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jbrinsfi · 11-08-2016, 07:24 AM

While out in the rig this weekend I noticed a slight burning electrical insulation smell in our rear bedroom closet. We were on shore power with the hot water heater on (120AC) and the engine block heater on. Nothing else was on back there. I shut down the HW heater and the Block heater and preformed a cursory inspection of the HW heater area and noted nothing out of the ordinary. The oder was not as strong on the floor of the closet (near the HW access hatch) as it was up higher in the closet on the opposite side. Nothing in the engine bay seemed suspicious and under the bed all of the wiring I looked over seemed fine.

Drove the rig 200 miles home without an issue and the oder dissipated. Any suggestions for what to look for back there? Our rig is a 2007 Fleetwood Excursion 39V.

Thanks in advance

Jim

mchero · 11-08-2016, 02:06 PM

We have 07 39v Discovery with Atwood ext hotwzter heater. AC element on backside. I can get to out HWH thru closet. Short romex run from AC panel under the bed. Ours off of Intellitec Energy Mgt. System. Wont get juice till EMS curcuit relay closes. Keep breaker off till you can take a closer look. Might also want to pull off the AC panel and check for loose connections. Hot or neutral connections can geet loose and start to burn. Keep us posted.

Cat · 11-08-2016, 03:01 PM

This has been a problem I wrote it up in 2014 on some Fleetwoods. AC wires connecting to water heater heating element were loose and caused the smell in closet. Connection is under a small black plastic box attached to rear of water heater not easy to see. You'll need to remove the little black box to see connections. Atwood told me that Fleetwood did not strip the wires enough to get a good connection--they had seen this before. A couple others have reported this problem. My wires had gotten hot enough to melt the insulation off.It was not popping the circuit breaker because it wasn't drawing to much current it just had a high resistance connection. It could start a fire.Good luck

mchero · 11-08-2016, 03:46 PM

Thanks CAT! I will check mine as well..

Ront77 · 11-08-2016, 05:59 PM

Yes on the water heater wires.

Our 2004 Revolution actually melted the plastic cover and filled the bedroom with smoke during the night.
Thank goodness for the smoke detectors.

On ours you can remove the clothes drawers to see the back of the water heater.

The entire heater control unit was melted and the water heater was replaced.

jbrinsfi · 11-09-2016, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cat

This has been a problem I wrote it up in 2014 on some Fleetwoods. AC wires connecting to water heater heating element were loose and caused the smell in closet. Connection is under a small black plastic box attached to rear of water heater not easy to see. You'll need to remove the little black box to see connections. Atwood told me that Fleetwood did not strip the wires enough to get a good connection--they had seen this before. A couple others have reported this problem. My wires had gotten hot enough to melt the insulation off.It was not popping the circuit breaker because it wasn't drawing to much current it just had a high resistance connection. It could start a fire.Good luck

Great tips here. Will have a closer look at the HW heater and get back to the group with my findings. If in fact this turns out to be a loose conductor that has resulted in resistive heating and melting of the associated insulation, it will be the third such incident I have encountered. One on a house battery primary lead, one on a fuse block associated with a solar control and now the HW heater. Going to be doing a lot more inspection of wiring going forward.

Thanks all