Inverter Bypass Switch Failure

[Zmax73]

BYPASS SWITCH.JPGINVERTERS BYPASS SWITCHES.JPGBYPASS SWITCH BURNT WIRE.JPG

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Zmax,

You don't reflect your conversion which is important to show for purposes of alerting others.

I hope Ben Cummings will note this and respond, but to me I see two potential causes. First, I see corrosion and the potential for connections to be loose, both of which will create resistance and heat.

Others who have the same set up you have need to examine their coaches because this was a fire about to happen.

[Zmax73]

2001 Vantare conversion. Yeap the only way this was discovered was the smell of burning insulation.

[BenC]

We routinely suggest checking battery cabling and connections for tightness, but often times the 120/240v wiring connections go unchecked until something goes wrong. I was in telephone contact with the owner of this Vantare regarding his situation at the time he noticed it, and sure enough, loose connections were found. Preventative measures such as checking the tightness of ALL electrical connections in a coach can be very time-consuming depending on the converter's approach, but should at least be considered annually. Heating up and cooling down, dissimilar metals with different thermal expansion coefficients, cause loose connections over time. Loose connections, just as Jon mentioned, cause resistance, and consequently heating.
I noted a similar situation in a Marathon at the POGX rally in Austin. That particular situation was only apparent by the loss of one AC "leg" of shore power in the coach.

[Zmax73]

Thanks agn to Ben for his continuous help in this & other matters I`ve talked with him abt. To check wiring connections for theses bypass switches required removal of it`s housing cover in storage bay. Since this episode of "FUN" every time I get a chance I try & tighten electrical connections anywhere I can. Another part of routine maintenance for me.