Interesting thing we saw in Yuma. Two burnt 5th wheels

[Me_Again]

While spending the night at Fortuna Del Oro RV Park, we walked around the park in the morning before leaving and noticed a fairly new Redwood 5th that was half burned up. Fire appeared to have started in the storeage or equipment area, or maybe the hot water heater/furnace.

Then as we drove down on the South frontage road to Fry's to fuel up, we saw a second 5th wheel in another park with similar destruction from a fire that appear to look very similar. It two was a fairly new looking trailer also.

It was strange and a bit scary to see two similar burnt trailers a few block apart.

Chris

[laknox]

I've posted this several times, but it's still worth repeating:

www.beginningfromthismorning.com

This is my cousin's family bus rebuild using a Nissan Leaf battery for house power. Lots and lots of detailed descriptions and videos.

Lyle

[RCMAN46]

I drove by one of the trailer fires in Yuma the other day.

[ol_Bombero-JC]

Me Again wrote:
"from a wrecked 2013 Chevy Volt"

So we have this thing in RC airplane flying. When you crash a plane you treat the lipo battery like a bomb that can go off at any time. Guys would put the remains of the plane in they trunk and have the car burn up on the way home.

I charge my lipo batteries in a ceramic tile vault that I made. Transport them in ammo cans or lipo bags.

Wow! Transporting a damaged RC li-ion might deserve a DOT placard!
(That was a pun - but maybe should be serious!).

I've been out of the fire 'business' since before electric cars, but one of my cronies who is still on the job is the 'guru' for vehicle extrication/s and dealing with crashes & fires (state-wide seminars & training) involving same.

My BIL has a home-built totally electric pick-up, with wet cells which was a poor idea. He keeps hoping the cost of Li-ion (or?) will eventually be affordable (dream on!).

Peaked my interest - I'll have to ask the fire guy about the current SOPs for electric vehicles.

~

[Me_Again]

"from a wrecked 2013 Chevy Volt"

So we have this thing in RC airplane flying. When you crash a plane you treat the lipo battery like a bomb that can go off at any time. Guys would put the remains of the plane in they trunk and have the car burn up on the way home.

I charge my lipo batteries in a ceramic tile vault that I made. Transport them in ammo cans or lipo bags.

[John___Angela]

ol Bombero-JC wrote:


J & A:
If you read Randy's original thread, there is a *lengthy* description of his golf cart set-up in the first link.
Scroll (way down) to his post dated March 5th.

He states:
"My golf cart was powered by two 48 volt Li-ion batteries bought on E-bay. They were single units, not a full pack, from a wrecked 2013 Chevy Volt".

So - yes, it was home built.
He is a very capable electrician, however 'something' (obviously) went wrong. He offers 'conjecture' as to the cause in that same post, however, the golf cart (and trailer) were *totally* destroyed.

Moral of the story - play it safe! - Don't park your "Hover-round", Segway, or amateur/pro built golf cart with *Li-ion batteries* close to your vehicles!..:(

~

Thanks for filling me in. That sounds like an interesting hobby. I would love to do something like that. I would probably lean towards home back up power. But alas, we are too busy with jobs etc. The closest I get to playing with the guts of our electric vehicles is to open the “hood” every few months and wiping down the inverter and a few other bits I can see. We are into year three now with both of them and still haven’t done any maintenance other than washer fluid and a tire rotate. I noticed another Tesla taxi driving around yesterday. Hmmm, maybe a second job.... nah. :).

[ol_Bombero-JC]

John & Angela wrote:

ol Bombero-JC wrote:

RVcrazy wrote:
.......

The second Yuma fire was caused by golf cart batteries. The golf cart was parked under the fiver overhang.

Lithium ion battery (from electric car) for golf cart battery.

The golf cart was also parked under the overhang.

Some others reading these threads "were" considering doing same. There may be MANY others who DID do the same.

Note: This apparently occurred in Melbourne, Florida.

VERY, very close call for the occupants!!

Links are in my previous post of this unfortunate event to someone many of us know from RV Net.

*Here* - 5th wheel destroyed by fire

😞

So, do you mean it was a somebody using a Lithium ion 6 volt golf cart battery?? I didn't follow the "from electric car" comment. Was this some kind of home build electric car?

J & A:
If you read Randy's original thread, there is a *lengthy* description of his golf cart set-up in the first link.
Scroll (way down) to his post dated March 5th.

He states:
"My golf cart was powered by two 48 volt Li-ion batteries bought on E-bay. They were single units, not a full pack, from a wrecked 2013 Chevy Volt".

So - yes, it was home built.
He is a very capable electrician, however 'something' (obviously) went wrong. He offers 'conjecture' as to the cause in that same post, however, the golf cart (and trailer) were *totally* destroyed.

Moral of the story - play it safe! - Don't park your "Hover-round", Segway, or amateur/pro built golf cart with *Li-ion batteries* close to your vehicles!..:(

~

[John___Angela]

Me Again wrote:


The hot new deal is Lithium batteries in golf carts and at very high price point. I use them in RC planes and race trucks. They deserve a lot of respect.

