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  • Convenience Center / Control Panel Fuse Blowing

    I've got a 2018 Grand Design Reflection 337RLS. The day before yesterday, after I retracted the slide outs and just before I traveled, the 7.5 amp fuse for the convenience center / control panel blew out. I'm still able to operate the slides and lights associated with the panel, but not my water heater or tank gauges. I've tried replacing the fuse, but any fuse I've tried to install blew instantly. That tells me there's a short somewhere. My primary goal is to restore that panel and get my water heater back online.

    Also, I think this is unrelated, but it seems logical to ask--the reading lights over my bed stopped working about a month ago when I retracted the slide outs prior to going to dump my tanks. First question is, could these issues be related? If so, would the connector I'm looking for likely be under the bed storage floor or behind the panel (under the bed) where the slide motor is?

    If the over-bed reading lights are likely not related, where should I start troubleshooting to get my control panel working again.?

  • #2
    I have the same problem on my 2018 Reflection 337RLS. Did you ever find out what was causing the fuse to blow?

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    • #3
      Originally posted by tinyphil View Post
      I have the same problem on my 2018 Reflection 337RLS. Did you ever find out what was causing the fuse to blow?
      Unfortunately chemist308 hasn't been on the forum since September. That's why we ask that owners (please!) report back when they find the issue. I'm surprised no one engaged with him on this thread--that's unusual--we don't normally let any question go unanswered.

      First, before I forget, since that was your first post check out Welcome Letter to New Members https://gdrvowners.com/forum/main-fo...to-new-members when you get a chance. The post will show you how to get the most out of this forum.

      So what exactly is not working in your trailer? From the first post, the lights over the bed, water heater, and tank gauges. Is that also true on your rig? For the water heater--is it really not working or is it just the indicator light on the panel isn't working?

      Howard
      Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

      2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

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      • #4
        I Have the same issues as chemist308. The water does not turn on with either gas or electric. The tank and battery indicators on the convenience center do not work. The LED reading lights over the bed do not work. I also found that the LED light over the city water hookup and the blue lights that are on the underside of the bedroom slide do not work. It appears that all of those items are on the same fuse labeled Power Center. It is a 7.5 amp fuse.
        I removed the red/wht wire from the fuse panel. I checked the wire to ground with an ohm meter and it is a direct short to ground. I also removed the Molex power connector at the water. I checked the gas and electric water heater power leads at the Molex connector at the water heater and both leads are a direct short to ground with the power switches on the convenience in the "on" position. When the power switches are turned off the short at the Molex connector goes away. That indicate that the wiring from the power switch to the water heater is OK.
        This is all that I have checked at this time. Any Help will be greatly appreciated.

        Comment


        • #5
          TucsonJim -- any idea how the 12v power is routed to the overhead lights in the bedroom of the 337RLS? I just looked at my 315RLTS (same bedroom setup) and couldn't figure out where the wires run. I suspect the wires may come up from the underbelly under the bed (at least in my trailer).
          Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

          2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

          Comment


          • #6
            Possibly Mike Rudy and Andi Andi with their 2018 337 know or possibly Rob Second Chance may know as well with their prior 2015.

            Dan
            Dan & Carol
            2014 303RLS Reflection #185 (10/2013 build)
            2012 Silverado LTZ Crew Duramax 2500HD - 2700/16K Pullrite Superglide

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by tinyphil View Post
              I Have the same issues as chemist308. The water does not turn on with either gas or electric. The tank and battery indicators on the convenience center do not work. The LED reading lights over the bed do not work. I also found that the LED light over the city water hookup and the blue lights that are on the underside of the bedroom slide do not work. It appears that all of those items are on the same fuse labeled Power Center. It is a 7.5 amp fuse.
              I removed the red/wht wire from the fuse panel. I checked the wire to ground with an ohm meter and it is a direct short to ground. I also removed the Molex power connector at the water. I checked the gas and electric water heater power leads at the Molex connector at the water heater and both leads are a direct short to ground with the power switches on the convenience in the "on" position. When the power switches are turned off the short at the Molex connector goes away. That indicate that the wiring from the power switch to the water heater is OK.
              This is all that I have checked at this time. Any Help will be greatly appreciated.
              We did not have an issue like that with our 2016 337. However, if you suspect the problem is related to the reading lights in the bed slide, it's probably more than just the connector. Since the bed slide moves in and out, so does the wiring. Chafing or a pinched wiring bundle could have caused a short which would certainly blow the fuse. On the 337, the wiring for the overhead lights in the slide is accessible by removing the outermost piece of plywood for the bed platform. I had to remove that plywood to reinforce under it when it started flexing and the wiring was visible. You can test both sides of that connector with a VOM and, if you get 0 resistance, you probably have a short in that circuit.

