Heater starts, then quits - Printable Version +- Wanderlodge Gurus - The Member Funded Wanderlodge Forum (http://www.wanderlodgegurus.com) +-- Forum: Yahoo Groups Archive (/forumdisplay.php?fid=61) +--- Forum: WanderlodgeForum (/forumdisplay.php?fid=63) +--- Thread: Heater starts, then quits (/showthread.php?tid=3672) |
Heater starts, then quits - Scott Forman - 10-20-2006 01:59 The front propane heater in my FC starts up normally and will run for about 10 minutes or so, but then will just stop heating and blows cold air. This is happening well before the coach is warmed, so it is not the thermostat kicking it off, and the fan will continue to blow indefinately. Any ideas on a cause? Also, what is the easiest way to gain access to that unit? Scott Forman 82 FC35RB Memphis Heater starts, then quits - Ralph L. Fullenwider - 10-20-2006 03:05 Hi Scott: While many things can cause this problem, most commonly it is the return air and the exhaust that are plugged up form mud daubers nests, they get in form out side because the intake and exhaust were not covered with the round screens. The heat builds up in the plenum and the fresh intake air is limited or not able to exhaust the heat and causes the limit switch to open shutting of the gas valve which shuts down the flame on the beaver tail burner. The fan will continue to run because the circuit going to the time delay relay is interrupted. Having said that, if this limit switch is defective or "slow" (it is a bi metal strip in a can, so to speak) or the time delay relay is "slow" will cause this as well. Then there is the circuit board that can cause this as well. Only testing the components will tell the tale. To remove the unit from under the sofa, the front facia board mush come off. Then with the lp valve tuned off, remove the LP line, then remove the elbow and pipe going inside the heater through the outer case. Then with power shut off, it must be un wired our un plugged ( if there is a plug). The outer case does NOT need to be removed. There are 5 screws that hod the heater unit in side the case, remove those and the until will slide out of the case. In some cases, I have had to actually remove the sofa (not an easy task) to slide the unit out. Many times the air intake and exhaust are rusted and may need to be replaced as well. Be sure, when sliding the heater back in, that the tubes align and slip at least 2 1/4 inches into the exhaust tube, this prevents CO from entering the Coach. Safe travels, Ralph and Charolette Fullenwider Ralph's RV Solutions, Duncan, Oklahoma At 01:59 PM 10/20/2006 +0000, you wrote: >The front propane heater in my FC starts up normally and will run for >about 10 minutes or so, but then will just stop heating and blows cold >air. This is happening well before the coach is warmed, so it is not >the thermostat kicking it off, and the fan will continue to blow >indefinately. Any ideas on a cause? Also, what is the easiest way to >gain access to that unit? > >Scott Forman >82 FC35RB >Memphis > > Heater starts, then quits - Scott Forman - 10-20-2006 03:34 Ralph, Thanks for the wealth of info. Another question: When I run my middle propane heater, I can smell "propane" inside the coach. I put this in quotes because it isn't like a raw propane smell from a regular leak, but rather like an exhaust smell or combusted propane or something. Needless to say, I have not been using this unit out of fear of CO or explosion. Does my description make any sense to you and do you know what causes it? Thanks --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Ralph L. Fullenwider" > > Hi Scott: > > While many things can cause this problem, most commonly it is the return > air and the exhaust that are plugged up form mud daubers nests, they get in > form out side because the intake and exhaust were not covered with the > round screens. > > The heat builds up in the plenum and the fresh intake air is limited or not > able to exhaust the heat and causes the limit switch to open shutting of > the gas valve which shuts down the flame on the beaver tail burner. The fan > will continue to run because the circuit going to the time delay relay is > interrupted. Having said that, if this limit switch is defective or "slow" > (it is a bi metal strip in a can, so to speak) or the time delay relay is > "slow" will cause this as well. Then there is the circuit board that can > cause this as well. Only testing the components will tell the tale. > > To remove the unit from under the sofa, the front facia board mush come > off. Then with the lp valve tuned off, remove the LP line, then remove the > elbow and pipe going inside the heater through the outer case. Then with > power shut off, it must be un wired our un plugged ( if there is a plug). > The outer case does NOT need to be removed. There are 5 screws that hod the > heater unit in side the case, remove those and the until will slide out of > the case. In some cases, I have had to actually remove the sofa (not an > easy task) to slide the unit out. Many times the air intake and exhaust are > rusted and may need to be replaced as well. Be sure, when sliding the > heater