Posted 2009-02-12 12:50 PM (#99371 - in reply to #99369) Subject: RE: Bison Trailers Starting on Fire
Veteran
Posts: 188 Location: Kinston, NC
All electric jacks should have a breaker, ours come with the breaker already installed. Also, there should be a breaker (we use 80 amp) coming off the 12V.
Posted 2009-02-12 1:57 PM (#99383 - in reply to #98851) Subject: RE: Bison Trailers Starting on Fire
Member
Posts: 29 Location: Charleston SC
I own a 2006 Bison and did have the recall on the frige and it was repaired by a RV dealer. I also have an electric jack and it does have a breaker between the battery and the jack motor it came that way from the factory.
Posted 2009-02-12 3:21 PM (#99387 - in reply to #98851) Subject: RE: Bison Trailers Starting on Fire
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
I don't have a Bison trailer. But I do have a trailer that has a AM series "Equalizer System" hydraulic jack.... I traced the #4 gauge wire from the solenoid all the way back to the battery, there's no fuse or breaker. So if the solenoid or the wire between it and the battery goes to ground, then we to, will have a fire. According to the jack mfg., a fuse is not required, they leave it up to the trailer mfg.'s discretion...... This is what I found in the "Equalizer System" installation instructions.
Battery Connections for MTE Style Pump with Manual Override
Battery Lead (+12volts):
Attach a #4 gauge wire between the positive 12-volt terminal on the battery and the
large post on the solenoid opposite the black motor wire on the solenoid.
Do not fuse this lead.
Pump Ground (-12volts):
Attach a #4 gauge wire between the negative 12-volt terminal on the battery and the
ground stud located directly in front of the motor.
Posted 2009-02-13 5:13 PM (#99433 - in reply to #99432) Subject: RE: Bison Trailers Starting on Fire
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
Originally written by gabz on 2009-02-13 5:52 PM
Thanks Retento for doing some investigating.
So... did you fix your's? (will you?)
Pump motor calls for 65 amps. I'm going to install a 80 amp fuse at the battery.... It is disconnected at the battery at this time, until I round up a couple of 80 amp fuses and a fuse holder.
Posted 2009-02-17 8:27 AM (#99610 - in reply to #99369) Subject: RE: Bison Trailers Starting on Fire
New User
Posts: 3
OMG!!!! I have a Bison....why is it going to catch on fire...I logged on today to put up a post asking the question "why does my trailer have a burning smell" Everytime I take it somewhere and my battery disonnect is pulled out, in the on position, it smells like something is "hot" inside the LQ if I push it in and turn it off the smell goes away. It only gets that way when I'm hauling. When the trailer is home and is plugged up it's fine.
I had no idea about the recall on the fridge....ya'll need to fill me in!!!! Show season is starting and my daughter and I will be on the road a lot. I don't want my trailer to burn up!!! Help!
Posted 2009-02-17 9:59 AM (#99621 - in reply to #98851) Subject: RE: Bison Trailers Starting on Fire
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 420 Location: Florida
Just had my fridge corrected yesterday. The RV dealer did a great job! Took almost 1.5 hours. There was a stud in the way so they pulled my fridge. Everything worked out fine.
Glad I read this one. We leave our Pup behind in the rig and the rig is connected to our truck. That would be a bad day!
Posted 2009-02-21 6:23 PM (#99842 - in reply to #98851) Subject: RE: Bison Trailers Starting on Fire
Member
Posts: 39 Location: Indianapolis, IN
Just a few thoughts on the last few posts:We have not heard multiple people tell us other brands are having problems catching on fire, it is only Bison, that is why I posted what I did. If people were calling up telling us "BRAND X" was catching in fire in numbers, I would report that for safety reasons.The American Spirit trailers with RC conversions are fairly good trailers. We had very little problems with those trailers. I know that at the end of our relationship American Spirit was starting to build their own LQs, and we have no experience with them. I spoke with the owner a few weeks back and he said if we wanted to start working with them again, they would be happy to have us back. The employee at American Spirit who canceled us as a dealer is no longer with American Spirit. Seeing as we do not stock or sell a competitive brand to Bison, I am not sure what financial gain people are thinking I am getting from this post. If anyone would like to let me know what that gain is, I would be happy to address it.To retento, I suggest you use the rated fuse per the manufacturer's specification. Using a higher rated amp fuse somewhat defeats the purpose of using the fuse at all.
