Bluebird Fire

[Tom McCarthy]

Based on Ron's story told to me at Quartzite, I ordered the new 90
degree exhaust extension this week and it should be on top soon.

Tom McCarthy
Pretty Penny
Poway CA

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "ronmarabito2002"
wrote:
>
> Add to that, the fact that, many through the roof exhaust systems
had
> the wrong kind of tip on them and allowed the rain to get into the
> exhaust system. Mine was one of them and the system rusted out
> completely. I just totally re-built mine. It isn't a fun job.
>
> R.E. (Ron) Marabito, Dallas, TX 92WB40
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Pete Masterson
> wrote:
> >
> > It's good that they're safe ... I can't imagine the emotional
shock
> > of having that happen. Once a serious fire gets going in an RV,
even
> > a Blue Bird, there's not a lot that can be done to stop it --
and
> > with up to 300 gallons of diesel and ?? of LP gas on board, the
risk
> > is pretty obvious.
> >
> > I hope that they'll be able to report on the incident with some
> > detail about the cause, if it can be determined, so the rest of
us
> > can be educated. There are certain fire risk issues in all
RVs ...
> > and I'm sure that Wanderlodges have their share of possibilities.
It
> > would be good for us to know what we all might watch out for so
we
> > can take appropriate maintenance precautions.
> >
> > I've seen photos of a couple of wide body coaches that have had
> > exhaust pipe fires -- caused by leaks in the exhaust system that
runs
> > up through the roof at the back of the coach. (Once started, the
> > fiberglas end-cap will burn.) From the photos I've seen, the
exhaust
> > pipe fires didn't seem to have caused that much physical damage --

> > but the smoke damage inside the coach is usually very serious --
> > making a complete gutting and rebuild almost the only repair
> > solution, if it's financially worth doing at all. The hint from
those
> > incidents it to carefully inspect the exhaust pipe/muffler for
leaks
> > as a regular part of maintenance.
> >
> > Another lesson is to ensure that the fire extinguishers on board
are
> > regularly inspected, replaced, or recharged. The common dry
powder
> > extinguishers eventually settle and compact (helped by the
vibration
> > in the coach), so become much less effective after a period of
time.
> > Even if unused, it's probably wise to replace them (or, if one of
the
> > better models, recharge them) every two or three years. CO2 or
halon
> > (or other gas) extinguishers don't have the same problem.
> >
> > I note that I upgraded my in-coach extinguisher from a 2# model
to a
> > 5# model after inspecting the original, 11 year old extinguishers
on
> > board. I also replaced the 5# extinguisher located in the front,
curb-
> > side basement compartment. Costco had a reasonable price on
> > replacement extinguishers.
> >
> > I've long had good fire extinguishers in my home -- and I
discovered
> > that the 20 year-old extinguishers needed to be (expensively)
> > pressure tested before they could be recharged. So, I simply
replaced
> > them -- I hadn't know about the settling/compacting problem
until
> > relatively recently. Try to get a model with all-metal valving,
etc.
> > Those with plastic parts are more subject to cracking and loss
of
> > pressure.
> >
> > Pete Masterson
> > '95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
> > El Sobrante CA
> > aeonix1@
> >
> >
> >
> > On Feb 5, 2008, at 6:47 PM, Leroy Eckert wrote:
> >
> > > Me too. I am very happy all are safe. If I can do anything I
would
> > > be happy to do so.
> > > Leroy Eckert
> > > 1990 WB-40 Smoke N Mirrors
> > > Dahlonega, GA
> > > Royale Conversion
> > >
> > > sfedeli3 <sfedeli3@> wrote:
> > > That is so frightening! We just spent a few days crossing AZ,
NM and
> > > Texas in a caravan with them last week. What a shame. They had a
> > > beautiful black coach. I hope that it was not the heat tape
that Leroy
> > > Eckert has been warning us all about. Glad that they are all OK.
> > >
> >
>