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08-25-2014, 12:09 PM
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#1
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Aptos
Posts: 427
M.O.C. #11462
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Break Away lanyard box
Beware!! While traveling in Washington, my electric brake controller indicated an error. I pulled into the campground and noticed smoke coming from the bed of the truck. The break-away box was smoking and a fire started in the 4 square wiring box. Switched off batteries, disconnected everything, put out the fire before it got into the chase opening above to the coach. I found that the wire passing through one of the holes in the steel frame to the 4 square box had rubbed bare and all the wires were fried, break-away box melted. Yes, there was a fire in the box. About an hour later, another camper that pulled in next to me said his controller was showing an error. I showed and told him what happened to mine, and it was the same problem, just caught in time except for the melted box. This cost me about $500 to have it replaced and rewired.
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08-25-2014, 03:36 PM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
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Thanks for the heads up on it.
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08-25-2014, 03:42 PM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Eugene
Posts: 1,053
M.O.C. #5091
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Just another to check once in awhile.
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08-25-2014, 06:34 PM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Lake Gaston
Posts: 8,773
M.O.C. #12156
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Wow. 35 years towing trailers, 13 years pulling fifth wheels, and never had or hearted of that problem. Guess I am just lucky. Another thing to be aware of.
__________________
Mike and Lorraine
2002 3655 FL, 2005 3650RK
2010 3665RE, 2015 3910FB
F350 crew cab dually 6.7
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08-25-2014, 07:49 PM
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#5
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Wilsey
Posts: 18,799
M.O.C. #11455
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Same here. Totally new one for me, but another thing to watch for.
__________________
Dick, Joyce, Diego, Picatso and Gustav
2017 3720 RL, and 2013 HC 343RL
Pullrite Hitch, IS, Disk Brakes, 3rd AC, Winegard Traveler, Bathroom door mod, Dometic 320, couch for desk swap, replaced chairs, sun screens, added awnings, etc.
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08-25-2014, 09:49 PM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Hillsboro
Posts: 593
M.O.C. #8238
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I did not have a short or fire, thank goodness, but did have the brakes fail to work one time. Took a bit of sleuthing, but basically had a similar situation. Thought it was the truck controller at first, but it checked out. Then thought it was the wiring in the trailer frame, but that checked out too. So, took the four square box apart. All wires intact, or so I thought. As I wiggled and checked, I saw what I thought was a spark under one of the wire nuts. Discovered that one of the negative (white) wires had not been wrapped tightly with the other ones, and was just "laying" inside the wire nut. The spark was when I wiggled it and it made brief contact. Took everything apart, re-twisted all wires, and securely tightened all wire nuts. No further problems. On new 3425, didn't wait for a problem, opened box, undid all wire nuts and checked wires (found a couple that would have been a problem down the road) re-tightened everything up, and hopefully all will be OK. It is one of the annual preseason checks I now do.
__________________
Terry and Patsy
Vietnam Veteran, US Navy
2017 3810
2015 GMC Sierra 4X4 3500 SRW
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08-26-2014, 12:02 AM
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#7
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Sandpoint
Posts: 113
M.O.C. #12658
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Nice to know we just came up the I-15 from California through Montana and Northern Idaho. Spent 24 hours in the rain and on wet roads had similar thing happen with the breakaway switch. Had a supply line short message on the P3 controller. Spent the night just south of the 90, Thought the time of the road would allow things to dry out. In the AM still had same prob talked to my SIL who has been hot shotting (hauling Freight) across the country and into Canada, Recommended to pull the break away check for vapor /steam or smoke from wheels or break away, So I pulled the 7 way from the tv and pulled the break away no signs of any problems or fires.That was a good thing! Plugged the 7 way back in and Message is gone , I did manually activated the brakes did a tug test brakes are working great. SO off we go another 4 hours of rain and there it is again , I pulled off the road and Im thinking hey it worked last time it will work again, so I pulled the breakaway walk around the trailer everything is goo till I get to the breakaway and it is smoking. Yikes, I quickly plug the breakaway in run around the trailer again everything is good, till I get to the breakaway and now the breakaway way is melted wires are melting smoke pouring out of it I grab the cable pull it and only half the pin comes out with the cable. Double yikes grabbed the melting wires by the black wire loom yank them out of the break away, the guts of the switch fall out and the smoke and melting stop. Wow, now what to do?I don't have an extra breakaway so I cut the melted part of the wires off about 4" fold them back and tape with electrical tape. Check the P3 all looks good did the tug test again all is good. That was on Sat. today installed the new breakaway and all is good till i read this post, I think I better check my 4" box tomorrow! Wait why is this happening to us travelling in the PNW???
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