delaying my departure until I tracked down the blown fuse and replaced it.
After that incident I got to thinking that switch should really be a momentary switch to prevent a repeat incident.  After I got home that was one of the first changes I made as I'm not fond of relying on a fuse to blow as my primary safety device.  Now if my hand slips off the switch or the door accidentally falls close then the switch goes to the OFF position automatically.  This is a cheap and easy change for just about anybody to make and it makes this operation just a little safer, thought I'd throw it out there as an FYI.

[Frank Towle]

Interesting - switch in my adopted coach IS a momentary in both directions.  Maybe yours got replaced before.  Yes, need to multitask to switch, hold door, wipe and pull at the same time.

Hope you also saw my post about replacing fuse with circuit breaker.  I didn't say how easy it was - unplug fuse and plug in circuit breaker. Very simple to do and continues the Beaver standard of using similar style self-resetting c.b. for chassis circuits.

Regards, Frank

[Joel Ashley]

The factory switch is momentary on ours.  I am surprised that Bruce's door doesn't have a factory gas strut to hold the door up.  What's up with that?  Only 3 years difference and ours isn't a Patriot, yet we have both on our Monterey.  I'd add a strut as well as the switch, Bruce, and to any other swing-up bay doors that are lacking one or two struts.

I do the same thing;  hold a Shop Towels paper towel around the cord with one hand while the other is on the switch during retraction.  Dirt is not rubber's friend, seals or cord, and together with moisture can make the grab wheels slip on the reel mechanism.

Joel

[Frank Towle]

Hi Joel,  If Bruce's access door is like mine it's less than 4" tall in the rear left corner on drivers side.  Maybe spring strut like used on interior top hinged cabinet doors would work.  For the few times it's used, back of hand w/gloves on seems to be OK.

[Jerald Cate]

Frank & Joel,

Thanks for your input, my coach has been modified in several areas I just didn't think the electric reel switch would be an area the previous owners would have changed.  The momentary switch is a necessity if you don't have any way to secure the door open.

I'm looking forward to attending some rallies in the future so I can see other Beavers, original and modified.

Bruce

[Joel Ashley]

Thanks Frank.  I'd forgotten that many coaches have the small cord-feed access doors, unlike mine that is large enough to access the entire reel and "bucket" as well as the Surge/Transfer switch box;  so mine requires the support strut.  Bruce's retrofitting to a momentary switch should be enough of a solution.

Joel