Quote:
Originally Posted by HEAVYOWENS
Are gen. Is mounted under the left rear at the very back. Last door on the drivers side. Onan wanted to take the door off and put chicken wire over the hole. Wife about stroked on that. I built and installed it. Onan sealed the inside. And said running it down the highway it would not over heat because it is getting good air flow. He also said he is seeing a lot like this that have no fresh air vent for them. I have pictures of the one I built and installed in the door but not sure how to post them.
|
This is just my 2 cents.
Interesting that Onan wanted to modify your coach to make their generator operate properly.
In the installation manual for my generator it clearly states that the generator vents from the bottom. They clearly stress the importance of adequate clearance (12 inches unobstructed) on the bottom of the generator but only provide slight mention to the side, front and top clearance (1/2 inch).
If Onan installation instructions are incorrect it could represent a significant cost to them to notify all coach manufacturers, not just Thor, that there is either a problem with their instructions or with the cooling/venting system on their generators. This would be a significant recall effort and cost on Onan's part.
Some things to think about, by cutting a vent hole in your coach you may have solved Onan's problem on your coach but what happens if it overheats again? Are you going to cut a bigger hole or remove the door completely? If the generator is installed per instructions, why are you modifying your coach to appease Onan rather than you and Thor forcing Onan to determine why the generator does not function correctly in a proper operating environment? How much have you diminished the value of your coach by making the modification?
Now the most important point I will make, Did Onan provide you with written documentation stating that your generator overheating problem was due to inadequate ventilation and did you provide Thor with a copy of that documentation?
In my many years I have found that "workarounds" to problems are usually (not always) temporary at best. Often the effective time of a workaround is the expiration of the warranty or service contract and then the consumer or client is stuck with the cost of a permanent fix to the problem, signing an extension to a high cost service contract, or finding an adequate replacement for the defective system.
Thor Forums
