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Thetford Aria II - No power, or bad controller?

Yahoo Message Number: 106276
Well after whining about how tired I was of the Thetford Aria II about 4-5 months ago, I was convinced to try to repair it one more time.

We've never gone more then two weeks of actual usage without the flapper valve no longer holding water in the tank. And worse, no water meant odors from the tank could and wold make it into the coach:)!

After two replacement flapper seals, it was suggested that perhaps the 'motor mechanism assembly' itself was bad. So a $211 kit was ordered, to replace the full flapper mechanism. This was installed, and we're on day 8 of our trip, with great results of the bowl holding water:)! We thought we had licked (Very gad pun!) this one...

BUT OF COURSE, YEP, MORE PROBLEMS:)!

Today while flushing, the flapper remained opened. Waited a few seconds, and pushed the big button which usually will close the flapper if it is opened. Unit made a bit of motor sound, the flapper became visible by about 1/2", then proceeded to again open all the way. Now, pushing either button results in nothing. No water flushing, no motor sound.

So far I've:

-Opened the online manual to refresh myself on the operation of all the components -Called and reviewed my thoughts with Kevin Waite, to see if I might be missing anything -Checked the inline fuse, and it appears to be fine -Manually cranked the flapper closed, so that is a plus -When pulling the inline valve, it should have stopped all power to the unit, which would have allowed a control board reset, if needed -I've used my mirror and flashlight to look over all electrical connections, and they all seem to be in good shape -I did flip the manual vs auto switch back up/down a few times for grins

Questions:
1) Nether Kevin or I know if their is a fuse in one of the electrical boxes that feeds the toilet area? (Somehow I think I keep remembering reading something on a thread about another fuse to feed power to the area.?) Will go look around again in the front and rear basement fuse areas, but nothing seems to have jumped out at me.

2) Control Panel.... Anyone know how to test the Control Panel? If the unit is getting power, then the it would seem to me the Control Panel would be suspect(?). (We are in a humid area for the first time in years with this coach, and wondering if condensation could have caused a problem?)

Sure appreciate any other tips or suggestions... In what I now call our $600 Theford Aria II Deluxe Throne (Though for the life of me, as I whined about in my post 4-5 months ago. Really do not consider this a 'Deluxe' piece of equipment. Even when it is working, it is so noisy as to not be able to flush at night without waking up anyone in the coach!)

OK - Whining off for now...

TIA for any input,

Smitty

04 Allure 31017
04 Allure Sold to a nice new owner! Now enjoying a 07 Magna Rembrandt 45' ISX600 #6775
"We're ONDROAD for THEJRNY!" (Toad and Coach license plates, say Hi if you see us!)

Re: Thetford Aria II - No power, or bad controller?

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 106287
Sheepishly admit that when I put my cheater reading glasses on, I found a 20A fuse in the rear compartment fuse box. (Wire #403, 12V Outlet in basement; Toilet, Restroom lights, on our coach.) Pulled the fuse out to check it, and it looks perfect.

So I suppose that points me back at either a bad control panel, or perhaps the new flapper mechanism may have a problem and not be providing a full close loop system to let anything work at all(?).

Still would welcome input,

Smitty

04 Allure 31017
04 Allure Sold to a nice new owner! Now enjoying a 07 Magna Rembrandt 45' ISX600 #6775
"We're ONDROAD for THEJRNY!" (Toad and Coach license plates, say Hi if you see us!)

Re: Thetford Aria II - No power, or bad controller?

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 106288
Check the fuse with a meter I have seen way to many fuses over the 40+ years working on electronics where fuse looked good and I wasted hours chasing ghosts.
When you use a meter make sure it goes to 0 either digital or swing meter, I have seen resistive fuses that "appear" good if you just look for a response and not 0 ohms indication.

Ray

They say wine improves with age! As I enter my golden years, I say age improves with wine! The Born Loser

On 5/25/2016 1:45:22 PM, "gsmith77_7@... [Country-Coach-Owners]" Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Re: Thetford Aria II - No power, or bad controller?

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 106292
Ray - Great tips, and I will test the fuse before going much further...

I did call Thetford Customer Service today, and was pleased with the help from a very nice lady... She suggested I test for power. To the fuse, pass the fuse, from the control board to the actual flapper mechanism. She said it would identify where the failure exists, and that makes sense.

Though before pulling the unit off the flange and out from the wall for access, I'll go ahead and test the fuse first.

Thanks,

Smitty

04 Allure 31017
04 Allure Sold to a nice new owner! Now enjoying a 07 Magna Rembrandt 45' ISX600 #6775
"We're ONDROAD for THEJRNY!" (Toad and Coach license plates, say Hi if you see us!)

Re: Thetford Aria II - No power, or bad controller?

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 106322
Wanted to close the chapter, at least for me, on the Aria Deluxe I (Note: In other posts, I called this unit an Aria Deluxe II, and in some, only the Aria Deluxe. When talking with Thetford Tech support, it was confirmed it is the Deluxe 1 model...)

-Validated the inline fuse tested out OK -Validated power to the fuse

-Could not definitively trace the problem to specially the control board, or the new flapper mechanism assembly (which includes the gizmo for cranking open/close the slider flapper blade).
-I did detect that the new flapper mechanisms assembly, seems to have something wrong with it, as I can see a broken piece of plastic getting in the way from time to time as we're manually cranking the flapper open/close (At it seems a few hundred twists each way:)!). So my thinking is that this new flapper mechanism assembly had a defect the was the root cause of this specific problem.

As I had stated a few months back in another thread, I've had it with this unit. And laugh at myself for having tossed another few hundred at trying to solve a fundamentally flawed design.

So, after a few hours of re-researching, I've ordered - and I'm a bit miffed that I'm about to type this - another Thetford:)! I went with the Aria Classic, gravity pedal flush unit. A direct replacement for my Aria Deluxe I unit, and KISS.

I will remove the recently installed 'flapper mechanism assembly' when we pull the Deluxe I out of the coach. And the shop I bought it from will send it back under warranty, and I should get the parts refund for the cost of this unit.

I had hedged my bet on this unit, getting on the call list for a salvaged Sealand Opus if one were to show up... But suspect I'll just keep the Aria Classic for it's simplicity...

Chapter soon to be closed on this for me... Figure with he holiday, I'll get the unit delivered on Wednesday, and in the meantime, parks restrooms will get the majority of my business:)!

Best to all, and as I joked on another board - may the flush be with you,

Smitty

04 Allure 31017
04 Allure Sold to a nice new owner! Now enjoying a 07 Magna Rembrandt 45' ISX600 #6775
"We're ONDROAD for THEJRNY!" (Toad and Coach license plates, say Hi if you see us!)