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how to rewire dash dc outlets


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I have 2 dc outs on my 2012 coachnman marada dash . Both no longer work. I have checked all of the dc fuses on my panel box and they all check out ok. I can not find any inline

fuses for them.

Should I just run new wire from my fuse box? If so what is the best way and how big a fuse should I use?

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45 minutes ago, Arizona Drifter said:

Should I just run new wire from my fuse box? If so what is the best way and how big a fuse should I use?

 Arizona, If BOTH no longer work, AND ITS NOT ANY FUSE OR GROUND PROBLEM ?? my next suspect is there's a wiring connection that has come detached, but under or behind a dash with a rats nest it may be hard to locate grrrrrrrrrrrr.  Its the fact that BOTH no longer work (and NO blown fuse you indicate) makes me suspect a connection has opened (or no ground, see below). A wire under a dash (hot or ground) shouldn't on its own just break completely in two.

 Have you looked on the dash sides or under the dash for any other black fuse boxes or open boxes with blade fuses that may be hidden in addition to the panels you already looked at ??? The panel outlets may be on different circuits and fused at a location OTHER THEN the standard truck/automotive box locations. If its NOT a failed connection Id still suspect a blown fuse (or missing ground, see below) before an opened connection, but I don't know where to tell you to look.

 Sure you can always run a new wire but by golly I just don't envision the one already there (or the ground wire, see below) cant be repaired by a new splice or a hidden fuse or a re-connection BUT THATS IF THERES NO BLOWN FUSE YOU JUST HAVENT LOCATED YET.

 In the unlikely event you need a whole new wire, do you know the watts rating of the outlets??? They may be 200 watt outlets which if at 12 volts = 16.7 amps that would require minimum 12 Gauge 20 amp rated wire but I would use 10 gauge myself. I would protect 12 Gauge wire with a standard 20 amp fuse. In the old days pure resistive heat cigarette lighter outlets they could be rated higher maybe 20 or more amps, but for light duty electronic applications a 200 watt may well be what's on your dash. 

 Keep looking for a blown fuse, but if none exist look for a failed connection, as I don't see needing a whole new wire, but if so Id use 12 Gauge minimum fused at 20 amps for a 200 max watts outlet.

 Hopefully a Coachmen Marada owner can tell you where there's another fuse block???????????????

 OF COURSE the outlets need ground wires WHICH ARE NOT FUSED so you might also check the ground wire to the outlets for ground continuity and look for any failed connections or splices !!!!!!!!!! You may have found the fuses and all are good, its just the outlets aren't grounded??????????  To test for that use a 12 VDC test lamp with the probe connected to a known good hot 12 VDC source and touch the other to the outer metal of the outlets to see if a ground exists !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MAYBE THEY ARENT GROUNDED??????????  Even if the hot wires and all fuses were all okay, since both don't work they may well be missing their case ground????????? Or use a continuity tester or ohm meter from the outlets metal side case to the battery or other ground to see if there's  good low resistance connection/continuity.

 

 Let us know what you find, bad fuse,,,,,,,,open connection,,,,,,,,,missing ground or no tellin what else lol

 

 John T 

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It would be helpful to know what chassis you have, as many chassis have more than one fuse panel.  Our F-53 chassis had two main fuse panels for the chassis, one in the engine compartment and one under the dash. If the two outlets were added by the coach builder there is a good possibility that they are on one of the "in line" fuses and could be located just about anywhere. If you have a chassis owner's manual, I would check it first just to be sure that you have not overlooked a fuse panel.

If you do rewire the outlets, I would base the fuse size on both the wire gauge and the rating of the outlets as they do have more than one rating available. If you do not know what they are rated for, I'd use a 3a fuse as the plugs can be as low as 2a and I have seen high rated ones as much as 10a. If you remove the sockets there should be a current rating on them somewhere. I would be very surprised if it were rated for more than 3a each. 

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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MORE INFO,   OMG I just searched for 12 Volt DC power outlets on Flea Bay and had over 2000 hits lol

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=12+volt+power+outlet&_sop=12

  but it was hard to find the watts or current rating based on the limited E Bay info ???????????

 In the unlikely event you cant find a blown fuse,,,, or an open connection,,,, or a missing ground,,,, and want to install some new outlets anyway, you might want to consider doing as I did and use the ones that have BOTH 12 VDC plus USB outlets as so much of our small electronics uses that versus the 12 volt, so I installed them at several convenient locations near the dash and dinette and even beside the bed. I even installed one I can see while driving or sitting in the RV THAT ALSO HAS A VOLTMETER. (3 ports, 12 volt, USB, voltmeter)  SO HANDY and surprisingly that cheap digital voltmeter is very accurate !!!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cigarette-Lighter-Socket-Splitter-12V-Dual-USB-Charger-Power-Adapter-Outlet-Car-/121746630793?hash=item1c58aa2889:g:m-wAAOSwT6pV5BXg

 If ALL you require is low power electronics charging you could get by with a small say 100 Watt or even less outlet wired with and fuse protected accordingly, but if you're running a new wire anyway its no harder to install say perhaps a larger 200 watt outlet with the appropriate sized fuse and wire such as 12 or even 10 Gauge wire and over current protected by the max power rating of the outlet. If you were ONLY protecting 12 Gauge wire, that would be a 20 amp fuse, HOWEVER to protect a 200 Watt outlet which would be 200/lets use 12.6 volts = 15.87 Amps, Id back that down to a 15 amp fuse (even though 12 or even 10 gauge wire is used) for safety sake. If its ONLY low power you require for small electronics, some on E Bay come with 16 gauge wire and also fuses, BUT REMEMBER to properly protect the feeders, the fuse needs to be located at the energy source (battery) NOT at the outlet !!!!!!!!! ALSO remember in order to protect the wiring PLUS outlet means use of the smaller of the two fuse ratings as described above.... 

 If I need to plug in a high power device such as say a 12 VDC Air Compressor, I don't like to use the in dash type outlets, so I have handy a 200 or 300 Watt (forget which I have) outlet with a short piece of 10 gauge wire and alligator clamps for direct to my battery connections. BETTER YET just wire the compressor direct to the battery and by pass and eliminate any power outlets altogether !!!!

Best wishes, God Bless, and thanks to all Veterans

John T

  

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Thanks.OldJohnT. I did find another fuse panel hidden on the drivers side firewall.It took some twisting and turning to get to it but it was worth the effort as I found two burned out fuses. I now have two working outlets. One for my brake buddy and one to power my mp3 player as I head out the 1st of june to visit Yellowstone and BC. Canada for the next 3 or 4 months.

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CONGRATULATIONS  on the repair, I just hope whatever blew them in the first place don't rear its ugly head again ??? and I envy your upcoming trip. I've been to Yellowstone 3 times and cant wait to get back other then its getting so darn crowded and I don't think there's ever much of any "off season" nowadays grrrrrrrrrrr. You gonna go ahead and do the Grand Tetons since its so close by??? Or how about stopping at Glacier on the way North??? Don't miss the scenic Beartooth Highway going into Yellowstone and the Top of the World Store !!!!!!!!!!!

 John T 

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