Help its cold!!!

LESLIEandVIC · 12-04-2007, 02:42 PM

Ok i donno whats going on maybe someone else here had this problem.

So last night i have the heater on Aww nice and warm, i wake up FREEEEZing oh my !!! to find out the heater is blowing in cold air =(. I checked my propane and everything (stove works fine). The fan from the heater will go on and blow air but not heat.?

Does anyone know what i can check?

rob98801 · 12-04-2007, 04:47 PM

reset your propane alarm? Does your stove work? Are you running your freg on propane? is it working? propane Tank full?

LESLIEandVIC · 12-04-2007, 04:49 PM

the only things that run off the propane is stove and heater, the stove fires up fine no problems at all. the propane is full ( stove works ). I have yet try the alarm tho didnt know i had one, i figure the stove works so that should be fine?

Up the river · 12-04-2007, 06:58 PM

There is an orange wire on the back of the furnace, sometimes it gets halfway disconnected and when it does, the LP valve will shut down. You may want to reach back on the right side with a flashlight and trace it to the board and make sure its secure. You can also try www.rvcomfort.com

rockwood06 · 12-05-2007, 05:46 AM

Make sure that the intake and discharge ports on the out side of the camper are clear and that there is nothing in side of the holes. When you turn on the heating system, go out side you will see two chrome ports one on top of the other, the top one is the discharge port, you should fell air coming out, the bottom one is the intake, this one should be pulling air in. If one of there's port fail then the heating system will not work. The one on the bottom is air for combustion. I fine it odd that the fan was still running when you had no heat, normally if there is a lack of fuel or a safety control problem the entire system shuts down. Under normal operations, when the thermostat is satisfied the fan will run for a short time to clear the combustion chamber then shut down until the next cycle. Question ? do you have a fan control for the heat system like the one for your a/c, can you flip a switch to run the fan on a continuous mode / auto mode?

rockwood06 · 12-05-2007, 06:50 AM

The next thing I would check is the igniter, there are two different types a hot surface igniter and a spark igniter, you most likely have a spark igniter. While you were sleeping the system may have tried to start up,If the igniter failed then the fire eye did not see flame and then it shut down, a part now needs to be replaced. This is a safety shut down. Good luck, I hope it's something easy.

LESLIEandVIC · 12-05-2007, 01:06 PM

thanks for the input, Yes i have tried everything now it looks like. I spoke to the service guys and they are going to send someone out soon i hope. Its so cold =( but at least we got a little electric heater for now =).

Ill let you guys know what happens.

NDJollyMon · 12-05-2007, 01:52 PM

That is weird.
Things to check:

Check propane cylinder valves and make sure they are both open fully. (counter clockwise)

Check thermostat for proper operation. (is it trying to run furnace when you up the temp?) It can take up to 30 seconds to spark it up...longer if the propane lines under the trailer where not full of propane to start. (ie closed)

If the furnace was running fine prior, I'm thinking flame sensor problem.

Only furnace problem I've had was on my other trailer. Battery discharged during the night and furnace wouldn't light cause of lack of juice. (no hookups)

rockwood06 · 12-06-2007, 06:20 AM

One thing about gas fired furnace there are a lot of safety ,that are all interlock together from a loose wire to a bad regulator. A gas regulator will fail closed if it malfunctions. There is a regulator on your tanks, but there should be one on your furnace out side located in the service panel, this one is smaller, this may be the problem as well. It could be just a bad safety.

LESLIEandVIC · 12-07-2007, 01:41 PM

Have any one here got any warranty work done on there trailer? They seem to be very bad at getting back.

What is a typical service call charge?

Thanks for all the suggestions, i have tried all that stuff now and still nothing =(

NDJollyMon · 12-07-2007, 05:04 PM

Our trailer is out on a seasonal space, and I have not had them out to fix anything. They charge for a service fee if they have to drive out and fix something under warranty, but I will have to pay for transportation ..pretty much. Fee is lower if they service someone else out there at same time.

I have fixed things for myself so far, so I'm not sure of cost.

rockwood06 · 12-10-2007, 05:19 AM

Service prices will very and depends on the company you call, some charge a high rate for the first 1/2 hour then a reduced rate after that, others may charge a flat rate. No matter how they charge the travel time is built in then parts are extra. Ask how they charge when you call. In my area the charge rate is $75.00 for the first 1/2 hour then $50.00 for every hour after that plus parts, another company charges $140.00 an hour flat rate plus parts. This is for residential and commercial companies.

rockwood06 · 12-10-2007, 06:29 AM

One other thing, if you call after hours, weekends and holidays the rates are higher.

LESLIEandVIC · 12-10-2007, 09:18 PM

Well after a week for trying to get this heater to work...... it just magically started up fine.. i didn't really do anything different. i turned the heater on for 3 seconds waited like 5 seconds then put it on again and poof hot air. before i was just turning it on and leaving it for 5 min to see if i got any heat. VERY strange.

rockwood06 · 12-11-2007, 05:10 AM

LOL, I don't know what to say!!!!!!!! That's great, keep warm.

Wolfgang · 12-11-2007, 07:16 AM

Charge in VA is $75 just to show up (1 hour labor fee).

rockwood06 · 12-11-2007, 01:36 PM

What part of VA?

NDJollyMon · 12-11-2007, 11:25 PM

Maybe it's the thermostat switch?
I never really used my Duo Therm thermostat very long. I upgraded it to a nice digital model.

LESLIEandVIC · 12-14-2007, 10:06 AM

arg, im not sure but it stoped working again and im not gettin any help from the forest river warranty place, call and call and call.

It seems to be the starter, its just not clicking. Im going to try calling them people again this morning and see what happens.

Harve · 12-14-2007, 11:20 PM

One un-mentioned possibility - given the really cold weather is that the temperature of your propane tank may fall at night due to low ambient temps - and if they get low enough, the propane will not vaporize and you effectively will have "no fuel" until temps rise. (according to my father-in-law who used to work for a "bottled gas" company in New Hampshire). Of course, by the time you get to try and trouble shoot during the day - temps have risen and all is well - - - ?

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