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05-18-2019, 03:37 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Tennessee
Posts: 13
THOR #15349
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Where is the BIRD and other solinoids on a 2016 windsport
We just bought a used 2016 Thor 34j windsport. On the first day on the road home we were stopped at a light and smelled something electrical burning, but no smoke. Seemed to be coming from the dash or motor. Checked wireing and could not find anything wrong. But now when we stop and turn of the engine the chassis battery dyes within minutes. The engine is charging the house and chassis batteries fine when ever the engine is running, the generator is on or we are hooked to shore power. I think the battery isolator (BIRD) is either fried or one of the associated solenoids is stuck in the charge mode. Which would discharge the chassis battery if there is not shore or alternator power charging the batteries. My BIG question is where is the BIRD located and also where are the other two solenoids located. I can find electric diagrams and understand how it works but none of them give me a location so I can find out which component is bad.
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05-18-2019, 05:06 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2015 Vegas 24.1
State: Pennsylvania
Posts: 1,468
THOR #2601
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Don't have a Windsport but have a 2015 Vegas. Here is a pix showing the BIRD and one of he isolation relays under the hood in the engine compartment. The relay is the thing with the red wires coming out. Look to the right of the relay and you see a rectangular looking device with white lettering on it -- that's the BIRD. I have a "potted" BIRD (that means it is incased in a waterproofing potting compound.
Yours may not be in the same location but that is what they should look like.
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Ed & Bev Felker
Retired USAF Col and retired Nurse
Traveling with Lily & Bella ('Teddy Bear' breed)
2015 Vegas 24.1 (E-350)
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05-18-2019, 05:52 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 31S
State: Texas
Posts: 4,157
THOR #6411
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My BIRD and Trombetta control unit are located high and in back of the house battery compartment. I know you have a larger and different battery compartment, but the relay should be close to the battery compartment. After all it is a plant 750 coach, so they tend to do things the same way in all their coaches. You also have a Ford starter solenoid in the engine compartment just behind the chassis battery on the right side. Don't confuse the two.
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Jim & Roy Davis
2016 Hurricane 31S
1961 Rampside in tow
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05-18-2019, 06:07 PM
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#4
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Junior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Tennessee
Posts: 13
THOR #15349
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When the problem started we had a strong odor of something electrical in the front of the coach. No smoke just smell and that did not last long. I am thinking that has to be a relay up front. Could that be the start solenoid? Everything runs fine and all the batteries charge until you shut off the engine. Then the chassis battery goes dead.
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05-18-2019, 06:54 PM
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#5
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Junior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Tennessee
Posts: 13
THOR #15349
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After further study. What I need to find is the Isolator Relay. The isolator relay is attached to both the chassis battery and the house battery. The BIRD tells it to either connect the two batteries together or not according to where the high voltage is coming from. But this isolator is not doing that it is connected all the time. So does anyone know where this Solinode is? It should be in the front somewhere because that is where the smell came from.
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05-19-2019, 12:03 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 31S
State: Texas
Posts: 4,157
THOR #6411
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DownTheRoadWeGo
After further study. What I need to find is the Isolator Relay. The isolator relay is attached to both the chassis battery and the house battery. The BIRD tells it to either connect the two batteries together or not according to where the high voltage is coming from. But this isolator is not doing that it is connected all the time. So does anyone know where this Solinode is? It should be in the front somewhere because that is where the smell came from.
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I don't think plant 750 uses a battery isolator. The bi-directional isolator relay delay would take its place. Generally a isolator relay disconnects the tow vehicles battery from the trailer to prevent the trailer from drawing enough power to prevent the tow vehicle from starting. The BIRD and trombetta control unit allow for the coach's alternator to charge the house batteries and the converter to charge the chassis batteries. It also allows both battery banks to be connected by the emergency start switch.
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Jim & Roy Davis
2016 Hurricane 31S
1961 Rampside in tow
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05-19-2019, 01:08 AM
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#7
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Junior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Tennessee
Posts: 13
THOR #15349
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where would that bi-directional isolator relay delay be located? If that isolator relay is burned out would it cause the chassis battery to get discharged when you shut off the engine and not have shore power of generator running?
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05-19-2019, 08:09 PM
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#8
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Junior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Windsport 31s
State: British Columbia
Posts: 28
THOR #13341
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DownTheRoadWeGo
where would that bi-directional isolator relay delay be located? If that isolator relay is burned out would it cause the chassis battery to get discharged when you shut off the engine and not have shore power of generator running?
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I have a 2015 Windsport 31S and the Bird and relay are in the battery compartment...
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05-19-2019, 10:58 PM
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#9
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Junior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Tennessee
Posts: 13
THOR #15349
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Would that be in the Chassis battery or the House Battery department?
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05-20-2019, 03:59 AM
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#10
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Junior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Windsport 31s
State: British Columbia
Posts: 28
THOR #13341
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DownTheRoadWeGo
Would that be in the Chassis battery or the House Battery department?
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House battery compartment. Had to replace the relay, not charging house batteries...
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05-28-2019, 03:24 AM
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#11
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Junior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Tennessee
Posts: 13
THOR #15349
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Well I found the BIRD in back of the house batteries along with the E-Start Solenoid. After checking both and all the wiring and fuses> I could not find anything wrong. Come to find out it was a bad Chassis battery. The hot smell we had was the house battery shorting out. Put in a new battery and all is good.
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05-28-2019, 03:41 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 31S
State: Texas
Posts: 4,157
THOR #6411
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Thanks for the feedback.
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Jim & Roy Davis
2016 Hurricane 31S
1961 Rampside in tow
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