Fuse and breaker plastic box

[dpam]

Our warranty on the 3150RL expires at the end of March so I plan on taking our monty to a dealer to get a list of issues fixed. One of the issues is the plastic fuse/breaker box. One day our stabalizer jacks and slides quit working and found I out a fuse in the battery compartment had blown (not sure why) so I replaced it. Prior to finding the blown fuse I checked the fuse and breaker box inside the trailer and noticed a couple of issues. When they installed the cover on the lower breaker cover they tightened the screw so tight that the screw went through the plastic. On the fuse box they tightened the screw so tight that it cracked the plastic from the screw hole to the top of the box. Also, I find when one takes out the plastic covers to be able to check the fuses or breakers it is very difficult to get them to fit back in. Therefore I'm wondering if anyone had similar problems and whether anyone replaced the plastic fuse/breaker box with a metal one? If a metal one is available I would want it to be used to replace the plastic one under warranty.

Appreciate your inpt.

[Jolu]

dpam,
I have the same unit you have and haven't had any problems with the screws being over tightened. But I did have a cracked insert (cover) and called Iota they were good about sending out new inserts.

I have had my breaker and fuse panel out several times when working on the solar wiring and I can tell you there is a bundle of wires back behind the panel pushing out on the panel and I can see where it would be easy to ram a screw through the plastic housing if the wires were not pushed back in there as far as you could get them when setting the screws.

Joe

[Art-n-Marge]

I have seen some issues in workmanship. I am attributing this to some workers rushing their work to make quotas and quality is secondary, if they are not as experienced or as good as coworkers and inspections aren't made.

Both recliners were missing hardware. I had to remove hardware from one recliner to "complete" the other recliner. The manufacturer saved time by not putting in all the hardware. This required a trip to the dealer and they were understanding enough to swap them out with another rig, then they would work with Keystone to get them repaired. Getting a dealer to disable a rig to accomodate a customer is a big deal, but in my case they had fouled up some other work and were trying to get back in my good graces.

I was just working on my autochangeover propane valve and as I removed it I found they had only used half the hardware than they should have. The assembler only used two screws, should have been 4, to fasten the valve to its base, then they only used two screws to fasten the base to the wall where the valve was mounted. Should have been four here too. But this way they attach this thing in half the time. All these fasteners were coming loose. I expect that using all 8 screws could have prevented the looseness. I have tightened them back down and will install the additional hardware when I can (didn't have the right sizes lying around).

Others have reported grease on the brakes. Even though you and I know one should not use a power grease gun to lube the hubs, I'm sure they do it and just hope they don't blow out the seals, but they have to be if grease is showing up on the brakes.

In your case, it appears the Gorilla installer fired up the powered drilled, maybe grabbed too long of a fastener and ripped away in their hurry to complete that part. Who knows, but it's obviously shoddy.

There are other testimonials of shoddy workmanship and this is across many other manufacturers, some worse and some better. But with all the components and the complexities of these units these days and the competition to get their customer's dollar, as fast as they can, they haven't learned what the U.S. automakers learned starting in the '60s.

The RV industry's mentality is still in the '50s. Until their is another country eating their lunch and stealing their customers they don't seem to wanna change. And with us customer's buying expensive warranty and rescue services, the RV manufacturer is not feeling the pain. The manufacturer gets the money up front when you buy, or later from the replacement products via a service organization.

Until manufacturing problems are replaced free-of-charge and the RV manufacturer pays for it out of their pocket, will be when they fix this problem. In the meantime lots of money in their pocket. I spend more time and money working on my RV, than my stickhouse. It just doesn't seem right. Independent inspections occur during home building and have improved home construction, but there isn't anything like this for an RV. I don't have to work on my house everytime I used something. But the RV has required attention almost every time. Or as I've learned to say "There's always sumptin'"

Hang in there. These problems have helped me by my gaining experience through fixing problems. Other people call it education.

[CORattler]

I noticed when I pulled the fuse/breaker panel to install my electrical management system that the screws that secure the panel had been screwed into the woodwork without pre-drilling the hardwood. This cracked the hardwood and now 2 of the screws securing the panel just spin and don't tighten. It does stay in place but the stress is on the remaining attachment points. I'll fix this when I have time.
Joe is right, there is a lot of wiring behind that panel and if it's not managed correctly, it will place undue pressure against the fuse/breaker panel (like compressing a spring)stressing the panel and securing screws.

[WanderBC]

I just finished (in time for the Super Bowl XLV) replacing the original IDP-240B with a IDP-240SB, I ended up redoing about six wires due to nicks in the insulation when the sheathing was stripped off, added a bunch of time to the switch out, the worst one was the main 50amp line, both the red and black had exposed copper showing.

New panel is in with 10/3 out to inverter from main panel and back in from the inverter to the sub panel for now it just loops out and back, next is installing the inverter and batteries then the panels.

nick in shore power wire tough to see
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...10205-1417.jpg

Split bus panel
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...10205-1400.jpg

martin