Domestic heat pump

[Kenosfan]

I have a Gemini with a Domestic heat pump my Gemini is three years old. The Heat pump went out and had to be replaced at a cost of $1700.00. This is pure junk it hasnt been used very much! It only has a two year warranty on it. You basically can’t work on them they are throw away ! I though to save myself some money to replace it with just the Air condition unit but you can’t because of the wiring. I’m not for federal regulation but this unit should last longer then three years and have at least a five year warranty. I’m not sure I can afford to replace this every few years. This isn’t a unusual event it’s very common. Thor needs to get involved with this if they don’t improve there quality then they should use a different company

[cavie]

you could have replaced it with straight cool . No wiring issue. Someone was jerking your chain.

[Kenosfan]

Well I’m at General RV and they had an Air conditioner in stock they took my heat pump off but found it didn’t match up with my thermostat and would have had to rewire it so the had the heat pump flown in! They did cut some of the different in cost between the two units. What makes me upset is why in just a short time this thing had to be replaced. Unreal my old A class had two units on it and I never did anything to them in 13 yrs. tells me this is junk units. I talked to another camper that owned a Tiffin MH probably 3 or 4 hundred thousand and he had to replace all three units in a short time and had to pay for all of them and one unit only lasted a year and it was covered by warrenty but paid for labor not cheap. I’ve heard this from a lot of people and the industry has to know of this problem but don’t care. No regulation if it was a car they would have to recall this junk and build something that would last at lest five years or more. These things aren’t even used that much usually RV set most of the year.

[OldWEB]

Originally Posted by cavie

you could have replaced it with straight cool . No wiring issue. Someone was jerking your chain.

👆 What he said! 👆

[ducksface]

I would place an adv in Craigslist asking for a ten year old unit that will last 3 times longer than the new units... Per your theory of old vs new.

You're being jacked by that dealer. Jacked to the point, I, and other logical types here aren't sure you had a real unfixable problem to begin with.
It's obvious someone isn't being square with you.
Wires is wires and thermostats are 38 bucks and up for a digital if indeed you need a thermostat to set compatibility.

What did they say at the place you went to for a second diagnosis/estimate?

Thor has NOTHING AT ALL to do with the ac unit other than a low paid guy stuck it in the roof hole.

Take a deep breath, apply some logic, quit listening to the guy with the tiffin.
We're here to help. The tiffin guy, not so much.
Tell us what we can do or say other than the concensus of you being jacked with, and we'll do our best.
Thor is blameless.

The best thing about posts like yours is it allows people on the fence about buying an extended warranty a bit of ammunition in favor of the purchase.

(we're not a lot of people on this forum, we're a LOT of people on this forum. We've not heard what you've heard)

[Laco]

I added a second AC/HeatPump to the Gemini I had, matched the existing dometic already mounted in the rear of the coach. I thought they were pretty decent AC/HeatPumps, though I didn't have a chance to get a lot of years on them. Before the Gemini I had a 41 foot Tiffin Bus, for twelve years and only had to replace the starting capacitor on one of the units during that time. I have not heard bad things about the dometic units, they seem to be decently reviewed. Hope your new unit lasts forever.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by Kenosfan

Well I’m at General RV and they had an Air conditioner in stock they took my heat pump off but found it didn’t match up with my thermostat and would have had to rewire it so the had the heat pump flown in! They did cut some of the different in cost between the two units. What makes me upset is why in just a short time this thing had to be replaced. Unreal my old A class had two units on it and I never did anything to them in 13 yrs. tells me this is junk units. I talked to another camper that owned a Tiffin MH probably 3 or 4 hundred thousand and he had to replace all three units in a short time and had to pay for all of them and one unit only lasted a year and it was covered by warrenty but paid for labor not cheap. I’ve heard this from a lot of people and the industry has to know of this problem but don’t care. No regulation if it was a car they would have to recall this junk and build something that would last at lest five years or more. These things aren’t even used that much usually RV set most of the year.

Yes a wiring change BUT you had enough wires in you rig. Just a wire swap at your t-stat using your existing wires. They were jurking your chain. Or didn't know what they were doing.

[cavie]

I just sold my 2002 Wildcat 5er this past summer with the original Domedic straight cool going strong.

[71_340]

All I can say is you should have gotten an extended warranty. They don't cost all that much and will pay for themselves with just a couple incidents.


I just bought a barely used 2011 Itasca Reyo (Sprinter RV like yours) with 14K miles and paid $3200.00 for a 5/75 warranty. The warranty has zero deductible at my dealer and $100,00 deductible everywhere else. Covers everything except emission devices and some weather stripping.


Mine also has a heat pump AC unit, diesel generator, diesel engine...….all expensive stuff I don't have to worry about. Just got a free macerator pump installed.


Yes, 3200.00 is a pretty penny but I don't have to worry about nothing.