Question about Thermo King SB 230 & Whisper Option

[Ahmad Ali]

I have a question about the new Thermo King SB230 trailer unit. I just purchased a new trailer and had a TK Sb230 installed on the trailer. I ordered the Unit with ETV & Whisper. But, when I went to pickup the trailer, I noticed that it did not say "Whisper" on front of the unit. I asked the dealer and he assured me that "Whisper" was installed, even though, it does not say so, like many new units I have seen. (Dealer told me that, all new 230 units that have ETV installed, have Whisper.) Is this the case, and how can i tell if "Whisper" is installed on the Unit? Thanks.

[tony2009]

Whisper means that it has the Yanmar TK486 engine installed.
It is my understanding that as the new units have these engines as standard, they don't need to be identified as having one fitted.

[RTSR]

I am a T/K dealership tech, The whisper package should have a cloth like material behind the engine and foam padding on the doors, they will have a shiny foil like material viewable twards you when you open the doors. I hope this helps.

[Ahmad Ali]

I am a T/K dealership tech, The whisper package should have a cloth like material behind the engine and foam padding on the doors, they will have a shiny foil like material viewable twards you when you open the doors. I hope this helps.

Here is a picture I took of the unit. It does not have have a shiny foil, and there is no cloth material behind the engine. The dealer charged me extra for this option, and it does not appear to have it. Is this option something that can be added aftermarket or is it an option only available from the factory? Thanks.

Photo Sep 28, 12 12 19 PM.jpgPhoto Sep 28, 12 12 27 PM.jpg

[RTSR]

Hello, I was working on an SB230 whisper and the top door clearly said whispering, also t he doors in the picture are not whisper package doors, and I am certain that behinds the engine there is not a cloth diaper to dampen the noise. The foam on the doors can be added easily by door swap or order the foam kit, but to put the diaper on the unit will have to come off the trailer. Tell them to stop treating you like your dumb. You noticed the problem and your right there was no whisper package included with this unit. I am very sorry this happens to you.

[Ahmad Ali]

Hello, I was working on an SB230 whisper and the top door clearly said whispering, also t he doors in the picture are not whisper package doors, and I am certain that behinds the engine there is not a cloth diaper to dampen the noise. The foam on the doors can be added easily by door swap or order the foam kit, but to put the diaper on the unit will have to come off the trailer. Tell them to stop treating you like your dumb. You noticed the problem and your right there was no whisper package included with this unit. I am very sorry this happens to you.

So, the only difference in a unit without the "Whisper" package from the factory is the foam on the doors, and the dampener behind the engine? Other than these 2 things, is there anything else, that would be different between a unit with "Whisper" from the factory and one without? Thanks.

[RTSR]

I will pick a brochure when I get back to the shop and give all the accurate details.

[tony2009]

To my knowledge, the foil you are referring to was applied mainly to units with metal panels like the SB-III, units with FRP panels instead having the black foam (same thing I guess). My understanding is that the term "whisper" referred primarily to a combination of the 4 cylinder Yanmar engines, initially the early TK482 and then to the TK486 engines as well as the foam. There may also be other incidentals as well (can't think of any off hand), but it is essentially the engine and the foam that constitutes a whisper unit.
Some of the early units also had the optional "low decibel" kits fitted as well which included things like grille baffles as well as the foil.
I've checked the parts manuals for the new SB series and I can't see anything significant; however it is interesting to note that in the brochures, the SB-310+ has "whisper technology" as standard, whilst the SB230-30 units have it listed as a factory option; go figure...

[IRMechanik]

generally there is an options tag below the serial plate.
Does the whisper have a rework on the air intake as well or was that just the old sb-iii whispers?

[bunter]

The SB230 unit is the base model same as the SB190 and SB210.
A low decibel kit can be fitted and will help but if you wanted a quieter unit and standard ETV you should have
gone for the premium model the SB330.