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Old 10-03-2015, 06:08 AM   #1
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Suburban furnace won't stay running

Hi guys, been off here a while. Had a great camping season. We're out this weekend for one last trip and it's cold!

Last night around 9pm I fired up the furnace. Ran without a problem till around 11-12 when we headed to bed. Woke up at 3am, matress heater was keeping me warm but it was chilly. Turned up thermostat, all the way to 90, wouldn't come on. Propane gone? Nope, stove lite fine. Breaker or fuse? Nope all good there. Searched here saw someone say turn off thermostat and back on.... Yay it's running again.

Get cozy back in bed, 10 minutes later goes back off. No way I'm up to temp. Well maybe 4-5 times now I've turned it off and on and it only runs about 10 minutes.

Going to be even colder tonight. Any thoughts? Things I can check? I'm not that technical with terminology but I'm semi handy. It's a brand new palomino 213x hybrid. I'll try to find the furnace model
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Old 10-03-2015, 06:16 AM   #2
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Just noticed, turned off and on again that it's blowing air but not hot like last night
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Old 10-03-2015, 07:14 AM   #3
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Just tried again. Got warm for a moment but quickly cooled off and shut down. Maybe low on propane, enough to light stove but not enough to keep furnace going? Waiting for my girl to get up so I can check tanks. Fill them up and see what happens
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Old 10-03-2015, 07:36 AM   #4
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Hope it is a simple as not enough propane pressure... there maybe enough to create flow at the stove but not enough for the level of consumption the furnace needs... I will always try to keep mine 1/2 or better.

please give us an update
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Old 10-03-2015, 07:57 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bpa098 View Post
Hi guys, been off here a while. Had a great camping season. We're out this weekend for one last trip and it's cold!

Last night around 9pm I fired up the furnace. Ran without a problem till around 11-12 when we headed to bed. Woke up at 3am, matress heater was keeping me warm but it was chilly. Turned up thermostat, all the way to 90, wouldn't come on. Propane gone? Nope, stove lite fine. Breaker or fuse? Nope all good there. Searched here saw someone say turn off thermostat and back on.... Yay it's running again.

Get cozy back in bed, 10 minutes later goes back off. No way I'm up to temp. Well maybe 4-5 times now I've turned it off and on and it only runs about 10 minutes.

Going to be even colder tonight. Any thoughts? Things I can check? I'm not that technical with terminology but I'm semi handy. It's a brand new palomino 213x hybrid. I'll try to find the furnace model
Do you have enough voltage (12V system)?
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Old 10-03-2015, 08:16 AM   #6
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I'm hooked to shore power
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Old 10-03-2015, 08:18 AM   #7
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One tank was half or more. The other tank was pretty well empty, just filled it. Tried again no luck. Just fought opening the out side panel. It's model sf-20q. Gonna try again. Doesn't seem to be lighting
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Old 10-03-2015, 08:20 AM   #8
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Getting hot exhaust
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Old 10-03-2015, 08:23 AM   #9
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Keeps clicking, exhaust gets hot but then cools to just warm. Blower going strong, getting cooler prob gonna shut off again
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Old 10-03-2015, 11:41 AM   #10
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Just tried again. Got warm for a moment but quickly cooled off and shut down. Maybe low on propane, enough to light stove but not enough to keep furnace going? Waiting for my girl to get up so I can check tanks. Fill them up and see what happens
anything blocking the interior cold air or hot air vents? I am wondering if there is an high Temp shut off and air is not being moved? just grasping at straws. You are hooked to shore power. Have you verified you are getting 12V from the battery- just want to make sure converter is working as it should..
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Old 10-03-2015, 11:48 AM   #11
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If there is any obstruction at the heater vent it will make it shut down. I'd remove the gratt and check for any debris inside the furnace area. Later RJD
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Old 10-03-2015, 11:54 AM   #12
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If there is any obstruction at the heater vent it will make it shut down. I'd remove the gratt and check for any debris inside the furnace area. Later RJD
And to go along with that check the outside inlet and exhaust vents as well.
Could be a spider set up shop in one of them or a mud dauber if you don't have screens in place.
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Old 10-03-2015, 12:01 PM   #13
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I had a very similar problem, furnace would lite for a few minutes and then shut off. Get some heat out of the vents and the exhaust then it would turn cold. My burner had gone bad, rusted out and the flame/heat sensor was not reading the proper temps. Had to have the burner replaced after I returned from a cold few nights.

I always have a ceramic heater or two in the trailer now. Costco has the oscillating ones that have automatic temp controls, almost all I use to heat my trailer now.

Good luck.
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Old 10-03-2015, 12:05 PM   #14
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I had a very similar problem, furnace would lite for a few minutes and then shut off. Get some heat out of the vents and the exhaust then it would turn cold. My burner had gone bad, rusted out and the flame/heat sensor was not reading the proper temps. Had to have the burner replaced after I returned from a cold few nights.

I always have a ceramic heater or two in the trailer now. Costco has the oscillating ones that have automatic temp controls, almost all I use to heat my trailer now.

Good luck.
I may try that when we are hooked up to shore power. They run around 1200 Watts a piece?
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Old 10-03-2015, 12:11 PM   #15
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I would turn propane off and use a vacuum to suck or blow dirt out of the outside event. There could be a spider nest inside, I have had this happen myself.
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Old 10-03-2015, 12:14 PM   #16
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I just grabbed it out of the garage, it runs 1500 watts 60 hz.

I only have to use one to keep warm, like you said with shore power of course.

Here's the info on the ones I have:
Bionaire
Model BCH9214RE
120 V, 60 Hz, 1500 W
Made by Sunbeam Products Inc
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Old 10-03-2015, 12:14 PM   #17
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anything blocking the interior cold air or hot air vents? I am wondering if there is an high Temp shut off and air is not being moved? just grasping at straws. You are hooked to shore power. Have you verified you are getting 12V from the battery- just want to make sure converter is working as it should..
x2 check for blockage in the vents especially the outside one for bug nest. Same thing happened to me. I doubt it is lower propane pressure. If that does not work probably the heat limit switch
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Old 10-03-2015, 12:21 PM   #18
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There could be a flame sensor that needs to be cleaned. With residential furnaces, the furnace will start up and shut down because the flame sensor isn't being triggered. It's a safety feature on all furnaces. I would assume trailer furnaces are pretty similar. If you find the sensor, lightly sand the rod that goes into the flame and reinstall, you might get your furnace going again.
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Old 10-03-2015, 02:50 PM   #19
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call suburban. Furnace warranty good for 2 years. Sounds as if mother board going bad. It happened to me last winter. Forest River 320RS.
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Old 10-03-2015, 04:29 PM   #20
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I may try that when we are hooked up to shore power. They run around 1200 Watts a piece?
Usually 1500 watts so a 15 amp GFI is fine to use. The better ones have two settings, 750 watts and 1500 watts.

If you are paying for the electric at a cg, and almost all do charge extra for it, you are foolish not to use it. Unless you are at a cg that meters your usage, then propane might be cheaper. They are far and few between though. Usually that is only done on seasonal or year round sites.

Try to plug it into a receptacle that has nothing else plugged in to it. That way you won't trip the breaker. If you are going to use two keep them on different circuits.

I prefer a spot that has my coffee pot, a Keurig, on the same circuit. I just shut the heater off for the couple of minutes it take to make it. You can't run anything that draws a heavy load on the same circuit as the heater. If the heater has a low setting you might get away with running something on the same circuit but all bets are off. My Keurig draws too much but have a cheap Black and Decker pot that I can get away with. A toaster will trip the breaker with heater on low also. Most of them will draw too much power.

Jim
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