Community Forums

tvp · 02-11-2018, 06:35 AM

Our 2012 CRV was wired the standard way with a Blue Ox Tow package , base plate and the multi pin connector ( blue coil cable ) a RVI 3 breakaway switch
And a charge line to the battery of the CRV.

We live in a snowy / damp area in Ontario Canada , this system was installed 3 months ago in preparation for our trip down south in march. The electrical multi pin connector and the breakaway switch were mounted under the front License plate and bumper

The RV is in winter storage and we were using the CRV last week and parked the car in driveway overnight , one hr after the car was parked and locked in the driveway it started on fire 🔥. The sparking and fire started around the multi pin connector and spread upward.

So the question is how ....if the RV supply's the voltage for the lights ,turn signal,breaklights etc. And charging line , and the RV was not connected to the CRV how did power ( direct short ) from the CRV get to the multi pin. Why a fuse did not blow, ....imust have been a loose wire or water /salt corrosion getting into the multi pin to short out.........What do other people do to protect that multi pin etc or was it poor installation job by the RV company that did the wiring. Is this a problem with the type of connector and it's location ( wet area of car )

TVP

70ChevelleSS · 02-11-2018, 06:47 AM

You said the connector has a charge line to the battery. So you have 12v from battery to connector all the time. Obviously it's not fused and shorted to chassis or another wire at the connector.

The location is bad but I think it was a faulty installation. I installed the base plate and wiring on our toad. I cut off the 2 posts that the connector mounts to. I run the cable from the MH to a connector under the hood, it's capped and protected from the elements. May not be possible with some toads depending on the hood and front fascia design.

tvp · 02-11-2018, 06:49 AM

That's what I thought, the only power to that plug or area would have to be the charge line , is the normal way to put a fuse and a diode in the charge line or just fuse ?

Parrott_head · 02-11-2018, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 70ChevelleSS

You said the connector has a charge line to the battery. So you have 12v from battery to connector all the time. Obviously it's not fused and shorted to chassis or another wire at the connector.

Agreed. The only wire with voltage potential would have been the one for the charging system. Not sure what the maximum amp draw would be on a charging system but but the RV should have a fuse on the corresponding feed wire. That should give you an idea. Also the fuse should never be more than what the gauge of wire it is on is rated at. Your TV may have a supply wire of 12 AWG and the TOAD of 14AWG. The fuse on the toad should be smaller than the TV.

tvp · 02-11-2018, 06:52 AM

Also being only 3 months old and the design of the socket what do you think is the logical cause ....loose wire charge line at connector or water /salt from road shorting out ?

tvp · 02-11-2018, 06:54 AM

The RV was not connected to the CRV , this was just the car that shorted out

tvp · 02-11-2018, 06:58 AM

This was installed at the battery ? Is that a fuse or breaker ?

Click image for larger version

Name: IMG_5908.JPG
Views: 433
Size: 155.0 KB
ID: 191890

tvp · 02-11-2018, 07:01 AM

After the fire was put out the wires around the area were the multi pin connector continued to spark until the battery was disconnected

tvp · 02-11-2018, 07:03 AM

Also being only 3 months old and the design of the socket what do you think is the logical cause ....loose wire charge line at connector or water /

tvp · 02-11-2018, 07:08 AM

Would you have a picture of what the under the hood installation of the multi pin socket looks like ? [emoji12][emoji736]

OldToolmaker · 02-11-2018, 07:21 AM

When it comes to battery connections you need to have the appropriate size fuses in both lines, positive and negative. This way if there is a short, the fuse blows before the wore can overheat and start a fire.
A few years ago after a number of fires in flight the FAA issued a new "suggestion" that tripped circuit breakers should not be re-set in flight. Maybe once if the system involved was critical. That self re-setting circuit breaker in your photo? That's a bad idea waiting to happen.

tvp · 02-11-2018, 07:34 AM

Ouch so that is a auto reset circuit breaker ...... [emoji35]so when it shorted out it just kept feeding the 12 volts to ground and sparked causing the fire .....!

milkman55 · 02-11-2018, 09:29 AM

Sorry for your troubles. Hope the damage is not too extensive.

I just finished my own Blue Ox install on my 2014 Honda CR-V. I used the Demco (SMI) Stay N Play brakes and the RVI battery charger. Both systems have inline fuses between the battery and the systems. I used separate light bulbs in the tail lights to avoid the Honda wiring altogether. Both the brakes and the battery charger hook to the positive battery terminal and the first item downstream is the fuse (20 amp on the brakes and 15 amp on the battery charger).

tvp · 02-11-2018, 09:33 AM

Car was non repairable ......total loss.....now the insurance companies can sort out who is at fault etc. Thinking of replacing the CRV with a 2013 Honda Fit Sport ( 1000 lbs lighter)