Carado Vlow Fuse

[BIFFO]

Evening to all fellow motorhomers. I am hoping that some of you have had this problem and that you can help me with it. 
I have a Carado Vlow on a 2019 Ducato. Over the tap there’s a 3 pin socket and an auxiliary socket. On plugging in a not usually used power supply it blew the fuse. Here’s the thing………. can anyone tell me where this fuse is located without me having to try and access it via manuals hit and miss etc. At first I thought the heater (truma) controller was also affected but it seems ok. Just no power in the auxiliary socket.  Am hoping it will be straightforward BUT we all know that is seldom the case. Thanks to all. Safe travels and driving.

[Keithl]

When you say '3 pin socket' do you mean a 240 Volt mains socket or some kind of 12 Volt socket?

If it is a 240 Volt socket then it will almost certainly have a Circuit Breaker (MCB) and not a fuse.

Keith.

EDIT: Just re-read and you actually say the Auxiliary socket is not working so apologies for incorrect answer above.

You will have to consult your Owners handbook for the fuse location.

[Derek Uzzell]

I think Biffo's Carado motorhome may have a Schaudt EBL 99 unit and - as the AUX socket above the kitchen sink's tap is not working - the EBL 99's 12V fuses would be the first things to check.

[Zydeco Joe]

Have a Carado T135 a 2018 model and to access one of the main 12v fuse boxes had last week to remove the near side headlight. That job is not as bad as it sounds , just 2 screws and un plug the headlight cable. You need a T30 screwdriver. Hope this helps in someway.

[BIFFO]

Ok. Thanks to all for the information. Looks like the headlamp is coming out 🫣. Once again this forum has been great. Safe driving and safe motor homing to all 

[Robinhood]

I'm with Derek on this one.

Fuse location for a "habitation" add-on could be anywhere, but if the vehicle is equipped with an EBL or equivalent, the most likely location would be there (and the least likely a base vehicle original fusebox).

[Labby]

As Robinhood has said  the fuse you are looking for is more likely to be in the habitation fuses on your EBL which may be under the left hand front cab seat ( Schaudt EBL31 ? ) and  unlikely to be in the under  bonnet fuse box (although the dash 12v power supply socket fuses may there)

[onecal]

Hi

First of all what else is not working along with your add on auxiliary socket ? 

Regards

[MikeF]

Check the fuses on the EBL, most likely a 10 amp fuse, perhaps at the right end of the fuse array.

[Derek Uzzell]

I'm guessing BIFFO's CARADO is a Vlow 600 model. This is a Ducato-based panel-van conversion (PVC) and photos of the earliest (2018) version show two electrical outlets (one above the other) positioned high above the tap that is mounted in the right-hand rear corner of the kitchen unit. (Later Vlow 600 versions have a fold-down tap within the sink and (apparently) no electrical sockets above the kitchen unit.)

As BIFFO's motorhome is a PVC, it may only have one 12V auxiliary outlet, but (as onecal has advised) if there is more than one 12V auxiliary outlet in the habitation area, it would make sense to confirm that those other outlets are also 'dead' just to confirm that a blown fuse is the culprit.

If BIFFO's Carado has a Schaudt EBL31 unit (as Labby has suggested) the 12V fuses are as shown below

Two "Steckdosen" (sockets) fuses are shown - a 5A fuse for a USB socket (USB Steckdose) 6th from the top and a 10A fuse (Steckdosen 1) 2nd from the bottom.

[BIFFO]

Hi.  Been away for a couple of days so have not had a chance to check out this. Will follow all your info and get back to you all. Thanks. As far as I can discover no other functions have affected by this fuse blowing  

[Derek Uzzell]

I'm guessing that your Carado's auxiliary socket that is not working looks like the lower of the two sockets in this image?

Are there other similar sockets in your motorhome? If so, have you confirmed that they are also 'dead'?

[BIFFO]

Am checking this out now. There has always been  constant power to the circular auxiliary socket in the photo. Since the incident with the plug which did not fit snugly into the socket and blew the fuse. 

[BIFFO]

On hook up all three pin plugs have power. On Derek’s suggestion I have checked out the two fuses suggested. Perfect. So. Fuse board in the cab or take out headlamp under bonnet fuse board. The search goes on. 🤷‍♂️

[BIFFO]

The only other auxiliary unit in the van is the cigarette lighter which I have dash cam plugged into and is working fine as is the phone charger usb. 

[Derek Uzzell]

Your Carado's 3-pin plugs provide 240V when your motorhome is connected to a mains-electric hook-up. The power outlets in the dashboard provide 12V power from the starter-battery and (if I remember correctly) may only be 'live' when the Ducato's ignition-switch is turned on.

The auxiliary socket that no longer works will (probably) receive power from the leisure-battery. It is part of the Carado conversion, so any fuse protecting it should not be under the bonnet. 

You are assuming that the ill-fitting plug caused a fuse to blow (the logical diagnosis) but that might not be the case.

Suggest you take out the socket and check if its wiring is still OK. This would also allow you to confirm whether or not 12V power is actually reaching the socket.

[Robinhood]

Derek's suggestion is sound. I find it hard to believe that socket isn't fused at the EBL.

