Hmm, bad day in Paradise

[phoenix2013]

Been traveling I-95 in southern Florida, low 80's NO SNOW, spotted one of these in a parking lot.

 

 

[Deezl Smoke]

When I see pics like that, all I can do is hope everyone got out ok.

[hdonlybob]

When I see pics like that, all I can do is hope everyone got out ok.

 

 

My feelings exactly...always sad to see.

[Chad Heiser]

You never like to see anything like that.

[spindrift]

First, I hope no one was hurt. Secondly, I've always been concerned when I've seen some of these toy haulers after owners come back from a day of riding. Hot machines being stored in a tinderbox with auxiliary gas tanks strapped underneath. I know, there are few examples of this kind of carnage and I'm sure that 99.9% of the folks are extremely careful. But for those who are not, it appears to be an accident waiting to happen... IMHO.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Majority of the damage in the kitchen area,

Fridge fire?

Hope nobody or any pets were injured.

[beyerjf]

Fires happen in residences all the time, for all the usual reasons, frequently entirely preventable, as any experienced fire fighter can tell you.

My question is purely one of #'s.

I wonder what the per capita number of fires in sticks and bricks locations vs per capita of rv's? A crispy RV is always going to garner much attention.

I think the injury rate in the RV's is much lower, but have absolutely no evidence.

[billr]

Majority of the damage in the kitchen area,

Fridge fire?

Hope nobody or any pets were injured.

That would be my best guess as well.....towing possibly? Imagine looking in the mirror and wondering where all that smoke is coming from and then that "Oh No" sick feeling. Followed by the fastest disconnect in history. I have thought of this a few times after seeing brake fires and fridge fires. Going through the plan on what to do. Unlock hitch, pull the brake cable and haul ass! Unless the fire is too far forward near the Propane Cyl then get away!

 

I too hope it was not while parked with pets inside and of course no people. Glad we ditched the RV Fridge.

[rickeieio]

Followed by the fastest disconnect in history. I have thought of this a few times after seeing brake fires and fridge fires. Going through the plan on what to do. Unlock hitch, pull the brake cable and haul ass!

 

Interesting, and timely discussion. I was unhooking Sunday, and Little Brother commented on a bow in the rear of the bed. I said I was going to straighten and strengthen it to provide a "catch" for if/when the hitch might have an "unscheduled release."

 

Now I'm thinking perhaps that would not be a good idea.

[MLC]

Makes you wonder whats the greater risk some jerk releasing your pin at a stop or getting unhitched quickly. Since the emergency brake was activated at a truck stop, have locked the pin release lever in place. It is hard to get the lock off without a fire, hate to think of doing it with a fire. Looks like the slide was out and the bike(s) were inside. Makes one think breakfast was a little well done.

[phoenix2013]

Few years back I was lucky to catch things before my fifth looked just like the picture above. We pulled into a rest area, my wife went back to the rig, opened the door and smoke poured out from the inside.

The cheap ass Chinese shackle let go,

the axle on that side went up and the tire came in contact floorboard in the wheel well. After the smoke cleared we went inside moved one of the loungers and found glowing embers in the floor.

We were pulling with a pickup then meaning most of our stuff was back there.

[steiny93]

^{wow phoenix2013, that would be scary}

 

^{one 4th of July I had a 5er cranking away keeping itself cool for grandma (she was staying in it for the weekend). she comes walking back from the 5er saying that it smells funny (I of course look sheepish and walk up to check it out). sure enough the 5er is getting full of smoke. luck would have it we had several fireman and fire inspector at the lake with us}

 

^{kill the power and start looking; here the neutral was loose and it overheated and started a small fire in the circuit box}

 

^{here I come to find that neutrals getting loose on the shoreline and causing issues is pretty common}

^{2 years later my father gets a different camper; pull the panel and check the neutrals; sure enough they are loose with some evidence of overheating (melt-age)}

[Jack Mayer]

Here is a LINK to the Fire Safety presentation from the 2014 HDT Rally. The one I did not do because I could not be there. It is a modified presentation from my previous ones - if you have seen them. It covers a number of the items being discussed here.

 

Fire is a scarey thing in an RV. They go up FAST. I've had a fire in mine....which is what prompted me to start the Fire Safety presentation. I urge you to take a quick look at it and think things over.....

[spindrift]

Jack...thanks for the link. Always good to refamiliarize.

[Refuzn-To-Grow-Up]

For what it is worth, this is what I A L W A Y S do:

 

1. I pump fuel out of the Yamaha Rhino, back into the toy hauler gas tank, before I drive it into the garage. There is enough fuel in the lines to drive it up the ramp and back it out, at the next stopping point.

 

2. I open the vents to the garage. While we are moving, the top vent, facing forward, forces air into the garage and, the bottom vent, facing backwards, draws air out.

 

3. I shut off the propane tanks before I start towing the trailer. I do not run the fridge while I am driving. I keep a bag of ice in the freezer while on the road. I turn on the fridge, after we stop for the day. The ice and the closed fridge preserve the food just fine during the day. I have a thermometer in the freezer and the fridge compartments.

