It's time to play... "Guess what broke on the RV today!"

[pconroy]

No shore power to the coach, but worked on generator power.


Popped open the ATS cover.


Whelp - ain't that cute.

[Ripwild]

Do you have an EMS between the post and the coach? Showing any codes?

[SloPoke]

I don't want to play - this game.

[t18skyguy]

You would of thought that might of tripped a fuse maybe, that's bad

[Tunce the traveler]

Originally Posted by SloPoke

I don't want to play - this game.

X2

[pconroy]

The RV's been plugged in a 20A circuit outside the house for weeks. It sure looks like that connection got loose, the resistance shot up and so did the heat.


I've got some new terminal blocks on order, but after I fix it, I'm going to toss a battery operated smoke detector in that rats nest of wires. And I'm switching out those screws on the top for velcro or struts or something that if I have to get in there quickly, I can do so!




You all might want to check your screw connections under your beds too.
This one could have been pretty ugly.

[pconroy]

Originally Posted by t18skyguy

You would of thought that might of tripped a fuse maybe, that's bad

That's what I thought.


Pulling the top off the ATS, I thought - "Well this is probably a waste of time but I'll take a quick peek inside here..."

[Screwby]

I’ll play. My PEX crimping tool paid for itself again when I noticed a small puddle forming under the fridge area where the hot water heater is hidden. The cheap plastic bypass valve on the cold water side was leaking from the seams. Removed the old valve, replaced it with a nicer one, replaced the short pieces of PEX between the connections, crimped everything back into place and good to go.

[SloPoke]

Originally Posted by pconroy

You all might want to check your screw connections under your beds too.
This one could have been pretty ugly.

agree... I think we all know that the Jayco crew at the factory misses a lot of critical quality checks and safety checks in critical systems, but they should consider putting better controls in the areas that have a risk of "can cause loss of life" when things fail because they were not installed / tightened correctly. .

It is one thing to ask the dealer to inspect/fix the little things, but something that is deep inside cabinets where the dealer will never go as part of a PDI... that says it all.

[t18skyguy]

Originally Posted by pconroy

That's what I thought.


Pulling the top off the ATS, I thought - "Well this is probably a waste of time but I'll take a quick peek inside here..."

Is that ATS box plastic or metal? Sure would be nice if it we're metal.

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by pconroy

You all might want to check your screw connections under your beds too.
This one could have been pretty ugly.

Actually, that's a real great suggestion. After reading multiple threads about loose connections, a few weeks ago, I opened every thing up, and checked for any loose wires/connections in the main shore power box, transfer switch, circuit breaker panel, junction boxes, etc.

I'm glad to report I didn't find any loose connections (I figured I would). Looks like I have a rig that was built on a Tuesday (by a qualified tech), and not built on a Friday (by a tweeker).

[Vasquez Kid]

Way to go Jayco!! Glad that it wasn’t much worse. The ‘tech’ that wired this up should be fired.

[WeRJuliian]

Originally Posted by Vasquez Kid

The ‘tech’ that wired this up should be fired.

Not the tech's fault, they have to work with what they're given.
I'd say the blame lies with whoever decided to use cheap plastic "chocolate block" screw connectors in a vehicle
Vibration and temperature swings will eventually loosen the screws, with the results that were posted.

[Cavie]

Originally Posted by t18skyguy

You would of thought that might of tripped a fuse maybe, that's bad

Loose connections will not trip a breaker. Breakers trip on over load. It requires a tight connection to have an overload. Lose connections cause heat. Breakers don't trip because of heat.

[Cavie]

Originally Posted by WeRJuliian

Not the tech's fault, they have to work with what they're given.
I'd say the blame lies with whoever decided to use cheap plastic "chocolate block" screw connectors in a vehicle
Vibration and temperature swings will eventually loosen the screws, with the results that were posted.

1st there was no TECH involved here. Just uneducated and untrained piece work labor. 2nd There is absolutely nothing wrong with using plastic screw down connections. You car or truck has 100's of them. (well, not 100's but you get the point) The car or truck is bouncing over the same roads. One just has to be smart enough to know how to use a screwdriver.

[Cavie]

Originally Posted by RetiredOne

Actually, that's a real great suggestion. After reading multiple threads about loose connections, a few weeks ago, I opened every thing up, and checked for any loose wires/connections in the main shore power box, transfer switch, circuit breaker panel, junction boxes, etc.

I'm glad to report I didn't find any loose connections (I figured I would). Looks like I have a rig that was built on a Tuesday (by a qualified tech), and not built on a Friday (by a tweeker).

ROTFLMAO. Qualified Tech and RV's don't work in the same sentence.

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by Cavie

ROTFLMAO. Qualified Tech and RV's don't work in the same sentence.

Ha.... tell me about it...

At least I didn't get the part time McDonalds burger flipper assembling my rig... (I hope...)

[Tunce the traveler]

Originally Posted by Cavie

Loose connections will not trip a breaker. Breakers trip on over load. It requires a tight connection to have an overload. Lose connections cause heat. Breakers don't trip because of heat.

It’s on my punch list for a yearly inspection of all connections. Never use a left handed screwdriver like the one some techs use!

[drmike961]

I played this weekend as well. Broken shower drain flooded the bathroom despite reinforcing under the drain last year. Also Sunday is not the day to go to lowes and learn about standard vs RV plumbing fitting sizes. Now that I am retrofitted properly I will carry a spare tailpiece in case this happens again. Also had a horrible sulfur odor in the rv. Luckily this has happened years ago so I went straight for the sink vacuum breakers. Both were installed by a gorilla so I had to close the grey valve and bag/tape the one in the kitchen until I got home. Very difficult to remove with an oil filter wrench and sure enough it was stuck open permanently. Broken from day one, could not even shut it manually with my thumb. That explains other trips with some odor. Slide went out of sync badly again and re-syncing did not work this time. Refrigerator still won't get below 50 degrees with food in it on electric, it was working better on gas but I am waiting on a new propane tank under warranty so I'm out of propane. I knew better than to purchase a new 24B model/floorplan but did it anyway. I wonder what is next?. I have made far more repairs to this turd than I have my other RVs combined.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by Tunce the traveler

It’s on my punch list for a yearly inspection of all connections.

Yep...good thing to do since everything, bounces, vibrates and flexes....Don't over-torque them either.