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Had EVE LifePo4 3.2v 310ah. Flames shot up. We got fire out.

We have power to AC 2 on Quattro. Nothing connected to AC 1.

Is there anyway for me to get shore power to critical items in trailer?
 
upnorthandpersonal said:
Considering that the cells you had were made in March of 2020, I don't think this system was working in this configuration for five years. I know this doesn't help you right now, but it can be useful info later for you and others trying to figure out what went wrong.
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Right! Previous owner... had trailer about 4 years so I was guessing. I don't know the age of cells for sure.
 
upnorthandpersonal said:
Considering that the cells you had were made in March of 2020, I don't think this system was working in this configuration for five years. I know this doesn't help you right now, but it can be useful info later for you and others trying to figure out what went wrong.
Click to expand...
March 2020... how do you tell the age?
 
As stated earlier it is possible shore power if at 50 amps could be a factor. Typically 10 awg is limited to 30 amps, 12 and 14 gauge even less.

If there was a sudden increase in demand arcing is possible. If a cell was venting then the potential for a perfect storm exists.

When all is said and done troubleshooting the cause could prove invaluable to avoid future problems.
 
All AC and Shorepower was off at that point. Was trying to get a reading from Dali when this happened. Should have been nothing to Surge!
 
CharlieBB said:
Should have been nothing to Surge!
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I don't recall all your devices you have hooked up, but if you have multiple motors (like compressors in a freezer or fridge, I think you have 2 freezers and a fridge?) that happen to start up all at once, perhaps you could end up with a surge demand that exceeds 20 or 30A. Your 50A shore power can provide 50A. And if your system (wired for 20A or 30A, I'm not sure) exceeds the 20/30A and say is pulling 42 or 47A, then you could end up with arcing, melted wires, etc and sometimes in places you can't see where the damage was done. 50A extension cords are THICK. Even 20A extension cords are thick. Basic cheapo extension cords are good for 13-15A and it can be very easy to overpower a cheapo extension cord when multiple devices are being powered through it.

That said, surges are usually very short, like a fraction of a second and so it's possible that your >30A surges (if that's what's actually happening) are short enough to not cause too much stress on your extension cords. But it's a risk and if it happens multiple times every day, over the course of weeks and months, it cause cause enough heating and stress to the wiring and connections that eventually something starts to break down, get oxidized and then you're on the fast-track to arcing/charring/fire. Oxidized wire does not transfer electricity very well and will cause lots of heat and the trouble is, you can't always see it unless you cut the wire open and see it.

Also, please take my advice with a grain of salt. I'm just a home user, not an electrician, but I have learned from some of my electrical mistakes over the years and this forum has taught me a ton more on proper and safe (pesky electrical codes are there for a reason!) wiring practices.

edit: grammar
 
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I certainly wouldn’t want to be in a situation with a broken toe, overwhelming heat and no power.

Years ago in my college days we had a house fire because an extension cord was overheating.

Typically batteries don’t do this unless there was a trigger. Replacing cords and upgrading wires as needed could prove useful in preventing future failures regardless of using batteries or not.

Needless to say we are all curious. We never stop learning and if others can learn from this then it could serve useful.

Needless to say glad you and your property are safe! That is the most important thing.
 
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Trying to find answers to Quattro shore power concern right now.

Can we swap connections and move wires from AC 2 to AC1 so that we can boot up the Quattro and use shore power for now!
2:33 PM
 
upnorthandpersonal said:
Considering that the cells you had were made in March of 2020, I don't think this system was working in this configuration for five years. I know this doesn't help you right now, but it can be useful info later for you and others trying to figure out what went wrong.
Click to expand...

JJJJ said:
I certainly wouldn’t want to be in a situation with a broken toe, overwhelming heat and no power.

Years ago in my college days we had a house fire because an extension cord was overheating.

Typically batteries don’t do this unless there was a trigger. Replacing cords and upgrading wires as needed could prove useful in preventing future failures regardless of using batteries or not.

Needless to say we are all curious. We never stop learning and if others can learn from this then it could serve useful.

Needless to say glad you and your property are safe! That is the most important thing.
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Thank you.
 
Tomthumb62 said:
That said, surges are usually very short, like a fraction of a second and so it's possible that your >30A surges (if that's what's actually happening) are short enough to not cause too much stress on your extension cords. But it's a risk and if it happens multiple times every day, over the course of weeks and months, it cause cause enough heating and stress to the wiring
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12 awg ampacity is 30A, 10 awg ampacity is 40A. at least with 90C insulation; extension cords would be less.

Relatively short periods at that current would cause no damage at all. It takes a while for copper to heat up.
Repeated hits of current enough to trip a circuit breaker same current rating as wire ampacity will damage insulation - after about 100 times it is shot, from what I've read.

House wiring, 90C ampacity of 30A, breaker rating 20A, an overload of 30A for about 10 to 15 minutes will trip the breaker. In that case, wire was never over-current so not damaged. If wire was actually 20A ampacity, maybe an extension cord with lower temperature insulation, (30/20)^2 = 9/4, a bit over 2x the temperature rise, which would damage insulation.
 
I have only owned it a little over a year, but have been plugged in to 50a campground service with small 50/30amp plug adaptor. I have also run a generator on cloudy days. I wonder now if that was only boosting the batteries and not providing direct current for AC.
 
CharlieBB said:
I have also run a generator on cloudy days. I wonder now if that was only boosting the batteries and not providing direct current for AC.
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Your wiring pic showed that the EMS was connected to AC2 and nothing was connected to AC1 where i would expect the generator would be connected.
Can you tell where the generator output was sent? It may have been connected to a different battery charger than the Quattro.

Looking at your pic again. Is there anything connected to the Quattro AC out? Its partially concealed by the red wire.

You mentioned you were working on a wiring diagram. It would be mighty helpful as I think most of us (just me?) are trying to understand how your system is wired.
 
MisterSandals said:
You mentioned you were working on a wiring diagram. It would be mighty helpful as I think most of us (just me?) are trying to understand how your system is wired.
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Not just you.
I would also like to help. But haven't seen anything to go on, yet.
 
MisterSandals said:
Your wiring pic showed that the EMS was connected to AC2 and nothing was connected to AC1 where i would expect the generator would be connected.
Can you tell where the generator output was sent? It may have been connected to a different battery charger than the Quattro.

Looking at your pic again. Is there anything connected to the Quattro AC out? Its partially concealed by the red wire.

You mentioned you were working on a wiring diagram. It would be mighty helpful as I think most of us (just me?) are trying to understand how your system is wired.
Click to expand...
Person I purchased it from told me to plug shore power cord onto generator. Did not gave inboard generator. I bought a generator and had to add nuetral ground plug to it.
 
MisterSandals said:
Your wiring pic showed that the EMS was connected to AC2 and nothing was connected to AC1 where i would expect the generator would be connected.
Can you tell where the generator output was sent? It may have been connected to a different battery charger than the Quattro.

Looking at your pic again. Is there anything connected to the Quattro AC out? Its partially concealed by the red wire.

You mentioned you were working on a wiring diagram. It would be mighty helpful as I think most of us (just me?) are trying to understand how your system is wired.
Click to expand...
Geni/shore plugs into ems goes to ac2. No dedicated geni connection.
We are moving geni/shore connection to ac1.
Ac out connected to ac panel of trailer.

Sure hope this is correct.
 
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