Help with propane furnace.

[drumbum59]

I agree with the comment to re initialize the thermostat. This happened to us a couple of years ago with our Dometic thermostat. Pulled out the owners manual and did a reset and voila' it works fine again. Hope that works for you.

[gcharles]

this doesn't deal with the problem mentioned above, but gives advice instead.
I live year-round in my 5th wheel camper, 37 feet long. I'm 66 now and for 40+ years I was a demolition/dismantling contractor.
Over the years I got calls from insurance adjusters to clean up manufactured homes in parks where the propane bottles blew up. Ever since then, I've been reluctant to heat my camper with propane and use two infrared heaters plugged in instead.
I use my propane heat for emergencies only when my power goes out because the furnace and lights run off the 12 volt system that comes from two car batteries, one's a deep cycle.
Since August 2014 I haven't had a problem.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by gcharles

this doesn't deal with the problem mentioned above, but gives advice instead.
I live year-round in my 5th wheel camper, 37 feet long. I'm 66 now and for 40+ years I was a demolition/dismantling contractor.
Over the years I got calls from insurance adjusters to clean up manufactured homes in parks where the propane bottles blew up. Ever since then, I've been reluctant to heat my camper with propane and use two infrared heaters plugged in instead.
I use my propane heat for emergencies only when my power goes out because the furnace and lights run off the 12 volt system that comes from two car batteries, one's a deep cycle.
Since August 2014 I haven't had a problem.

Using that logic then the following should also apply:

Motor vehicles have accidents so one should always walk or ride horses;

Roof's leak so one should only live where it doesn't rain;

Airplanes crash so nobody should fly;

Divorces happen so nobody should get married (Wmtire may have a comment to add here. It also took me three times to get it right )


When a propane bottle blows up at a "Mahufactured Home" fire it's usually the as a result of the fire itself, not the cause. Okder Manufactured Homes used aluminum wire and they were notorious for causing fires.

I've used my propane furnace(s) in several trailers over the last 4+ decades and have yet to have any safety issues. Furnace goes on, makes me warm, goes off when T-Stat says OK. Just like the gas furnace in my house. Even my clothes dryer is gas.

Plug in heaters would be difficult for me as I like to boondock year around.

[gcharles]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Using that logic then the following should also apply:

Motor vehicles have accidents so one should always walk or ride horses;

Roof's leak so one should only live where it doesn't rain;

Airplanes crash so nobody should fly;

Divorces happen so nobody should get married (Wmtire may have a comment to add here. It also took me three times to get it right )


When a propane bottle blows up at a "Mahufactured Home" fire it's usually the as a result of the fire itself, not the cause. Okder Manufactured Homes used aluminum wire and they were notorious for causing fires.

I've used my propane furnace(s) in several trailers over the last 4+ decades and have yet to have any safety issues. Furnace goes on, makes me warm, goes off when T-Stat says OK. Just like the gas furnace in my house. Even my clothes dryer is gas.

Plug in heaters would be difficult for me as I like to boondock year around.

TitanMike, that makes no sense at all and your 'logic' leaves a great deal to be desired. What possible difference does it make if a manufactured home has aluminum wiring if it's the propane bottle that blew up? In one instance the propane company was out and put a new diaphragm on the tank line. The family later smelled gas and evacuated after calling the fire chief. When the refrigerator kicked on, the propane bottle blew up. I've used infrared heaters that are electric and plug in. They're 12.5 amps each. There's no likelihood of me having a fire, but if it makes you feel better, then find fault with it. Before this, I was looking at buying a 'Little Buddy' propane heater for emergencies where I have no power, but my friend who sells campers pointed out to me that this camper has a 12 volt system that runs off of two batteries and my furnace and lights will keep running. I chose that option for emergencies. BTW, the electric is cheaper than the propane used...duh!

