Poof Goes the Apollo - Montana Owners Club

richfaa · 11-10-2008, 12:16 PM

Our THIRD Apollo bit the dust tonite Helen is working and I was baking a potato when it made a rattling noise..(as in death rattle.) and now just makes noise but does nothing. I have the model numbers of replacements from the forum but they are home in Oho and we are here in Florida.. Can someone help out????

Also got a call from a nice lady from 1000 trails who said we had won a cruse and all we had to do was take a 90 min tour and pick it up. In my best Jed Clampett impression I said ..., Wooowee ..we will be right up... So Thursday we will run up the road to Clearmont, Fl as soon as I can find my Bib Overalls, I have the floppy hat... and have some fun...If I can just get Helen to do her Ellie May????

Driftwoodgal · 11-10-2008, 12:42 PM

Sorry to hear that another one bites the dust. We are on our second one, sure hope it keeps on ticking.

Can't help you with the parts info, but hope someone posts soon with your info.

Colleen

mail2us · 11-10-2008, 01:15 PM

Rich,(Jed) not sure if this will help, but our Apollo has a Model No. AAC24BIB, Dec 2006.
Contact is Lynn @ Midwest Sales & Service, So. Bend, IN Tel. 800-772-7262. You should have a license to be in the kitchen when Helen is out!! Dennis

rogue · 11-10-2008, 01:16 PM

richfaa, all I could find in my notes is the phone number for Apollo 1-800-772-7262

Glenn, can we get the information on Apollo added to the OEM section?

Bob

richfaa · 11-10-2008, 01:54 PM

I know the Number for Apollo. Someone had a replacement ..GE I believe. Don't think we want another Apollo.

exav8tr · 11-10-2008, 02:36 PM

Rich, After meeting you at Goshen, I figured you were not a "kitchen type guy". Just kidding, glad to see you still have a sense of humor after being on your 3rd Apollo. Wish I could help you with the replacements but mine is still going strong. I guess it's just a matter of time. Once someone posts the replacement model numbers I should probably write them down also.

BTW: You really didn't need all those carbs anyway....

Congrats on winning the cruise Jed!!!!

richfaa · 11-11-2008, 03:48 AM

We spoke to the nice folks at Mid west supply. Of course the Apollo is way out of warranty and it is not worth it to use the extended warranty. New one is 295.00 plus shipping..30.00 to Florida and a reconditioned one is 100.00 plus shipping. The reconditioned ones have all the upgrades and modes and are checked for proper operation before they are shipped and have a 60 day warranty. The tech told me what to look for.. a open heating element in the heating element box which can be purchased for 45.00 plus shipping .I chose to go the reconditioned route. They did not want he old one back so I did a autopsy on it. Sure enough he was right. The heating element broken off therefore open. Glad we did not go the new route because everything in the heating element box is not designed for long time use. The elements are thin and had fried.Everything else in there was brittle due to the heat and fell apart at my touch. They might last for a very long time with occasional use but not the way long timers and full times use them. You might ask why if it was open did it stay it not shut of. I have no clue as to the rest of the circuitry but the tech said that is what would happn and it did. Such is life in the RV world.

bncinwv · 11-11-2008, 04:13 AM

I am confused Rich. You said that it was not worth it to use the extended warranty (service plan). If my memory serves me correctly (a lot of times it does not), I thought your extended warranty had a $50 deductible. any way that I do the math, $50 is less than $130. What am I missing here, the time frame for getting approval?? I justified our extended whatever-you-want-to-call-it-plan on the basis of one Apollo replacement per yesr (kidding!!) And I will not let this thread jinx our Apollo (also on our third!!).
Bingo

richfaa · 11-11-2008, 04:46 AM

The failed unit must be certified as failed and unable to repair by a "approved" facility. In the case of our black tank leak we had to take it to a dealer who looked at it..verified that it leaked and could not be repaired then notified the extended warranty company. For the Apollo I would have had to have a on site repair call or take it to a "authorized" repair facility to certify the failure and the service call...not covered by the extended warranty would be on me.It would cost 70.00 just to have a service guy look at it. so 70+50=120.00.. Not worth it. I knew this was the case with the service contract and purchased it for the high $ repaires.I have had two 1 for 729.9 and one for 250.00.I think all of the service contracts require this..you may not be aware of it....but they do... Even on that 295.00 plus shipping my out of pocket expense would have been 50.00 ded + 70.00 service call + tax...120.00+

