Community Forums

Ttinuse · 12-06-2022, 10:01 AM

I just happened walk to the front of the RV when I saw smoke wafting out from under the dash on the left side of the steering wheel. I tried but could not see under the dash due to the cover. By the time I got a screwdriver and flashlight it had stopped smoking. The smell was burnt plastic.

The smoking stopped on it's own after about 10 seconds.

Nothing was going on at the dash at the time.
I've been parked in a campground for about a week connected to shore power.
The A/C had just come on (for the hundredth time since I'm in FL). I don't think this is related.
I opened the generator compartment, it was lightly smoky in the compartment on the same side. Nothing else obvious
I opened up the electrical panel outside on the driver's side. Nothing obvious.

I pulled the cover from under the dash down on the left side and looked around, felt around. nothing obvious.
I disconnected shore power and started the engine. All the gauges appear to be working, everything seemed normal.
Headlights work

I am very concerned about what else I should be checking?

johnhicks · 12-06-2022, 10:25 AM

Transfer switch. Something's arcing on the high current draw of the a/c starting.

lakewoodpaul · 12-06-2022, 10:35 AM

can you elaborate [slightly smokey] in generator compartment? do you have a generator stop/ start switch near the area in the dash where the smoke came from?

Flyer15015 · 12-06-2022, 10:35 AM

Smoking wires means a dead short.
Keep looking...................
You had better find it before you move it!!!!

Mike in Colorado

lakewoodpaul · 12-06-2022, 10:44 AM

Where is your generator located? up front?

jacwjames · 12-06-2022, 11:58 AM

You own a Winnebago so the Monaco owners forum probably won't be of much help.

Do you know where your transfer switch is. As previous poster suggested this is probably a likely culprit.

There are still older coaches out there that have the IOTA transfer switch which is known to cause fires. There was a recall for this switch but most manufacturers didn't change these out.

Ttinuse · 12-06-2022, 12:26 PM

Where is the transfer switch located?

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnhicks

Transfer switch. Something's arcing on the high current draw of the a/c starting.

Ttinuse · 12-06-2022, 12:27 PM

Sorry for the confusion, I own a 2003 Monaco Windsor. I do not know where the transfer switch is located.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacwjames

You own a Winnebago so the Monaco owners forum probably won't be of much help.

Do you know where your transfer switch is. As previous poster suggested this is probably a likely culprit.

There are still older coaches out there that have the IOTA transfer switch which is known to cause fires. There was a recall for this switch but most manufacturers didn't change these out.

Ttinuse · 12-06-2022, 12:30 PM

While looking for the source of the smoke I slid the generator out (the gen in/out switch is on the panel to the left of the driver) and looked about. The majority of the smoke was inside the RV, coming out to the left of the steering wheel but there was some smoke in the generator compartment. The Gen start/stop switch is in the center between driver and passenger seat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lakewoodpaul

can you elaborate [slightly smokey] in generator compartment? do you have a generator stop/ start switch near the area in the dash where the smoke came from?

Ttinuse · 12-06-2022, 12:31 PM

Yes, the generator is in front. It was not running, I'm on shore power.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lakewoodpaul

Where is your generator located? up front?

Flyer15015 · 12-06-2022, 12:45 PM

If the smoke came from under the dash to the left of the steering wheel, what kind if switches are in that location?
Is there a fuse block down under there?
Thats where you need to do a deep dive........

Mike in Colorado

jacwjames · 12-06-2022, 12:54 PM

OK, 2003 Windsor might be close to what I have a 2002 Windsor
My transfer switch is located in the last accessible compartment near the inverter. I have a LYGHT transfer switch but I know there are still some IOTA's in older Monaco's.

Smoke on the left side of the steering wheel could be just about anything since all the wiring comes up from the drivers side electrical compartment or through the firewall in the front.

Did you have the ignition on when this happened? Did you have anything on in the front??

Take the covers off all the fuse boxes in the front drivers side compartment and see if you can see any signs of smoke and/or burnt fuses.

My drivers side console has a bunch of wiring harnesses. I have a small panel on the side that I can remove to give me some access. It's held on with screws that have the decorative cover on them, pop the cover off and you'll see the screw.

It's a bit of a pain but I've had my dash area open by removing all the screws and tipping the dash forward, have to be careful not to damage the bezel.

There was a recent post on the Monacoers.org site of a Dynasty owner who had a near fire in the same area. Turns out a loose hanging ground wire came in contact with a 12 volt stud in the front drivers side electrical compartment. The ground wire got hot and started melting the insulation off, and it went in under the dash. Luckily he found the cause and was able to trace and fix all the damaged wires.

Ttinuse · 12-06-2022, 04:07 PM

I've removed the panel under the dash to the left of the steering wheel. There are a bunch of wiring harnesses and ducts. Shining a light up there and feeling around I could find nothing.

I slid the generator out and looked at everything on what would be the back of the dash wall. I found nothing out of sorts.

I opened up the fuse bay on the driver's side outside and took off all the covers. Again, nothing.

What's odd is I was doing nothing up by the dash when it happened. I just happened to be walking to the front of the RV when I saw the smoke. It wasn't a lot of smoke but visible. There was no noise of arcing.

I found the article on Monacoers.org, what a mess. I don't have that person's talents so have no idea how to go forward.

I'm living in the RV and scheduled to move Thursday. I plan to continue digging.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacwjames

OK, 2003 Windsor might be close to what I have a 2002 Windsor
My transfer switch is located in the last accessible compartment near the inverter. I have a LYGHT transfer switch but I know there are still some IOTA's in older Monaco's.

Smoke on the left side of the steering wheel could be just about anything since all the wiring comes up from the drivers side electrical compartment or through the firewall in the front.

Did you have the ignition on when this happened? Did you have anything on in the front??

Take the covers off all the fuse boxes in the front drivers side compartment and see if you can see any signs of smoke and/or burnt fuses.

My drivers side console has a bunch of wiring harnesses. I have a small panel on the side that I can remove to give me some access. It's held on with screws that have the decorative cover on them, pop the cover off and you'll see the screw.

It's a bit of a pain but I've had my dash area open by removing all the screws and tipping the dash forward, have to be careful not to damage the bezel.

There was a recent post on the Monacoers.org site of a Dynasty owner who had a near fire in the same area. Turns out a loose hanging ground wire came in contact with a 12 volt stud in the front drivers side electrical compartment. The ground wire got hot and started melting the insulation off, and it went in under the dash. Luckily he found the cause and was able to trace and fix all the damaged wires.

cry42 · 12-06-2022, 04:13 PM

I kind of doubt the Transfer Switch is the issue, as I doubt there is any 120VAC under the dash, or at least not on my coach. Suggest this is a 12VDC issue and something related to the 12 volt side was pulling excess current, but hoped it would be on a fuse. Do you have your electrical drawings ?