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

[Leroy Eckert]

I donno, yet to be determined. In my case when I find out they will never be
plugged in again. My greatest fear in a bus is fire.

Leroy Eckert
1990 WB-40"Smoke N Mirrors"
Niceville, FL


----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Lawrence
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, April 30, 2007 8:14 PM
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: BB Flood-Could Have Been Much Worse-"FIRE"


Soo,
Where do the heat tapes plug in or are the hard wired?
Bob Lawrence
84 PT 36
Tacoma, Wa.
>
> 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]
>





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