Posted 2009-02-21 7:26 PM (#99847 - in reply to #99842) Subject: RE: Bison Trailers Starting on Fire
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
Originally written by billmrmi on 2009-02-21 7:23 PM
Just a few thoughts on the last few posts:We have not heard multiple people tell us other brands are having problems catching on fire, it is only Bison, that is why I posted what I did. If people were calling up telling us "BRAND X" was catching in fire in numbers, I would report that for safety reasons.The American Spirit trailers with RC conversions are fairly good trailers. We had very little problems with those trailers. I know that at the end of our relationship American Spirit was starting to build their own LQs, and we have no experience with them. I spoke with the owner a few weeks back and he said if we wanted to start working with them again, they would be happy to have us back. The employee at American Spirit who canceled us as a dealer is no longer with American Spirit. Seeing as we do not stock or sell a competitive brand to Bison, I am not sure what financial gain people are thinking I am getting from this post. If anyone would like to let me know what that gain is, I would be happy to address it.To retento, I suggest you use the rated fuse per the manufacturer's specification. Using a higher rated amp fuse somewhat defeats the purpose of using the fuse at all.
Mr. Bill, At the moment... It has no fuse, Equalizer don't even suggest that a fuse be used. They say "Do not fuse this lead". It takes 65 amps to run the pump.... Got to have a little margin or else it will blow a fuse everytime you jack the trailer up. That's the reason I'm using the 80 amp fuse, rather than a 65 amp, or as Equalizer suggest.... No fuse.
Posted 2009-02-21 9:15 PM (#99853 - in reply to #98851) Subject: RE: Bison Trailers Starting on Fire
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
Retento,
What about a slow blow fuse or breaker similar to ones used on air conditioners and other motors with a high initial starting draw? You would then be protecting your running circuit, with the proper amperage needed for a continuous operation.
Posted 2009-02-22 6:28 AM (#99860 - in reply to #98851) Subject: RE: Bison Trailers Starting on Fire
Member
Posts: 21
Location: Kentucky
"The employee at American Spirit who canceled us as a dealer is no longer with American Spirit". At least you have confirmed the rumor. And an employee is the "tool" of the company. Bottom line, no matter who called or sent a letter, American Spirit Manufacturing dropped you as a dealer.
Posted 2009-02-22 6:39 AM (#99861 - in reply to #98851) Subject: RE: Bison Trailers Starting on Fire
Expert
Posts: 1283 Location: Home of Wild Turkey Whiskey
There are only a few reasons that a manufacturer would drop a dealer, one would be you aren't selling enough of their product, another would be that you could have a public image problem. Getting on a public horse trailer forum and bashing any brand of trailer would cause the second. I sell equipment for a living, I have always had great sucess in selling the features and benefits of my product, not trying to berate the competitors. So as you continue to spout off in a public forum about the very products that you sell. I would just say that the thousands of people that visit this site a day, good chance that some of those are manufacturers or their reps. JMHO
Posted 2009-02-22 10:51 AM (#99883 - in reply to #98851) Subject: RE: Bison Trailers Starting on Fire
Member
Posts: 27 Location: Mi.
The #4 wire will handle up to 200 amps at 20 feet or less total lengthof circuit,supply and return. The usual rule of thumb for fuse sizing is 150% to 200% of current draw of the device. The wire size and 80 amp fuse for the jack are on the very safe side in my opinion.
Posted 2009-02-23 2:33 PM (#100004 - in reply to #98851) Subject: RE: Bison Trailers Starting on Fire
Member
Posts: 39 Location: Indianapolis, IN
HWBar,
When it comes to people's safety, I will continue to "spout" off. If it tarnishes my image, then so be it. It appears that several people have read this post and have benefited from it. I am sure many others that did not post back also received some benefit.
Posted 2009-02-26 2:19 PM (#100227 - in reply to #98851) Subject: RE: Bison Trailers Starting on Fire
Member
Posts: 39 Location: Indianapolis, IN
Spoke with the owner of American Spirit this week. They provided us with quotes for a trailer, so I guess the action of the "tool" has been overridden.
Posted 2009-02-26 2:42 PM (#100231 - in reply to #100227) Subject: RE: Bison Trailers Starting on Fire
Expert
Posts: 1283 Location: Home of Wild Turkey Whiskey
Originally written by billmrmi on 2009-02-26 2:19 PM
Spoke with the owner of American Spirit this week. They provided us with quotes for a trailer, so I guess the action of the "tool" has been overridden.
I get a feeling if I called him, I could get a trailer quoted also. They have been selling them direct on E-bay you know?
So I'm not sure that this would be a feather in your dealer hat if you know what I mean.
Posted 2009-02-27 1:19 PM (#100307 - in reply to #98851) Subject: RE: Bison Trailers Starting on Fire
New User
Posts: 1
Location: California
Hwbar hit it on the nose. I think they would sell or quote a trailer to any dealer or directly to any individual that has the cash to buy it. So being proud to once again (supposedly) represent a manufacturer that chooses to do business that way, would not be something that I would be bragging about.
Bison Trailers Starting on Fire
