Furnace Smell & Noise

[PineForestCamper]

I have a brand new 2016 unit with a Suburban furnace Model #SF-30FQ that is having a smell and noise issue. With my previously new Roo the furnace had that new smell for the first few minutes upon start up. It never triggered the smoke alarm and was perfect after those initial minutes. This baby is giving me problems unlike the furnace in my Roo.

INITIAL STARTUP AT DEALER
We turned on the furnace and the smoke alarm was triggered. They told me to run for a few min when I got home and it would go away. They turned it off immediately after feeling the heat trigger on. Probably normal thing to do.

FIRST USE
A couple of days after getting home I turned it on and the alarm triggered again. The smell also was really intense as I let it run. My eyes were burning from the air too. I left the camper and let the furnace run for an hour. I returned and turned it off thinking it was probably clear. I had left the doors open when it ran.

SECOND USE: LAST NIGHT
So last night I went out and turned it on again. Alarm triggered and I let it run for two hours. The smell was again intense. I tried to stay in the camper but I got a strong headache and nausea so I left the camper. My eyes at least were not burning like the night before. I went out to the camper after that run and the smell had diminished a bit. Improvement.

THIRD USE: THIS MORNING
I turned on the furnace and let it run. The alarm did not trigger. The smell had improved greatly. It was still there but not overpowering. My eyes were not burning. I went back to the unit after two hours and I could actually sit in the camper and not be uncomfortable. I have had it running for 3.5 hours so far. Its still running. Here's the deal now though. I was in the garage (door closed) and I could hear a motor howling. Sounds like bad bearings or a fan blade that is rubbing against something. I went into the camper and sat on the couch. The furnace is under the couch. I could hardly hear my wife talk to me (she was 10 feet away) as the noise was really strong. The smell is getting better all the time.

So I've attached a video of the sound. I have a couple of questions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KX4...ature=youtu.be

Is this sound normal? Our other suburban furnace did not make noise.
Will it go away?
Should a smell linger even after running it for as many hours as I have?
Has anyone experienced anything like this?
What did you do?

Thanks for your input.
--Brad--

[Flybob]

Dealer was partially correct. You need to run a new furnace for about 30 mins ( not 5) with the door and windows open to burn off the oil products used during manufacturing. Once burned off, your ok until next heating season when you should do the same thing for about 5 minutes to burn off any dust that accumulated over the summer.

[PineForestCamper]

Originally Posted by Flybob

Dealer was partially correct. You need to run a new furnace for about 30 mins ( not 5) with the door and windows open to burn off the oil products used during manufacturing. Once burned off, your ok until next heating season when you should do the same thing for about 5 minutes to burn off any dust that accumulated over the summer.

Thats how it worked with my first one. However, it has total run time of 6.5 hours now. Thats six full hours over 30 minutes. Any thoughts?

[Decon Blue]

Video will not work. :-(

[PineForestCamper]

Originally Posted by Decon Blue

Video will not work. :-(

Try it again. I reposted it in youtube.

[Decon Blue]

No worky for me.

[PineForestCamper]

Originally Posted by Decon Blue

No worky for me.

Here you go buddy. Three strikes you're out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KX4...ature=youtu.be

[AquaMan]

I always run mine (when new) for several hours with the windows and vents open and fans on. I do this first thing! The dealer telling you to run for 5 minutes is a complete joke. Even 30 minutes is laughable. I also burn off in the spring just to get the dust burnt off before we use it. The smell will go away.

[PineForestCamper]

Originally Posted by AquaMan

I always run mine (when new) for several hours with the windows and vents open and fans on. I do this first thing! The dealer telling you to run for 5 minutes is a complete joke. Even 30 minutes is laughable. I also burn off in the spring just to get the dust burnt off before we use it. The smell will go away.

Okay. I will go with your word on that. I am now entering my sixth hour today (total of 9) and I think we've turned the corner. Improvement every hour.

How about the fan/motor noise? Any input on that? This video is basically to hear the motor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KX4...ature=youtu.be

[lbrjet]

This is not normal at all. After the very first 30 minute burnoff it should take only a few minutes (on first run of the season for that year) and the smell should go away. Smelling and setting off alarms for hours is not normal.


2010 F250 5.4L 3.73
2011 Flagstaff 831FKBSS
Equal-i-zer 4pt 12K

[AquaMan]

Originally Posted by PineForestCamper

Okay. I will go with your word on that. I am now entering my sixth hour today (total of 9) and I think we've turned the corner. Improvement every hour.

How about the fan/motor noise? Any input on that? This video is basically to hear the motor.

I have always run my furnaces for about 3 hours on the first run. Sometimes they clear up fast, sometimes they take the full 3 hours or more. As for the sound, it kinda sounds like maybe a bearing is bad, and or something may be caught in the squirrel cage. Could also explain the extended smell. Open the inside panel and take a look at the furnace. Investigate as far as your skills allow you. If you feel uncomfortable tearing into the problem, take it to your dealer. I personally, have no problem tearing the entire thing apart.

[lakejumper]

Mine was making a terrible burnt plastic smell and had an intermittent noise. The first time at the dealership they ran it and said it was fine. it did it again and I asked them to pull the heater and check to see if the fan was hitting the "squirrel" cage inside. They found the fan blade was loose and periodically rubbing against the cage. It is also a Suburban model. Be persistent and have them pull it. I hang out at the dealership when they do most of my warranty work. They're excellent about letting me see what they fixed.

[Alpine207]

I have a new Forest River camper and the furnace gives off a burnt oil smell every time I turn it on. I have run the furnace 10 times for 20 minutes per time. The smell will not go away. Very frustrating! Any ideas?

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by Alpine207

I have a new Forest River camper and the furnace gives off a burnt oil smell every time I turn it on. I have run the furnace 10 times for 20 minutes per time. The smell will not go away. Very frustrating! Any ideas?

Need to run it for more than 20 minutes. I run for a minimum of 30 minutes more if possible. For most furnaces that will take care of the smell issue, some take longer than others. On my last TT it took 30 minutes and I was good to go. On my current motor home it took over an hour the first time, then a couple more 30 minute sessions to get it cleared up. I suspect that they don't always do a good job of cleaning up during the manufacturing process.

Aaron

[aceinspp]

The furnace should have burnt off any oil by now if you ran it as you said. Need to turn on high and let run for 30 min at least and open doors and windows to exit smoke or smell. Later RJD

[SYE]

There is no oil in a camper or fifth wheel, maybe you are getting the new furnace smell, but it is not oil.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by Alpine207

I purchased a new Forest River camper and every time I turn on the furnace, I get a very strong burnt oil smell. I have run the furnace 10 times for 20 minutes per time and the smell will not go away. Very frustrating. Any ideas?

If you ran the furnace till it got hot the light coating to stop rust should be gone. What you might be smelling is your blower motor. You not going to beable to tell unless you have a 12v amprobe to measure the amps on startup. You could be burning a start winding in it. That will smell like oil. Is your motor straining when it starts? Also since the R/A is not ducted you could be picking up the smell from something your storing, best guess I have....

[bshort]

I had that smell for the first 1 1/2 hours of continuous use. Even had to take the battery out of the smoke detector for awhile. It should pass.

[SidecarFlip]

RV furnaces all stink when new. All the metal inside is coated with drawing oil (stamped parts) so it had to burn off. No big deal run it until is don't stink anymore and carry on....

[Mike ONeill]

Pretty loud, not normal