No Power to Compass Connect Panel?

[TiogaCB]

We were traveling this past weekend and when we arrived back we went to extend the awning on our 260RD and the compass connect panel was completely dead (no lights, controls, tank level indicators). In addition, the radio right below the panel would not turn on. I immediately thought it was a fuse, but I have ohmed all 7 fuses and they all seem fine. I disconnected all power and reconnected and still nothing. I am hoping I am just missing a fuse that is located somewhere other than the 12V fuse panel, but if there is, I missed it in the manual.

I have read a bit about the unity board and its role in the compass connect system and plan to go see if there is power there but I am a bit befuddled that the radio (right below the panel) also does not seem to have power and it seems to be independent of the compass connect system.

Any direction or thoughts would be appreciated. After sitting in our driveway all winter, this problem happens to arrive two weeks before we were to travel on our first summer trip.

Thanks

 

[SailingOn]

Do any of the other 12V fixtures work?
There is an in-line auto-reset circuit breaker, usually mounted on a wall very near the batteries. Of course if that fails most of the 12V stuff is down. Easy to replace.

 

[TiogaCB]

Everything is working except the monitor panel, and oddly the second thermostat in the living room also seems to be dead. All other lights on 12V except the overheads controlled by the panel work. Of course, that compass control panel controls the bluetooth, awning, tank monitors, slide... so hard to live without. The manual says to check the fuse near the battery if your monitor panel is dead (I assume they are referring to the compass connect panel and not the battery monitor). I have a fuse near the battery but that fuse is good. Maybe there is a second fuse near the battery, I have poked around quite a bit and I am not seeing one?

 

[Retbass]

Sounds like mice or rat problem.

 

[Kurt and Deb]

Tioga, you ever get it working? If so, the culprit?

 

[pitman44]

Give Lippert a call. They're very helpful.

 

[Chaps2018]

A buddy (2025 337) just happened to be telling me his curbside slide and awning were inoperable (ie, strange that only some 12v things didn't work like the OP situation). Took it to the dealer and tech diagnosed it as the Unity Board (warranty). Odd...

IMHO, some things (or industries) are just too SMART for their own good. Give me good ol' switches and leave the bargain-basement tech off.

 

[TiogaCB]

Sorry for the lack of update. Lots of troubleshooting and some really good help from GD CS tech. All the items that are not functioning are on the same circuit so some how the 12V path is broken on that side. I connected a long wire on the ground side and had a good solid short from the control panel ground side back to the 12V fuse panel. Did the same think on the hot side and did not have a good connection. Connecting an external 12V supply to the compass connect monitor panel with the data cable hooked to the unity board and everything functions normally, again pointing to an open on the 12V side. I called GD CS again this am and he said the first item in the chain of 12V items on that particular circuit is the radio, so I am going to start to see if the wire from the 12V fuse for the radio to the radio is still connected and work forward from there.

 

[TiogaCB]

One last update should anyone that comes after me find this information useful. If you have not messed with your 12V system before (as I had not) the system on my 260RD is designed around a color coded bus wire method with each component along the bus wire connected with a Wago splice. My particular problem was on the yellow and white bus. After much tugging of wires, and ohming out I have traced that circuit as originating at the fuse panel, then a splice at the light above the sink. The next place I pick up the circuit is at the light below the TV, from there it goes to the antenna amp, Compass connect panel, light above the entry door and on up to the roof for the vent fan and 12V controls on the living room A/C. The break in my circuit is between the light above the sink and the light below the television. I am not sure how the wires route between those two items and if there is another component on the yellow/white circuit between them. GD CS just had a list of everything on the circuit, but not the exact wiring order. Regardless, to get us up and running for the summer camping we are about to do I am going to take the 12V of the radio (we have never used it in 2 years of camping) and connect the blue white circuit in to the yellow circuit beyond the break (the blue white circuit appears to be dedicated to the radio I am guessing based on current draw requirements). I will then break the existing bus wire after the working light such that I am not left with 12V hanging open somewhere. I get all summer to look forward to fixing this problem right in the upcoming off season.

 

[Soundsailor]

As a fellow 260RD owner who has messed up my 12-volt wiring by not knowing much about it, your reports are very welcome. For instance, I didn't know (but found out the hard way) that the light over the theater seats is on the same circuit as the stove lights.

 

[TiogaCB]

Well, all the help I have received from posters on this forum, I would be glad to return the favor. I can tell you I was thoroughly amazed when I started down this troubleshooting path a couple weeks ago how unavailable detailed wiring diagrams are for these units. I am sure they would argue that owners tinkering with the electrical system could be dangerous, but I would argue they are going to do it anyways and doing it without a thorough wiring diagram could make it more dangerous.