Fire?" Fire!!!!

[ricohman]

I am a new boat owner with an old boat.
I bought a '79 Starcraft tri hull with an 80hp Mercury. I had to put a new axle under the trailer (as the PO likes dusty bearings) and weld some fenders on and install a rectifier and new tanks. It seems the PO liked leaky old gas tanks?
So I thought the threat of fire was over and I was cruising around today doing some fishing as that was why I bought this tri hull.

Good times.

After a good day I was cruising back to the dock when I noticed the lowrance was off. Then I smelled smoke. Then I saw an orange glow underneath the dash over the passenger foot well. Fire? Fire!
I looked under the dash and saw burning plastic dripping from some wires. I stupidly reached up to pull them off and burnt my hand.
I then went to the rear and disconnected the battery.
Then I got a rag wet and smothered the burning cord.
I then saw a lamp cord that had been cut off and used to wire the lowrance. A brown cracked cord with two ends twisted onto the lowrance harnes. Not even tape at the connection. What a mess. The harness is melted right up to the unit. What a pile of hidden crap.
Stay safe everyone!

 

[oops!]

Re: Fire?" Fire!!!!

lol.....my friend.....in sooo sorry

i can tell by the way you are writing about welding and swapping bearings...that you kinda have a klu about what you are doing.

the sad part is 14 posts into i boats and you are posting in S.H.T.

crying shame........

welcome to iboats !

cheers
oops

 

[j_martin]

Re: Fire?" Fire!!!!

I remember in the late 70's, I think on Minnetonka, a pretty new, pretty nice bass boat had a forward fuel tank, plumbed with a rubber hose down the gunwale, and a forward depth finder also wired down the same gunwale with a piece of lamp cord, no fuse of course.

It shorted out in the bow, and the wire became red hot, burned through the fuel line, and ignited it. Boat became fully involved in flames in seconds. 2 fishermen went over the side and swam for their lives. Boat burned down to the water line and sank.

I remember because I had thought through the bad wiring and my boat was wired with manifold breakers, marine primary wire, and good connectors. Several friends brought me their boats to get re-wired properly.

Just out of curiosity. Do you have a fire extinguisher in your boat now?

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Fire?" Fire!!!!

Boat burned down to the water line and sank.

Of course it did...did you expect it to burn below the water line???

 

[ricohman]

Re: Fire?" Fire!!!!

I am heading out today and yes, I now have a BC extinguisher!
Here is a pic of where the fire started. Good news is I managed to find the schematic of the lowrance on the internet and wire a power cord using the remains of the melted plug. The unit seems to work so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
And I installed a 3 amp fuse.
Pic of the lamp cord.

I am going to move this thing to a better location. But the lowrance harness hanging out of the dash gave no clue to how bad the wiring was.
This pic was taken 20 minutes before the fire started.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Fire?" Fire!!!!

I watched a properly rigged wire harness short and melt. After that, I got a battery switch and keep that battery off when the boat is moored or on the trailer. It would also allow me to cut all power instantly if there is a melt down.

Sorry about your "new" boat experience!

 

[ricohman]

Re: Fire?" Fire!!!!

I watched a properly rigged wire harness short and melt. After that, I got a battery switch and keep that battery off when the boat is moored or on the trailer. It would also allow me to cut all power instantly if there is a melt down.

Sorry about your "new" boat experience!

Thats a great idea. I have one one my FJ40. I never thought of using it in a boat. I have one in the garage and its a big rotory style marine unit. It would look good mounted in the rear above the battery.

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: Fire?" Fire!!!!

Fuses....they are just so important. I've heard soooo many times..."It's just 12 Volt, what can happen?" Fire can happen...amperage is amperage regardless of the voltage and amperage makes creates heat when not sized properly.

Glad it didn't do more damage than that....

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: Fire?" Fire!!!!

Sorry about the fire. I have a 6 year old alumacraft, the fuse box went bad, just replaced, realized there was no main fuse so put a 20 amp main fuse off battery as there was 12 gauge wire from battery so if there is a short to the fuse box.