Faulty AC ducting

[gfmucci]

I often read about faulty AC ceiling ducting. I experienced one today in a 2018 Thor Mirada. No air whatsoever was coming out of the ducts. Yes, I know it is a fairly simple fix. Many threads on the issue.

Is this poor design/workmanship for ducting primarily the domain of the notorious Thors and their ilk, or does it occur at a similar rate among the Newmars and Tiffins?

Is this problem indicative of other similar design/workmanship failings in other structural or mechanical systems?

I can understand the dealer characterization/excuse of rv' s as "a house going through a hurricane during an earthquake." But it is also true that many of these failings are the result of shoddy design and workmanship.

My assumption is that these problems are primarily the domain of lesser models. Is this true? Will the higher end Thor Challenger be built better than the lower end Thor Mirada? Or is the $30K upcharge for the Challenger mainly features and aesthetics and quality will be just as poor? Or do we have to go up to the Newmars, Monacos and Tiffins to avoid most construction slop?

Yes, I know none are perfect. Just looking whether my general assumptions are off base.

 

[BGMAC]

from what I’ve seen in RV’s and motorhome‘s it’s not so much of the ducting, but more of the AC unit itself. Most rooftop AC’s blow the cooled air straight down with an “fast cool” exit vent. To divert the air to the ducts and move the air to other parts of the Rv you just shut that vent. This cause high pressure to move the air through a side hole. The turbulence in that design can restrict the flow.
There are aftermarket diverters you can buy to improve the flow.

 

[gfmucci]

One would think that after several decades of rv ac design experience and customer feedback and complaints that manufacturers (both RV and ac) would get a clue that "air turbulence" is keeping air from being effectively blown into the ductwork, if indeed such turbulence is responsible for the majority of "no or low duct air flow" complaints.

Ultimately it is the RV manufacturers responsibility to assure that supplier equipment works as advertised in their vehicles. "Oh, it's the AC designs fault" doesn't fly.

There's way too much finger pointing between dealers, manufacturers and component suppliers in the RV industry, ya think? It's like a circular firing squad.

 

[BGMAC]

There not going to change unless there is a big downturn in sales because of ac issues.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

There not going to change unless there is a big downturn in sales because of ac issues.

I'm gonna bet it won't change!!! With a car everything is sourced with the company name on it, with input from the engineering department. RVs are built using a hodgepodge of independent manufacturers products, without input from a company that simply (at least hopeful), understands how to bring these products together in one product. Their engineers haven't got a clue what makes the products they sourced work!!! Only how they fit together. A recent thread on solar controllers and lithium batteries, does a wonderful job of highlighting that reality!!!