I got the name wrong, it was a ComfortPro. It does not matter, they are still made in the same place, by the same people. Carrier does not manufacture them. They just sell and provide a service network.
There is more to it than that. Yes, the same people make the unit after Carrier got the distribution rights but Carrier now has input into the company that did not exist before. Many thousands of these units have been installed on tractors since Carrier got involved. I do not know the story well but understand that changes were made to the product after Carrier got involved.
Carrier is a big, big company with a varied line of quality products. They are not ignorant when it comes to quality control and will not be content to let a product with its name on it go south on quality issues.
Many of the carrier reefer shops knew nothing about generators when Carrier picked up the line and some still don't. But as has been suggested above, installation is the key. With all brands, a generator installed well will last for many years but one installed poorly will be problematic at best.
The service manager at a Carrier Transicold dealer once told me the story about a major installation they did for a Wisconsin-based motor carrier. They installed over 1,000 generators on this motor carrier's fleet. The first few did not go well so they called in a factory rep. The rep explained all the shortcuts that can be taken when these generators are installed and also explained why none of these shortcuts should be taken. Again, proper installation is the key.
The dealer did not want to end up doing warranty work on 1,000+ installations and resolved to do it right. It was very interesting listening to this dealer mention the shortcuts that can be taken and I can see it happening often that a mechanic will take the shortcuts because he will want to get the job done quickly and get that truck out the door so he can move on to his next job.
A name that has been mentioned before in the Open Forum is Bill Moore at
TSI Western Star in North Jackson, Ohio. Bill owns the dealership but that shop began as a general repair shop before the Western Star line was picked up. He has made many friends and gained many customers in the expediting arena by working on generators of all kinds and fixing problems that could not be resolved elsewhere.
Diane and I got to know this shop when we drove a Western Star truck owned by a fleet owner. We would not hesitate to take our Volvo there for general repairs if needed and if we were in the area.
If I was in your shoes, Layoutshooter, I'd take my truck there and review all the options. Your generator may be toast or may not be. Regardless, if anyone can develop and/or fabricate a solution for you, they can.
You began this thread with the title "Fed up & disgusted." It may be time to take a few steps back, zoom out to view the bigger picture, and think things through from a different perspective.
You don't want a new truck. That is understandable.
You can buy 300 $50 hotel rooms for $15,000. That is true but is it something you really want to do? When you are running hard (as you have been), you don't want to be moving in and out of hotel rooms or going out of service to make use of a hotel room and sleep in comfort. You want to sleep and live in comfort in the truck so you can keep rolling and keep the revenue stream going.
It may be time to approach your generator question as if you were buying a new truck. What exactly do you want from a generator and what is the best way to get it?
Diane and I have thought through the loss-of-generator scenario. Our Onan has performed well. It has only broken down once and that was because of a belt that gave up the ghost. I was able to replace that belt myself with a spare belt we carry.
But if a more serious breakdown would occur, our view is that if we do not have a generator, we do not have a truck. For the expediting life we live and work we do on the road, a generator is as essential as the truck itself.
Hotels are not a good option. Idling is not a good option. If our generator failed, we would go out of service as soon as possible and deadhead to the closest GOOD repair facility we know of. If it was a catastrophic generator failure, we would spend the $10,000 to $15,000 to put a new one in ASAP.
Joe, forget about the past. Forget about the shops and products that have left you fed up and disgusted. Think instead about how it will feel to have a generator in the truck that does exactly what you want it to do and think about the best way to accomplish that.