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Old 07-31-2017, 11:16 PM   #21
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Miramar 35.3
State: California
Posts: 37
THOR #8546
Quote:
Originally Posted by ComputerChips View Post
It appears to have a rubber power supply cord. Could you tell if it was getting 110v ?


Hi ComputerChips-

Yes, that is the 120V power supply cord. It is powered, so all hints still point to the unit itself. You have inadvertently laid bare yet another tender Thor Quality issue though. Click image for larger version

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ID:	6147 look at how the thing is connected! Some dim bulb at the factory decided that the best way to plug in the converter was to run a piece of Romex out the back of the load center and connect it to a loose (as in, "not attached to anything") receptacle box stuffed behind the panel.

If I wired a house in any State in the Union that way, with an inaccessible cord-and-plug connected appliance to such a loose junction box, I'd be sued and loose my Contractor's License. But apparently, if that same house has wheels under it, and can roll into ANY one of those contiguous States, it's perfectly OK?! Un-freaking believable. No pride of workmanship at all.

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ID:	6147There are other dubious things stuffed into that little cubbyhole too. I will be re-wiring that thing just as soon as the warranty isn't an issue.

And get this.... the chassis and house batteries are supposed to be isolated when the engine is off, right? I had THOUGHT until putting everything back together to drive the coach into my dealer, that the chassis battery had merely died on its own, over a week or so. I presumed that when I took the house batteries off the charger and hooked them back up, that I might have to use the Battery Boost Switch to start the engine. But the instant I cranked the engine, and before I touched the switch, the engine started. Which means that the two battery systems are not isolated. So, yeah. Don't know if there are vestiges of both problems in each issue, but I have dutifully reported all wiring gremlins, and ghosts in the mechanism to the dealer. We shall see.

Perhaps of interest to you Thor Folks, apparently Thor does not directly reimburse dealers for their prep work on new vehicles. It is a fee charged to the purchaser, and rolled somehow into the invoice price you pay. If you don't know that, then minimally, you won't know to remind them that it is YOU who have paid to take delivery of a fully operational RV, and I f that cost (whatever it is) was "negotiated" away to impress you with a lower purchase price, there is also no monetary incentive for the lack of factory QA/QC to be offset by efforts by the dealer other than their enlightened self-interest in maintaining a happy customer base. Thor has completely pushed the consequences of poor workmanship away from themselves, and down to us. I find that interesting.

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Old 08-01-2017, 12:27 AM   #22
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
Quote:
Originally Posted by MoldyOldPeach
And get this.... the chassis and house batteries are supposed to be isolated when the engine is off, right? I had THOUGHT until putting everything back together to drive the coach into my dealer, that the chassis battery had merely died on its own, over a week or so. I presumed that when I took the house batteries off the charger and hooked them back up, that I might have to use the Battery Boost Switch to start the engine. But the instant I cranked the engine, and before I touched the switch, the engine started. Which means that the two battery systems are not isolated. So, yeah. Don't know if there are vestiges of both problems in each issue, but I have dutifully reported all wiring gremlins, and ghosts in the mechanism to the dealer. We shall see.
Not necessarily. If your coach has a BIRD and it detects a charging voltage it will link the two systems after a minute or so in order to keep both the house and chassis batteries charged--this is by design.

A very good description of the BIRD system can be found in Ed's Axis/Vegas manual:
http://www.thorforums.com/forums/f10...nual-4961.html
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Old 08-01-2017, 01:35 AM   #23
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: ACE 27.1
State: Virginia
Posts: 315
THOR #7607
The house and coach batteries should be isolated from each other when neither is being charged, but when charging begins on either side there is a mechanism that "should" join both + poles so that the charging reaches all batteries.
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Old 08-02-2017, 02:09 AM   #24
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Miramar 35.3
State: California
Posts: 37
THOR #8546
This just in....

Heard back from the dealer today. Turns out the Converter/Charger WAS malfunctioning, and had probably never worked. It has been replaced, and I will be picking up the coach tomorrow for a trip out this weekend. They did check out the isolator between the chassis and house batteries, and it does appear to work correctly.

Thanks again for all of the useful help and ideas!
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Old 08-02-2017, 02:10 AM   #25
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: ACE 27.1
State: Virginia
Posts: 315
THOR #7607
Very good to hear, now lets go Camping!
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Old 09-09-2020, 02:03 PM   #26
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Texas
Posts: 1
THOR #20455
So in a 2016 Thor Windsport 29M the battery charger is under the king bed close to the 120VAC breaker panel and 12vdc fuse box. I believe mine is not working. The Batteries died twice in a week while boon-docking with the generator running all week. I discovered the battery charger was installed upside down (the fan motor is blowing down, fighting the natural convection of heat) the directions in the new unit (same model) purchased from camping world show the three acceptable methods of installation. And upside down is NOT one of them. I corrected on the new one installed. Hoping this was my problem. I will be taking an extra battery charger on future trips until confirmed. To get access 4 screws were removed from the king bed support platform.

Adam
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Old 09-09-2020, 02:29 PM   #27
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 31S
State: Texas
Posts: 4,174
THOR #6411
Quote:
Originally Posted by adlh96 View Post
So in a 2016 Thor Windsport 29M the battery charger is under the king bed close to the 120VAC breaker panel and 12vdc fuse box. I believe mine is not working. The Batteries died twice in a week while boon-docking with the generator running all week. I discovered the battery charger was installed upside down (the fan motor is blowing down, fighting the natural convection of heat) the directions in the new unit (same model) purchased from camping world show the three acceptable methods of installation. And upside down is NOT one of them. I corrected on the new one installed. Hoping this was my problem. I will be taking an extra battery charger on future trips until confirmed. To get access 4 screws were removed from the king bed support platform.

Adam
You have an inverter. When on, it will show battery voltage. When on shore power or generator power the battery voltage will show greater than 13.0 volts if the converter is working. The use/store switch (master power) must be in use (on) to charge the batteries
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Old 09-09-2020, 03:40 PM   #28
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Palazzo 33.2
State: Georgia
Posts: 269
THOR #8078
I share your disappointment with some of the RV quality issues. Although not your primary question I want to reinforce the comments above about the link between the house and chassis electrical systems. I'm not an RV electrical expert and your rig may be different, but in my Palazzo there is a BIRD system. When you plug the unit into shore power a circuit board detects the incoming voltage, waits 2 minutes and then sends a signal to a solenoid (Mine is a Trombetta brand). The solenoid closes and that connects the house and chassis batteries so that both receive 13.1 V and charge up. Likewise when the engine alternator is running the system waits 2 minutes and closes the relay so that the chassis system charges the house batteries.
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