'94 28' Breakaway DP - Spartan Chassis - anyone know where the engine/chassis fuse panel is located? - the house 120V and 12V breaker panels were easy, but I haven't located the other one.

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Rusty

StaRV II, '94 28' Breakaway, 6.5L TD
2 Not-spoiled Golden Retrievers.

No one gave you an answer yet Rusty? I wish I could help!

No answer yet - I've been playing phone tag with Conrad - I'd bet he knows where it is...

Spartan Chassis: Look in the engine compartment; if there, it will be in a (fairly large) rectangular aluminum box with a cover held on by two screws. Probably just inside the rear access doors behind the bumper.
Probably has an engine electrical "shutoff" switch on on side of the box to prevent starting (with the ignition key) while working on the engine.

Conrad solved the mystery - and this may apply to other Breakaways - there's an oblong panel on top of the instrument cluster; this pops off and the fuses and circuit breakers are in there...

Rusty,

Did you find the fuses? I have been looking for them since last May. The wife and I purchased a '92 30' Breakaway last spring. For the life of me, I cannot get the high beams to work. Shortly after getting the our new Barth home, I replaced all four headlights figuring this would take care of it. Well It didn't. With headlight switch ON, low beams are ON, and then using turn signal lever to switch ON high beams, low beams shut off, dash high beam indicator light goes on, but NO high beams.

Since then I have driving with low beams only and trying to find a 12V fuse box and relay for the head lights.

Our '92 Breakaway also has that oblong access panel on top of the dashboard, above the instruments. I have looked all over inside that dashboard and have found NO fuses. What am I missing?

Help!!!!

I was thinking, that when I find fueses and relays, I would look into the re-wiring so the low beams stay on when the high beams are switched on. Does anybody see a potential problem with that? Or should I just add a set of driving/fog lights to the bumper.

Any and all input would be appreciated.

quote:

Originally posted by gebeclh:
...re-wiring so the low beams stay on when the high beams are switched on.

Mine already are like that. I think yours are too. If other breakaways are wired with the highbeams on only then I can show you how to add that in later - first thing first - where are my high beams?

quote:

Originally posted by gebeclh:
With headlight switch ON, low beams are ON, and then using turn signal lever to switch ON high beams, low beams shut off, dash high beam indicator light goes on, but NO high beams.

I think that your going to find that there is a bad relay. When you go from low beam to high beam your turn signal lever grounds out. This closes the relay's electro-magnetic coil and allows the high beams to come on. Just like a horn relay would activate your horn - it's a grounding switch.

So then why is the dash light indicator going on?(good question that wasn't asked)

It's because that dash indicator light is always hot when the headlight switch is on - when you ground out your high/low turn signal switch it lights up on the dash. All that this is proving is that the high/low switch is grounding. when the switch grounds out it completes the circuit and the indicator lights up.

I think that your changeover relay is not changing over. It goes to high beams but it's not sending power down the line - or - the relay is working and you have a break in the wire going to the high beam headlights. Unless someone else has had this problem or I can see your coach, then in this case, the only thing I can do is give you generic info.

If someone has a wiring schematic for the breakaway and wants to send it to me I can look at it and tell you where to look and how it's wired in.

Headlights can be wired several different ways - you could have a grounding circuit - a hot circuit - a combination of both - a relay for high beams - 2 relays 1 each high and low beams - 2 relays 1 for each side etc... It really is wide open. Very tough to give you generic info on this.

look at this relay switch explained image - this should help you diagnose it after you find your relays and fuses.

Bill has once again nailed it - either the changeover relay is bad, or the wiring has an open to the high beams.

It's not fuses.

I can't help too much, because the GM powered Breakaway has wiring somewhat different from those with the Cummins.

FWIW, mine has four fuse panels in the access area of the dash - one GM standard, and three smaller ones obviously Barth-installed.

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:
there's an oblong panel on top of the instrument cluster; this pops off and the fuses and circuit breakers are in there...

That's where it is in my Regal. The panel that you see is actually an electrical bulkhead - If you unscrewed that panel you would seperate the fuse panel from the engine and lighting wiring harness.

The piece on the inside sends all the wires to everything in the cab & has the fuses in it - the piece still in the mount goes to everything under the Coach for the engine and lighting. This might even be where that high beam headlight could have it's break.

This is where I found that pesky wiring problem that kept shutting off the"Mobile Medical Lab"engine and allowed me to get my Barth for a song.

If you ever choose to seperate the two halves trying to trace a problem look for the plastic housing to be slightly melted around a single electrical plug terminal. Lighly brush it with emery cloth or a nail file or a wire brush to take the varnish off. Recrimp it so the two terminals will be tight when you join the halves back together again.

Bill N.Y. and Rusty

Thanks guys for the diagnosis!!!!! Hopefully someone has a wiring diagram for a Breakaway/Spartan/Cummins, I looked through all my blue prints again, but like before, I found no wiring diagram. In the meantime I'll keep looking for the relays and fuses. They have to be in there somewhere.

Again, thanks a ton for all the valuable info, and for walking through the whole process Bill. I'll keep in touch with what I find or don't find.

I don't post alot, but, I follow the Tech forum daily. What A Wealth Information. Sure feels good knowing that someone out there has probably encountered your current problem and is willing to share the fix.

Thanks Again

The turn signal stalk on mine operates a mechanical changeover "relay". It's on the left side of the steering column, about 8" down from the hub, and is actually cycled by an operating rod connected to the turn signal stalk.

My lower steering column has a naugahyde cover held on with velcro; removing it gave access to the relay.