Lithium Ion Batteries...Yikes
Well, we just had an "interesting" experience while on the road with our 37' Class A.
I was driving through Alabama, near Montgomery on I-65, when my wife noticed a smell, like something burning. It took me a few seconds to pick up on it and by the time I noticed it the smoke detectors were going off and the coach had a hazy look inside of it. I pulled onto the shoulder and did a quick run through but saw nothing. We opened the door and my wife saw flames coming from underneath the coach toward the rear. I jumped out and there were flames and molten plastic, along with some wires hanging under the bay near my house battery compartment. The grass along the shoulder of the freeway was starting to catch and my wife had already called 911. I grabbed a fire extinguisher and opened the bay door. The flames seemed to be at the back of one bay and underneath the coach. I extinguished everything before the fire and police arrived. At first we thought it was something in our house charging system but upon further investigation it was apparent that a small hand held battery booster/jump starter was the culprit. Now I have carried this thing for years and seldom used it. In fact I have never used it on the motor home only on my car or garden tractor. It was not being used and only sitting in the bay next to the bay for my house batteries but it went up in flames. Everyone was OK and the damage seemed to have been contained but another few minutes and who knows what might have happened. My propane bay is just one more up from where the fire started!
Anyway, a lot of mess but no human damage (except to the nerves). This is just to let everyone know that Lithium Ion batteries are extremely dangerous - I had no idea they could spontaneously combust. I'll try and follow up after a complete investigation by the repair facility and the insurance company but, be careful gang.
I was driving through Alabama, near Montgomery on I-65, when my wife noticed a smell, like something burning. It took me a few seconds to pick up on it and by the time I noticed it the smoke detectors were going off and the coach had a hazy look inside of it. I pulled onto the shoulder and did a quick run through but saw nothing. We opened the door and my wife saw flames coming from underneath the coach toward the rear. I jumped out and there were flames and molten plastic, along with some wires hanging under the bay near my house battery compartment. The grass along the shoulder of the freeway was starting to catch and my wife had already called 911. I grabbed a fire extinguisher and opened the bay door. The flames seemed to be at the back of one bay and underneath the coach. I extinguished everything before the fire and police arrived. At first we thought it was something in our house charging system but upon further investigation it was apparent that a small hand held battery booster/jump starter was the culprit. Now I have carried this thing for years and seldom used it. In fact I have never used it on the motor home only on my car or garden tractor. It was not being used and only sitting in the bay next to the bay for my house batteries but it went up in flames. Everyone was OK and the damage seemed to have been contained but another few minutes and who knows what might have happened. My propane bay is just one more up from where the fire started!
Anyway, a lot of mess but no human damage (except to the nerves). This is just to let everyone know that Lithium Ion batteries are extremely dangerous - I had no idea they could spontaneously combust. I'll try and follow up after a complete investigation by the repair facility and the insurance company but, be careful gang.
