# Hobby 750FLC wiring fire



## Swifty16

Hobby 750 flc 2011
I bought a new 2011 model in april 2012, on June 14th 2013 whilst in France and when stationary a wiring fire developed under the drivers seat, this could have been very serious had we be asleep. 
Has anyone heard of similar cases. ?


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## Kev1

Our friends have a Hobby
and they had problems with the batteries getting hot and smelling


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## vicdicdoc

Is there battery located under the seat or electrical wiring caught or being squashed ?


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## wbafc

Kev is right we have a 2011 750 RL and whilst on EHU the smell was overpowering when I placed my hand under the drivers seat it was very hot and the cooling fan was continuously running. It turned out that the GEL batteries had ceased to function correctly and where effectively cooking (although holding their charge).

The dealer we purchased the MH from said that they had had this before with GEL batteries and suggested Lead Acid replacements which I agreed to. Since then no overheating and no smell.

Is this any help?


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## Swifty16

Hi All,
Yes all very helpful thank you
My Toskana has Gel batteries, never smelt any thing before though, everything got so hot under the seat it burst into flames there is so much burnt wiring its difficult to tell.
Swifty


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## Swifty16

Thanks Vicdicdoc
One of the leisure battery is under the driving seat along with a fuse box, the mains charger, the isolation switch, and a mass of wiring.


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## raynipper

Are you LHD or RHD Swifty?
Mine is an older 2000 750 and the first leisure battery is under the drivers seat (LHD) and is only about quarter inch from the seat frame. I keep a perspex sheet over the batt just in case something moves.

Under my passenger seat is the onboard charger for the three leisure batts and another Ctec charger for the chassis batt. Never known either get warm but as I never sit on that seat might not have noticed.

Please let us know what you do find out Swifty.

Ray.


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## cabby

why put batteries under a seat in the first place, dam difficult to get to.

cabby


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## raynipper

cabby said:



> why put batteries under a seat in the first place, dam difficult to get to.
> 
> cabby


Your not kidding Cabby.
Takes ages to check them.

Ray.


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## Swifty16

*Hobby wiring fire*

To WBAFC
As a matter of interest which Hobby dealer did you buy your motorhome from ?
Thanks
Swifty


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## richardl

I have the same set-up with battery + charger etc under the passenger seat (LHD). Rather concerned that GEL battery blamed and wonder if someone knowledgeable on batteries could comment. I thought GEL were safer as no fumes from lead/acid inside the vehicle.

I have had a second matching GEL battery added to a locker and an inverter wired in, which all adds to the mass of wires under the seat. A couple of large fuses are present, which should hopefully trip before any fire starts.

If Hobby use this under-seat position surely other manufacturers do the same thing, so have there been any other cases of overheating or fires? 

Hope we can get to the bottom of this one as the situation could apply to a lot of vans! 

richardl


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## Swifty16

*Hobby 750 wiring fire*

Hi All
Just a update on the Hobby problem,
Initial report from an inspection revealed nothing, now have a proper forensic fire investigation team on the job, and will let you know their findings.
There is defiantly a problem in there somewhere these things don't just happen, we will find it.
It just might save a life !!
Swifty


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## Swifty16

*Hobby motorhome fire*

Hi All,
An update on my Hobby motorhome wiring fire.
I collected the vehicle from the dealers after nearly six months still with the fire damage.
I have now had my own independent fire investigation team look at the vehicle, and within a short time found what is believed to be the cause of the major short out and subsequent fire.
They have some further test to carry out, but as a motor engineer I don't need any more convincing.
Watch this space.
Swifty


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## listerdiesel

Sounds like a thermal runaway on the batteries in the first instance, but the battery wouldn't normally get hot enough to melt wiring.

However, in a thermal runaway condition, the battery increases its demands on the charger, which then fails due to overheating and then the whole mess goes ballistic. Given a lack of cooling in the underseat area, it sounds as though this is the case described.

A GEL battery ius one of a variety of sealed batteries, but all sealed types have a tendency to run away given a charger big enough to put sufficient energy into them when they (batteries) are faulty.

A conventional sealed lead-acid battery will do the same job as the GEL, you would need to check charging voltage etc when/if replacing the charger.

Peter


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## vicdicdoc

*Re: Hobby motorhome fire*



Swifty16 said:


> . . .
> I have now had my own independent fire investigation team look at the vehicle, and within a short time found what is believed to be the cause of the major short out and subsequent fire.
> They have some further test to carry out, but as a motor engineer I don't need any more convincing.
> Swifty


So what do you believe caused it ??


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