Thanks Ray! I cleaned the posts and used dielectric grease on the switch with no result. I was about to buy a new switch when I watched this video. I clipped off the cheap OEM crimp nuts, soldered and shrink-wrapped the wires back together and sure enough, my awning now works! You saved me!!!
My RV has a manual awning so as long as I don't short out, I'll never have your problem. Something to be said for "keeping it simple stupid!" Thanks for you video. I like watching your methodical troubleshoot technique.
Proving again that sometimes it's just the simplest things that can cause the most aggravation. I had an issue trying to track down a very small short in the 12V electrical system. Not a very big one but enough to use up some battery power & just plain bugged me. It was like finding a needle in a haystack but got lucky one trip when my wife noticed a very dim amber colored glow in a light on the landing gear. It would only occur a couple of times and never when I looked. One day I popped out the switch & disconnected it. The slight short was gone. Replaced the switch and all was good.
The electrical multi meter has been a good accessory of mine . All handyman RVers should buy one, if they do not have one, and learn how to use. Excellent video Ray.
Gotta love loose connections; the cause of so many problems. The other being bad grounds. Anyway, I’ve had good luck using the Wago lever-nuts you showed in the video. In fact I used one yesterday to repair our Generac GP3300 portable generator.
I'm with ya on replacing the connectors ray, I myself don't really like the connectors that the factory workers used, the butt connectors you put in look more clean, more straight. I'm not hating on the factory workers for using the connectors they did, I just don't really think the butts the factory used really doesn't looks all that clean.
Ya never know with RV wiring, mostly its a crap shoot, I always check. The actually battery wiring on my rig was Black=Positive and White=Negative. Sometimes I see that in the rigs wiring, other times its black and red and other times is white with a color stripe and solid white and then in this case green and yellow.
I have a Nash by Northwood & I've noticed that they & some of the better manufacturers use residential wiring scheme. White is negative/neutral & black is positive/hot. Northwood goes a step further & uses a different coloured wire for each DC circuit. Makes it easy to trace & track wires back to the fuse box. Sometimes it can be confusing because most assessory manufactures use red/black following the automotive DC colour convention. Many don't realize there in fact is a colour standard with White as ground & black (coloured) as positive. Of course there are the manufacturers who don't follow any colour convention.
In my experience, many of those kinds of crimps are crimped with regular pliers. They just crush the crimp which does not do a good job of holding the wires together. A proper crimp tool does a much better job of forcing the crimp and wire to bond. You can tell by looking at the crimp, whether a proper tool was used. I've also found crimps where when twisting wires together, one wrapped around the insulation of the others and thus wasn't actually crimped in place. Anytime I see crimps, I give them all the "pull test".
Isn't the RV industry great in that it standardizes color coding of electrical systems by each manufacturer doing their own thing. It would be far too difficult for all the different manufacturers to get together and agree a standard for various systems on RV's, probably far easier for South & North Korea to agree to an open border.
I am experiencing this now on 2016 trailer. I get 13V on red / white leads to the switch but will not turn on the awning either direction. The ground is ok. Interesting enough is the fact when I plug in to the switch my 18V battery and the awning works perfectly fine. I now know the awning motor is OK.... all the wires to the awning as well. I am getting 13 V to the switch but it will not turn the motor. I even have ordered new exactly same switch but nothing got solved. I spent already several hrs tracking this...had a mobile RV guy come out and it is still not working. I hear you are saying you had to clean the switch before...but how come that the 18V battery moves the motor but 13V trailer battery will not? It is the biggest Voltage mystery I had in my life...;o) thanks to anyone who has any suggestion for me. michael
Maybe the motor has a bad spot on it and 18V is enough to overcome it but the 13V isn't. If 13V applied to the motor leads at the end of the awning and doesn't turn the motor I would suspect the motor is bad. Try the aux power method - liferebooted.net/life-rebooted-rv-files/owners-manuals/Dometic%209100%20Power%20Awning%20Manual.pdf
Thanks Ray! I cleaned the posts and used dielectric grease on the switch with no result. I was about to buy a new switch when I watched this video. I clipped off the cheap OEM crimp nuts, soldered and shrink-wrapped the wires back together and sure enough, my awning now works! You saved me!!!
Glad I could help
Good call get rid of the barrel connections awesome video Ray 🇨🇦🛠🇨🇦🛠
My RV has a manual awning so as long as I don't short out, I'll never have your problem. Something to be said for "keeping it simple stupid!" Thanks for you video. I like watching your methodical troubleshoot technique.
