Fire in motorhome ( extra lucky )

[Edward Buker]

Dave,

This summary makes sense. See what happens next with the insurance. I do not think that there is a number 12 wire involved here if it is a power cord connection, even 30 amps must be 10 gauge.

You can share my thoughts in the last forum post with your electrician. He or she will know what it all means and the most likely connection type that will be used will be wire nuts so just be sure the tightness is assured and that it is all taped. I like 3M 33 tape for this work. This assumes that it will be repaired and not totaled out.

No need to be too shy in assuring that it is done right. If you are that concerned and losing sleep you could pay to have a second electrician inspect it, once the work is done, if that helps you get through it and sleep at night.

Later Ed

[Dave Atherton]

Ed, you are correct the wire size we are talking about measures out at .110
which I think is # 10 gauge. Electrician indicated #12 gauge on his report and
seems to think wires are #12 gauge when I called him. he is on his way over to
double check wire size. I knew when we down sized to smaller unit having 30 amp
instead of 50 amp like our monaco we would have to watch what we could run.
Never paid any attention about the wiring other than the junction box is metal
not not plastic. thanks Dave

[Joel Ashley]

I agree with Ed's view... what the heck is a number 12 wire doing in a 50 amp cord service box?  It should be at least a size 10.

But then I'm not sure I get why the cord end went into a J box at that point anyway, rather than directly into the SurgeGuard box.  Must be some sort of code requirement.   Reckon when I get time I'll have to go check out my own configuration.

Dave, aren't we talking a late model Contessa here?  Or did I get turned around somewhere in this thread?  Not sure what you mean by downsizing from 50 to 30 amp.

A plastic box might not have shorted to ground, but eventually the loose wire would cause problems, and plastic melts pretty fast, as some of those with Belkin power strips in their audio/video overheads can attest.



Joel

[Dave Atherton]

Joel, I'm sorry we down sized our motorhome when my wife had cancer. we went from
Monaco 40 foot, than to a MCI bus of which we have and a 2010 Winnebago Navion
class C diesel. We do most of all travel with the Class C because of economy and cost
to travel. Boy did I mess you up with my wiring fire problem. I did indicate in earlier
post we had a 30 amp service. Again want to thank everyone for the help. Never would
have thought a wire nut fastener could have made a total loss of our motorhome had
not for neighbor quick thinking. thanks again Dave

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Attached is a picture of the wire nut that failed in Dave's coach.
Per Dave; "Insurance adjuster determined cause of our fire in motorhome. What adjuster said was about the same thing as I posted yesterday. The wire nut loosen up in junction box letting the wire that comes from power cord drop down and Weld to metal junction box that was grounded with wire attached to metal box.
Junction box was attached to plywood with 3 wood screws, conduction of heat with the 1/4 thickness plywood started wood on fire."

[Dave Atherton]

Fire update, Insurance Adjuster today. The cause of what started fire in our motorhome,
was a .25 cent wing nut fastener for some reason loosen up in metal junction box or the
employee was not having a good day. Want to thank Steve H. for taking his time to post
remain of what is called wing nut fastener. Inspection further by electrician and adjuster
spent time looking very careful at motorhome wiring. The fire damage is not going to be
to much, mainly replace cabinet with wash sink, and area that power cord is stored in.
new power cord and hard wire to motorhome. Insurance Adjuster gave us a few places
will clean inside and DeSmoke the inside of motorhome. Again we were very lucky fire
was spotted by neighbor. Want to thank everyone for there experience in the area of wiring
and posting there thoughts, It is very nice to know just what happened ( how did fire start )
and how this can be prevented from happening again. Dave & Pat Atherton