NHTSA Complaint #10458296 — 2011 FOREST RIVER BERKSHIRE

ON MAY 13, 2012, THE OUTSIDE HIGH TEMPERATURE AT OUR LOCATION WAS 82 DEG F. WE HAD BOTH AIR CONDITIONER UNITS SET ON 71 INSIDE THE COACH. WE WERE ALSO WASHING A LOAD OF LAUNDRY. THE COACH WAS CONNECTED TO SHORE POWER WITH THE MANUFACTURER-SUPPLIED CORD. THE WASHING MACHINE STOPPED MID-OPERATION AND A BURNING ELECTRICAL SMELL WAS OBSERVED INSIDE THE COACH. UPON INSPECTION, NO BREAKERS OR FUSES WERE TRIPPED OR BURNED. AFTER CHECKING ALL ELECTRICAL OUTLETS IN THE COACH, WE DETERMINED THAT THE MICROWAVE AND REAR AIR CONDITIONER UNIT WERE BOTH NOT OPERATIONAL. THE WALL PLUGS THAT ARE ON THE SAME CIRCUIT AS THE WASHER/DRYER WERE ALSO NOT OPERATIONAL. WE DISCOVERED THAT THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM THE AUTOMATIC TRANSFER SWITCH IN ONE OF THE CARGO BAYS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE COACH. AFTER REMOVING THE COVER TO CHECK FOR DAMAGE, BURN MARKS ARE EVIDENT ON THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION POINTS AND ONE CAN EASILY SEE THAT WIRES HAVE MELTED/FUSED TOGETHER. THERE IS ALSO A BURN/SCORCH MARK ON THE INSIDE OF THE COVER PLATE. THE PART IN QUESTION IS THE IOTA ITS-50R. (MANUAL AVAILABLE HERE: HTTP://WWW.IOTAENGINEERING.COM/PPLIB/50RMAN.PDF ) THIS IS THE EXACT SAME PART INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V577000 WITH THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED BY FOREST RIVER. THIS COULD HAVE VERY EASILY CAUSED A FIRE AND OR/EXPLOSION. *JS