Proving again that sometimes it's just the simplest things that can cause the most aggravation. I had an issue trying to track down a very small short in the 12V electrical system. Not a very big one but enough to use up some battery power & just plain bugged me. It was like finding a needle in a haystack but got lucky one trip when my wife noticed a very dim amber colored glow in a light on the landing gear. It would only occur a couple of times and never when I looked. One day I popped out the switch & disconnected it. The slight short was gone. Replaced the switch and all was good.
The electrical multi meter has been a good accessory of mine . All handyman RVers should buy one, if they do not have one, and learn how to use. Excellent video Ray.
Gotta love loose connections; the cause of so many problems. The other being bad grounds. Anyway, I’ve had good luck using the Wago lever-nuts you showed in the video. In fact I used one yesterday to repair our Generac GP3300 portable generator.
Awesome! I wouldn’t have figured that out in a million years.
Great Video Ray. Glad you had it figured out. Good info for all of us. Bill
Great find on finding the problem. You got to love how the builders of the RV cut out the opening for control panel, its like they didn't care.
Sometimes it's just the simple things and in this case, I'm sure you're glad it was.
Good information
Good fix
Thanks for the video
Thank you Ray!!
And a perfect example of the quality of RV construction. Guess you have to pay extra for straight cuts? Good enough I suppose.
Get a label maker- it would be easier for Anne
I'm with ya on replacing the connectors ray, I myself don't really like the connectors that the factory workers used, the butt connectors you put in look more clean, more straight. I'm not hating on the factory workers for using the connectors they did, I just don't really think the butts the factory used really doesn't looks all that clean.
It would make more sense to have the battery on the red and black then the motor on the yellow and green.
Ya never know with RV wiring, mostly its a crap shoot, I always check. The actually battery wiring on my rig was Black=Positive and White=Negative. Sometimes I see that in the rigs wiring, other times its black and red and other times is white with a color stripe and solid white and then in this case green and yellow.
I have a Nash by Northwood & I've noticed that they & some of the better manufacturers use residential wiring scheme. White is negative/neutral & black is positive/hot. Northwood goes a step further & uses a different coloured wire for each DC circuit. Makes it easy to trace & track wires back to the fuse box. Sometimes it can be confusing because most assessory manufactures use red/black following the automotive DC colour convention. Many don't realize there in fact is a colour standard with White as ground & black (coloured) as positive. Of course there are the manufacturers who don't follow any colour convention.
In my experience, many of those kinds of crimps are crimped with regular pliers. They just crush the crimp which does not do a good job of holding the wires together. A proper crimp tool does a much better job of forcing the crimp and wire to bond. You can tell by looking at the crimp, whether a proper tool was used. I've also found crimps where when twisting wires together, one wrapped around the insulation of the others and thus wasn't actually crimped in place. Anytime I see crimps, I give them all the "pull test".
When you hear hoofbeats think crimp connectors, not zebras.
Have you ever used the pre-soldered butt connectors? And if so what do you think of them.
No, they a pretty cool but I usually solder wires myself instead, but on higher amperage wires I like to use crimp connectors versus solder.
Isn't the RV industry great in that it standardizes color coding of electrical systems by each manufacturer doing their own thing. It would be far too difficult for all the different manufacturers to get together and agree a standard for various systems on RV's, probably far easier for South & North Korea to agree to an open border.
One more reason I think the rv industry needs govt intervention.
@@chadsteele1 The RV industry really puts out a lot of junk but you're 100% correct C Steele
What is the wires coming out of the wall?
The power wire for the fan and cell booster antenna wire
I am experiencing this now on 2016 trailer. I get 13V on red / white leads to the switch but will not turn on the awning either direction. The ground is ok. Interesting enough is the fact when I plug in to the switch my 18V battery and the awning works perfectly fine. I now know the awning motor is OK.... all the wires to the awning as well. I am getting 13 V to the switch but it will not turn the motor. I even have ordered new exactly same switch but nothing got solved. I spent already several hrs tracking this...had a mobile RV guy come out and it is still not working. I hear you are saying you had to clean the switch before...but how come that the 18V battery moves the motor but 13V trailer battery will not? It is the biggest Voltage mystery I had in my life...;o)
thanks to anyone who has any suggestion for me. michael
Maybe the motor has a bad spot on it and 18V is enough to overcome it but the 13V isn't. If 13V applied to the motor leads at the end of the awning and doesn't turn the motor I would suspect the motor is bad. Try the aux power method - liferebooted.net/life-rebooted-rv-files/owners-manuals/Dometic%209100%20Power%20Awning%20Manual.pdf
Weird wiring colour schemes, nothing standardized.