Monitor panel fuse blows when operating awning

[RJS]

2016 376TH

When operating Awning 2, all is fine. Awning 1 trips 15a "monitor panel" fuse immediately when pressed.

Got setup at a new site and put out both awnings with no issues. Due to pending weather, brought awning 2 in with no issues, hit the switch for awning 1 and blew the fuse. Replaced the fuse awning moved 6 inches and blew again. Took 5 fuses to get awning 1 stored.

My guess is a bad awning motor, but wanted to check with the experience of the group to see if I'm missing something. Seemed odd to me that it would blow that particular fuse.

Any troubleshooting tips would be appreciated.

All the best,
Rod

[Canyonlight]

Dallas d2reid has a 2017 376. Possibly Dallas has encountered this with his 376 or heard about it elsewhere or may have ideas. Dallas being a FTer and experienced RVr pretty knows his RVs front to back and top to bottom in detail.

Thanks, in advance, Dallas !

If Dallas does not respond, you can send a PM to him and I am sure he will get back to you.

Dan

[howson]

2016 376TH

When operating Awning 2, all is fine. Awning 1 trips 15a "monitor panel" fuse immediately when pressed.

Got setup at a new site and put out both awnings with no issues. Due to pending weather, brought awning 2 in with no issues, hit the switch for awning 1 and blew the fuse. Replaced the fuse awning moved 6 inches and blew again. Took 5 fuses to get awning 1 stored.

My guess is a bad awning motor, but wanted to check with the experience of the group to see if I'm missing something. Seemed odd to me that it would blow that particular fuse.

Any troubleshooting tips would be appreciated.

All the best,
Rod

Do you have a multimeter and are you familiar with how to use it, RJS? What I suspect is a chafed power wire shorting to ground. A DMM on the "continuity" (ohm) setting will reveal this as you manually extend the slide. (Power off!)

The amperage setting will show you if it's a motor issue (drawing too many amps but not shorted).

A close inspection of the awning wiring where it enters the camper at the arm pivot point is where I'd start looking at wiring for chafing.

[Jlawles2]

RJS I had a similar issue with a slide burning contacts on relays. Bad motor armature to brush connection. If you are mechanically say and the motor is "serviceable" (or easy to dis assemble) you may be able to open up the motor and check the armature (brass tooth looking power in) if its a brushed motor to see if its black. I used automotive polishing compound without wax to polish off the black, then put everything back together. Ran fine after that.

You may get lucky and find a nicked or pinched wire in the arm of the awning. Follow Howard's suggestion trying to OHM between the wires and ground (you may need to find the controller and disconnect the wiring to break the ground for testing). I would start at where the wiring exits the side wall of the coach and follow it all the way to the head pulling the plastic covers and looking for pinching, nicks, or areas where the insulation is not like the other areas. If you don't find anything then move on to the motor in the head.

[Yoda]

2016 376TH

When operating Awning 2, all is fine. Awning 1 trips 15a "monitor panel" fuse immediately when pressed.

Got setup at a new site and put out both awnings with no issues. Due to pending weather, brought awning 2 in with no issues, hit the switch for awning 1 and blew the fuse. Replaced the fuse awning moved 6 inches and blew again. Took 5 fuses to get awning 1 stored.

My guess is a bad awning motor, but wanted to check with the experience of the group to see if I'm missing something. Seemed odd to me that it would blow that particular fuse.

Any troubleshooting tips would be appreciated.

All the best,
Rod

One thing to check. A the top of the awning on one side or the other the wiring comes out of the trailer and takes a sharp bend to run down/up the awning arm to the motor. This wiring is covered by a snap in cover. Open the awning a check this wiring. When I did my back channel repair I noticed I had a bit of chafing on some of the wiring where it appeared the cover had shifted at one of the bends. Might be worth you time to double check the wiring for a short.

Hope this helps
Keith

[d2reid]

Thanks, in advance, Dallas
Dan

You give me way to much credit. Other than the end cover caps popping off while driving my awnings have been trouble free, knock on wood.

Moving 6 inches then blowing, I think that rules out a direct short. A direct short would blow it instantly. Broken wire might act like that. Loose connection at the motor. I would be following Howson's advice on this one.