Somethings burning

[jello_jeep]

Well, while in Lake Havasu City AZ on Tuesday, I left to go get some stainless steel bolts from the hardware store.

When I came back, as I was walking up to the bus, I smelled smoke. That is not usually a good sign, unless of course you are using your smoker to smoke up some beef or whatever..

I opened the bus and it was really strong inside. I kept checking around, finally narrowing it down to the dishwasher area.

What had happened, was I had put a wooden spoon up on the top rack, and it had ended up falling down through the racks while the washer was running. It came to rest against the heating element in the bottom of the washer.

Even though it was soaking wet from the wash, the element still managed to basically burn completely through the spoon, and it was still had glowing red embers on it!!

Sooooo you may want to think twice about what you put in there, and if you just want it to air dry instead of the heating element...

Just food for thought!!!

The bus smelled like a kid's wood burning set for a few hours, then all seemed ok after an airing out...

Thank goodness!!

[Ray Davis]

Wow, that's pretty scary. I'm glad everything was OK. We've only used our washer a couple of times, but drying is so slow in that little combo unit, I'm thinking of removing it for some nice storage. This might help my decision. Same thing for the dish washer.

Does anyone use these items in their coaches?


ray

[jello_jeep]

Yeah Ray, I was talking about the dishwasher..

We use both, however like you say the washer/dryer is not the speediest at the drying part :)

[Ray Davis]

OK, knowing now that this was the dishwasher, this makes a lot more sense. I should read a bit more carefully. At least if there were a fire, it would be contained within the DW? Not nice in either case.

FYI, made it home yesterday afternoon. Spent 3 days at ORA in Indio. Nice place, but out of my price range! Got to use Matsprts coupon for free stay while there. Not bad, but it was a bit warm. They seem to be closing down for the season. Still hope to make it our to Havasu sometime soon!

Thanks for all the hard work (and expense) with the BBQ at Kerrville. It was really appreciated.

ray

[truk4u]

Hey Jeep, let me get this straight.... You fired up the Dishwasher and then left the bus with the water ON and the Dishwasher running?:eek: You must have been in the Squeezins big boy.

By the way, check this out!:D

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Damn, I hope this is right....

[Coloradobus]

Ray,

did you and Kathy try the restaurant?? Or was it closed. Its a nice place to eat. But boy oh boy, are the owners in for a big surprise. There is going to be a huge assessment to each owned lot to cover the expenses of the restaurant. Its not making money. So besides the HOA and the price of the lot, owners will have support the restuarant whether they eat there or not.

Glad you got home safely...It was a blast caravanning with the Orange County crowd. Great job setting things up in Kerrville! And a special thanks to JIM SKIFF for watching out for me for no "dairy" entrees. I wish we could go to Branson, but we will be in Eastern Canada in October.

[Ray Davis]

We tried, but the restaurant officially closed for the season on Sunday. We arrived late Sunday, and tried to have lunch on Monday.

I did spend some time with a salesman, and specifically asked about assessments on the restaurant. He told me that this last year there was a $500 assessement for the restaurants first year, which could be paid lump-sum, or $83 per month.

He also indicated he felt that there would be no assessment next year.

Anyway, it didn't quite correspond with the $1500/mo you indicated to me?


I spoke with a new owner (rode around in their golf cart), and it was his assumption that ultimately they would set up some kind of minimum purchase per year, like in many country clubs. And that you either use it or lose it. He felt $500 per year was appropriate, and easily spent quickly in a 5-star restaurant.

So, not sure what the truth is there. Beautiful place, but wow!!

ray

[jello_jeep]

Ray, I had a great time doing it, no problemo.

Tom, sure I left the bus with the dw running, gray valve open, h20 hooked up, what the heck??

I knew when I saw you lurking yonder by the windmill with that camera, that I would be the butt of the joke somehow :)

I will be sure to keep an eye peeled for you next time :)

[matsprt]

Jim,

I own a lot there. There was a $500 assessment last year to cover the restaurant. One must keep in mind that there were many unsold lots last year. Not so true today (still about 25 or so I think). Once all the lots are sold there will be a full compliment of owners to "support" the restaurant. I, for one, love the restaurant, some really great food comes out of there.

The HOA's will go up I'm sure over time. That is true with all HOA's. Currently only $317 per month. Not too bad considering what you get. It's a classy, well run place. One of the few things I have bought associated with "RV's" that has not dropped like a rock in water in value. Who knows, if we ever decide to sell we might even make a little money on it.

Ray,

Yes, the restaurant closed for the season after last Sundays "buffet" style dinner. We were there for the "last supper" as many were calling it and it was great. Can't wait for next seasons opener !!

Michael




Ray,

did you and Kathy try the restaurant?? Or was it closed. Its a nice place to eat. But boy oh boy, are the owners in for a big surprise. There is going to be a huge assessment to each owned lot to cover the expenses of the restaurant. Its not making money. So besides the HOA and the price of the lot, owners will have support the restuarant whether they eat there or not.

Glad you got home safely...It was a blast caravanning with the Orange County crowd. Great job setting things up in Kerrville! And a special thanks to JIM SKIFF for watching out for me for no "dairy" entrees. I wish we could go to Branson, but we will be in Eastern Canada in October.

[truk4u]

Jeep, there may be more pics to follow!:p

I'm just anal on the water thing. We were in Key West a few years ago and returned to flooded bays and water running out the doors. A water line broke while we were away. Now I never leave without turning off the pump or city water.