              Rob
              Last edited by Second Chance; 11-16-2020, 06:20 PM.
              Rob & Laura
              U.S. Army Retired (Rob)
              2012 F350 DRW CC Lariat PS 6.7, PullRite OE 18K
              2020 Solitude 310GK-R, MORryde IS and disc brakes, solar, BB LiFePO4, DP windows
              (Previously in a 2016 Reflection 337RLS)
              Full time since 08/2015

              Comment


              • #8
                Thanks, for checking in Rob Second Chance ......appreciate that ! 2016 rather than 2015.......I forgot but I suspect the wiring is the same between 2014 and possibly even current year with minimal differences.

                Dan
                Dan & Carol
                2014 303RLS Reflection #185 (10/2013 build)
                2012 Silverado LTZ Crew Duramax 2500HD - 2700/16K Pullrite Superglide

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by howson View Post
                  TucsonJim -- any idea how the 12v power is routed to the overhead lights in the bedroom of the 337RLS? I just looked at my 315RLTS (same bedroom setup) and couldn't figure out where the wires run. I suspect the wires may come up from the underbelly under the bed (at least in my trailer).
                  I don't know Howard. I never traced that in our 337.

                  Jim
                  Jim and Ginnie
                  2024 Solitude 310GK
                  GDRV Technical Forum Moderator
                  GDRV Rally Support Coordinator

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    tinyphil -- totally out of left field suggestion, but bring in the bedroom slide. Then ohm the circuit again. Any difference?

                    My thinking is if the short is associated with the bedroom lights and that moving cable, maybe bringing in the slide will reposition and the short will go away. Of course you'll still need to find where the wire chaffed to fix it but at least it will be isolated.

                    Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

                    2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      The wiring for the reading lights on my 2018 is routed along the top side of the 5th wheel compartment. The wires run in a protective sleeve from just above the city water hookup to the front of the 5th wheel compartment. The wires then go through the ceiling of the 5th wheel compartment into the underside of the bed slide. the wire go through the ceiling near where the Schwintek slide controller is located. The wires for blue lights on the under side of the bedroom slide follow the same path.

                      I had a mobile RV tech take a look at the problem. His solution was to install a larger fuse in place of the 7.5 amp for the power center. He installed a 25 amp resettable circuit breaker in place of the 7.5 amp fuse for the purpose of trouble shooting the problem. After he did that everything was working except for the blue lights on the bottom side of the bedroom slide. The 7.5 amp fuse was reinstalled and this time it did not blow the fuse. The blue lights on the bottom of the bedroom slide still does not light when turned on. It appears that the short which caused the fuse to blow is gone for now.

                      Phil

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by tinyphil View Post
                        His solution was to install a larger fuse in place of the 7.5 amp for the power center. He installed a 25 amp resettable circuit breaker in place of the 7.5 amp fuse for the purpose of trouble shooting the problem.
                        I'm betting it will come back. You might try to find where/how those blue lights are powered. Inspect every inch of the wiring--there's a chaff or pinched wire somewhere.

                        And thanks for the follow up! Please post again if/when you find the culprit.
                        Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

                        2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I found the cause of the blown 7.5 amp fuse labeled Power Center. The attached photos show the location of the short causing the fuse to blow. The wires are located under the bedroom slide. The wires are the power wires for the bedroom slide reading lights and for the blue lights located on the underside of the bedroom slide. The movement of the slide being extended and retracted caused the wires to be exposed at the point where they are staked to the bedroom floor.. i would have thought that Grand Design could have found a better way to run these wires. I wonder how many other 5th wheel trailers have had this problem.

                          Phil

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by tinyphil View Post
                            I found the cause of the blown 7.5 amp fuse labeled Power Center. The attached photos show the location of the short causing the fuse to blow. The wires are located under the bedroom slide. The wires are the power wires for the bedroom slide reading lights and for the blue lights located on the underside of the bedroom slide. The movement of the slide being extended and retracted caused the wires to be exposed at the point where they are staked to the bedroom floor.. i would have thought that Grand Design could have found a better way to run these wires. I wonder how many other 5th wheel trailers have had this problem.

                            Phil
                            Phil - Great job on the trouble-shooting. And thanks much for letting us know the root cause. I haven't seen any others like this, so your efforts give us a baseline if other owner's encounter a similar situation.

                            Jim
                            Jim and Ginnie
                            2024 Solitude 310GK
                            GDRV Technical Forum Moderator
                            GDRV Rally Support Coordinator

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by tinyphil View Post
                              I found the cause of the blown 7.5 amp fuse labeled Power Center.
                              Excellent write-up and pictures, Phil--thank you! I'm going to post a copy of post #13 (with the slight change of embedding the pictures instead of attaching them). I'm sure this is going to help someone in the future.

                              GDRV-Megan -- might want to pass along post #13 as feedback to the Reflection factory folks and also to the Customer Service team so they know how to advise customers that may call in with the same problem.
                              Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

                              2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

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