wlock162951
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Joined: 02/16/2009
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Well I had two weeks of vacation coming and thought I'd take the dogs and do a little dry camping. Hooked up the new Durango and the generator and a couple of gas jugs and headed out to a real nice remote location. Twisting narrow roads, large graveled location, right along the river, liquor cabinet full, crawdad traps in place and several steaks and two new books and a bunch of new DVD's to watch, nothing to look forward to but ten days of peace and quite, plus all the changing leaves, the fall smells and pretty good weather.
Yeah right!
Put the slides out and everything leveled out and hooked up, hooked up the generator, started it, and fixed a pot of coffee, put in a new DVD and after taking the dogs for a long walk, fixed a drink and started watching Master and Commander.
Coffee finished and I got up to pour it into a thermos and shut the maker off, I heard a slight pop and turned to the television only to find it said no signal on the screen, then smoke started pouring out of the DVD player, then before I could take a step towards the door I had smoke pouring out of the furnace ducts.
Without stopping I went out and shut down the Yamaha generator, by this time it's full dark and the trailers full of smoke, the kind that's only associated with either electronics or wire insulation. Started both roof fans drawing out all the smoke and smell. The next morning I hooked up and moved to an RV park around eighty miles away too get hooked up to shore power and find out how bad things really are.
I start checking damage and find that the power converter, both televisions, the DVD player and a battery charger for a rechargeable drill that I use for running the landing gear up and down, are all burned up.
Could have been worse and there appears to be no permanent damage done to the Fifth wheel itself.
Have already replaced the converter charger, and new televisions and DVD player have been ordered and are on the way, but all this could have been prevented in the first place I find, if only I had sprung for either a surge suppressor or an inverter generator. If only I knew that something like this could happen just by using a portable generator without some kind of inline protection, all from a generator we have used without issue in the past, just not plugged into with the fifth wheel.
The biggest problem has been getting rid of the old electronics, I'm thankful that I didn't have the new Laptop plugged in!
Well live and learn I guess and like I said it could have been much worse, and the insurance company has been really helpful and has considered it a comprehensive claim with just a minor deductable even though I kind of consider it all self inflicted.
By the way anyone know anything about the new Honeywell inverter generators?
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jonrjen
Ovilla, TX
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Joined: 03/28/2002
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First of all, I want to Thank You for your post....sorry about the damage and loss...but again Thank You.
I will be ordering my new surge protector ASAP.
2008 F-550 Regency Hauler 6.4 Crew Cab towing beast
2006 Ford F-250 Reg cab V-10
1997 Travel Supreme 40' Triple slide 5th wheel
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jonrjen
Ovilla, TX
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Joined: 03/28/2002
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And at least no one was hurt!!
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larry cad
Whatever.....
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Joined: 05/23/2004
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I am curious to know what exactly happened to cause this.
We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history.........
Ayn Rand
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Art D
Louisiana
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Joined: 03/06/2004
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larry cad wrote:I am curious to know what exactly happened to cause this.
Yes, me too. I'm an electrical engineer and no conclusions on what caused this can be reached based on your post. There's got to be more to the story.
Geaux LSU
Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints? 11-0, this is unbelievable!!
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tomman58
Southeast Michigan
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Joined: 06/12/2005
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Not knowing whose genny it was.
The list of electrical stuff plugged in at the same time leads one to think that this might be cased from under-voltage.
Always start at the source when trouble shooting elect.
I use the Honda 2000i with a surge suppressor for the laptop only. I don't go with all this extra electrical goodies that might be needed by someone somewhere but I've never seen need for them.
I could be wrong but been camp'n for 50 years and an electrician for 42.
2008 Silverado D/A,CC 4x4 ,3.73,IBC LTZ+
2008 322FKS Jayco
17.5 Nova Craft canoe (49 lbs.)
2 Trek 1500 mountain bikes
Honda EU2000i
It must be time to go, the suns out and I've got a full tank of diesel and an empty charge card!
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Art D
Louisiana
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Joined: 03/06/2004
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Quote:all from a generator we have used without issue in the past, just not plugged into with the fifth wheel.
Thinking further, is it possible that you were using some kind of electrical connector that you haven't used before, and got 220vac from the generator connected to the 110vac wiring in the rv?
You stated that smoke was coming from the furnace ducts. That would indicate the the furnace blower motor also burned up do to overvoltage but you did not note that the blower motor needed replacing.
* This post was
edited 11/07/09 06:15pm by Art D *
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BiggerBen
Alberta Canada
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Joined: 01/20/2009
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I really enjoyed the first paragraph, wishing I was there!
I have been looking at surge protectors, but the 50 amp ones aren't cheap, but after reading what happened, they're not as expensive as I thought.
Thanks for sharing your story.
2005 Kustom Koach Legacy LW275
2005 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD SRW
DW, Sadie and Lucie (our dog and cat)
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camperbuds3
NE Pennsylvania
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Joined: 08/23/2003
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Art D wrote:Quote:all from a generator we have used without issue in the past, just not plugged into with the fifth wheel.
Thinking further, is it possible that you were using some kind of electrical connector that you haven't used before, and got 220vac from the generator connected to the 110vac wiring in the rv?
That is exactly my first thoughts. 220 from the generator connected to a 110 trailer electrical system.?
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enblethen
Moses Lake, WA USA
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Joined: 01/05/2005
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I would look at the genset. Has nice three wire twist lock? 240 volts and a ground! OOPS!
Bud
Suzuki XL7 pushing Pace Arrow
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