back in, that the tubes align and slip at least 2 1/4 inches into > the exhaust tube, this prevents CO from entering the Coach. > > Safe travels, > > Ralph and Charolette Fullenwider > Ralph's RV Solutions, Duncan, Oklahoma > > At 01:59 PM 10/20/2006 +0000, you wrote: > >The front propane heater in my FC starts up normally and will run for > >about 10 minutes or so, but then will just stop heating and blows cold > >air. This is happening well before the coach is warmed, so it is not > >the thermostat kicking it off, and the fan will continue to blow > >indefinately. Any ideas on a cause? Also, what is the easiest way to > >gain access to that unit? > > > >Scott Forman > >82 FC35RB > >Memphis > > > > > Heater starts, then quits - Ralph L. Fullenwider - 10-20-2006 04:20 Scott: Check to see if the exhaust tube is rusted through. Also the fire box or plenum could very well have a split or pin hole in it. It needs to be pulled as well and fully checked. Many parts are still out there for the older units, but if the fire box has a problem, put a now heater in with a new exhaust and intake assy on the out side. Ralph At 03:34 PM 10/20/2006 +0000, you wrote: >Ralph, > >Thanks for the wealth of info. Another question: > >When I run my middle propane heater, I can smell "propane" inside the >coach. I put this in quotes because it isn't like a raw propane >smell from a regular leak, but rather like an exhaust smell or >combusted propane or something. Needless to say, I have not been >using this unit out of fear of CO or explosion. Does my description >make any sense to you and do you know what causes it? > >Thanks > >--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Ralph L. Fullenwider" > > > > > Hi Scott: > > > > While many things can cause this problem, most commonly it is the >return > > air and the exhaust that are plugged up form mud daubers nests, >they get in > > form out side because the intake and exhaust were not covered with >the > > round screens. > > > > The heat builds up in the plenum and the fresh intake air is >limited or not > > able to exhaust the heat and causes the limit switch to open >shutting of > > the gas valve which shuts down the flame on the beaver tail burner. >The fan > > will continue to run because the circuit going to the time delay >relay is > > interrupted. Having said that, if this limit switch is defective >or "slow" > > (it is a bi metal strip in a can, so to speak) or the time delay >relay is > > "slow" will cause this as well. Then there is the circuit board >that can > > cause this as well. Only testing the components will tell the tale. > > > > To remove the unit from under the sofa, the front facia board mush >come > > off. Then with the lp valve tuned off, remove the LP line, then >remove the > > elbow and pipe going inside the heater through the outer case. Then >with > > power shut off, it must be un wired our un plugged ( if there is a >plug). > > The outer case does NOT need to be removed. There are 5 screws that >hod the > > heater unit in side the case, remove those and the until will slide >out of > > the case. In some cases, I have had to actually remove the sofa >(not an > > easy task) to slide the unit out. Many times the air intake and >exhaust are > > rusted and may need to be replaced as well. Be sure, when sliding >the > > heater back in, that the tubes align and slip at least 2 1/4 inches >into > > the exhaust tube, this prevents CO from entering the Coach. > > > > Safe travels, > > > > Ralph and Charolette Fullenwider > > Ralph's RV Solutions, Duncan, Oklahoma > > > > At 01:59 PM 10/20/2006 +0000, you wrote: > > >The front propane heater in my FC starts up normally and will run >for > > >about 10 minutes or so, but then will just stop heating and blows >cold > > >air. This is happening well before the coach is warmed, so it is >not > > >the thermostat kicking it off, and the fan will continue to blow > > >indefinately. Any ideas on a cause? Also, what is the easiest >way to > > >gain access to that unit? > > > > > >Scott Forman > > >82 FC35RB > > >Memphis > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > Safe travels, Ralph and Charolette Fullenwider Ralph's RV Solutions, Duncan, Oklahoma Heater starts, then quits - Troy Tikalsky - 10-20-2006 07:03 Replace the thermocoupler, this senses the flame and will shut down the gas flow and are problematic, looks like a metal probe near the flame. No easy way to get at, remove the whole unit. Troy Tikalsky 1986 Newell ----- Original Message ----- From: Scott Forman To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, October 20, 2006 8:59 AM Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Heater starts, then quits The front propane heater in my FC starts up normally and will run for about 10 minutes or so, but then will just stop heating and blows cold air. This is happening well before the coach is warmed, so it is not the thermostat kicking it off, and the fan will continue to blow indefinately. Any ideas on a cause? Also, what is the easiest way to gain access to that unit? Scott Forman 82 FC35RB Memphis [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] |