Thread: Which should come first, profit or protection?

I'm an electronics tech and I defer to blokes like Drivesafe - I don't know a lot about this sort of stuff.

But I do have the background to understand what he is saying.

Ron

Drivesafe,
Good to see u standing up for safety, something lost a long time ago with the worlds pace & shortcuts. Unfortuneatly "We" the customer are the ones who end up paying for it through no fault of our own if left to use this inherrant incompetant garbage.
It pays to do homework & ask questions, but just ask the right people.
I also have an electrical background & safety was drummed into my head on day 1.
Thankyou Drivesafe, Someone proud to stand on their own 2 feet & not worry what others think.

Cheers

Oh that is legendary!!

Check out the wire that the bloke buys from Dick Smith! It's the suitable rating... for a solar powered child's pinwheel

Everyone is getting a good laugh out of this but if the wire shorts a fire will come quickly and it will be all over.Many years ago we had a county catch fire on a club trip to the ACT and it wasn't pretty.The vehicle had been wired up by a ''expert'' and both people had to jump while it was still moving,the smoke was unreal.It is up to the people running the site to stop this kind of information from being past on,not for critizising people for giving a warning. Pat

Hmmm

I dont think you hsould have jumped him that fast. You both have valid points, and i will say that neither of you have 100% holeproof logic either. Its only an online 'assistance' page. Everyone knows info on the internet is not gospel.

Wire has many many properties that relate to this kind of thing. It appears the biggest argument relates to current and wiring. There are soo many different wires out there, with very different linear resistances and power factors. Also same can be said for ignition temperatures of the insulation. It is truly best to talk to people and ask around for this information. Overkill always works, but burns the $$ not the caravan. I agree that a fire can cause some good fun while away.

I am an electronics engineer in aerospace avionics and i design and wire formula series race cars during the week. I will state my background and am happy to discuss things. I may also not have a 100% perfect plan round 1, but thats why you try more than 1 person for help.

Cheers,

Colin.

Originally Posted by CraigE

Drivesafe,
Interesting read, but I am with you, especially in my line of work, you can never be to blunt with safety and saving peoples lives or injury. I am generally the same and have put a lot of peoples noses out of joint, saying so.
Maybe leave names out though and just refer to such a post.
Good stuff and no time for myths.

Calling a spade a bloody shovel doesn't always work. What often happens is that the message is lost because the focus shifts from the facts to the perceived offensiveness of the comments.
People lose sight of what is important when feelings start running high. In that situation, the message is not effectively communicated.
I think there were signs of that happening in this situation. After all, how many of the responses were actually about the real issue of what was needed for a safe setup?

Good to point out safty, but try to keep it professional. ABR dose sound like he's pushing his bisunes.

Profit or Protection?

It has to be protection..................And if one needs to be as subtle as a sledgehammer to get the message across..........So be it.

Unfortunately, the "electrickery" field is full of "experts", and a lot of those "experts" like to post on forums expounding their superior knowledge.

I agree with Drivesafe.
Running a length of wire from one end of a vehicle to the other to carry heavy current can have repercussions if not run and protected correctly.
Heavy current, anything over 30 amps is heavy in a vehicle.(and battery charging can be a whole lot more)
Protection, a correctly rated fuse/circuit breaker, correctly rated cable for the job, correct routing, and correct insulation protection to prevent vibration/chafing damage with subsequent meltdown.

Yes. One can get by with bit of leftover wire stuffed under the carpet to do the job for a time.
But is it safe?..................No way.
Would I recommend it?......No way.

With over 40 years in the aircraft game, I have seen the results of the "she'll be right'"attitude to electrics in vehicles and aircraft............Some have made me money fixing other peoples stuffups, and some have become a smoking hole in the ground.