Squirrels Damage RV Wiring

[Ray Keymaster Vancouver Island Cheers: 8 402]

A fellow RVer named Grant recently emailed me with this. Thought it would be great to share with the community. His problem was faulty running lights and slide problems, but was having problems tracking down the issue.

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Good Morning, Ray.

Ray, I am experiencing a couple of electrical problems with my 5th that I thought that, just maybe, you might be able to help me with, particularly in view of the fact that our 5th’s are ‘so closely related’, and in view of the problems that you’ve had to deal with in the past with yours.

I’m having TWO ‘Electrical Problems’ which, I suspect, just MIGHT be related:

First – recently my BEDROOM SLIDE suddenly stopped working.

I was all hooked up in my driveway, ready to leave for 3 weeks of RVing and one of the final things to do was retract the main and bedroom slides. Did the bedroom slide FIRST, but it did not ‘sound right’ (no clutch chatter at end of travel) SO… I decided to see if I could open it again.

No Go. No response at all.

Because I really wanted to get away, I spent only a few hours trying things. Problem is NOT with the switch; MAY BE in power TO the B.R. switch. (Haven’t checked yet) but, in the end, I just did a work-around, opening up the bed platform, determining the motor was O.K. by testing it using a small, U.P.S. AGM 12 volt battery so I simply added 5 ‘ of 12 gauge wiring to the motor wires, left them connected/ran them out under the end of the bed, restored everything and then for the next several weeks, just powered the slide using said AGM battery.

However, I now want to chase down and rectify that problem and I was wondering if you might be able to answer a VERY SPECIFIC QUESTION:

Do you know/have you learned, in your travels/experience RVing with YOUR 5th, IF there might be any additional fuses ‘IN’ the (main and bedroom) slides electrical circuitry that (the bedroom slide circuit) might have blown?

The reason(s) I ask are twofold:

1. First, as far as I have been able to determine, there appears to be only a SINGLE (30 amp, I think) fuse in the (converter’s) fuse panel labeled ‘Slide’. This sorta doesn’t ‘sound right’ – having BOTH slides on a SINGLE fuse… (Note: my main slide works fine/’pull that fuse, no-go’) because what IF someone tried to extend/retract BOTH SLIDES at the same time? (I know one shouldn’t attempt that; but, ‘law of averages’, someone WILL)…

2. Second, last year (like you) I had a problem while OUT camping and was attempting to hook up my 5th to return home when I discovered that I could not LOWER my 5th to hook up using the gear’s switched. In this case, I did a workaround again, jumpering right off the main battery. When I got back home, I attacked the problem and LEARNED that Keystone had inserted a (30 AMP, I think) fuse ‘inline’ into the power to the motor IN THE FRONT STORAGE COMPARTMENT. (NOT MENTIONED IN THE MANUAL/ANYWHERE I’D SEEN). Like you, I wound up replacing the fuse with an auto-reset 30 amp breaker.

So/now, the above experience leads me to believe that there MIGHT BE (similarly) some additional fuses for either/both the slideouts ‘hidden’ somewhere in the wiring???

Are you aware of any such fuses and, if so, where they might be located?

(The landing gear fuse was HIDDEN inside some ‘split-loom wiring protector’. Whoda known?)

Second Problem (which might be related)???:

I noticed on your site that in the not so distant past you’d experienced ‘Running Light Problems’.

Well, I’m experiencing some too, though not exactly like yours but…

Here’s my problem:

a. Of ALL the 13 running/clearance lights on my trailer, ONLY (precisely) FOUR are suddenly inoperative, and

b. the location/SYMETTRY is very interesting.

These are BOTH THE ‘MIDDLE’ (YELLOW) CLEARANCE LIGHTS on BOTH the RHS and LHS of my 5th and BOTH FRONT, TOP RHS AND LHS (YELLOW) CLEARANCE LIGHTS on the upper edges of the trailer’s nose cap.

All other SIDE and REAR running/clearance lights are fine.

My question here is:

I SUSPECT that these four lights SHARE a common 12 volt power line AND a common ground so, maybe? a broken/bad ground or power line due to a wire break OR (again), maybe another in-line fuse…???

Any ideas?

I would be very appreciative of any information or suggestions you might be able to offer here.

Thanks.

Grant

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Hi Grant,

I have not come across any separate slide fuses other than the panel one. Our rig only has the one slide, no bedroom slide.
I wonder if you have a wire bundle that has become pinched somewhere, maybe by the bedroom slide.

Sounds like a tough problem as the wiring may be buried in the rig structure. Maybe while tracing down the slide issue you may find the cause of the lights failure.
Let me know what you find out.

Ray

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Ray – you asked me to advise you ‘what I found out’ (see your reply to me at end/below).

The problem was ‘tracked down’ to ‘SQUIRRELS’.

