# Best Way To Wire A New Shurflo Fan



## flexdog1 (Jan 24, 2010)

I bought a new Shurflo ComfortAir Silver fan for the center fan on our new 301BQ. Mechanical installation went great. I wired it into a Green/White pair that i found in the ceiling that appeared to be hot all the time (not switched with any lights). While on our maiden voyage, I started blowing a 15amp fuse that the outside lights and the interior ceiling lights were on. I was blowing the fuse even when the fan was not on...so I relize I may have a bad fan.

So, now, I want to put it on its own circuit - which their appears to be a couple empty fuses in the fuse panel. Has anyone run power from the panel (mine is under the range) up to the ceiling? Any ideas how to get the wires up there?

I also plan on using a spare 12v battery and testing the amp draw on the fan to see if the fan is faulty.

Thanks in advance.


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## K. Smith (May 25, 2009)

Take out the microwave. Fish tape (or coat hanger) the wires over to the area behind the microwave. There will be a 110V outlet behind there with access to the "attic". Punch a hole into the area behind the fridge. Be very careful not to hit any 110V lines, gas lines, and the fridge itself. Run the wires down the space behind that in the corner out of the way Punch back in under/behind the stove/oven.

Just an idea.


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## flexdog1 (Jan 24, 2010)

Kevin,
thanks for the great idea...I was planning on removing the fuse box and now, with your idea on the microwave, I think we can get there!
-scott


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## Lmbevard (Mar 18, 2006)

Not sure what wires you hooked into, but a 12V system should be hooked in series not parallel. I remember my brother trying to hook up a speaker switch in a car. Every time he would hit it, it would shut down everything. Try to spice the wire into one of the wires, not across both. should work better.


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Also you may have connected the fan ground/negative to the live wire resulting in a blown fuse.

If you go with the rewire take plenty of pictures to post.


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## WACOUGAR (Dec 20, 2006)

There is nothing in an RV that is wired in series except for maybe you refrigerator control wiring, all the 12v and 120 volt wiring is in parallel in an RV. You may have a short in the fan wiring like the hot to ground in your fan installation. Remove fan isolate wires from metal. Replace fuse and see what happens if it does not blow install fan. If the fuse blows while installing the fan remove it and look for a wire that has bare wire exposed. The common denominator in the blown fuse was your fan insatallation correct? I doubt the fan itself is shorted as these are all tested at the factory I suspect the integrity of your wiring and installation.
IBEW Local 46
27 years Electrician


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## kevmorv (Apr 13, 2010)

K. Smith said:


> Take out the microwave. Fish tape (or coat hanger) the wires over to the area behind the microwave. There will be a 110V outlet behind there with access to the "attic". Punch a hole into the area behind the fridge. Be very careful not to hit any 110V lines, gas lines, and the fridge itself. Run the wires down the space behind that in the corner out of the way Punch back in under/behind the stove/oven.
> 
> Just an idea.


that actually sounds like it might work hahah


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

kevmorv said:


> Take out the microwave. Fish tape (or coat hanger) the wires over to the area behind the microwave. There will be a 110V outlet behind there with access to the "attic". Punch a hole into the area behind the fridge. Be very careful not to hit any 110V lines, gas lines, and the fridge itself. Run the wires down the space behind that in the corner out of the way Punch back in under/behind the stove/oven.
> 
> Just an idea.


that actually sounds like it might work hahah
[/quote]
Oh yeah, the fridge compartment is a great tool! Unobstructed access from the roof to the floor (assuming the power converter is under the fridge like it was in my OB).


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## flexdog1 (Jan 24, 2010)

Hey folks, thanks so much for the replies.

The next time I get the unit out, I will figure this out and take lots of pics.

Thanks all,
-scott


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## flexdog1 (Jan 24, 2010)

OK Outbackers,
I got it done.

Here is what I found:

This fan worked a couple times, but then quit. Since the top side was all complete, I really did not want to go through any exchanges or returns. So, I tore into it and found there was a rectifier diode that was "smoked" on the control board.









You can see on the top right of the board the black areas around the diode. I went to Frys and got a new diode and soldered it into that board.










I originally wanted to take the power for the fan from the fuse panel, but I could not figure out how to get from the fuse panel up to the microwave cabinet. I got into the furnace area, but there were dividers between the fridge and the furnace - so I switched strategies and tapped into power in a lighting circuit behind the microwave.










It is now complete and seems to be working fine. Thanks for the help with the idea on going behind the microwave.
-scott


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Glad you got it working....

I tapped into the overhead light that is about 4" in front of the opening for the fan. Been working GREAT!!!


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## flexdog1 (Jan 24, 2010)

Well, we are not done yet...

Today we were doing some mods getting ready for our summer vacation and we had the ShurFlo fan on. After a couple hours, the fan stopped!!!

Fuses: Good.
Control board with bad diode: Good (it seems).
Motor: You could fry an egg on it!!

I bought the fan from PPL Motorhomes and installed it myself. Anyone have any suggestions on what I should do from here? I really don't want to replace the whole thing, but that's what I think I am in for.

Any suggestions?
-scott


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Contact Shurflo direct on Monday and ask them. Then if they give you a hard time tell them you should have purchased a Fantastic Fan or MaxxAir since you know they would cover a warranty replacement and you hoped Shurflo would have also!


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## flexdog1 (Jan 24, 2010)

CamperAndy said:


> Contact Shurflo direct on Monday and ask them. Then if they give you a hard time tell them you should have purchased a Fantastic Fan or MaxxAir since you know they would cover a warranty replacement and you hoped Shurflo would have also!


I sent a note to Customer Service at ShurFlo and the Sales team at PPL. I hope to get a response tomorrow.


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## flexdog1 (Jan 24, 2010)

Shurflo called me on Monday and is shipping out a new motor and control board. Also said that because there is a control board with the Fan that I need to be tapped into "filtered DC"
from the converter panel. I will have to look at the make and model of the panel and see if I can tell which circuits are filtered. More to come once I get the parts!
-scott


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## flexdog1 (Jan 24, 2010)

I got the new motor and control board. One thing the Shuflo technician mentioned to me was to make sure that I am tapping into "filtered" DC coming from the inverter panel. The inverter panel is as follows:
http://www.wfcoelectronics.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=46&Itemid=77

I understand what he is asking for, but can't tell from the specs on this panel if it is all filtered, or what? Any ideas?

I am hoping the circuit I am tied into is OK, and the replacement of the motor and control board will do the trick.
-scott


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

As long as the battery is connected (and the fuses are good) the power will be filtered well enough. They just want to avoid directly powering the fan from a cheap converter.


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## flexdog1 (Jan 24, 2010)

New motor and control board did the trick!! We are up and fully functional. Special thanks to Shurflo for getting me these items in quick order!!!


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## flexdog1 (Jan 24, 2010)

AGGGGHHHHHHH!!!

Last night - the last night of our 2-week vacation, the fan quit again! Wouldn't you know it, we are in a NY campground with ony 20A electric (so no A/C) and needed the fan for airflow. About midnight the fan quit. I had been hearing some variations in the pitch of the motor telling me the eletronics on the board by have been working a little harder, but then it just stopped. No bad fuses, nothing. Motor was a little warm, but not steaming like the last one. I think the rectifier diode and the electronics on this control board can not handle too much variation on voltage....

The cheap lille fan and motor in the bathroom that came with the 301BQ are still spinning strong.

I think it is time to get PPL to take back the Shuflo and go with a Fantastic Fan. We had one in our last camper and loved it.

Everything else in the Outback worked great...it is the aftermarket stuff that I am having trouble with.

-scott


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