Soot and Melted Carpet After Dealer Electrical Repair

[pipepro1]

After taking my RV to the dealer due to an electrical problem when I got it back I put the slides out to clean it for a trip. In the small hallway between the bedroom and kitchen there was soot on the carpet and the edge of the carpet fibers melted. I contacted the dealer and he denied any wrongdoing. There is no way I can prove they did this. I did have a small de humidifier in the general area but it shows no signs of fire damage. The stripe in the carpet was caused by my finger. They did find a blown fuse they said was the cause of the exhaust fans not working. I'm baffled. What looks like wires is actually the carpet threads.

 

[Rene T]

I would speak to the service manager now and if that doesn’t work, see the GM. You may have to threaten with the words small claims court

 

[Kirk]

Before I did anything else, I would want to find out the source of the soot. I can't tell if the soot is in a slide, or was it behind the slide, or somewhere else? If in the slide, is the slide in or out in the picture? To me, it looks like the source of that soot was inside of the wall because it came out along the baseboard. Is there wiring inside of that wall that might have overheated?

 

[Domo]

Always take time-date stamped photos and video of the inside, outside and contents of anything you drop at some vendor. Include a statement written of the service order that those photos are available for reference in case of loss or damage resulting from service. Include a picture of an employee with the service order unsigned on the counter...

 

[Derby6]

How does it look when all cleaned up? Doesn’t make it right but if it cleans up and looks OK I’d just move on.

 

[bigbAZ]

Where do they park them at the RV shop? Could be someone homeless camped under it with a campfire.

 

[OldWEB]

Are those "paw prints" in the soot and why is there carpet threads?
Also, is the slide the top part?

 

[whiteva]

OK maybe this is outside the box however when I worked part time for a local dealer I noticed that one RV was parked really close to another for service. One was a diesel MH with the exhaust just inches from the side of a TT. MH was running really rough and when I went into the TT it smelled horrible. The techs didn't seem concerned and actually PO that I spoke with the service mgr. MH was moved outside the stall.
Just a thought about your unit, seeing how the soot came from the seam of the side. I know I would be very angry if that happened to me. Another reason that causes me to DIY most every repair on our equipment.
(Except now I will have to take my new auto to the dealer if the battery has to be changed so they can syncro the new battery to the computer on board. Estimated to cost $300 bucks for battery and labor. ( I bet the sons of a dog will charge hundreds to clean the distributor points and call it progress (sic))

 

[Kirk]

How does it look when all cleaned up?

If it were me, I would find the source of the soot first. If there is a problem in that wall it might catch on fire the next time it happens. It is vital to know that it will not happen again!

Could be someone homeless camped under it with a campfire.

I would think that if the source came from something outside of the RV then there would be some trace of it on the outside, even if it had been wiped off.

 

[pipepro1]

Are those "paw prints" in the soot and why is there carpet threads?
Also, is the slide the top part?

No I don't think they are paw prints I was feeling around

 

[pipepro1]

OK maybe this is outside the box however when I worked part time for a local dealer I noticed that one RV was parked really close to another for service. One was a diesel MH with the exhaust just inches from the side of a TT. MH was running really rough and when I went into the TT it smelled horrible. The techs didn't seem concerned and actually PO that I spoke with the service mgr. MH was moved outside the stall.
Just a thought about your unit, seeing how the soot came from the seam of the side. I know I would be very angry if that happened to me. Another reason that causes me to DIY most every repair on our equipment.
(Except now I will have to take my new auto to the dealer if the battery has to be changed so they can syncro the new battery to the computer on board. Estimated to cost $300 bucks for battery and labor. ( I bet the sons of a dog will charge hundreds to clean the distributor points and call it progress (sic))carpet started to melt the white sprouts are

The carpet actually started to melt that is what looks like white sprouts, carpet fibers

 

[pipepro1]

If it were me, I would find the source of the soot first. If there is a problem in that wall it might catch on fire the next time it happens. It is vital to know that it will not happen again!

I would think that if the source came from something outside of the RV then there would be some trace of it on the outside, even if it had been wiped off.

The fire was actually between 2 slides over the fresh water tank. IMO when they tracked down the blown fuse and replaced it there is a short in the system that caused the fuse to blow that they showed me. I checked all the fuses myself and there was 1 blown fuse that I replaced, so all the fuses were good before I took it in. But they show me a blown fuse as the cause of there not being any power to the exhaust fans.

 

[Kirk]

The fire was actually between 2 slides over the fresh water tank.

Which makes it even more likely that there is something wrong in that wall. Look to see if there is any indication of the problem on the outside of the location or even under it. Something caused the smoke and I very much doubt that replacing a fuse would remove the cause.

 

[pipepro1]

Which makes it even more likely that there is something wrong in that wall. Look to see if there is any indication of the problem on the outside of the location or even under it. Something caused the smoke and I very much doubt that replacing a fuse would remove the cause.

The fresh water tank is directly under it. I'm heading outside to put the slides out and look under both of them

 

[Kirk]

Try to find the area immediately below the soot marks inside. Something significant caused that and a fire in an RV wall is a very dangerous thing.

 

[pipepro1]

Try to find the area immediately below the soot marks inside. Something significant caused that and a fire in an RV wall is a very dangerous thing.

I checked under both slides and there is no indication of a fire. How do I check underneath without taking the floor up and carpet. I cleaned it up a little

 

[Kirk]

Is there a storage bay below the floor or an enclosure for the water tank? Any possible way to see underside of the floor where it was? And do you know what caused this spot on the wall?

 

[pipepro1]

Is there a storage bay below the floor or an enclosure for the water tank? Any possible way to see underside of the floor where it was? And do you know what caused this spot on the wall?
View attachment 2503773

There is a basement compartment but the fresh water tank is above that compartment I think that mark on the wall is totally unrelated. Maybe I will check with my insurance agent tomorrow because I may have to open the wall.
IMO the only wires under there could be the level sensor wires for the fresh water tank.

 

[kolsen]

Does your fresh water tank have a heating pad?

 

[pipepro1]

Does your fresh water tank have a heating pad?

No not that I know of