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ELECTRICAL FIRE WARNING – 20w Halogen Bulbs
UPDATE: 8:55PM Eastern Time 7/25
Upon closer examination, I believe I discovered the cause. The light wiring lays directly below a 2″ hole in plywood that supports an un-insulated metal cruise air supply duct.
I’m guessing that when the light was on when the AC was also on, the heat from the halogen bulb created condensation which infiltrated the crimp wire connections creating electrical heat. Am surprised no fuse ever blew, but this light still operated.
ORIGINAL POST:
If you have 20 watt halogen bulbs for interior lighting, check the wiring without delay! (and, consider replacing them with LEDs without delay)
I recently read a Facebook post by a 2006 Liberty owner showing a much less yet similar wiring issue, which led me to check mine AND WHAT I FOUND WAS NEAR CATASTROPHIC.
Fortunately, I never use this bulb other than when I accidentally hit the wrong light switch and immediately turn it back off.
All other halogen bulbs had been replaced, yet when I searched for replacements for these vanity sink lights, I could not find a replacement for the pictured 20 watt “projection” bulb, but did today on amazon. It is a MR11 LED with a voltage range of 12 – 30 vdc
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5 Replies
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Jeff:
Thank god you found that before something terrible happened.
There has been more than a few yachts burn down because a halogen light fixture was mounted in the swing of a door. As Murphy’s Law would have it, the door was not latched open or latched completely closed and ended up with the door swing resting under a halogen bulb in turn catching the door on fire then spreading from there.
I have to attend fire school every 5 years to keep my License current and every 5 years they show us the same video of a room catching on fire from the spark of a bad lamp wire. The room is fully engulfed in 3 MINUTES. Most people don’t realize how few precious minutes you have before a area is completely engulfed and out of control with not chance of recovery.
Chuck
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We had Austin Hicks (Olympia Luxury Coaches, Murfreesboro, TN) change all the halogen lights to LED puck lights. Relatively inexpensive and they make the Coach interior look Amazing!
We changed all lighting, closets, pantries, under the bed, etc. (with the exception of the Tivoli rope lighting) out to LED’s…as well as, all exterior lights all around. Big improvement!
Fortunately, wiring was in excellent shape – especially for a 20+ year old Coach. But, it was reassuring to have it all checked.
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Very blessed indeed, Chuck! I was shocked to discover it.
And, WOW on your fire fighting info…really makes one think / be mentally prepared for a quick exit.
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Hi Greg – good decision on your part! Less amperage plus super nice lighting. All of mine had been changed out except for that one, and those above each vanity sink. They will soon be changed out if the replacements are indeed the exact match 🙂
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I have found that lines which have higher amperage (quartz lights) do NOT work very well with “spade connectors”. I have found in an unlabled electric junction box behind a wall in the closet in my 97 Royale. 2 relays and bundles of wires with pade connectors which seem to “ARC”, and get very hot to the point of burning wires.
I guess the connectors of 22 years need to be felt for heat and checked for burns.
Jonathan Fine
“FOOLS PARADISE”
97 ROYALE #201
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