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Topic: 12v lighting help please

sharonrfin

via mobile 20/7/2021 at 8:54pm
Location: Inverkip near Glasgow
Outfit: Eurohike Buckingham 8

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Hi. We are away for the first time in our 1990 Elddis Shamal XL. We are running everything off electric hookup. Internal lights were working before we left including a new ceiling rose with 12v bulb that I had fitted in living area.

During transit my ceiling rose came down, pulling the wiring. On checking, one of the two wires to the rose had come out of the connector to main circuit. I reconnected but the internal lights are no longer working. I checked the fuses, all ok.

When I first put on the power there was a repeated clicking noise coming from the main fuse box with the switches.

Can anyone suggest what it wrong please?

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July 2015 - first big trip (2 weeks) to Cornwall...it rained a lot!

Aug 2017 - two weeks to New Forest

Colin21

20/7/2021 at 10:53pm
Location: East Herts
Outfit: 1992 Elddis Wisp 450CT + X Trail

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When you say the "main fuse box with the switches" do you mean the consumer unit containing the mains circuit breakers? If so I would recommend you get an electrician to look at it as it could be very dangerous to open it up unless you know what you are doing. If however you have a separate 12 volt fuse box that could be a different matter.

It is very difficult to diagnose from a distance as it is quite likely with an older caravan (I have a 1992 Elddis) as it is quite likely that modifications have been made to the wiring apart from what you have done by adding the ceiling rose. It really does need checking out by someone with electrical experience, especially if mains is involved.

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Best Regards,
Colin

Pickled Onion

21/7/2021 at 9:39am
Location: Near Alton Towers
Outfit: Bailey Burgundy S7 H

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As everything seemed to be OK brfore the ceiling light dropped, my assumption, like yours, is that a wire has pulled out somewhere. The available 'empty' connection may well have been where it was connected. Hiowever as it isn't a quick fix,you need to establish if you have 12 volts DC between the two supply wires and the only real way to fault find with electric is with a relatively cheap multimeter or even an old buld with wires soldered on.

There may be an aditional connection farther in the ceiling that has been pulled apart too. I take it the rest of your 12v lighting is OK?

Dave.

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Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day,
Teach a man to fish and you can get rid of him for a whole weekend.

navver

21/7/2021 at 7:45pm
Location: West country
Outfit: Mondeo

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Is the clicking every time you switch on the main circuit breaker in your fuse box. If so you either have a short circuit or and earth fault.

I'm assuming you don't have a battery.

Are other mains electric things working like mains lights and 13 Amp sockets.

sharonrfin

via mobile 21/7/2021 at 8:59pm
Location: Inverkip near Glasgow
Outfit: Eurohike Buckingham 8

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Hi. Thanks for your reply. None of the 12v lights are working. We don't have any other lights. The sockets do work. There is a switch for either car battery, aux battery or neither. The ziq box clicks when I put it to aux battery (we don't have a battery) so maybe that is usual as no battery and nothing to do with this fault?

If the clicking is normal when switched to aux battery but no battery present then I think the fault must be a damaged wire from my light shade swinging about during our journey. I think I do need to purchase a multimeter! Thanks again.

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July 2015 - first big trip (2 weeks) to Cornwall...it rained a lot!

Aug 2017 - two weeks to New Forest

sharonrfin

via mobile 21/7/2021 at 9:02pm
Location: Inverkip near Glasgow
Outfit: Eurohike Buckingham 8

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Colin21, Pickled Onion and navver...thank you all for taking the time to reply. We have a lamp we can plug in so I'm leaving the issue until after our trip but it is annoying me that I haven't work out how to fix it. As suggested I will get a multimeter to see if there is a damaged wire.

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July 2015 - first big trip (2 weeks) to Cornwall...it rained a lot!

Aug 2017 - two weeks to New Forest

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