LED Light Strip Popping Fuse

[dalamarjj78]

We dewinterized our 2021 Keystone Bullet Ultra Lite 273BHS last week and took it out for a camping trip. The first night I quickly noticed the LED strip under the awning wasn't working. When I flipped the switch at the control panel the switch didn't light up like the other switches. We've never had an issue with it so I assumed a fuse had gone bad.

I checked the fuse box, no red lights or bad fuses. Everything else seems to be working fine (the awning itself, compartment door lights, cap light, interior lights, etc.)

When we got home I decided to pull the control panel and found a blown 3 amp fuse connected to the switch. Of course, my fuse kit didn't have 3 amp fuses included so I had to order some.

Got them in today, put a new 3 amp fuse in, turned the switch on and it immediately popped. I hoped maybe it was a bad fuse so tried another; same thing - it popped immediately.

Any suggestions on what I should be checking next? Please feel free to explain it to me like I'm a toddler because I've exhausted my knowledge of our RV's electrical system.

I did recently purchase a multimeter but it's still in the box since I haven't needed to learn how to use it yet (please don't judge me ).

[bobbecky]

If that fuse blew that fast, there is a short between the hot wire and the ground which is causing the fuse to blow. Somewhere the wire is damaged or possibly chewed by a critter.

[chuckster57]

FWIW, I would find the connections at the awning. Cut the RED wire, put a new fuse in and turn the switch on. If it blows then the short is in the wiring. If it doesn’t ( my bet) then the strip is suspect.

[dalamarjj78]

Luckily, I was able to find my issue. After getting up on a ladder and inspecting the wire on the exterior of the trailer I found the wires leaving the light strip and running over the metal frame of the awning and into the trailer were rubbing against the awning frame and had stripped the wire, causing a short.

A little electrical tape around the wire and everything's working now.

Is there a standard size wire Keystone uses for the exterior LED light strips?

The wire is pulled so tight it was really difficult to get electrical tape around it. So I'm thinking about splicing a few extra inches of wire in there so it's easier to deal with should this come up again.