Almost a fire in My TT

[jabres]

To make the long story short, my 2008 Forest River Wildwood TBSS that I really like, almost caught on fire this past summer. We were using it at a local park, and my wife and sister in law kept saying it was smelling like a electrical fire. Then it started, and kept blowing fuses through the day until later on where we lost all power until we left for the weekend.

I couldn't find any problems myself with it, and I looked high and low. My wife's' family electrician business offered for me to bring it into there shop on Monday, and they would look it over. They looked at it for awhile and still couldn't figure out why it wasn't getting power.

Then they found it... They traced the 30 amp plug (from where I plug into shore power at campsites) into the back bunkbeds where it goes into a junction box. Inside that junction box, wires had came apart and were smoldering each other and that's why we were smelling a electrical fire.
My biggest issue is why this was all caused. They said it was entirely caused by the little plastic bracket that broke, which is supposed to keep you from directly pulling on the wires in the junction box. Instead, each time we were pulling our power cord out to plug into a campsite, we were inadvertently pulling on the wires in that junction box.

The reason I write this is I don't want it to happen to someone else. This literally could have killed us if it would have caught fire while we were sleeping or something. If I had children and they were sleeping on the bunkbeds, it literally would have caught them on fire first being directly inches below the bottom bunk. So what steps should I take if any? Contact Forest River and maybe this could result in a recall??
Thanks!

[Batts-toy]

I have a tbss also and hated that pull out cord so I went on Ebay, bought and installed a 30 amp plug kit. Now I roll up and stow the cord. As a side project this left me with the pull through cover from the power cord so I installed it on the other side of the TT and put in a pull out propane hose and valve (tapped the line to the water heater) for my Sidekick BBQ, worked out great.

[Herk7769]

Perhaps making a small loop of wire before the junction box and secure it to the woodwork with a few rubber covered wire clamps so any strain is taken up by the wire/clamp and not the junction box.

[OldCoot]

If you have a metal box, you might also add one of these in addition to the one Herk suggested.

[KyDan]

Best practice is to use something like this--

Go to your local electrical supply store- Home Depot and Lowes probably
don't carry one as large as you need.
You need a cord grip or strain relief for 10/4 rubber cord.
It's gonna be larger than the foto below.
They can be had in either plastic or metal. Either one will work.

If you do this- I suggest taking the cord with you so you can be sure
and get the correct size.

[youroo]

Originally Posted by jabres

To make the long story short, my 2008 Forest River Wildwood TBSS that I really like, almost caught on fire this past summer. We were using it at a local park, and my wife and sister in law kept saying it was smelling like a electrical fire. Then it started, and kept blowing fuses through the day until later on where we lost all power until we left for the weekend.

I couldn't find any problems myself with it, and I looked high and low. My wife's' family electrician business offered for me to bring it into there shop on Monday, and they would look it over. They looked at it for awhile and still couldn't figure out why it wasn't getting power.

Then they found it... They traced the 30 amp plug (from where I plug into shore power at campsites) into the back bunkbeds where it goes into a junction box. Inside that junction box, wires had came apart and were smoldering each other and that's why we were smelling a electrical fire.
My biggest issue is why this was all caused. They said it was entirely caused by the little plastic bracket that broke, which is supposed to keep you from directly pulling on the wires in the junction box. Instead, each time we were pulling our power cord out to plug into a campsite, we were inadvertently pulling on the wires in that junction box.

The reason I write this is I don't want it to happen to someone else. This literally could have killed us if it would have caught fire while we were sleeping or something. If I had children and they were sleeping on the bunkbeds, it literally would have caught them on fire first being directly inches below the bottom bunk. So what steps should I take if any? Contact Forest River and maybe this could result in a recall??
Thanks!

Did the smoke alarms alert your wife? Do you have a smoke alarm in the rear bunk area? Youroo!!

[jabres]

no smoke alarm didn't go off, it wasn't that smokey. We caught it before it got any worse I guess.
Thanks for all the advice!

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by KyDan

Best practice is to use something like this--

Go to your local electrical supply store- Home Depot and Lowes probably
don't carry one as large as you need.
You need a cord grip or strain relief for 10/4 rubber cord.
It's gonna be larger than the foto below.
They can be had in either plastic or metal. Either one will work.

If you do this- I suggest taking the cord with you so you can be sure
and get the correct size.

Home Depot and Lowes carry these in a multitude of sizes the Halex 05120 Cable Clamp Connectors, 2" Fits non metallic cable, flex cords, multi flex cords fitting range 1.085 - 1.520 inches diameter

This should cover any 30A or 50A cord used on RV's.

[KyDan]

Of course the old "box connector" will work.
I did 37 years of industrial maintenance and we were not allowed to use
them for rubber cords.
I stand by my statement- Best Practice is a "cord grip/strain relief.
YMMV

[BillyBass]

Originally Posted by jabres

To make the long story short, my 2008 Forest River Wildwood TBSS that I really like, almost caught on fire this past summer. We were using it at a local park, and my wife and sister in law kept saying it was smelling like a electrical fire. Then it started, and kept blowing fuses through the day until later on where we lost all power until we left for the weekend.

I couldn't find any problems myself with it, and I looked high and low. My wife's' family electrician business offered for me to bring it into there shop on Monday, and they would look it over. They looked at it for awhile and still couldn't figure out why it wasn't getting power.

Then they found it... They traced the 30 amp plug (from where I plug into shore power at campsites) into the back bunkbeds where it goes into a junction box. Inside that junction box, wires had came apart and were smoldering each other and that's why we were smelling a electrical fire.
My biggest issue is why this was all caused. They said it was entirely caused by the little plastic bracket that broke, which is supposed to keep you from directly pulling on the wires in the junction box. Instead, each time we were pulling our power cord out to plug into a campsite, we were inadvertently pulling on the wires in that junction box.

The reason I write this is I don't want it to happen to someone else. This literally could have killed us if it would have caught fire while we were sleeping or something. If I had children and they were sleeping on the bunkbeds, it literally would have caught them on fire first being directly inches below the bottom bunk. So what steps should I take if any? Contact Forest River and maybe this could result in a recall??
Thanks!

I had a elec problem I was kicking my breaker every time I use the electric heater.SO when I hit the GFI it would come on then the next then I know I didn,t have no power When I pull out the converter I found a wire burn off the one breaker so I had to splice it and put it back in .What I am saying is when we are pulling are toys the bouncing around can jar things loose.Thank God for the GFI It save my trailer from a fire

[BiigDaddy]

Originally Posted by Batts-toy

I have a tbss also and hated that pull out cord so I went on Ebay, bought and installed a 30 amp plug kit. Now I roll up and stow the cord. As a side project this left me with the pull through cover from the power cord so I installed it on the other side of the TT and put in a pull out propane hose and valve (tapped the line to the water heater) for my Sidekick BBQ, worked out great.

OOOOOHH!!! I like this idea!! I smell a project in the spring, Thanks!!