DustLu
Guest
Hello all,
travelling over the Cuillin on Skye last week when there was a loud crack under the passenger seat, sparks, lots of smoke and smell of burning.
Fortunately able to pull into a lay-by instantly, chuck wife, sprog and dog out and break out the Lidl's fire extinguisher. Maybe should have run and hid?
The insulation to the leisure battery under the seat was ablaze, so I put that out. The extinguisher ran out, and then the wiring to the transformer/rectifier under the driver's seat got going!
Manage to switch off box and pull out a handful of wiring, plugs and fuses (all in the space of about 10 seconds, I hasten to add) then stood back and hoped for the best.
It all calmed down eventually, but all the wiring under the cab seats is a melted mess.
Disconnected everything to do with habitation electrics from the engine battery and proceeded with an acute sense of smell to the nearest fire-extinguisher shop in Portree for a replacement. Then rented a cottage! Van still driveable, but obviously nothing from the cab back works.
Very lucky escape for us all, but the consequences could be dire.
Any thoughts or comments as to cause or what to do next would be welcome. Insurance company has been informed, and we wait to see what the claims department make of it...
Otherwise it was a jolly good holiday!
Cheers
Dust
travelling over the Cuillin on Skye last week when there was a loud crack under the passenger seat, sparks, lots of smoke and smell of burning.
Fortunately able to pull into a lay-by instantly, chuck wife, sprog and dog out and break out the Lidl's fire extinguisher. Maybe should have run and hid?
The insulation to the leisure battery under the seat was ablaze, so I put that out. The extinguisher ran out, and then the wiring to the transformer/rectifier under the driver's seat got going!
Manage to switch off box and pull out a handful of wiring, plugs and fuses (all in the space of about 10 seconds, I hasten to add) then stood back and hoped for the best.
It all calmed down eventually, but all the wiring under the cab seats is a melted mess.
Disconnected everything to do with habitation electrics from the engine battery and proceeded with an acute sense of smell to the nearest fire-extinguisher shop in Portree for a replacement. Then rented a cottage! Van still driveable, but obviously nothing from the cab back works.
Very lucky escape for us all, but the consequences could be dire.
Any thoughts or comments as to cause or what to do next would be welcome. Insurance company has been informed, and we wait to see what the claims department make of it...
Otherwise it was a jolly good holiday!
Cheers
Dust