Thor Forums

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by LandKO

I researched on-line for possible causes and did my own trouble shooting. On-line I found a possible cause with a circuit card in the outside access panel. Long story short, the manufacturer sent me a new card, which didn’t fix the problem.
After tearing apart the stove/oven to access the water heater, I found a pinched power wire that had shorted out. This had to have come from the factory that way and was never detected because they never opps checked it at the factory and the previous owner either didn’t noticed it, or blew it off. (Might have been part of his reason to trade it in)
I spliced in a new wire to fix the problem.
My point for all this is issues like this should have been detected before the RV left the factory. The dealer should have insured that the heater was working before they sold it.
There is so much that goes into building an RV, that unless quality is built in from the beginning, thing like this are going to happen and customers are going to be dissatisfied with the end product.

Agree, that a newbie will not know as much about a PDI than an experienced person which makes the fact that some newbies don't even think they need, or should do a PDI even more disturbing. I used that widely circulated Axis PDI form created by Ed F. (retired Military Colonel) on this site.

What caused the wire to get pinched? How do you know when it happened?

Regardless, to me; your story speaks highly of the Heater Mfg or Thor? Seems like they sent you a circuit board to help you resolve the problem based on your diagnosis of fault.

I also agree that if power was shorted (not supplied) to the electric portion of hot water heater before it left factory, left dealer, end of 1st PDI, end of actual use by 1st owner, and by the end 2nd PDI, Only then noticed by 2nd owner there have been failures and misses. That is purpose of mfg warranties. You would have to check, but I am not sure that all extended warranties would cover this type of failure as they may focus on cause of the pinched wire?

If you or anyone expect every RV to be 100% defect free coming out of the factory that is delirious. I own a Lincoln, 2 Cadillacs, 2 Chevy's and a HD and they all have had recalls for Mfg defects and all have gone in for repairs for something that require fixing or adjusting. My Radio in my Navigator has been replaced 3 times (about $4k each time), but Lincoln replaced each time. We have 2014 Chevy Cruze Check engine light that seems to come on like the daytime running lights and after years of bogus fixes every year around inspection time; Chevy points out and issues a mfg defect. It is at Chevy dealership now.

Akin to your heater issue; we had gone years with a brand new Goodman upstairs AC unit. Only when putting in a newer electronic Wi-Fi style Sensi thermostat we noticed we were getting a low pressure sensor failure? Upon attempting to replace the exhaust fan sensor myself; I found a piece of cast iron pipe has fallen in the turbine blades ; so it could NOT spin thus the sensor pressure failure reading was actually correct. It has worked perfectly since. But we went 5 years with the AC never firing upstairs and NEVER noticed!!!! It could have been Mfg, or it could have been installer; but point was it was never caught and I don't have false illusions that those mistakes will never happen.

btw, Go Hogs Whooo Pig Sooie !!!