PEAK PUTTERS

For the record, wire nuts have NO place in an automotive application...

After enjoying about 20 minutes of cold food in the fridge and warm air from the furnace, both appliances decided to cease working during last weekend's festivities A quick bit of troubleshooting revealed that while the fuses were all good and I was in fact sending the appropriate 12v throughout the coach, there was apparently a wayward "junction" somewhere... We transferred the grub to Boy Scout's outfit and bundled up with extra blankets inside and had an otherwise fine weekend. After work this afternoon, I tore apart literally EVERY opening inside the motorhome, tracing the 12v wiring from the fuse block to the offending appliances. Roughly 45 minutes into the good times, I came across a bundle of wires draped over a section of air duct, that when wiggled just right, would fire up the fridge and furnace A little tugging on them brought them up to eye level (although I was laying upside down and sideways on the floor, peering through an access hole about *this* big). What I found was 3 wires loosely embedded in a wire nut... After reworking the offending wire nut, we have steady power where it should be

So the lesson here is, if you for some reason must us wire nuts in an automotive application, at least give it a good wrap of electrical tape around the bundle to help prevent the otherwise inevitable vibration-related loosening of the connection.

Good info. I'm positive I have some of those in a hole somewhere.
I'm going to find them.

Sadly, I believe they are prolific in the wiring systems of many/most/all RV's. Danny's Taj perhaps an exception

Yeah, some of the wiring in my pop-up is spooooooky and that is not including my work.

I'm surprised you run the fridge on 12 volt.

try wire nuts on a large boat in the bering sea in 30 ft seas in the middle of January. worse yet in the steering system contol circuit common to both steering pumps. stupid squids! open overhead junction box and several drop on the deck.

tobyw wrote:Sadly, I believe they are prolific in the wiring systems of many/most/all RV's.

You have no idea...

That's why all 110v connections are housed in a junction box. When they come apart/arc/heat up and catch fire, it is far less likely to spread outside the box.

At least that's my theory, with as many burned connections that I find...

Had a run in with quick splice connectors once on a pickup camper rig. Took someone that knew more about wiring than me to find the problem. Will never use them again. Ended up soldering all the connections and then using that shrink tape stuff. Never had another problem.

A junction box saved my house from burning up when a copper and aluminum wire connection burned up. I have mixed feelings about that