bncinwv · 11-11-2008, 05:05 AM

I see. I guess it does depend on the plan. I think I am fortunate in a way that ours was recommended by the dealer, and for failures such as that I let the dealer handle it, have never had any additional charges as you describe, but I don't know what would happen if we had to do something away from the dealer, other than wait until we got back home.
Bingo

richfaa · 11-11-2008, 05:44 AM

The dealer can be a great help . We did not pay anything addtional for our dealer to certify the failure. On the road is another story. The service contracts will also not pay sales tax and a local dealer can be of help on that also. That is why it is a ood idea to read and understand the terms of the "contract"before the purchase. I beleive that we have the same service contract.

richfaa · 11-11-2008, 08:08 AM

Upon further investigation it is observed that yes the heating element burnt through and opened then one end swung over and shorted to the chassis causing the always on condition and frying the ckt board. Total destruction. We also noticed signs of moisture in the heating element box(rust). The body is in the dumpster.New one should be here Friday....

hazmic · 11-11-2008, 01:07 PM

Rich. Did you talk to LYNN as I had heard that she was no longer there. We have a new one and a spare and when gone there will not be another one.

ARJ · 11-12-2008, 02:06 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by richfaa

I know the Number for Apollo. Someone had a replacement ..GE I believe. Don't think we want another Apollo.

Go to your local Sears. I replaced our piece of crap microwave with a Kenmore. They had a number of mic's that would fit and I believe they also had convection mic's.

Worth a shot!

richfaa · 11-12-2008, 02:53 AM

I spoke to Amy at Mid west..alo a nice lady and very helpful. Helen likes the half time feature and we use the oven a lot. The problem with many of the ones on the market is that they are "counter top models and do not provide the proper ventilation..note the fan on top of the Apollo. We were not able to find a "Built in model that would fit without extensive modification. The Apollo is not a poorly built unit but it has some weak points such as the heating Element box that is just not designed for prolonged use that many of us give them. It is my opinion that many of the problem we are having originate in the heating element box.

pep1977 · 11-16-2008, 09:17 AM

Rich,
i had put in a kenmore elite convection microwave in our 3400 when we had it. it worked great until you had to use convection for a long period, then it would overheat and shut down for a little bit. i did not have a fan installed like the apollo does, to help circulate the air. if you could adapt a cooling fan to that cabinet to circulate the air in there i think it would be a good fit. the unit was same size, and only required me to cut the stand so it would fit the feet on the microwave. i thought about one of the 12v fridge fans with a switch on the hood to turn on and off when needed.

jpkelpe · 11-18-2008, 04:23 AM

If I remember right they are putting a Sylvania oven in the new rigs--maybe you can find one of those

Exnavydiver · 11-18-2008, 06:48 AM

Our 08 Big Sky came with a Dometic... Dave

richfaa · 11-19-2008, 03:25 AM

Looked at a 09 3400 yesterday..It did have the sylvania but it is not a 1/2 time but a microwave /convection oven. It is a exact fit for the Apollo and even uses he same face plate. The big Sky does have the home model Dometic Convection/ Microwave. When this Apollo breaks we will go to the Sylvania.

Delaine and Lindy · 11-19-2008, 04:30 AM

We have a GE Micro/Conv oven and works great. In our Cambridge 358 we had a Amana was use everyday and never had any issues, of course its IMHO that the Cambridge was several years ahead of its time. The Cambridge was very heavy and was well build and wish Keystone had continued to build those units. Have been looking and Motor Homes and a lot of the high end units are using the GE thats like the one we have in our (SOB) hope thats a good omen. We use ours almost everyday, (Great Popcorn) don't no how people make it without the Micro/Conv. GBY...

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