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06-09-2021, 10:31 PM
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#1
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Almost There
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: The Colony, Texas
Posts: 79
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Raised Roof compliments of Transcend Existance Bus
Engine: 7.6LNavistarDT466eDiesel Trans:AllisonMD3060Auto
Rated Cap: GVWR 32,000 LBS
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Mount Bus Bar on Wood
I built a bus bar by bolting copper metal to a wood panel.
Should I worry about this causing a fire?
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06-09-2021, 10:45 PM
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#2
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 2,831
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Built
Chassis: Minotour
Engine: Chevy Express 3500 6.6l
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Unknown. It depends on the mass and resistance of the material. If the mass is greater than the attached cables then you’re probably OK, but using a rated device is a better idea.
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06-09-2021, 10:57 PM
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#3
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Near Flagstaff AZ
Posts: 1,951
Year: 1974
Coachwork: Crown
Chassis: "Atomic"
Engine: DD 8V71
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I'd do this with nylon spacers between the bus bar and the wood. You'll need clearance between the bus bar and the wood for screws or bolts, so the nylon spacers at each end would provide this.
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06-10-2021, 08:07 AM
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#4
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,554
Coachwork: Integrated Coach Corp.
Chassis: RE-300 42ft
Engine: 466ci
Rated Cap: 90
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael_Grumbach
I built a bus bar by bolting copper metal to a wood panel.
Should I worry about this causing a fire?
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Michael,
Are you saying that you have built, on your bus, a place to pour adult beverages, using copper & wood?
OR
Are you asking about conductivity and flammablility when electrifying electrical components, which have been mounted to a wood surface, using metal screws?
If the later. Please do not. You ought to hire a licensed electrician.
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06-10-2021, 08:15 AM
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#5
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Near Flagstaff AZ
Posts: 1,951
Year: 1974
Coachwork: Crown
Chassis: "Atomic"
Engine: DD 8V71
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DeMac's comments made me realize...I was presuming the bus bar the OP referred to was for 12V circuits. In that case, I'd have no issue with a bus bar mounted to wood with standoffs.
But...if this was meant for 120V then it's a big no. I shouldn't have made the low voltage assumption.
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06-10-2021, 08:20 AM
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#6
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 6,992
Year: 2003
Coachwork: International
Chassis: CE 300
Engine: DT466e
Rated Cap: 65C-43A
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DeMac
Michael,
Are you saying that you have built, on your bus, a place to pour adult beverages, using copper & wood?
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Ha ha, this is what I thought OP was referring to as well. I couldn't see how that could possibly cause a fire unless they were making those flaming drinks.
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06-10-2021, 08:25 AM
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#7
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Almost There
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: The Colony, Texas
Posts: 79
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Raised Roof compliments of Transcend Existance Bus
Engine: 7.6LNavistarDT466eDiesel Trans:AllisonMD3060Auto
Rated Cap: GVWR 32,000 LBS
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thanks everyone.
I'll get a spacer and stay out of the news. 🤣
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06-10-2021, 08:25 AM
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#8
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Toledo OH
Posts: 781
Year: 2006
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: MVP-EF
Engine: Cat C7 + Allison 3000PTS
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I wouldn’t mount anything to a piece of wood, no matter the voltage. Nylon screws and spacers are the correct way, inside a metal box.
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06-10-2021, 08:38 AM
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#9
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,554
Coachwork: Integrated Coach Corp.
Chassis: RE-300 42ft
Engine: 466ci
Rated Cap: 90
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12v can start a fire. Even a ground bar can sometimes be electrified. No way to guarantee the line current. Do you believe the 'spacer ' stops the screw's conductivity? If you mean 'bushing', then the required machine screw won't fit in the mounting hole. Nor would it be properly, electrically bonded.
Michael,
Maybe a wider scope will help us better understand your needs. Are you building a telephone com panel, electric 12v, 48v, 120v, ac or dc?
No wood nema panels. Plastic, pvc, aluminum, steel, etc.
Wood, No bueno.
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06-10-2021, 09:15 AM
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#10
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 638
Year: 2009
Coachwork: Gillig
Chassis: G27E102
Engine: Cummins ISL 280
Rated Cap: 26,000 lbs
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I have to admit that, in a pinch, I have done this. I was in the middle of nowhere and had to rig something up for a ham radio event. What could possibly go wrong? It’s just 14V. I’m only going to pull a few dozen amps. Trust me, I’m an engineer.
Fast forward a day, when disassembling it, I noticed that I must have not tightened one of the current carrying bolts well enough. The piece of wood was charred under the terminal. It looked like it had self-ignited but ran out of oxygen.
Don’t be like me.
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06-10-2021, 10:22 AM
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#11
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 819
Year: 1993
Chassis: IH 3800
Engine: DT360
Rated Cap: 66
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...just buy a legit bus bar. They aren't expensive... and if you had a fire that was linked back to that home brew item, your insurance could deny your claim.
