Forum Discussion

NanciL's avatar
NanciL
Explorer II
Jan 14, 2017

How about this for "quality" work on our new trailer ?

Another of the many hidden item found on our new Forest River Trailer:
Yesterday I had the electrical load center apart checking out a circuit, and I happened to see two cables that were cut off at the connection where they come through the case. There was another along with them that came through and was in use.
I decided to check the rear of the panel and see where they were coming from, so I opened up the compartment and much to my surprise they were cut off on the rear also.
At the factory, the cable clamp that was used for the cable in use was three times as big as it should be, and some "brilliant" electrician just filled up the clamp with two more pieces of cable.

Now I know why when we pushed the remote for the main slide, the awning rolled down and when we pushed it for the awning the front stabilizers went down !

By the way, I was checking the panel to see about upgrading to 50 amps.

With that wonderful residential refrigerator and our 15,000 BTU AC unit, and the electric water heater, the 30 amp breaker will pop with the inrush of current if both the refrig and AC happen to turn on at the same time.

I wonder what we'll find next ?

Jack L
Seeking Advice
  • Fiesta's avatar
    Fiesta
    Explorer
    Jan 15, 2017
    You should have spent 175k more like i did to find 218 more problems. Cant wait for Japan to get into our market so quality improves....
  • The_real_wild1's avatar
    The_real_wild1
    Explorer
    Jan 15, 2017
    We bought a lightly used 2010 trailer. It had better quality then the new ones we looks at. Some of the new trailers were falling apart on the lot. Some of the new trailers have the led lighting on the nose. Most of the time the lighting strips were put on by someone that was drunk I'm sure. Even when they had a nice holding edge to follow it was not straight.
  • Oakman's avatar
    Oakman
    Explorer
    Jan 16, 2017
    I'm curious, what brand and year of Forest River trailer are you talking about?
  • FLY_4_FUN's avatar
    FLY_4_FUN
    Explorer
    Jan 16, 2017
    To be fair no 30A rig can power everything on board at the same time...so that's really not FR's fault.

    As to the wiring thing, yeah I have seen that and worse in so many rigs that im not really surprised. Obviously QC is cursory on certain things! Sad
  • rhagfo's avatar
    rhagfo
    Explorer III
    Jan 16, 2017
    FLY 4 FUN wrote:
    To be fair no 30A rig can power everything on board at the same time...so that's really not FR's fault.

    As to the wiring thing, yeah I have seen that and worse in so many rigs that im not really surprised. Obviously QC is cursory on certain things! Sad


    X2 on the limits of a 30 amp service.
    If you bought it new you should have specified a 50 amp service, but if on a parks 30 amp service you would have the same limits.
    To the fact that you had two wires through a single clamp can be allowed if the clamp is rated for it.
    Once in I think it was in Tennessee looking a new partly finished houses all the branch circuits were brought into the service panel through a single 2" bushing on the top of the service panel!
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Jan 16, 2017
    The wire is just being lazy but no harm really.
    Air conditioners of late are getting more efficient with lower start surge. So give it a go before you over think this.
  • NanciL's avatar
    NanciL
    Explorer II
    Jan 16, 2017
    FLY 4 FUN wrote:
    To be fair no 30A rig can power everything on board at the same time...so that's really not FR's fault.

    As to the wiring thing, yeah I have seen that and worse in so many rigs that im not really surprised. Obviously QC is cursory on certain things! Sad


    No it can't.
    Our new Forest River trailer has a residential refrigerator in it and it has a 15,000 BTU A/c unit.
    If the electric water heater is on and the refrigerator and AC unit kick on at the same time the inrush current will trip the 30 amp breaker.

    I couldn't figure it out at first, and thought I had a bad breaker, but after it became a nuisance, I did some math and figured it out.
    We are temporarily using the water heater on propane until I install a new 50 Amp supply to a new breaker panel and change some wiring.

    It is another goof on Forest River's end !

    jack L
  • Lantley's avatar
    Lantley
    Nomad
    Jan 16, 2017
    If those are your worst issue you are doing OK.
    30 amp service has its limits and the clamp thing is rather minor don't you think! Sloppy,lazy, but minor in the scheme of things
  • 2Macs's avatar
    2Macs
    Explorer
    Jan 16, 2017
    Here is a suggestion for getting your RV manufacturer and dealer to resolve any issues you have on your RV under warranty. I found a source on-line for a 15"X20" decal of a lemon. I threatened to purchase 2 of them and paste one on the front and the other on the back. With the manufacturer's and dealer's name all over the RV, a decal of a lemon would have really been detrimental for both. Boy, did I really get the warranty service to resolve all of the issues I had.
  • dodge_guy's avatar
    dodge_guy
    Explorer II
    Jan 16, 2017
    When it comes to electricity, sloppy/lazy can be deadly!!!! If that is wired that way what else is wired improperly?

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