Community Forums

jharrell · 03-08-2019, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barmcd

Are most gas lines rubber in RVs? The ones in my Monaco are copper.

on edit: After thinking about his, the stove top is in the slide and it has a rubber propane hose while the fridge is not in the slide and it's a copper tube.

My main trunk line is cast iron threaded, but rubber is used to connect through slide to stove and water heater and from fridge to trunk. Also tank to trunk is a short piece of rubber.

Larrikin · 03-08-2019, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jharrell

Who knows, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of regulation or safety statistics around RV fridges. None of the manufactures seems to want that information out there.

This just reminds me I should get a fire suppression system for my fridge compartment. Mine is right next to the entrance door, if it goes up I probably won't be able to get out that way, emergency window instead.

One of our service providers' insurance coverage precludes him from parking the propane reefer equipped rigs on his property. They had a big DP burn to the ground years ago and his insurer correctly believes most owners don't have enough coverage to cover damages to several vehicles, so the business owner gets pulled into the liability lawsuits.

These fridges use heat, whether electric or fire, to work. We replaced our Norcold w residential and love it.

rvethereyet · 03-09-2019, 04:20 PM

Did you read the article that FD quickly got the fire under control. Training might say let it burn to the ground. As stated earlier they were in no hurry to fight a fully engulfed fiberglass MH. As in there is no stopping it

ThePowells · 03-11-2019, 11:39 PM

It was a total before they arrived, so I don't think I would be in a hurry either. They aren't pulling booster lines, so they have to be relatively straight or they can kink plus the entire hose tray has to be paid out before the line can be charged.

Ray,IN · 03-12-2019, 10:05 AM

RV's are not built to the same standards as mobile homes. Mobile homes can go from ignition to fully-engulfed in 4-10 minutes. From what information is available, my experience tells me the fire/ingition began about the same time as the MH was parked.That leaves the possibility of human error as a cause.

re: propane line burning through; the LP tank has a free-flow prevention device that closes the tank valve when there is no back-pressure.

TCollins · 03-12-2019, 10:52 AM

I reached out to the Monroe Fire Chief asking if they had an idea of the cause of the fire. He responded that due to the extent of damage the investigation is still on-going

Old-Biscuit · 03-12-2019, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

RV's are not built to the same standards as mobile homes. Mobile homes can go from ignition to fully-engulfed in 4-10 minutes. From what information is available, my experience tells me the fire/ingition began about the same time as the MH was parked.That leaves the possibility of human error as a cause.

re: propane line burning through; the LP tank has a free-flow prevention device that closes the tank valve when there is no back-pressure.

'Excess Flow Device'
Installed at LP Reg on MHs and part of the ACME Nut on pigtail hoses for Cylinders on trailers
Propane is 0.4 psi and capable of flow thru reg/pipes/hoses up 200kbtu
IF downstream lines/fittings fail the 'Excess Flow Devices' will close but they do not fully stop the flow just severely LIMIT the flow rate thus minimizing amount of propane released

V3600 · 03-12-2019, 11:45 AM

That's one way to get out from under a huge RV loan.

Hit_the_Rhod · 03-13-2019, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TCollins

I reached out to the Monroe Fire Chief asking if they had an idea of the cause of the fire. He responded that due to the extent of damage the investigation is still on-going

Even if it was a failed fridge that started the fire, the best you are probably going to get out of a fire investigator is something like "fire appeared to start in the general vicinity of the refrigerator". Yes, it is difficult to identify the exact cause of the fire after that much damage, but also stating that the fridge caused the fire MIGHT put the fire department as risk of a law suit from the fridge manufacturer unless they have explicit evidence that the fridge started the fire.

jr brown · 03-14-2019, 01:15 PM

to the guy who said the fire department was in no hurry. They have to get air pacs on hose stretched pump put in gear and probably the vehicle was a total lose anyway. its easy to bitch about firefighters ive been one for 43 years and you are not going to . run down fireman Thank you Chief ps go and volunteer than you can bitch.

TCollins · 03-14-2019, 02:47 PM

There was absolutely no reason for the firemen to be in a hurry. No lives were in danger, the owner was in Denny's when it started. It wasn't threatening any other property.

I had just enough training as a forest fire fighter to know that when you start running around in a hurry someone is going to get hurt (at the least).