Could blow out damage cause this?

[roned2]

Went on a trip recently. Had two blowouts about an hour apart. Damage on both sides to wheel well area. Damage to holding tank connection and microwave shelf. About three days after I noticed the converter fan was not running. Then the lights started to dim. For a couple of days the battery recharged overnight. Then the fridge stopped working. The dealer says the converter is toast and the battery has a shorted cell and needs to be replaced. Could the electrical problems have occurred because of the blowouts or is this coincidental? I would like to have some information when I talk to my insurance company. Thanks.

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by roned2

Went on a trip recently. Had two blowouts about an hour apart. Damage on both sides to wheel well area. Damage to holding tank connection and microwave shelf. About three days after I noticed the converter fan was not running. Then the lights started to dim. For a couple of days the battery recharged overnight. Then the fridge stopped working. The dealer says the converter is toast and the battery has a shorted cell and needs to be replaced. Could the electrical problems have occurred because of the blowouts or is this coincidental? I would like to have some information when I talk to my insurance company. Thanks.

The converter and fridge could have been damaged from the interior damage if the tires tore up the fender wells and tire fragments damaged components and wiring inside the trailer. The battery............probably not. More likely old age.

The bigger question is why the tires blew..........We've seen reports of other 2008s with tire failure. My guess would be that it might have been due to the rubber valve stems on the tires. I seem to remember that there may have been a recall on those valve stems (made in China). When the valve stems give way, they leak air and the tire blows apart as you're going down the road due to low air pressure.

I hope that they installed steel valve stems with your new tires.

[roned2]

Not sure about the tires. There seem to be so many opinions here and from tire dealers as to the cause. Some say heat, under/over inflation, valve stems, bad tire lots, date codes on tires etc.
Why would you think a battery would be old at two years? Would it not have a longer life expectancy if properly maintained? Battery was checked regularly for fluid levels, and brought inside during the winter. I actually was amazed that after sitting through a winter inside that it would hold its charge when reconnected in the spring. What would cause a shorted cell?

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by roned2

Not sure about the tires. There seem to be so many opinions here and from tire dealers as to the cause. Some say heat, under/over inflation, valve stems, bad tire lots, date codes on tires etc.
Why would you think a battery would be old at two years? Would it not have a longer life expectancy if properly maintained? Battery was checked regularly for fluid levels, and brought inside during the winter. I actually was amazed that after sitting through a winter inside that it would hold its charge when reconnected in the spring. What would cause a shorted cell?

Usually, a shorted cell would be from lack of water and/or plate over-heating. An older battery might suffer from degradation of the plates.......could just be a defective battery.

You are right...... Batteries should have a longer life...... The problem is, a lot of batteries just fail early.....so do light bulbs.........for that matter.....so do people..... Batteries are not a perfect science.

[Bill]

Re damage to the converter and the refrig, I'm skeptical. Chunks of rubber would have to break through the floor and bash the mechanisms at high speed in order to hurt them. Are there any tire chunks lying around behind the refrig, or in the converter compartment? When a tire fails, it quite possible for it to break the tough plastic liner at the top of the wheel well, but even if that happens, I don't think that the refrigerator compartment, or the converter compartment under the bathtub, are opened up.

If you have insurance that pays for any of this, I'd be interested in hearing about it. Something like the Good Sam Extended Service Plan might help you ...

Bill

[roned2]

Update:
Insurance came through and paid for all repairs less deductible and tires. Converter had to be replaced as well as holding tank and damage in the wheel well areas. Probably unconnected but the gas stopped working on that trip as well. Needed new regulator. Looking forward to heading out again. Big trip to the Gaspe in Quebec planned for September.

ohhhh. Gaspe is nice. We spent a few days at Bic Provincial Park (quebecer's call it a National Park). Very nice. The non-serviced sites are further from the road and worth it.