Sure Power 1315 failed (burnt up!) - questions

eruddick · 12-29-2015, 08:18 AM

On a ski vacation a ways from home and we were driving down the mountain to our condo and noticed smoke coming from the back of the van. Pulled over and it turned out to be the Sure Power 1315. It was smoking at first and then caught on fire. After putting it out drove the rest of the way back. Was able to disconnect what was left of it once I had some tools. Of course, SMB West office is closed for the holidays and I'm pretty new to this stuff. My big question is, is/was the alternator wired into this thing at all. In other words, can I drive home (about 5 hours) and not worry about my van battery dying if the alternator circuit has been broken to the van battery since I've disconnected the Sure power. I've been reading a bunch of posts on this forum and it doesn't appear that is the case, but wanted to get some confirmation.

In case you're wondering, I did see the sticky about the recall. My s/n's isn't in the list of supposedly effected ones. I'd like to talk to SMB and Cooper Industries to find out why it would burn up and what they might do about it, though I'm certainly not inclined to just install another one.
Thanks,
Ed

Scalf77 · 12-29-2015, 11:03 AM

The surepower 1315 is usally connected from the van battery to the 1315, so it does not go between the alternator and the Van battery such as a diode isolater would. So now you just need to make the two large wires going to the sure power safe, and yes you can drive home. Obviously disconnecting at the battery would be best, but You could get away with tapeing off the terminal with electrical tape and keeping them isolated.

I am wondering if the you had a fuse on the ground wire?

Caught on fire, I would definitely let Sportsmobile and Cooper Industries know, exothermic events are not something that they should take lightly. Of course SMB has moved on to the Blue Sea unit.

Also I expect that the control module is what went up in flames, not the actual relay correct?

-greg

eruddick · 12-29-2015, 11:23 AM

Thanks, Greg. That is what I suspected. I have removed the whole unit (both control module and relay) and taped off with electrical tape all of the wires. Not sure about a fuse on the ground wire. Don't remember seeing one. I'll have to check on that when I can get back out to look at it.

Yes, the control module went up in flames (not huge flames, a small flame was coming out of one corner). The relay did melt though. While I was trying to disconnect the wires, it basically came apart.

**daveb** · 12-30-2015, 12:54 PM

You also might want to read this:
http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/for...ad.php?t=14482

eruddick · 01-04-2016, 12:24 PM

Talked to Peter at Sportsmobile West and he didn't seem too concerned. Maybe because they have moved on to the Blue Sea unit. Basically, he said I'll have to get it replaced and implied I should talk to Sure Power.

**daveb** · 01-04-2016, 01:00 PM

I agree, and if you talk with Surepower they can give you more info on whether or not yours burned up due to the recall of if something else is up. If you feel that they are safe, perhaps Surepower will ship you a new unit for no charge.

Scalf77 · 01-04-2016, 02:19 PM

I would see what you can get out of sure power, but if I was going to replace I would move to the Blue Sea 762X instead, even if I had to eat the cost. I expect it will be difficult to determine exact root cause, as the damage is probably extensive seeing as it actually caught on fire. They also never really sounded like they had a definite root cause of the original escape. Was your SN before or after the group that failed.

Switching to the Bluesea is not terribly hard, but you will need to replace the ring terminals as the the Surepower terminal studs are 5/16 and the Bluesea studs are 3/8.

-greg

eruddick · 01-04-2016, 02:24 PM

Yea, I plan on switching to the Blue Sea 7262 either way. Yes, the damage was pretty extensive to the unit. Luckily no other damage to the rest of the van. Waiting to hear back from Sure Power. My s/n is before the ones in the recall list.

**daveb** · 01-04-2016, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eruddick

My s/n is before the ones in the recall list.

That is good info for others if units outside the specific numbers are being affected. Got rid of mine a long time ago for other issues I had with the Surepower product. I'd still not want to suggest to others about replacing theirs w/o knowing an exact cause...there are still several of those out there operating with no issues.

Scalf77 · 01-04-2016, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveb

I'd still not want to suggest to others about replacing theirs w/o knowing an exact cause...there are still several of those out there operating with no issues.

I don't have a problem suggesting others to dump it.

Quote:

we currently believe that some units may suffer an internal circuit board capacitor failure, which could lead to overheating, smoke and, on rare occasions, fire.

Now that could mean that a capacitor they used went bad, but it does not say that they changed the circuit so , if the cap went bad that it would not lead to overheating. Since the serial number is before, the affected ones, any corrective actions that they put in place after would not be there as it was built prior to recall parts.

-greg