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Old 05-18-2019, 03:37 PM   #1
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Tennessee
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THOR #15349
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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Old 05-18-2019, 05:06 PM   #2
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Model: 2015 Vegas 24.1
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THOR #2601
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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Old 05-18-2019, 05:52 PM   #3
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THOR #6411
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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Old 05-18-2019, 06:07 PM   #4
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THOR #15349
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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Old 05-18-2019, 06:54 PM   #5
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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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Old 05-19-2019, 12:03 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DownTheRoadWeGo View Post
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.
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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Old 05-19-2019, 01:08 AM   #7
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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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Old 05-19-2019, 08:09 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by DownTheRoadWeGo View Post
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?
I have a 2015 Windsport 31S and the Bird and relay are in the battery compartment...
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Old 05-19-2019, 10:58 PM   #9
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Would that be in the Chassis battery or the House Battery department?
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Old 05-20-2019, 03:59 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DownTheRoadWeGo View Post
Would that be in the Chassis battery or the House Battery department?
House battery compartment. Had to replace the relay, not charging house batteries...
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Old 05-28-2019, 03:24 AM   #11
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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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Old 05-28-2019, 03:41 AM   #12
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Thanks for the feedback.
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