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  1. #1
    Seasoned Camper Luv2Ski's Avatar
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    Potential Fire Hazard?

    Has anyone at GD looked into this potential fire hazard problem? Is it true that D.O.T. requires unprotected/unfused battery power to the breakaway switch as some have surmised?

    http://www.mygrandrv.com/for...al-Fire-Hazard

    I IM'ed Bill Martin about it but haven't heard anything back.

    Thanks,
    Steve
    Steve and Cheryl

    2017 Momentum 328M w/Dual Pane Windows and 3rd A/C. Aftermarket mods: Titan EOH Disc Brakes, MORryde IS suspension and Reese 5th Airborne Sidewinder pin box
    2014 Ram 3500 Longhorn Megacab 4x4 DRW with 6.7 HD Cummins Turbo Diesel, AISIN trans, 3.73 axles and a Reese 20K puck mount hitch
    Call sign: AAØSB, Class: Extra



  2. #2
    Site Sponsor orbiker's Avatar
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    I've seen a short to ground on a motorcycle. It wasn't pretty after it was over with.
    Backpacker and tent camper all my life, including BSA as a kid and adult.
    Motorcycle trips across the USA with a tent - 1978 to Present.
    02-10-2005 - 2002 F350 SWD PSD and 2003 Citation 10'8S mostly for Crater Lake Ski Patrol.
    10-29-2015 - 2016 Grand Design 380TH. It's HUGE compared to a camper.
    10-19-2018 - traded truck for a 2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie CC 4 X 4 Long Box.
    03-16-2019 - Traded Momentum for a New 2018 374TH-R Solitude
    FULL TIME RV'er Nov 2021

  3. #3
    Paid my dues 😁 FT4NOW's Avatar
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    I'm curious on this as well, i just added the 40A CB fuse to my Amazon cart yesterday, talk about timing.

    Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
    2023 Momentum 398M-R
    2023 Ford F-450

    SOLD - 2021 Reflection 311BHS
    SOLD - 2017 Momentum 399TH

  4. #4
    Big Traveler RamGunner's Avatar
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    I have heard others say that the connection to the battery must be "uninterrupted", but in a search this morning I was unable to find that wording. DOT FMSCA 393.43 seems to have the most complete wording, but doesn't state anything about the power source other than that it must provide braking for at least 15 minutes...

    (d)Breakaway braking requirements for trailers. Every trailer required to be equipped with brakes shall have brakes which apply automatically and immediately upon breakaway from the towing vehicle. With the exception of trailers having three or more axles, all brakes with which the trailer is required to be equipped must be applied upon breakaway from the towing vehicle. The brakes must remain in the applied position for at least 15 minutes.

    I see references to systems that have separate, dedicated batteries for the breakaway system as well as systems that use the main trailer batteries, but nothing relating to fusing the circuit.
    Editor - www.RamGunner.com and www.MomentumGunner.com
    2014 Ram 3500 Tradesman/CTD/AISIN/4.10/4WD/CC/LB/DRW/VHF/UHF/APRS/CB/SCANNER
    B&W RVK3600 5th Wheel Hitch/Reese 30140 Gooseneck Ball/Gen-Y HDGH-604 Receiver
    2016 Momentum 385TH (Internal LAN/AV Distribution/Polaris RZR 800 EPS/CB/SCANNER/VHF/UHF/APRS and HF for World-Wide Communications)

  5. #5
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
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    RamGunner - Good find. I was searching for something about this, but you found it first.

    I think Steve (Luv2Ski) has a really good point and having a fuse/CB in that circuit would not prevent compliance with DOT FMSCA 393.43. This is a good safety related find (IMHO) and something that I will add to my RV as part of my upgrade to disc brakes.

