Community Forums

IdahoSRT10 · 08-20-2014, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cptxguys

Prior to your modification with the shroud, where was the air intake? It appears (though I can't quite tell) in the photo, the generator compartment has a floor that extends to the bay door. Is that the case?

On the ACE, the generate sets back about 3" from the bay door and there is no floor allowing air to come up from the ground between the generator and the back of the bay door.

With the design of the ACE, my belief is that the ambient air would be too hot as it exited the the engine compartment and get sucked into the generator bay.

Robert, post #772 shows the intake vent which I added. I added the shroud per Fleetwood's recommendation. My generator enclosure has a open bottom and sides. Like the Ace's mine shutdown while climbing
grades on a hot day.

cptxguys · 08-20-2014, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IdahoSRT10

Robert, post #772 shows the intake vent which I added. I added the shroud per Fleetwood's recommendation. My generator enclosure has a open bottom and sides. Like the Ace's mine shutdown while climbing
grades on a hot day.

Gotcha. Thanks. I'll see how mine performs without the shroud. As far as I know, Thor doesn't have a TSB for one. :-(

Nice work on the vent and the shroud. That should provide the coolest possible air intake.

rvpapaw · 08-23-2014, 10:28 PM

We purchased our new ACE on July 25th. Drove a few hours to Galveston Island; the bottoms of 3 of our storage compartments broke loose from the 2 (yes, only 2) screws holding them to the frame; miscellaneous screws on the floor and coming out of the slide room tracks; generator Code 36 multiple times; awning not working; dash A/C goes off and on, lock tab missing from one bay door; roof a/c basically blowing warm air....and the list goes on.

Finally was able to get it in for warranty repairs today; working with Thor Warranty Services. Been following the threads, especially the generator code 36. Has Thor ever come up with a "recommended fix"? Or are we still to create our own? What's the status of the potential class action suit regarding the generator?

Many thanks

Gfamily · 08-23-2014, 11:42 PM

Hey all!

Just bought a new Thor Ace 30.1 2015 On Aug 1 . First day of pick up
we loaded up the kids to let them check it out at the near by park
had the generator running for no more than 2 hours with a/c unit running to keep it cool in 98 degree weather and it shut down on us. The issues we took it to the dealer they could not repeated the problem with the generator so they sent us away. Right after getting home from picking it back up
the generator running for an hour in 100 degree weather shuts down again unable to restart gen . The next day we take it back to dealer in the late afternoon once it's getting in the high 90's . We start the gen let it run in the heat for about two hours and it shuts down just like we predicted. Time to get in the ace right away and drive down to dealer to prove that I not crazy and this "ace" has a problem. After leaving it there for a day the call me saying they think its the placement of the gen. It's almost flush with the compartment door. So they move it back 3 inches back for better air flow and they said something about vapor lock. Picked up the "ace" 2 days later as we are having a camping trip the following day. Started the gen the morning of and ran great after fully packed and ready to go the gen shuts down again!! Back to dealer after we got back from our short camping trip. Now it's with the dealer as I've told them what I've seen here post by other Ace owners dating back the last few years and how they have fixed the issues so their putting a vent on the compartment door to help the gen with air flow. Picking it up next week will follow up with pictures of the vent installed and the dealer is picking up the total cost .

Gfamily · 08-24-2014, 12:08 AM

Forgot to add that during all this . We had an issue with the door it would not open what so ever . We locked it up both locks and the very next day we go to unlock it and we can't get in . Good thing I left the driver window slightly open so I climbed in the coach all this is happen at our rv store facility. I drive right away down to dealer . I had my wife meet me at the dealer and had them get me a latter so I can climb out . The dealer repaired this issue malfunctioning locks replaced with new .no further issues so far with the locks or the ace.

cousnmikey · 08-24-2014, 10:57 PM

Since putting in the 50 dollar push pump and some heat shield surrounding the gas line, we have had no problems!

