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Old 12-21-2020, 12:11 PM   #1
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Heater won’t click and light!!!

This is our first camper and I will admit I’m a rookie and shame me all you want. I deserve it.

We were loading out the camper for our maiden voyage next week and I had it connected to the garage power and all good.
Had lights on, watching the game on the TV, and then decide to turn on the heater.
T-stat was adjusted to heat, and I raised the temp and the fan came on and then went off. I tried over and over and still the same.
Trouble shot the system and was going crazy why it wouldn’t work.
1. The sails switch flapped correctly
2. The T-stat was working - so fuse was ok
3. Turned stove on and gas working fine.
4. Checked tanks and both half full or more.
5. No mud daubbers nest in exhaust vent.

Was it the igniter- cracked?
Was it the board - $$$?

Well after two days of researching and trouble shooting items I found on line
I was at my wits end and decided to start buying parts to find the bad part.
Start cheap and work my way up the food chain.

Then the lights wouldn’t work!!!!! And the tv wouldn’t come on!!!
I looked out as I was on my knees in front of the nine working heater and saw the plug was coming slightly unplugged from the surge protector.
I could hardly see it, but there it was, coming un-plugged.
I went out and corrected AND now lights, Tv and HEATER!!!
So, big lesson learned for this rookie.....
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Old 12-21-2020, 12:34 PM   #2
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so you are saying the heater is electric element only. !!!I think you need to do some checking up on your heater OPERATION. Most are 12v. fan. and propane. You say Camper" big range of rvs called campers. you have to have a charged battery and propane on , purged lines. Unplug trailer from power , and do a dry campinng heater start. you should have 12v lights come on ,or inverter coming on to power "RV".
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Old 12-21-2020, 12:36 PM   #3
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I don’t get it.

You’re on your hands and knees checking the non-working heater, and saw the plug was coming undone from the surge protector.

The heater is indoors?
How is that associated with seeing the surge protector?
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Old 12-21-2020, 12:41 PM   #4
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Are we talking about a space heater? This is not a forum for every day life mistake posts.
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Old 12-21-2020, 12:54 PM   #5
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If this is an electric heater, never ever plug into a surge protector!! It cant handle the load and is a fire hazard
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Old 12-21-2020, 02:11 PM   #6
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Are we talking about a space heater? This is not a forum for every day life mistake posts.
I'm curious.
What is an "every day life mistake post"?
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Old 12-21-2020, 03:10 PM   #7
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Most likely the RV extension cable plug was coming out of the surge protector, thus no AC voltage to converter and was not charging battery, battery voltage dropped low and furnace would not operate properly because of low voltage.
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Old 12-21-2020, 08:21 PM   #8
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sounds like Fonzie hit the nail on the head. Jmike looks like you will be able to handle trouble in the future we all started somewhere.
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Old 12-21-2020, 09:57 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas ho View Post
Are we talking about a space heater? This is not a forum for every day life mistake posts.
Wait... What?
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Old 12-21-2020, 10:25 PM   #10
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JMike, keep up the good work, read, look, repeat and pretty soon you'll fix it. Years ago I had an sob (some other brand) and the shore power had to be plugged in for the furnace to work. Because of your post, I learned from Fonzie's response. Thomas ho contributed nothing. I love this forum.
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Old 12-22-2020, 09:42 AM   #11
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Wait... What?

Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner.
I believe Fonzie has the correct interpretation.
See post 7.


Glad the OP got it figured out.
Thanks for the follow up.
We love a happy ending!!
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Old 12-22-2020, 10:14 AM   #12
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EXCUSE ME ?? Does this sound like a......"Space Heater" ?

"Trouble shot the system and was going crazy why it wouldn’t work.
1. The sails switch flapped correctly
2. The T-stat was working - so fuse was ok
3. Turned stove on and gas working fine.
4. Checked tanks and both half full or more.
5. No mud daubbers nest in exhaust vent.

Was it the igniter- cracked?
Was it the board - $$$?"

Post #7 seem's the most "Logical."
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Old 12-22-2020, 03:27 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by fonzie View Post
Most likely the RV extension cable plug was coming out of the surge protector, thus no AC voltage to converter and was not charging battery, battery voltage dropped low and furnace would not operate properly because of low voltage.


Exactly!, I would not have even looked out the window if the lights had not also stopped working. I would still be thinking something was wrong on the heater.
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Old 12-22-2020, 03:32 PM   #14
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Exactly!, I would not have even looked out the window if the lights had not also stopped working. I would still be thinking something was wrong on the heater.
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Old 12-22-2020, 03:42 PM   #15
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I’m new at this and sorry I wasn’t clear and more detailed in my initial post.
This is the heater in the camper.
I have the camper power plugged into a 50 amp breaker of my garage.
During the night, due to my surge protector and the 50-30 amp connection cable length there was pressure on the connection and it was pulling itself apart.
At the point I attempted to start the heater is was out of the plug enough to allow the lights and tv to work but not the heater.
After my wasted trouble shooting effort over the next two days it slipped out even farther and eventually didn’t even connect enough to allow the lights to work.
At that point I looked out the window and saw the power cord plug prongs nearly all the way out of the plug.
Again, sorry for not explaining in more detail and thanks for all the comments/interest.
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Old 12-22-2020, 08:07 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JMike.VA View Post
I’m new at this and sorry I wasn’t clear and more detailed in my initial post.
This is the heater in the camper.
I have the camper power plugged into a 50 amp breaker of my garage.
During the night, due to my surge protector and the 50-30 amp connection cable length there was pressure on the connection and it was pulling itself apart.
At the point I attempted to start the heater is was out of the plug enough to allow the lights and tv to work but not the heater.
After my wasted trouble shooting effort over the next two days it slipped out even farther and eventually didn’t even connect enough to allow the lights to work.
At that point I looked out the window and saw the power cord plug prongs nearly all the way out of the plug.
Again, sorry for not explaining in more detail and thanks for all the comments/interest.
Glad it is working now... but... I believe you still don't quite understand some things. That would be the difference between the 12v DC side of your R/V and the 120v AC side of things

While your shore power connection did come partially unplugged, your furnace (heater-your words) and lights (both 12v DC items) stopped working because your 12v battery went dead... And...it went dead because the converter (the device that changes 120v AC to 12v DC and also charges your battery) couldn't do its job because the shore power connection was loose.

It wasn't that the connection was good enough for the lights and not good enough for the furnace, it simply wasn't making connection at all.

The battery lasted as long as it could without being recharged by the converter and since the lights are not a big power hog, when you tried to use the furnace (a much bigger 12v use) the battery simply gave out.

Once you re-did the shore power connection, your converter started to work producing 12v and recharging your battery and thus, the furnace, your lights and anything else that needs 12v worked as expected.

Google the 12v side of life or look in the forum's library for additional reading.
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Old 12-22-2020, 09:51 PM   #17
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Appreciate the education.
I have a lot to learn.
Thanks
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Old 12-22-2020, 10:41 PM   #18
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Are we talking about a space heater? This is not a forum for every day life mistake posts.
I don’t think space heaters have sail switches...
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Old 12-22-2020, 11:12 PM   #19
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Appreciate the education.
I have a lot to learn.
Thanks
Adding to what 5picker touched on unless you specifically have a tv made to operate from 12vdc, it will be using 120vac and why it quit working after the 50amp cord pulled out.


Read the links in this post New to RV's helpful hints to help you understand how the 12vdc and 120vac systems among other accessories work in your rv.
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Old 12-23-2020, 07:38 AM   #20
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JMike.VA,

Glad your issue is resolved. Don’t ever hesitate to ask questions, we were all rookies once.

Glen...
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