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Dometic AC Smoke and Roof Leak

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NCPinz

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Re: Dometic AC Smoke and Roof Leak
« Reply #15 on: August 20, 2024, 07:11:34 pm »
Significant Update - water leak appears to be fixed.  We've gone through a rain event and no leak.  One of the spots where sealant was applied was the wiring for the awning entering the coach.

Bigger update.  We found the source of the smoke and it wasn't the HVAC units despite smelling it at each.  On our last outing, we ended up having an issue of smoke when not just the front unit running but the rear as well.  We shut both down and ran on the roof fans planning on just driving home despite being there not even a day.  Sometime later that evening we realized that we were running on battery power.  Despite cycling the shore breaker and even changing to 30 amp, no power was coming in.

Fast forward a couple of weeks.  Accessed the EMS, tested, and even talked with Progressive Industries with an end conclusion that the EMS was operating correctly.  The next focus was the ATS.  Sure enough the negative lead was the problem.  The wire got hot enough that it melted the whole shore terminal block, insulation on both hot leads, and melted an aluminum bus / terminal bar on the shore.  The HVAC units were just circulating the smoke and were never the source.  I'm thinking a loose connection on the negative lead.

We have a replacement ATS on its way.  Fair warning for those with the 50 amp Intellitec ATS, they are not currently producing them as they are being redesigned.  Most places are out of stock.

Moral of the story - make a plan to check your wiring terminations that use mechanical connections. I'm planning on checking the EMS, ATS, main distribution panel, inverter/converter and genset connections annually.


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mikeh

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Re: Dometic AC Smoke and Roof Leak
« Reply #16 on: August 20, 2024, 08:17:37 pm »
Woah!  Significant issue!
I've not heard of another similar issue at the transfer switch, but a loose connection anywhere in the electrical routing is a serious problem.
Your plan of annually checking wiring connections may sound like overkill--but if it prevents a fire, it's sure not overkill on that occasion.
The other moral of this story is that we can't afford to ever ignore or disregard a serious symptom like an overheating smell or evidence of smoke.  You were proactive about chasing this symptom, and still the component had to finally fail before you found it.  I'm glad that happened before it caused a fire.
Mike

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LRUCH

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Re: Dometic AC Smoke and Roof Leak
« Reply #17 on: August 22, 2024, 12:29:17 am »
Very interesting and relieved you have found a root cause.  I don't believe in coincidences and thought I would link these 2 threads together... NCPINZ was asking for ideas on how to modify the cover over the Automatic Transfer Switch in order to check the wires connections easily and regularly,,, here:
https://forum.phoenixusarv.com/index.php?topic=5110.msg45454#msg45454



This weekend I will be checking mine!


Thanks for the followup and sharing your findings.


Larry
Larry

Not old & no Shih Tzu!   Take that RVTravel.Com!!!

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Ron Dittmer

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Re: Dometic AC Smoke and Roof Leak
« Reply #18 on: August 22, 2024, 06:41:15 pm »
The Power Transfer Switch in our 2007 (Automatic Transfer Switch, ATS) is so very simple compared to yours.  I wonder how it became so complex.
Ron (& Irene) Dittmer