A Bigfoot bites it

[garyhaupt]

In Kelowna, BC this morning.

http://globalnews.ca/news/2006424/camper-explodes-in-kelowna-walmart-parking-lot/



Gary Haupt

[trail-explorer]

jimbob3ca wrote:
Luckily as well, none of the other possible ignition sources in the camper ignited the propane, as that would have been a huge explosion.

And A fireball big enough to be seen from outer space!

[noteven]

Bigfoot campers cannot withstand internal explosions - its a known issue.

I would not buy any camper that cannot withstand an internal propane explosion with "minimal" damage.

[pjay9]

HMS Beagle wrote:

pjay9 wrote:
Photomike, I am not certain about BF's but on boats the joint is usually stronger than the hull or the deck... the joints are mostly likely glued with a sealant then glass/resin taped to make it watertight, thus it become strong...now that is in a good boat. Cheap boats are glued with sealant and then a flimsy rub rail is pop riveted on the joint on the outside...nasty leak prone and not strong, but probably stronger than the rest...so I am not surprised the joints held is my point! But you may be correct! JMHO!!

That is why I have an all welded alloy boat!

Unfortunately, as good as Bigfoot is, and as much as I love mine, it is built far cheaper than a cheap boat. Not sure there is even sealant in there, it is just an overlapped seam with sheet metal screws driven through a flimsy aluminum rub rail. This is the RV industry after all....

Sorry to hear that!

[HMS_Beagle]

pjay9 wrote:
Photomike, I am not certain about BF's but on boats the joint is usually stronger than the hull or the deck... the joints are mostly likely glued with a sealant then glass/resin taped to make it watertight, thus it become strong...now that is in a good boat. Cheap boats are glued with sealant and then a flimsy rub rail is pop riveted on the joint on the outside...nasty leak prone and not strong, but probably stronger than the rest...so I am not surprised the joints held is my point! But you may be correct! JMHO!!

That is why I have an all welded alloy boat!

Unfortunately, as good as Bigfoot is, and as much as I love mine, it is built far cheaper than a cheap boat. Not sure there is even sealant in there, it is just an overlapped seam with sheet metal screws driven through a flimsy aluminum rub rail. This is the RV industry after all....

[Super_Dave]

Darn those mobile meth labs! LOL!

[joeshmoe]

pjay9 wrote:


That is why I have an all welded alloy boat!

[joeshmoe]

bigfootford wrote:
this Bigfoot camper is going to leak.

A little lap sealant and it'll be good to go.

On another note, let this be a lesson about eating authentic Mexican food and trying light an appliance. Ventilation, ventilation, ventilation! 🙂

[Yukoners]

That's funny right there Buzzcut:)

[SCVJeff]

Photomike wrote:

SCVJeff wrote:
When there is an internal explosion like that its going to split at the weakest joints, not at the point of ignition.

Fiberglass body, the weak point is the joints on the side where they join the top and bottom. I thought that it would have separated there as well. It did split on the left side at the seam.

I suspect one could argue that the weak point lengthwise of that camper is the doorway, and then one side or the other since thats where all the frame joints are. Looks like it opened up on the right side of the door.

[Executive45]

He was at a WalMart...they carry acetone, iodine, toluene, and all kinds of other "needy" stuff.....the fact the guy was simply walking around gathering items makes me wonder what he was really doing when the thing blew up..my immediate response would have been to call 911...:h.....Dennis

[pjay9]

Photomike, I am not certain about BF's but on boats the joint is usually stronger than the hull or the deck... the joints are mostly likely glued with a sealant then glass/resin taped to make it watertight, thus it become strong...now that is in a good boat. Cheap boats are glued with sealant and then a flimsy rub rail is pop riveted on the joint on the outside...nasty leak prone and not strong, but probably stronger than the rest...so I am not surprised the joints held is my point! But you may be correct! JMHO!!

That is why I have an all welded alloy boat!

[bigfootford]

Propane detector inop or missing.... and occupants nose inop...
Regardless, this Bigfoot camper is going to leak.

Back in the 90's a tree fell on a BF camper, an RV.net member... The camper was taken to the BF Mfg plant and the whole top of the camper was replaced... Think the cost was about 10K

Jim

[jimbob3ca]

A number of years ago we were camped in Wells Grey park in central British Columbia. An elderly neighboring man in a truck camper put on a percolator coffee pot in the morning to make coffee and went out to prepare his boat to go fishing for the day. He forgot about the coffee pot and went off fishing.
Several hours later he returned. Being a heavy smoker, he lit a cigarette and headed for his campsite. Fortunately he stopped to talk with some other campers. He finished his cigarette and looked for another before heading back to his camper. He was out of cigarettes so he returned to his camper.
When he opened the door, he was almost overcome by the propane fumes that had filled the camper. The coffee pot had boiled over in the morning and put out the flame on the burner, leaving the propane to escape filling the camper with the gas. He said that he was very lucky, as he almost always had a cigarette going and would very likely have had one going then if he hadn't run out.
Luckily as well, none of the other possible ignition sources in the camper ignited the propane, as that would have been a huge explosion.

[WVbassmistress]

I know this is serious, and I am very glad the occupant is ok.

That being said, these are some funny posts!