Chris

That’s interesting. I wonder if the problem is incompatible charging. We both drive electric vehicles with lithium ion traction batteries but jnterestingly enough the 12 volt automotive battery is a lead acid AGM. Go figure.

[Me_Again]

John & Angela wrote:

ol Bombero-JC wrote:

RVcrazy wrote:
.......

The second Yuma fire was caused by golf cart batteries. The golf cart was parked under the fiver overhang.

Lithium ion battery (from electric car) for golf cart battery.

The golf cart was also parked under the overhang.

Some others reading these threads "were" considering doing same. There may be MANY others who DID do the same.

Note: This apparently occurred in Melbourne, Florida.

VERY, very close call for the occupants!!





Links are in my previous post of this unfortunate event to someone many of us know from RV Net.

*Here* - 5th wheel destroyed by fire

😞

So, do you mean it was a somebody using a Lithium ion 6 volt golf cart battery?? I didn't follow the "from electric car" comment. Was this some kind of home build electric car?

The hot new deal is Lithium batteries in golf carts and at very high price point. I use them in RC planes and race trucks. They deserve a lot of respect.

Chris

[John___Angela]

ol Bombero-JC wrote:

RVcrazy wrote:
.......

The second Yuma fire was caused by golf cart batteries. The golf cart was parked under the fiver overhang.

Lithium ion battery (from electric car) for golf cart battery.

The golf cart was also parked under the overhang.

Some others reading these threads "were" considering doing same. There may be MANY others who DID do the same.

Note: This apparently occurred in Melbourne, Florida.

VERY, very close call for the occupants!!

Links are in my previous post of this unfortunate event to someone many of us know from RV Net.

*Here* - 5th wheel destroyed by fire

😞

So, do you mean it was a somebody using a Lithium ion 6 volt golf cart battery?? I didn't follow the "from electric car" comment. Was this some kind of home build electric car?

[ol_Bombero-JC]

RVcrazy wrote:
.......

The second Yuma fire was caused by golf cart batteries. The golf cart was parked under the fiver overhang.

Lithium ion battery (from electric car) for golf cart battery.

The golf cart was also parked under the overhang.

Some others reading these threads "were" considering doing same. There may be MANY others who DID do the same.

Note: This apparently occurred in Melbourne, Florida.

VERY, very close call for the occupants!!

Links are in my previous post of this unfortunate event to someone many of us know from RV Net.

*Here* - 5th wheel destroyed by fire

😞

[Me_Again]

RVcrazy wrote:
The fire at Fortuna was apparently due to an electrical fire in the fuse panel under the bedroom. Everyone escaped. The second Yuma fire was caused by golf cart batteries. The golf cart was parked under the fiver overhang. We added a smoke detector to the fuse area in the basement storage after seeing the remains of these incidents. The owner of the golf cart also escaped. Other incidents were in the middle of the night. Please check your smoke detectors...

Again, thanks for the update. I figured some of the Yuma gang would know something about these sad events. Chris

[Likes_to_tow]

ugeesta wrote:
We took our new trailer out for its shakedown trip two weekends ago and had a propane leak in the drivers side tank compartment. It was so bad I could hear the hissing from the leak. Dont know when it started but that compartment isnt far from the heater. Got me thinking of the ‘what ifs’ while we were sleeping the night before.

We took delivery of a fifth wheel a few years ago and before leaving the dealership early that morning the dealer filled both 30lb tanks. When we arrived home a couple hours later the temperature had increased and one tank had apparently been overfilled because it started to vent. There was no way to stop it!!!!!!! The heat of the day had made the propane expand I suppose. I carefully removed the venting tank and took it to a vacant field near my home. It continued to vent for a few minutes before stopping. I called the dealer and he said the OPD system inside the tank was apparently defective and allowed the tank ton be overfilled. He graciously offered to give me another new tank and I accepted. So.......these tanks can be overfilled even though they are new style OPD. Never have a tank filled to capacity.

[RVcrazy]

The fire at Fortuna was apparently due to an electrical fire in the fuse panel under the bedroom. Everyone escaped. The second Yuma fire was caused by golf cart batteries. The golf cart was parked under the fiver overhang. We added a smoke detector to the fuse area in the basement storage after seeing the remains of these incidents. The owner of the golf cart also escaped. Other incidents were in the middle of the night. Please check your smoke detectors...

[nayther]

ugeesta wrote:
We took our new trailer out for its shakedown trip two weekends ago and had a propane leak in the drivers side tank compartment. It was so bad I could hear the hissing from the leak. Dont know when it started but that compartment isnt far from the heater. Got me thinking of the ‘what ifs’ while we were sleeping the night before.

Saw the results of a gas leak at the dealer where we're getting our new rig. They pulled out a trailer for PDI and I guess they left the stove on and went home, next morning tech. shows up to complete the PDI, opens the door and BOOM! Very lucky he only had a few bruises from when he landed 25' away, no burns, etc.