It looks like SQUIRRELS got into the left-hand-front propane tank storage compartment by ‘jumping up’ and entering it ‘from the bottom’ which is COMPLETELY OPEN TO THE GROUND.

From there, they tried to enter the ‘under the ‘chin’ area’’ of the trailer (and take up residence, I suppose). (Or maybe they just wanted to ‘travel’ and visit the Whiteshell).

If you want to understand better, you might wish to check YOUR LHS Front P-Tank Storage compartment. I suspect that it’s very likely like mine (291RLS) and if so, you will notice an ‘elongated, rectangular ‘slot’ in a Frame Member on the extreme top left of the compartment where a ‘bunch of wires’ go through.

Looks like (a) Squirrel(s) entered there and wanted to burrow further in/under the ‘chin’ but some wiring was in their way. When the ‘chin’ was opened up, FOUR PINE CONES fell out.

So/but ‘they tried’ anyway and wound up chewing through and completely severing:

(a) BOTH wires that ‘fed’ the four effected running lights,
(b) completely through one 10-guage bedroom slide wire and
(c) half-way through the other.

The total cost of the repair was $621.50 as the ‘chin’ had to be opened up.

Also, to get the clearance lights working, the dealer had to install a ‘jumper’ up to the Front Cap LHS upper clearance light ON THE INSIDE of the left-hand side of the (‘nose’) CLOSET.

I.e. visible – they did a Very Nice Job though. Used a commercial ‘Cable Concealment’ strip. Doesn’t really bother me and, anyway, I intend to ‘strap’ some 2”x2”s or3s” to the back of the closet wall to allow me to add some insulation which I plan to cover with (likely) aromatic cedar.

What I am also planning to do is cut some pieces of ¼” mesh Hardware Cloth ($15.00 or so for 24” x 60” at (e.g.) http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchView?catalogId=10051&storeId=10051&langId=-15&N=0&Ntt=hardware+cloth&Nty=1&D=hardware+cloth&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Dx=mode+matchallpartial

which I already have on hand in my garage and screw it in place in both P-Tank compartments to keep this from happening again.

PIC: Peak – Hardware Mesh 1/4 inch x 1/4 inch 24 inches x 5 feet – 3303 – Home Depot Canada

So, them’s the details.

Thot maybe U mite want 2 pass the idea on to your followers?

Regards.

Grant

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Wow, dang squirrels! Thanks for the detailed info Grant. I’m gonna post this info in my RV Happy Hour forums for other folks to see if that’s OK? I’ll just show your first name.

Thanks Ray

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Ray – sure. I have no objection to you posting my ‘expensive experience’.

This A.M. I installed pieces of ¼” mesh hardware cloth in the bottom of BOTH my propane tank storage compartments. The pieces I cut and used were about 12” x 18”, and I fastened each of them in place using four ¼” x ½”L bolts and nuts, one near each corner (no washers required).

I took a look UNDER my trailer as well and noticed a couple of places, some near the waste tank handles where ‘just maybe’ some varmint could get in. I plan on sealing them up or, at least covering/narrowing the gaps with (probably) Gorilla Tape or something. Any recommendations?

I also installed ‘split wire protector’ just about everywhere and inspected both propane tank compartments and the front storage compartment for ANY PLACE where, if a varmint DID somehow still manage to get in, where could it get to ‘from there’.

There IS on my trailer a large opening near the floor on the left of the front storage compartment (almost) behind the battery where a large bundle of wires runs between the storage compartment and the underbelly, the previously mentioned ‘slot’ in the frame (LHS storage compartment), a ‘too large’ hole for the battery vent, and a few others.

I plan on closing all these up with pieces of hardware cloth, possibly using neodymium magnets to hold them on place and/or (?) tape.

I want to try and cut off or at least minimize the size of any holes that squirrels and/or mice could use to try and get into/move between the storage compartments and the front chin/cap and underbelly, in addition to trying to keep them out in the first place.

BTW – you recently reviewed a device to facilitate the process of getting a trailer level side to side, front to back and ‘remember’ where to restore the F-B angle to facilitate hookup when leaving.

Well, my technique/’equipment’ is much cruder (I just ‘eyeball it’ when hooking up again) and consists of TWO bubble levels’ one front-back on the side and one side-side on the ‘chin’ near the extend/retract switch.

Here’s a simple calc I did: 5th wheels are around 96” wide; the actual tire center to tire center distance is LESS – about 86 inches.

Well, a little old fashioned geometry:

If X = opposite and Y = adjacent = 86” and the angle (s-s) = one degree, then X (‘lift required’ on the appropriate side = 86” * tan(1 degree) = 86 *0 .017455 = 1.50”

I.e. for every 1 degree high or low, side to side will require about 1.5 inches of ‘shim’ placed under the appropriate tire(s).

Simple, but it works. Made a Dymo label and stuck it where I can see it to remind me.

Take Care

Grant

RVHH Chief Cook and Bottle Washer - LoveYourRV.com

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