BB Flood-Could Have Been Much Worse-"FIRE"

[Gardner Yeaw]

One thing that scares me is that plastic tubing is non conductive.
If the heat tape filament burns through and makes contact with the
water in the plastic pipe, you have a formula for electrocution.
The wiring in an RV does not connect the ground to the neutral, but
the above scenario combined with a defective electrical component
could present a deadly combination. I would be very concerned about
using heat tapes on plastic plumbing.

Gardner
78FC33

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Terry Neal wrote:
>
> Leroy,
>
> Thank god you found the problem like you did & not after it
started a
> fire. I had one of those old heat tapes short out & actually burn
the
> plug connector completely off a heat tape in my coach last
winter.
> Ernie Ekberg told me he had had the same type of experience too
with his
> PT40.
>
> Good plan for everyone with one of these coaches is to check all
of the
> heat tapes on their coach & replace any that look marginal.
>
> Myself, I am replacing all of mine. They are all original & after
25
> years, they are bound to be just waiting to bite me.
>
> Terry Neal
> Bozeman, MT
> 82PT40 6V92TA
> 74FC34 6V53T
>
>
>
> smquandt wrote:
>
> > Leroy
> >
> > I have my drawings at home tonight; the only thing that is shown
on
> > mine is
> > what pipes are heated. The manufacturer is listed as Easyheat,
web site is
> > http://www.easyheat.com/ <http://www.easyheat.com/> My guess is
a bad
> > thermostat on the tape. Glad no
> > worse than it was. If you want I can scan the drawings at work
> > tomorrow and
> > send them to you.
> >
> > Steve Quandt
> >
> > 1993 PT 40
> >
> > Iron Mountain, MI
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> >
> > [mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> > ] On Behalf Of
jwasnewski
> > Sent: Monday, April 30, 2007 6:30 PM
> > To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> >
> > Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] BB Flood-Could Have Been Much Worse-
"FIRE"
> >
> > For some time now I have listened to G. O'Conner's Cause and
Affect
> > theories, have agreed with them because it is how I think. Every
> > problem has a specific cause. Here is mine. I am a very happy
> > camper today because it could have been much worse with the
family in
> > the bus.
> >
> > Pulling into Talladega Superspeedway staging center about 8PM
> > Thursday evening I smelled a heavy rubber or plastic smell. I
> > checked out all the systems and everything was normal. So I
passed
> > the smell off to the numerous campfires at the Superspeedway. Who
> > could have known?
> >
> > I asked the wife to turn on the waterheater to get the grandkids
a
> > bath while waiting to get into the infield. Genset running
everything
> > A OK. I go outside to talk with people milling around while the
kids
> > take their shower. It is dark thirty and a cold beer will do
after a
> > 5 hour drive. Then I hear what sounds like rain. The guy next
door
> > says it's your a/c. I think it sounds like a flood. In fact water
> > was running out of all the the bays onto the ground. I ran
inside,
> > shut off the water pump thinking that either a line broke at the
pump
> > or the water heater failed. When I walked on the bedroom carpet
it
> > was hot water. I looked at the water heater, an that ain't easy
in
> > the dark an nothing. Pulled up the mattress and the bottom was
> > soaked about half way across. My hearing is not good so I asked
the
> > Grandson to come back and listen.. Turned on the water pump and
found
> > where the leak was, then took out the night stand, pulled the
carpet
> > and found the problem.
> >
> > Winter protection strips. I do not know what else these wires
could
> > be. Maybe there are other names, heat tape etc. but true to form
in
> > my Royale conversion these things are not on my drawings, didn't
> > think I had any because of the Wabasto Hydronic heat but I do.
Only
> > from the water pump to the water heater(I hope) encased in the
> > insulation that surrounds the Pex tubing. They are 1/4 in width,
> > copper or brass mesh with two wires inside of that. They have a
> > vulcanized grey tip(I cut one apart)where the two wires are
> > connected. Inside of the two 16 gauge wires are a white fiber
> > substance circular wrapped with hair sized copper wiring similar
to
> > what one would have seen in an early 50's toaster except smaller.
> > One or more of these wired failed for reasons unknown and fried
a two
> > inch long portion of the Pex tubing with water in it. There was
> > evidence this had occurred before because one of the strips was
> > stuck to and had imprinted the Pex tubing all along where I
> > inspected. As well another wire had been capped off and a patch
had
> > been installed in the Pex. I have cut the remaining wires in
half so
> > this cannot happen again. When I get time I will trace them to
the
> > source and see how they are hooked up.
> >
> > I wonder this? Why did the fuse system fail?
> > Why did the system operate at 87 degrees F OAT?
> >
> > I know this is windy but had to be detailed. I am convinced this
> > event could have been very serious, burning the bus down and/or
loss
> > of life if it occurred at a different time.
> >
> > There will never be another heat strip in my bus under any
> > circumstance.
> >
> > I will post pictures of the damaged parts when I get them
developed.
> >
> > Leroy Eckert
> > 1990 WB-40"Smoke N Mirrors"
> > Niceville, FL
> > Got the water pipe hooked up with a little help from the good
friends
> > at Talladega. I'll repair it later.
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>