Fire!!

[Farmer Steve]

Hi Folks, no not me since we are buying our first RV next week a (ACE 29.2). Yesterday I passed a very new looking RV class A on a wrecker that was totally burned out from fire. Would not have paid attention in the past but now it hits close to home!
I wonder if anyone has tips on prevention and statistics on the most likely causes of RV fire? Sitting and sleeping on top of propane and gas tanks are not a comforting thing to think about. I'm sure it's rare...right?

[jesilvas]

Pretty uncommon. Keep working smoke, CO, and LP detectors. You would not believe the number of LP detectors I see that people have just cut wires to because it was beeping.

[CLIFFTALL]

A search of Norcold fires will be telling.

[pumper9x9]

Check with the NFPA (national fire protection association) They keep stats on all kinds of fires.

[Stealth01]

Your FIRST PURCHASE for your new RV should be extra fire extinguishers. Our Coach is a 45 footer, with extinguishers forward, amid ship and aft!

[chief02]

Portable heaters followed by cooking accidents cause most structure fires. Could be similar for RVs. Then of course the dreaded Norcold posibility. Get 2 good ABC fire extinguishers and keep one in the bedroom. Test all of your detectors monthly and have at least 2 smoke detectors. One ionization type and one photocell type. Have and practice an escape plan at night in the dark from bed. Can you really get out that window?

[SeeTheUSA]

No matter where you find yourself . . . your home, another's home, motel/hotel, RV, anywhere . . . and get all in your family to do the same . . .

ALWAYS KNOW HOW TO GET OUT! ALWAYS KNOW ALL OF YOUR OPTIONS!

... doors, windows, emergency exits, stairways, etc., etc., etc.

I always act as though my life depends on it.

[myredracer]

Maybe not as rare as you would think. According to this RV.net blog, there are 6,300 RV fires a year (as of 2011) from NFPA statisitics and deaths from RV fires is estimated to be 5-20 per year.RV Fire Safety

Interesting 2007 RV fire investigation article: http://cjbfire.com/ManSample.pdf
Besides fridges, other suspected causes are electrical, rodent damage and owner installed aftermarket accessories.

List of RV fire facts by Mac The Fire Guy and also a short vid on causes of RV fires.
http://macthefireguy.com/articles/34...save_your_life

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQy11h7s6ro

[bdickson]

Originally Posted by chief02

Portable heaters followed by cooking accidents cause most structure fires. Could be similar for RVs. Then of course the dreaded Norcold posibility. Get 2 good ABC fire extinguishers and keep one in the bedroom. Test all of your detectors monthly and have at least 2 smoke detectors. One ionization type and one photocell type. Have and practice an escape plan at night in the dark from bed. Can you really get out that window?

What Bill said all the way! My new 38 foot coach came with just 1 smoke detector, mounted above the front passenger seat. I immediately added another in the kitchen and a combination smoke/carbon monoxide in the bedroom. The one small extinguisher at the door was replaced by 3 larger ones: entrance door, kitchen and bedroom. We tried the escape window in the bedroom and found that we could step through and get on to the outside ladder.

[1985 Bounder]

I own a 34' Bounder and have not been out in it yet but the first new items I bought were new extinguishers and detectors. I have the extinguishers by both of my doors, one forward and one in the bedroom by that door. Everyone should understand that the small extinguishers will not put out a large fire! These are made for small fires and/or to knock the fire back enough to get out. Anyone who stands fire extinguisher in hand and fights a fire in the cabin of their RV is saying their life is not worth the price of the RV. I will knock a fire down and get out. They will make more RVs.

[Farmer Steve]

Does Thor ACE use Norcold? Probably shouldn't have goggled Norcold fire.

[PyrateSilly]

Originally Posted by Farmer Steve

Does Thor ACE use Norcold? Probably shouldn't have goggled Norcold fire.

I think it depends now on when the RV was built. We went to the big RVIA show in SoCal and every single DP we went into had a huge residential fridge in them. We did not go into anything but DP so not sure if it's just DP that they have put residential in.

[Scarab0088]

Originally Posted by Farmer Steve

Does Thor ACE use Norcold? Probably shouldn't have goggled Norcold fire.

I am very sure Thor is using Dometic 'fridges in the A.C.E...and most of their RV's.

Safe travels.

[Dr4Film]

I fully concur with Myredracer. Mac The Fire Guy is the GOTO guy for RV fire safety and also high quality fire suppression systems.

I have taken a number of precautions to minimize the risk of having a total loss fire. Being that the coach is R HOME, if it were to happen we would be homeless in less than 5 minutes.

I have an AFFF system for my diesel engine. I had a Halon in the rear of the Norcold which now lives above the Inverter inside that compartment which is the rear of the diesel fired Aqua-Hot unit. I also have another Halon in the Aqua-Hot compartment. Halon works great in small confined compartments.

I have a large Cold Fire extinguisher by the front entry door. I have three smaller Cold Fire extinguishers, one in the kitchen, one in the bedroom and one in my car.

I have three 10 year Smoke & Fire Alarms. One located in the Front Run Electrical Bay, one in the Battery Compartment, and one in the Kitchen/Hallway area.

There is a LPG detector alarm near the floor under the smoke alarm. There is a CO detector alarm in the bedroom mounted to the bottom of the overhead cabinets.

The rinky dink chemical fire extinguishers that come with the coach are good to have around when you BBQ just in case but they worthless for any fire inside or outside the coach.

Mac The Fire Guy web site.

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Dr4Film ----- Richard