DC Bus Bar Box - Question - Loose bar free in box

[JennyJakeNH]

Hi - While inspecting the wiring before doing a lithium battery upgrade, we recently found what I think is an uncovered, inline, auto-reset breaker loose in the DC bus bar box under our front bed (FC 30FB Bunk).



From studying the wiring diagram in the 2019 manual, I believe this black-white wire is the LP detector positive. Assuming that is correct, I have couple quick questions where I hope the group can help.

1) Given the breaker was loose, is attached to a positive wire, and was laying on the negative bus bar, how great was the risk? I am confused as to why Airstream relied on epoxy to attach this breaker to the back of the box and did not use a screwed down or enclosed breaker/fuse.

2) I can't confirm what is in our box today, but from researching online the smallest auto reset breaker I see of this type is 10 amp. If the black-white wire is for the LP detector, why is this not a 1 amp fuse/breaker?

3) As a follow up to #2. I want to replace the breaker with an enclosed breaker/fuse or a screwed down version of the same type. Assuming that is a 10 amp breaker, should I use the same or should I change to a 1 amp fuse as shown on the wiring diagram and in most post posts I've seen for the LP detector? I can see the auto reset being a safety benefit to ensuring the LP detector is on; but I am not sure if the LP detector would fry before the breaker tripped.

See below for a clear view of the entire box with the breaker RE-POSITIONED away from the negative bus bar.



Thanks in advance to all.

PS - I know it's been said before, but wow the massive nest of extra wire near the box was still a bit of a surprise.

[Al and Missy]

I would probably replace it with an inline fuse holder and fuse rated at about twice the LPG detector draw.


I feel your pain. I'm in the middle of relocating my converter and DC distribution panel from the left end of the old sofa about 2 feet toward the roadside inside a cabinet I'm going to custom build for an end table adjacent to our new reclining love seat. This is what I found when I opened up the DC distribution box.



The bare copper wire is a ground tie between the converter/distribution panel ground buss and the frame. The battery negative wires and a bunch of load grounds and presumably another frame tie are on another buss.

Note that this heavy, bare ground wire runs unsupported near the "kill switch" which is the early implementation of the USE/STORE switch and over a breaker. The wire is not as close to the kill switch terminals as it looks as it is near the floor and the terminals are a couple of inches higher. When I moved the box, the ground came in contact with something and there were a lot of sparks. I have my work cut out for me to clean this up.


Al