The 10A "Steckdosen 1" fuse is the obvious candidate, but given converter's vagaries I'd be inclined to check all the other fuses, and particularly the "Reserve 1" 10A one if you have it.

(I'm not sure how you checked the "Steckdosen 1" 10A fuse, but as a double check I'd be inclined to test with a new fuse in it).

[onecal]

Hi

Have you removed the socket itself and checked it for damage (wiring etc')

Some have a fuse at the back of the socket ( esp' if retro fitted) Quite often the wiring may be damaged on the connections or the connections themselves due to incorrect loose fitting male connection used within the socket

Regards 

Edited November 12 by onecal

[Derek Uzzell]

I'm guessing that the 12V socket will be a CBE/C-Line 270172 as shown here

Fitting instructions can be found here

https://clearcutconversions.co.uk/onlineshop/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Fitting-CBE-Sockets.pdf

Wiring connection is to the two 'spades' on the socket's rear as shown on the image below. (The 270172 socket does not have an integrated fuse.)

[onecal]

Hi 

It has not of course?  "Some have a fuse at the back of the socket ( esp' if retro fitted) " 

The fuse is often fitted behind the socket? This incorrect practice is quite common on retro fitted DC sockets. Loose connections at the rear of the socket can also be an issue with overheating

Sometimes incorrect size of a male plug causes an issue as it can be very loose 

Maybe some photos of the actual socket and the plug on the appliance would be helpful

We await BIFFO reply

Regards

[Robinhood]

The Vlow 600 reviews I've seen all have the double socket arrangement detailed by the OP (over the sink) as a standard fitment, so I very much doubt it's a retro-fitted socket.

I still think the likely issues are:

i) it's fused on another of the fuseways on the EBL

ii) it's fused on the "Steckdosen 1" fuse, and this is blown and hasn't been adequately tested

iii) The OP is trying to use a "cigarette lighter" plug in a DIN/Hella socket (or vice-versa). 

iv) In doing the above, the socket wiring, or more likely the contact prongs, have been damaged.  

[Alanb]

There is another possibility that doe not seem to have been mentioned.

If I have understood correctly, the socket is of the cigarette lighter style, and the plug intended for use in that type of socket.

The problem that I found and posted about, some years ago relates to the design of the CBE socket.

If you refer to the photo of a CBE socket previously posted by Derek, the positive connection enters at 45 degrees anti clockwise from the top, with no insulation inside the socket barrel. The negative contact forms a ring inside the mouth of the socket

It is possible for the longer negative poles on the the sides of some plugs create a short circuit across the socket.  This can happen in either of two diametrically oposed plug insertion angles.

My fix was to dismantle all of my CBE automotive style 12V  sockets, and apply heatshrink to the positive connector.  This is not a perfect fix, but the fault only occurs with plugs having longer side contacts, of which I now have few, if any.

Alan

[onecal]

Hi Robinhood

 I have found many a socket to be replaced from time to time due to a damaged female socket by an incorrect size plug on an appliance causing them to short out internally . Some of these replacement sockets can be of poor quality and  sometimes incorrectly wired with a fuse at the back of the socket or on the line to the socket, maybe thinking this may prevent further damage to the replacement socket. This incorrect practice is more common than one would think or admit.  

I think your numbered suggestions are excellent  and very easly checked  The  No 3 / 4 suggestion as I have previously stated is also a very common issue that can create damage to the socket as I have just outlined  as your No 4 suggestion

Loose connections also cause failure (as in Derek photo + and-) some even come off and short out if not insulated 

Again we await BIFFO 's reply and hopefully some photos of the actual socket and the plug on the appliance along with the connections at the rear of the socket, would be very helpful

Edited November 13 by onecal

[Derek Uzzell]

This advert is for a 2018 Carado Vlow 600

https://www.motorhomedepot.com/vehicle/carado-vlow-600

and the two sockets above the kitchen sink's pedestal tap are shown in this image. 

As Biffo has owned his Carado from new, if the original 12V socket had needed to be replaced, I'm (reasonably) confident he would have mentioned this.

[onecal]

On 04/11/2024 at 17:31, BIFFO said:

Evening to all fellow motorhomers. I am hoping that some of you have had this problem and that you can help me with it. 
I have a Carado Vlow on a 2019 Ducato. Over the tap there’s a 3 pin socket and an auxiliary socket. On plugging in a not usually used power supply it blew the fuse. Here’s the thing………. can anyone tell me where this fuse is located without me having to try and access it via manuals hit and miss etc. At first I thought the heater (truma) controller was also affected but it seems ok. Just no power in the auxiliary socket.  Am hoping it will be straightforward BUT we all know that is seldom the case. Thanks to all. Safe travels and driving.

Yes Derek hopefully , but then I would assume that been the case  it would be easy to find the fuse pertaining to the socket involved

I have outlined some failure points which can happen at any time ,and also some of the poor workmanship that can follow on replacement of sockets making the fuse very difficult to find sometimes  

Hopefully Biffo will get back to us  with some photos of the actual socket and the plug on the appliance along with the connections at the rear of the socket, would be very helpful and of course let us know how he got on 

Regards