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by gcharles

TitanMike, that makes no sense at all and your 'logic' leaves a great deal to be desired. What possible difference does it make if a manufactured home has aluminum wiring if it's the propane bottle that blew up? In one instance the propane company was out and put a new diaphragm on the tank line. The family later smelled gas and evacuated after calling the fire chief. When the refrigerator kicked on, the propane bottle blew up. I've used infrared heaters that are electric and plug in. They're 12.5 amps each. There's no likelihood of me having a fire, but if it makes you feel better, then find fault with it. Before this, I was looking at buying a 'Little Buddy' propane heater for emergencies where I have no power, but my friend who sells campers pointed out to me that this camper has a 12 volt system that runs off of two batteries and my furnace and lights will keep running. I chose that option for emergencies. BTW, the electric is cheaper than the propane used...duh!

My guess is that if the family smelled propane in the manufactured home after the gas company worked on the regulator the gas company caused the problem. Also an issue with where the propane tank was located.

In my experience propane tanks on RV's are mounted OUTSIDE and if leaks occur the propane more likely than not drops to the ground.

RV propane furnaces are UL listed and if installed as instructed are as safe as any home furnace. As for what happens when someone works on the gas system, that has nothing to do with the intrinsic safety of a furnace.

As for electric heaters? Ask any fireman how many fires are caused by them.


I'm not challenging your choice, just your logic. Lots of people read these posts and some might read your post and decide that their propane furnace is suddenly deadly, opting for electric heaters which COULD be more dangerous.

Also read all the threads about burned power inlets on 30 amp RV's. Two heaters can easily max the current capability when run on full power with the other 120v draws (converter), etc. Long steady current draws can heat even the best connectors.

[gcharles]

TitanMike, in all the cases where the propane bottles blew up, they were outside. Even in this camper the two propane bottles are outside in a storage hatch. If I don't use them except in a 'no power' emergency, the likelihood of them creating liability are slim to none. Since my two electric infrared heaters have served me well and cheaper than propane, what flaw is there possibly in my logic? BTW, I have asked several firefighters over several years about fires from electric heaters, and they all tell me that there either too close to a flammable substance, or they're on an overloaded circuit, a none of them are true of my campers. And, as a matter of fact, this camper has two 30 amp feeds, not just one, and another 20 amp cord in addition to the other two...80 amps in all.
If you'd read, campers run on 30 amp or 50 amp circuits, but if you have a 30 amp circuit that runs more than 50 feet, they recommend using 6 gauge cord to overcome the voltage loss with a 30 amp cord, which is 10 gauge.

[Scheinin]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

My guess is that if the family smelled propane in the manufactured home after the gas company worked on the regulator the gas company caused the problem. Also an issue with where the propane tank was located.

In my experience propane tanks on RV's are mounted OUTSIDE and if leaks occur the propane more likely than not drops to the ground.

RV propane furnaces are UL listed and if installed as instructed are as safe as any home furnace. As for what happens when someone works on the gas system, that has nothing to do with the intrinsic safety of a furnace.

As for electric heaters? Ask any fireman how many fires are caused by them.

I am a firefighter, and I can tell you a lot of fires are caused by people not using their electric heaters correctly, and leaving them unattended.

I'm not challenging your choice, just your logic. Lots of people read these posts and some might read your post and decide that their propane furnace is suddenly deadly, opting for electric heaters which COULD be more dangerous.

Also read all the threads about burned power inlets on 30 amp RV's. Two heaters can easily max the current capability when run on full power with the other 120v draws (converter), etc. Long steady current draws can heat even the best connectors.

I am full-time and carry 2 30 lb tanks on my 5th wheel.

[TitanMike]

I'm about 60% full time and also carry two 30# tanks. Also carry two 20# in my pickup bed for either furnace or generator, whichever is hungry.

Propane "bottles" are safer than they've ever been as well as the devices they run.

Like anything, people can cause problems when they mess with everything in between.

Some elevate their fears into a phobia. Others just rely on common sense and good judgement.

As they say, whatever floats your boat.

I just hope that others who are new to RV'ing don't take out of this thread that RV furnaces are too dangerous to use.

Originally Posted by Scheinin

I am full-time and carry 2 30 lb tanks on my 5th wheel.

[gcharles]

I've been living full time since September 2014, and have a total of each devices amps used, and I've never had too much 'juice' on the line...but others might. Before I used anything, I tabulated what my usage was and if there was room on the circuit to accommodate it. And it did...