The genet used to shut down. Not anymore

IdahoSRT10 · 08-25-2014, 01:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cousnmikey

Since putting in the 50 dollar push pump and some heat shield surrounding the gas line, we have had no problems!

The genet used to shut down. Not anymore

Too bad this fix doesn't fix the issue of the generator getting too hot.

Thorchini · 08-25-2014, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IdahoSRT10

Too bad this fix doesn't fix the issue of the generator getting too hot.

I rigged up a boat bilge blower with the flexible 3" line and directed it to the generator area so I am pumping in fresh air from the front radiator grill opening, this really puts a lot of cooler air in the generator area, you can even direct it into the vents of the generator. I did this just to see the results, and I like it, and think I will make it a permanant setup. It's crazy we needto make these modifications to make something work. Mine is working with the push pump,I just want to keep the genny cooler and this seems to do the trick.

cousnmikey · 08-25-2014, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thorchini

I rigged up a boat bilge blower with the flexible 3" line and directed it to the generator area so I am pumping in fresh air from the front radiator grill opening, this really puts a lot of cooler air in the generator area, you can even direct it into the vents of the generator. I did this just to see the results, and I like it, and think I will make it a permanant setup. It's crazy we needto make these modifications to make something work. Mine is working with the push pump,I just want to keep the genny cooler and this seems to do the trick.

Is "vapor lock" the safety measure that Onan uses to prevent overheating? If not, is there some "kill switch" mechanism that prevents overheating?

IdahoSRT10 · 08-25-2014, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cousnmikey

Is "vapor lock" the safety measure that Onan uses to prevent overheating? If not, is there some "kill switch" mechanism that prevents overheating?

I was told there is a oil temp/pressure switch which shuts the unit down.
The additional fuel pump raises the fuel pressure (higher psi raises the fuels boiling point) to stop any vapor lock but does nothing to cool the generator down.

Dtwallace · 08-26-2014, 12:28 AM

Idaho,

There is a oil pressure switch that protects the engine from oil starvation and when it's too low it has another shut down switch. But nothing for overheating. Typically an air cooled engine will run at much higher temperatures than it's liquid cool cousin.

Most of this extra heat on some of our coaches and trailers is a function of the hot air produced by the engine being redirected back into the cool air intake area of the gen set.

We can blame this on design and location of the gen set. The shut down of our gen set due to vapor lock is a result od the fuel line being in close proximity of the hot engine parts.

The partial fix by increasing fuel line pressure works well to eliminate the annoying shut down issue, but does nothing to help with the lack of cooling issue. However, as hot as it feels to our bare skin, the heat produced should not get to the point of an over heat situation as long as there is some way for this heated air to move out from under the RV, as in a breeze, and the engine fan is operating properly, not blocked.

Anything that we can do to remove this heated air, or introduce out side cooler air to the engine will be beneficial. This is the same problem I've experience on one of my past toy haulers. I think I just missed it causing a fire once as when I move the trailer, all the grass under it had been burned by the gen set heat.

If you have an air flow as where the hot air and the cool air is mixed under the trailer, I would watch for this hazard, and try to at least do as some have and find a way to introduce the cooling air from another source, be it by external blower, or through a compartment door grill.

I haven't heard of anyone losing a coach or trailer from fire in this case, but I think it can happen if the conditions are right.

Just my 2 cents
DTW

cousnmikey · 08-26-2014, 08:57 AM

I have taken the compartment door off the generator compartment in hot weather. Usually 95 degrees and above...

EricGT · 08-28-2014, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cousnmikey

I have taken the compartment door off the generator compartment in hot weather. Usually 95 degrees and above...

I too was wondering if this would help. What would move more air than opening the compartment door?
Granted this cannot be done while moving.

We are going to a concert this weekend and the weather is to be in the low 90's. I already have 'forum fear' that my genset is going to trip and that I need to do something to make sure it does not. Loosing power to the outside outlets would be a deal breaker...margarita makers!