Crazy electrical wiring setup

[leslie]

Okay, here is what my husband told me I could say about what happened while we were staying in Three Forks, Montana. I have to report it this way, or he said that I could not tell on this board.

I broke the bathroom vent fan when I pushed the little black button to turn it on. The little black button was visible laying down inside the fan. Then, when I was trying to fix the fan, I broke it trying to remove it to get to the black button thingy. That is his story and he is sticking to it.

Then things got really weird. Not only is the bathroom vent fan not working now, but none of the other fans will turn on. The kitchen light and the outside light won't work, and the radio doesn't work. Actually, it was very nice to sleep last night without that stupid blue light.

My husband checked fuses and circuit breakers. Oh wait, I might have to say that I checked them. I will have to ask my husband to find out. Anyhow, they all seem fine.

Then he got some connective plastic things to join together some wires to see if that would restore power to all that stuff that isn't working. Or maybe I am supposed to say I did that. Again, I will check with my husband. You will have to wait to hear the final version. Anyhow, the plastic connectors didn't do the job.

We are going to the first Camping World we find. My husband wants me to take all of the little pieces in and lay them on the counter, while telling the people there that I broke it and would they fix it.

So that is how things stand right now. I wanted to warn everybody here just in case there is another Camplite wired like this one.

[charliem]

[font size="3"]Leslie,

Not sure how the broken fan affects the other fans, light, etc, but that blue light on the radio can be shut off.  Tell your husband    to scroll down the menu to find the setting that turns it off when the radio is off.
[/font]

[pinstriper]

Okay, here is what my husband told me I could say about what happened while we were staying in Three Forks, Montana. I have to report it this way, or he said that I could not tell on this board.

I broke the bathroom vent fan when I pushed the little black button to turn it on. The little black button was visible laying down inside the fan. Then, when I was trying to fix the fan, I broke it trying to remove it to get to the black button thingy. That is his story and he is sticking to it.

Relax. None of us think he broke the fart fan on Taco Tuesday evening. We believe your little fiction story.

Then things got really weird. Not only is the bathroom vent fan not working now, but none of the other fans will turn on. The kitchen light and the outside light won't work, and the radio doesn't work. Actually, it was very nice to sleep last night without that stupid blue light.

You didn't have to break the fart fan. The face plate on the radio comes off. You push the right button on the stereo and the whole front lands in your hand. No more blue. Ours has been in a Tupperware box for 16 months now, ever since we found out.

My husband checked fuses and circuit breakers. Oh wait, I might have to say that I checked them. I will have to ask my husband to find out. Anyhow, they all seem fine.

Then he got some connective plastic things to join together some wires to see if that would restore power to all that stuff that isn't working. Or maybe I am supposed to say I did that. Again, I will check with my husband. You will have to wait to hear the final version. Anyhow, the plastic connectors didn't do the job.

I don't know what the public schools teach, but Sr. Anthony taught us in 6th grade Science class that plastic is a poor conductor of electricity.

We are going to the first Camping World we find. My husband wants me to take all of the little pieces in and lay them on the counter, while telling the people there that I broke it and would they fix it.

So that is how things stand right now. I wanted to warn everybody here just in case there is another Camplite wired like this one.

I think this is really the best plan for everyone involved.

[daplumbr]

When you (a.k.a. "the husband") broke the fan, it probably pulled apart a connection on the 12V wire that feeds the circuits that quit. The trailer is full of splices that can easily be damaged. Whoever it really was that tried wire connectors was likely on the right track, but that's much easier with a voltmeter, which Camping World service will have. The crazy part of the wiring setup is the lousy connectors LL uses. We all eagerly wait the end of the story and a working fart fan (a.k.a. Pinstriper fan). 

[leslie]

Well, my husband manned up and showed Camping World of Spokane how he broke the black button and how he broke the fan trying to work on it. I told him I was proud of him, and he said they were more interested in what the problem was instead of what he did.

They got us in and out in one day! Kudos to Camping World of Spokane! Now everything is working again! They took the white panel off the bathroom wall to work on the wiring and found some exposed wires. Yikes! All fixed now.

This is the second Vortex fan on our Campsite that has broken. Enough! We had a Fantastic Fan put in, and if there are any more problems with a Vortex, we will put in a Fantastic Fan.

Well now I am a happy camper, although a somewhat poorer camper. Hey, everything is working again, and we are - Camping On!

[pinstriper]

Well, my husband manned up and showed Camping World of Spokane how he broke the black button and how he broke the fan trying to work on it. I told him I was proud of him, and he said they were more interested in what the problem was instead of what he did.

See, that's the difference between someone who is paid (by someone, maybe not you) to fix a problem, ie. Camping World, and someone whose main/only interest is in squeezing entertainment value out of other people's misfortunes (ie. us. Or really, just me. Maybe others, but mainly me.) I owe him a beer, or a whiskey or something.

They got us in and out in one day! Kudos to Camping World of Spokane! Now everything is working again! They took the white panel off the bathroom wall to work on the wiring and found some exposed wires. Yikes! All fixed now.

One of the benefits of the Thor acui...acqwisish...the Thor takeover, is the expanded service network through Camping World, which is not about technology, but about how money changes hands between the manufacturer and the service provider. Sorry to anyone who feels that doesn't fit the "corporate monster rat bastages" narrative. It ain't all bad, y'all. (It's mostly bad)

This is the second Vortex fan on our Campsite that has broken.

To quote Apple, you're holding it wrong.

Enough! We had a Fantastic Fan put in, and if there are any more problems with a Vortex, we will put in a Fantastic Fan.

Well now I am a happy camper, although a somewhat poorer camper. Hey, everything is working again, and we are - Camping On!

You're in Spokane already ? You're just a hop, skip, and a yodel away. Excitement mounts !!

By the way, I just got the inside scoop on a state forest area with recent black bear sightings - no kidding ! Between Portland and the coast. Guy I know lives up in the sticks and was complaining about his bear problem (involves bear scat around his house) and I told him I could fix that, after August 1 when the season opens.

Let me know if you want the GPS coordinates to the bear area.

[leslie]

Tomorrow we will be in Walla Walla to sample some of their agricultural products, particularly grapes. Then we are going to tour the Columbia River Gorge, and hopefully see our son and daughter-in-law over the weekend, as they are coming to the gorge. Granddaughter is away at camp.

[leslie]

Actually, I hope to see a black bear before this trip ends.