We use the DW all the time and will be sure not to include any wooden spoons. I suppose the same thing could happen to someone washing any plastic utensils, so bringing this up was a good idea.;)

This is what happens when you send your better half home early!:D

[Jeff Bayley]

My wife smelled something electrical burning the other day. I pulled over promptly. Checked the computer printer, ok. Chekced the battery bay where the inverters were. Ok.

Found a few days later that it was in the control box for the generator. Bad ground wires the tech suspected. No parts damaged, not even the regulator and it was just a matter of trimming back the burned wires and cleaning up the connections. This is not the transfer switch, this is a box that sits with the generator set and where the rubber meets the road for throwing the power out into the coach and into the inverters and so forth.

FYI for anyone out there with older coaches to consider this a Preventative Maintainence item. My coach is 10 years old. I've had a few close calls with generator fires including the fire supresion system I had installed blowing up instead of acting as a safety device.

The tinkering and mechanical stuff just never ends I guess.

In New York for about a week now and only got 1 $40 parking ticket in Long Island. Found a driver with a movie pass that is good through 7/2002 so if anyone else wants to come park in NYC I can scan it and you can print it and tape it to your window.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Jeff, another interesting story. You sure live in the moment. Glad your trouble was caught in time. Your incident reminds me of a safety issue I will mention.

This may not be exactly what Jeff's issue was, but here goes anyway. Over the years my experience with electrical panels switches and devices has shown me that screws connecting wires to such become loose over time and can cause dangerous heat buildup. It is appropriate as a maintenance issue to check all electrical connections periodically for tightness as a preventive measure!

Be sure to apply safety measures when performing the task. :cool: That is remove all electrical power from all circuits being worked on!:eek:

[lewpopp]

Jeff, you have a movie pass good thru 7/2002? Hell, I think I'd look for a valid pass somewhere else. Still sleeping on the sidewalks of New York?

How much more can I take? Sleeping on the streets of NYC would cause one to talk with a very high pitched voice.

[jello_jeep]

Heya Jeff, good to hear from you.. Was wondering what had happened to ya'll!!... Oops I forgot, it would be plural.... Being ... "All ya'll"... We learned that in Texas:)

[jello_jeep]

Tom, just out of curiosity, which water likne broke on you ??

[truk4u]

Jeep,

Water supply line after it entered the coach in the plumbing bay, but this was a Foretravel and not a Prevost. I just assume it can now happen anytime anywhere, regardless of brand.

[truk4u]

Jeff,

Good post... My gen voltage last year would not stay up close to 120, so when I opened the gen electrical box to tweak the controller, the box looked as though it had been hot. When I removed the controller, the back of the unit hot gotten so hot the plastic was melted. Only a matter of time before it would have failed.

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Heat stress cracks on controller, right bottom of picture

[Jeff Bayley]

I've had intermittent output from my generator since the last post on the bad grounding. I had all the grounds stripped back and fixed with new connectors and have been troubleshooting it since. I think I found the problem but not sure yet. The Voltage regulaor can't just be lying around in the control box without being secured somehow and mine was. Could be that the guys that I had fix the ground wires left it improperly mounted. I used some think double stick tape to keep it in place and also isolate some of the vibration. I talked to Power Tech and the V.regulators don't like vibration. I thought my transfer switch relays might be failing that wasn't the problem. One guy at Power Tech said the v.regulator should either work or it shouldn't and another tech said it could work intermittently. I can turn the gen on and have power for hours and it then turn the gen off and back on again (without having moved) and get no power. I go out and bank on the control box with my fist and wala ! Power. Really makes you feel like Fonzy hitting the juke box but I'd rather feel the air conditioning. Either has to be a loose connection or what follows.

I ordered a new Volatage Regulator but the problem seems to have gone away by putting some padding/tape as a suspension on the v.regulator. Anyone else ever see that problem ?

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Yes Jeff

We had an intermitint issue, a couple with ours and they were both loose wire end terminals.

As a rule of thumb most often when doing repairs it is usually the simple things that go bad, always check there first.

That whack on the control box has already narrowed the serch conciderably.

If you open up that control box and take a good look you might not see the problem right off, but keep searching and I think you'll find the problem.

Often it isin't till I go back to something the 3rd or 4th time that I find a problem.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Jeff, To add to my earlier post on tightening electrical screws. After reading your post on the intermittent idiosyncrasy of your system I recalled a problem I had with a machine drive unit that was miss made. What happened was the terminal for the screw was not drilled and tapped through so even though the screw appeared to be tight it was not clamping the wire connector.

MORAL OF STORY: Test to ensure the wire is tight in the connector, the connector is tight to the terminal and the terminal screw is also tight!!:eek:

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

WHY do you always find things, THE LAST PLACE YOU LOOK ? :confused: :eek:

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

WHY do you always find things, THE LAST PLACE YOU LOOK ? :confused: :eek:

Gary, You could change that. The next time your looking for something and find it, don't stop, keep looking and count the additional places:rolleyes: :eek:

[gmcbuffalo]

Jeff
I had a problem with my PowerTech gen last year. It would not maintain putting out 120V. Run for about 30 minutes doing fine and then nothing. I replaced the Voltage reg and everythings been fine since.
GregM

[Jeff & (Ro)Bert(a)]

Jeff... I plan on going to the Hamptons to one of the Marinas. Where would they ticket you? If the pass helps I'll take a copy, once there the coach will sit until I leave. Thanks....Jeff