I'm all for making your own parts and such... but not in this instance. Not worth the risk.
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06-10-2021, 10:39 AM
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#12
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Northern California (Sacramento)
Posts: 1,416
Year: 1999
Coachwork: El Dorado Fiberglass
Chassis: Ford E450
Engine: V10 Gas
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael_Grumbach
I built a bus bar by bolting copper metal to a wood panel.
Should I worry about this causing a fire?
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It's great you're asking the question, even AFTER making it. Sometimes we make it and forget it.
What kind of current are you pushing through the bus bar?
For 12V up to 30 Amps, here's what I use-I mount these right on wood panels. They are rated for more amps. They stand off the surface and have a plastic cover:
https://www.amazon.com/Terminal-Bus-...NsaWNrPXRydWU=
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06-19-2021, 04:02 PM
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#13
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Site Team
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Nanaimo, British Columbia
Posts: 429
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bert06840
I have to admit that, in a pinch, I have done this. I was in the middle of nowhere and had to rig something up for a ham radio event. What could possibly go wrong? It’s just 14V. I’m only going to pull a few dozen amps. Trust me, I’m an engineer.
Fast forward a day, when disassembling it, I noticed that I must have not tightened one of the current carrying bolts well enough. The piece of wood was charred under the terminal. It looked like it had self-ignited but ran out of oxygen.
Don’t be like me.
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This right here is all you need to know. Do it right, which in this case is not DIY.
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06-19-2021, 04:26 PM
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#14
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 2,831
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Built
Chassis: Minotour
Engine: Chevy Express 3500 6.6l
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My Blue Sea bus bars are on wood. I don’t see a problem with it. The OPs homemade bus bar is unrated and I wouldn’t do that
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06-19-2021, 04:34 PM
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#15
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: arkensas
Posts: 1,071
Year: 1997
Coachwork: bluebird
Chassis: chevy
Engine: 3116 catapillar
Rated Cap: 71 now 2 humans 1 cat
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never to wood mount a piece of steel spaced a quarter inch or more from the wood. put your bus bar on it. just imagine trying to sleep knowing that even 12 volt systems catch on fire
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06-19-2021, 08:06 PM
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#16
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Mt Vernon, WA
Posts: 523
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Bluebird, Collins
Chassis: G30 Bluebird Microbird, E350 Shuttle Bus
Engine: 1995 Chevrolet 350, 1992 Ford 460
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What about some sheet metal over the wood then non-conductive spacers then the homemade bus bars? I like to have some metal between electrical and wood because metal doesn’t catch fire.
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06-20-2021, 06:48 AM
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#17
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 2,831
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Built
Chassis: Minotour
Engine: Chevy Express 3500 6.6l
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What if your busbar has a UL 94-V0 Rated, Glass Reinforced Thermoplastic base? Can that be mounted to wood?
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06-20-2021, 08:16 AM
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#18
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Almost There
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: The Colony, Texas
Posts: 79
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Raised Roof compliments of Transcend Existance Bus
Engine: 7.6LNavistarDT466eDiesel Trans:AllisonMD3060Auto
Rated Cap: GVWR 32,000 LBS
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Thank you very much for all of your feedback. I had isolated the bolts with a plastic-like tube thru the wood and added a rubber like material between the wood and the washers and nuts that hold it to the wood. Someone here had made a suggestion like that.
But I'm still feeling a little uncertain, so I'll be using two AML fuse blocks as standoffs which will completely isolate the power from the wood.
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06-22-2021, 01:11 AM
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#19
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Golden Valley AZ
Posts: 1,036
Year: 1993
Chassis: ThomasBuilt 30'
Engine: need someone to tell me
Rated Cap: me + 1
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Doktari
What about some sheet metal over the wood then non-conductive spacers then the homemade bus bars? I like to have some metal between electrical and wood because metal doesn’t catch fire.
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But if the metal gets hot enough it will cause the wood to catch fire
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06-22-2021, 01:19 AM
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#20
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Golden Valley AZ
Posts: 1,036
Year: 1993
Chassis: ThomasBuilt 30'
Engine: need someone to tell me
Rated Cap: me + 1
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael_Grumbach
Thank you very much for all of your feedback. I had isolated the bolts with a plastic-like tube thru the wood and added a rubber like material between the wood and the washers and nuts that hold it to the wood. Someone here had made a suggestion like that.
But I'm still feeling a little uncertain, so I'll be using two AML fuse blocks as standoffs which will completely isolate the power from the wood.
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The points that I picked up on were
1. The power bus bar has to be adequately sized for all possible loads so that it does not heat up.
2. Adequate distance from the wood/combustibles should be observed.
3. All fasteners connecting the electrical wiring should be solid connections.
4. Isolation from grounds is imperative.
5. An engineered UL rated product gives the insurance company someone to blame besides you. And it is better than sleeping pills.
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