    Rob
    Cate & Rob
    2015 Reflection 303RLS

  6. #6
    Site Sponsor orbiker's Avatar
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    What is the load of the circuit?
    4 brakes
    6 brakes
    Backpacker and tent camper all my life, including BSA as a kid and adult.
    Motorcycle trips across the USA with a tent - 1978 to Present.
    02-10-2005 - 2002 F350 SWD PSD and 2003 Citation 10'8S mostly for Crater Lake Ski Patrol.
    10-29-2015 - 2016 Grand Design 380TH. It's HUGE compared to a camper.
    10-19-2018 - traded truck for a 2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie CC 4 X 4 Long Box.
    03-16-2019 - Traded Momentum for a New 2018 374TH-R Solitude
    FULL TIME RV'er Nov 2021

  7. #7
    Seasoned Camper Luv2Ski's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by orbiker View Post
    What is the load of the circuit?
    4 brakes
    6 brakes
    I ended up responding here so that this thread remains more aligned to the subject of DOT regs and GD's response to the issue.
    Steve and Cheryl

    2017 Momentum 328M w/Dual Pane Windows and 3rd A/C. Aftermarket mods: Titan EOH Disc Brakes, MORryde IS suspension and Reese 5th Airborne Sidewinder pin box
    2014 Ram 3500 Longhorn Megacab 4x4 DRW with 6.7 HD Cummins Turbo Diesel, AISIN trans, 3.73 axles and a Reese 20K puck mount hitch
    Call sign: AAØSB, Class: Extra



  8. #8
    Seasoned Camper Luv2Ski's Avatar
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    Resurrecting this thread in light of the fire/personal injury recalls on the Reflection TTs and 5-ers (18V-729 & 18V-764). Note how limited their time period scope is. I think this problem is the same one I found in 2017 and posted above and here. Also note that GD was informed in 04/2017.

    Here's the recall link I saw on the FB forum today. The recalls listed are 18V-764 & 18V-729.

    [Edited to fix the link above.]
    Last edited by Luv2Ski; 09-23-2019 at 06:58 PM.
    Steve and Cheryl

    2017 Momentum 328M w/Dual Pane Windows and 3rd A/C. Aftermarket mods: Titan EOH Disc Brakes, MORryde IS suspension and Reese 5th Airborne Sidewinder pin box
    2014 Ram 3500 Longhorn Megacab 4x4 DRW with 6.7 HD Cummins Turbo Diesel, AISIN trans, 3.73 axles and a Reese 20K puck mount hitch
    Call sign: AAØSB, Class: Extra



  9. #9
    Site Sponsor Scocciante's Avatar
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    I might not be getting the Gist of the concern but the circuit doesn't get activated until the trailer becomes "Disconnected from the truck" at that time the breakaway is activated.
    Now At that point and time i think a fire would be the least of your problems. ??
    2020 Grand Design Solitude 344GK
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    2007 GMC Topkick C5500 Duramax 6.6
    1 Wife 3 Scotties


  10. #10
    Seasoned Camper Luv2Ski's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scocciante View Post
    I might not be getting the Gist of the concern but the circuit doesn't get activated until the trailer becomes "Disconnected from the truck" at that time the breakaway is activated.
    Now At that point and time i think a fire would be the least of your problems. ??
    The trailer could roll in a breakaway scenario and pin someone in their car. If the hitch isn't securely latched, the trailer could break away at low speed in the storage yard and contact another RV. Or it could swerve during braking away on a city street blocking the road, jamming traffic under an overpass (happened in Denver recently and 4 people died). Maybe the breakaway pin gets pulled out after the wire gets caught on something in the truck bed during a turn or when unhitching. In all of these cases adding fire to the accident could be a HUGE problem.

    The main point of the original post, as well as the reason NHTSA independently issued the recall on Reflections, is that fire could happen in situations other than a genuine highway speed separation somewhere in a desert. Many of us test the system regularly before we set out on a trip. Thats how I discovered that the breakaway switch that came from the factory didn't work. GD QC apparently missed it.

    Finally, it's dangerous not to protect the positive supply conductors - switched or otherwise - in a negative ground system. The insulation can fail for a multitude of reasons (too near a heat source, abrasion, collision impact, etc., crimps can pull apart, the switch itself can become damaged and short its hot side to its groundsed mounting surface, etc.
    Steve and Cheryl

    2017 Momentum 328M w/Dual Pane Windows and 3rd A/C. Aftermarket mods: Titan EOH Disc Brakes, MORryde IS suspension and Reese 5th Airborne Sidewinder pin box
    2014 Ram 3500 Longhorn Megacab 4x4 DRW with 6.7 HD Cummins Turbo Diesel, AISIN trans, 3.73 axles and a Reese 20K puck mount hitch
    Call sign: AAØSB, Class: Extra



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