First and last forest river product

[Craigban157]

Originally Posted by Timex

Oh, if I could only be there, I wouldn't be any help at all.

But let me ask a question or 2(like I really know what I'm talking about).

When you turn the thermostat to HEAT, you said the blower comes on for about :30 and shuts off. If you go outside where the furnace vents, when the blower is on, do you smell any gas or anything that resembles burning soot?

I'm "thinking", either the thermostat is not telling the furnace to ignite or there is a problem with the igniter.

Do an extensive search on FRF for furnace issues and even go to the internet or YouTube and search for rv furnace problems.

If you were down here with us now, you wouldn't be thinking about a furnace. If I were you, (if you can't get it fixed yourself) use electric space heaters to get you by until the end of the season and then take it to your dealer.

Let us know how things turn out.

I tried that tonight.. I do not hear any clicking (igniter) and I do not smell gas. The furnace is not a big deal right now, but I have a moose hunt in the fall and it would be key then. It get pretty cool in northern Maine that time of year. If I can't get it going I will take it back to the dealer before then. Thanks for your input.

[Herk7769]

The normal sequence of events goes like this:

1) Thermostat calls for heat
2) Blower comes on
3) Air flow closes a "sail switch" that routes 12 volt DC power to the ignition control board and the gas valve.
4) Gas valve opens and sparking occurs
5) If no flame detected; gas will purge and then a re-lite attempt - repeats 3 attempts
6) If no flame detected by third attempt; control board closes gas valve and prevents further attempts until power is removed (thermostat turned OFF)

Things that will cause your symptoms:

1) low/no gas pressure
2) low battery (won't spin blower fast enough to close sail switch)
3) Dirty squirrel cage fan or bug nest on blades (causes slow rotation and/or poor air flow - won't close switch)
4) bad/dirty sail switch
5) Rusty/bad blower motor (runs too slow)
6) If you hear clicking but don't smell gas, (bad/corroded gas valve or bad control board)
7) Smell gas and hear clicking; but no light (bug nest in flue - flush out with compressed air or water hose) (misaligned ignitor - adjust gap) (bad control board)

Hope that helps

Here is a good troubleshooting manual

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by Herk7769

No oven pilot in my 5th wheel. I have a long flexible lighter I use when (almost never) that we need to use the oven.

Clicker for the stovetop.

Yes but when you light it do you not have a pilot light?
If what your saying lou, you light the actual oven burner?

TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded
2011 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "9 nights"

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by TURBS

Yes but when you light it do you not have a pilot light?
If what your saying lou, you light the actual oven burner?

TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded
2011 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "9 nights"

No the pilot light must be lit every time you use the oven.
The pilot will remain lit as you cook; relighting the burner when the oven cools while cooking to keep it at the set temperature.
It will not stay lit when you shut the oven off; that is how it is designed.

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by Craigban157

I tried that tonight.. I do not hear any clicking (igniter) and I do not smell gas. The furnace is not a big deal right now, but I have a moose hunt in the fall and it would be key then. It get pretty cool in northern Maine that time of year. If I can't get it going I will take it back to the dealer before then. Thanks for your input.

You really should be talking to a Suburban rep. You have narrowed it down to gas valve not opening or defective igniter both of which are operated by a control module and any of three defective will prevent lite off. The entire furnace can be easily be removed to a shop for bench testing and repair. It's a simple machine, mostly inaccessible in the RV.


Sent from my iPad using Forest River Forums

[Timex]

Originally Posted by Herk7769

The normal sequence of events goes like this:

1) Thermostat calls for heat
2) Blower comes on
3) Air flow closes a "sail switch" that routes 12 volt DC power to the ignition control board and the gas valve.
4) Gas valve opens and sparking occurs
5) If no flame detected; gas will purge and then a re-lite attempt - repeats 3 attempts
6) If no flame detected by third attempt; control board closes gas valve and prevents further attempts until power is removed (thermostat turned OFF)

Things that will cause your symptoms:

1) low/no gas pressure
2) low battery (won't spin blower fast enough to close sail switch)
3) Dirty squirrel cage fan or bug nest on blades (causes slow rotation and/or poor air flow - won't close switch)
4) bad/dirty sail switch
5) Rusty/bad blower motor (runs too slow)
6) If you hear clicking but don't smell gas, (bad/corroded gas valve or bad control board)
7) Smell gas and hear clicking; but no light (bug nest in flue - flush out with compressed air or water hose) (misaligned ignitor - adjust gap) (bad control board)

Hope that helps

Here is a good troubleshooting manual

I knew you'd come into the topic.

I was just trying to keep the ball rolling until you made the trip!

[Herk7769]

If you are SURE you have plenty of propane and you can run all three gas burners on high and your battery can open and close slides:

If no clicking and no gas with blower putting out a good volume of air means the sail switch or the overtemp switch is most likely the culprit.

The control board could also be the bad guy, but I would look for the simplest answer first. Dirty sail switch or and overheat that needs to be manually reset.

[Herk7769]

OK, thought of one more thing. Corrosion at the terminals of the sail switch wire or the high limit breaker. I have seen this with the fridge, but it could also happen here too.

[VinceU]

It's two weeks old and never worked. That's why checking OEM features made sense..

[Craigban157]

UPDATE 8/2/2015
Finally got my furnace working, I removed the furnace and took it apart and found lots of debris inside the squirrel cage 2" piece of aluminum siding and other stuff where the bored the hole for the intake and exhaust, they just pushed the stuff inside instead of cleaning it out, the blue wire that goes to the thermostat red wire had a bad spot in it, I don't think that was a problem but fixed it anyway. Reinstalled the furnace and now it works fine. Fixed the water pump leak, bad crimp on the pex tubing. DVD, fixed dealer never removed the shipping screws. NEW PROBLEMS, Bed frame broke, fixed today, trailer brakes, wire chafed on frame because they were just left hanging. To date everything is fixed, heading out next week for another trip, we will see how thing go from there.

[kcjoe1]

Good Luck Craigban157. Job well done.

[Craigban157]

Thanks JC, spent all day working on punch list things that should have gone back to the dealer for warranty, but the way I look at it, I did in one day what might take the dealer weeks to do. Summers here are to short to have it tied up at the dealer to long. Plus great learning experience for the next new one.

[phillyg]

Good for you. You're ahead of the poor guys and gals that don't have DIY skills. Too bad you have to do so much of FR's work for them.

[olbob52]

Glad you got it all fixed. Travel safe.

[oldgold]

Originally Posted by Craigban157

Thanks JC, spent all day working on punch list things that should have gone back to the dealer for warranty, but the way I look at it, I did in one day what might take the dealer weeks to do. Summers here are to short to have it tied up at the dealer to long. Plus great learning experience for the next new one.

It's good to fix most of this stuff yourself. Think of how much you learned while doing so. That way when your in the woods, you can fix stuff without having to call the trip short. I would still go get a small electric heater to save propane. We only use the propane when it gets really cold. When you turn on the electric heater, run the fan as well and it will help keep the heat moving to even out the temp in the camper.