Late night fire in the cruiser

[The Hedgehog]

So I am sleeping in the cruiser at 5:00 am and hear the A/C shut off. I sat up and peered into the main salon. I could see a glow from the area right next to the panel. I jumped up and grabbed a fire extinguisher. I ran over to see a nice electrical fire brewing up under my dash. I quickly put out the flames and grabbed my headlamp to survey the situation. Bad Business. I shut down all shore power and disconnected the lines. When the sun came up I got to do a full damage inspection. It appears that one of the terminal connection crimps worked loose causing it to heat up. Well after redoing all connections and replacing all possibly impacted wiring I am back in business.

This is some kind of scary stuff. Anyone else seen something like this?

[MOP]

Some glad it turned out OK!!!! Could have been a nasty situation, happy for you!!!!!!!

Phil

[Ghost]

Glad you're okay--nice reaction. Scary prospect.

[penbroke]

Good reaction indeed! Fire on a boat can get real ugly in a hurry. Glad it turned out ok in the end.

Checking all the connections every couple years or so like Scott said is a really good idea.


Frank

[zelatore]

Just be glad you were there to catch it!

I've had a couple small incidents along those lines happen over the years, but nothing too bad. One with fire, the other with water. Both times I was on board and was able to deal with it quickly before any real damage was done, but either could have done in the boat if left unattended.

[The Hedgehog]

Thanks guys.

Poodle: You can bet that I will be checking those connections on an annual basis at least from now on. Before this I would not have even thought of it.

I am still a little freaked out. I doubt that it would have happened while I was not on the boat but the thought of leaving for dinner with my dogs on the boat and A/C on will haunt me for a while.

[Morgan's Cloud]

That you were there to catch it ! !:nilly:


About three years ago a friend brought in a 2nd hand Mainship .After all import taxes paid , offloaded it from the docks / overboard and steamed it to a friend's dock. Later that evening his son bugged him continuously to go and see it .. 'Pop' finally yieled and they got in the car to go see it .
Moments after they got on board , pop was up in the F/bridge and the engine started to crank... He yells out to son to stop playing with the ignition but son says that he's not touching anything. After a few panicked moments smoke is found in the engine room and under the galley sink cupboard. Bright red wiring melting all over the place.
A fault caused by the original owner using inappropriate wires and they were , like you , lucky enought to be on the boat when the fault went 'live'.

Can you imagine loosing your 'new' boat on the same day you take delivery of it ? ?

[HOWARD O]

I am still a little freaked out. I doubt that it would have happened while I was not on the boat but the thought of leaving for dinner with my dogs on the boat and A/C on will haunt me for a while.

Wow, that's VERY scary. Glad it turned out okay and gave you a serious head's up to check everything. Yikes......

[gcarter]

Good save!
I had a main 30 A receptacle get hot once while on board in a marina in Ft. Myers. It was just a matter of unplugging and pulling out the receptacle to retighten the connections. Makes you think though.

[The Hedgehog]

Good save!
I had a main 30 A receptacle get hot once while on board in a marina in Ft. Myers. It was just a matter of unplugging and pulling out the receptacle to retighten the connections. Makes you think though.

It does. From what I have learned most of those types of problems are commonly associated with people letting the cord dangle from the outlet as the boat rocks around and so on.

I just hope that everyone who reads this will check their connections on a regular basis. Especially everything on the unprotected side of things.