 

4. I use a tire pressure (which also monitors temperature because they are related) monitor. Best investment, in safety, that I ever made. While driving, I cycle through all 12 tires to check the pressures. I do the pressure check about every hour.

 

If anyone has any other safety tips, I would like to know about them.

[CDR]

Someone enlightened me!

 

Why would you run the refrigerator on propane while towing?

Why not 12v?

It is best to cool the refrigerator and it's contents down prior to travel.

That way most modern rv refrigerators will keep their contents to safe temperature at least 4 to 8 hours, with out power.

 

So I don't understand the refrigerator being the cause of the fire?

 

I never travel with open propane or 120v sources.

 

Unless it was a tire or suspension or brake issue or motorized toy in the garage?

 

What caused the fire????

[skp51443]

Not many fridges run on 12 volts these days and a 12 volt fridge if you can find one will need big batteries or the addition of heavier wire from the truck alternator to the fiver's batteries. On a motorhome you'd likely have to leave the hous and chassis batteries connected.

[CDR]

Stanley;

 

Marine does it all the time! 12 volt.

 

Curt

[Big5er]

Curt, we are RV's, not boats

 

And my refrigerator stays on all the time, 110v or propane. Read the owners manual for any Dometic refrigerator. Dometic fully expects that refrigerator to be used on propane while driving down the road since they don't tell you to turn it off while driving, only when refueling or parking near fuel pumps. They also plainly state that while a vehicle is in motion that leveling the refrigerator isn't required due to the vehicles movement. They are designed to be used on propane while a vehicle is in motion.

[phoenix2013]

Stanley;

 

Marine does it all the time! 12 volt.

 

Curt

So do the truck cab ones, but they are more expensive. RV industry would never consider anything that would cost even two bucks more and is available for two bucks less.

We've always RVed (42 years) with the fridge on. Just like to have this cold cream available for coffee when we stop. That is not to dismiss the fact that it did represent another potential for fire.

I checked Jack's seminar material on RV fires, reminded me of the fact (early dementia) that I had another RV fire. A bearing let go in one of my axles and overheated things on that wheel. I've got to dig up some pictures of that, impressive. My wife still talks about the fact that she never saw me move so fast with the fire extinguisher.

Another bit of Lord's providence, few miles down the road and it would have been too late.

[Deezl Smoke]

Few years back I was lucky to catch things before my fifth looked just like the picture above. We pulled into a rest area, my wife went back to the rig, opened the door and smoke poured out from the inside.

The cheap ass Chinese shackle let go,

the axle on that side went up and the tire came in contact floorboard in the wheel well. After the smoke cleared we went inside moved one of the loungers and found glowing embers in the floor.

We were pulling with a pickup then meaning most of our stuff was back there.

 

Crud !!!! Good thing you stopped when you did.

 

Fires are like any other "accident". Many are preventable, but not all. Stick houses have electrical issues just like any rv. Stick houses burn during cold season or Christmas because of extra heaters and dry trees etc. Cats and dogs can bump things over. Mice can chew wires. As long as when these stories come about, they end with "no loss of life" that's all that matters really.

[Star Dreamer]

We tried running with our frig on 12v and it only lasted about 4 hours before it drained the trailer battery. Ever since than we travel with it in propane as we do not have a 12v feed from the HDT to the trailer for accessories (yet).

 

I really think that trailer fire was caused by that warm sun beating in through the skylight and started something inside on fire. Up here the snow on the roof an angle of the sun prevents that from happening! Of course we are trying to make a joke out of someone else's bad luck. Sorry to see someone lost their trailer and belongings.

[Refuzn-To-Grow-Up]

Not to start a firefight (sorry, the devil made me say that ), but the fridge is not the only problem with "propane on" while driving. How about all of those pressurized propane lines bouncing around inside the trailer? If you have a "production" trailer (as opposed to a $200K custom built trailer), the workmanship leaves much to be desired.

 

The possibility of a propane (or fuel leak), in an enclosed trailer scares the bee-jevers out of me. I would not make a good suicide bomber. LOL!

 

BTW - I also shut down the propane (and power), when we leave the trailer and, take the Rhino out for an all day excursion in the desert. The food in the fridge is fine.

 

But, each to his own!

[Bob86ZZ4]

Norcold fridge here. 8k miles each summer for the last 6 summers. Fridge is always on propane running down the road. Only switch to 120v when plugged in somewhere. Could it catch on fire some day? Sure. I still live in a house. Could a toilet tank crack and start flooding the house while I'm out piling up the miles on the coach? Sure. But I don't bother going down the basement everytime I leave to shut the water valve off. I do shut the water pump off in the coach whenever going down the road because I wouldn't be able to hear the pump running if a pipe sprung a leak. Also always turn it off when we're out. I'd bet more damage is caused to rv's from leaking pipes than fridge fires.

[CDR]

Guess the units I have had and looked at are 12/120v or 12/120/propane.

 

New to me!

 

Curt