Chassis heat problems

[sfedeli3]

Hi Don,

My guess is that one of your gate valves "dropped". Even though the
valve handle is turning, the inner gate is not lifting. My front heat
circuit did not work for 3 years. Tried flushing the entire loop,
replacing sporlans, relays, dash switches, circulating pump and still
no heat. Finally, removed the gate valve when I pulled the water pump
to replace it and saw that the gate was in the down position. The
inner threads had eroded and when you rotated the handle, nothing
would happen to the gate. I've replaced 2 of the 4 valves with ball
valves.

Shane Fedeli
85PT40
Hershey, PA

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Don Bradner"
wrote:
>
> I thought about the thermostat thing, and won't be able to test it
until I roll it on the road in a couple of weeks, but here's the
reason I don't think it is the case: During all of the time when the
pump was running with the engine on, the fittings all stayed cold. Not
hot, not warm, but cold to the touch. When I pulled the top off the
pump (engine was shut down), the coolant that came out of the intake
side was hot, and the brass top became almost too hot to touch. So, I
have to assume that the coolant was not flowing (valve closed or
blockage) and that if it had, it would have been hot.
>
> On 3/15/2008 at 6:40 PM Leroy Eckert wrote:
>
> >I don't know the system other than reading your posts. Never had any
> >trouble. Apparently, mine is the same or very similar. I have two gate
> >valves in the engine bay which I leave open. If the water to the front
> >chassis heater through the gate valves requires the engine
thermostats to
> >be open, I would not think 160 degrees would open the engine
> >thermostats,(they are typically 180 but could be 170 by owners choice),
> >hence no hot water to the heater. I will snoop around my coach tomorrow
> >and see where those gate valve lines connect. I would bet after the
> >thermostats.
> >Just throwing darts.
> >Leroy Eckert
> >1990 WB-40 Smoke N Mirrors
> >Dahlonega, GA
> >Royale Conversion
> >
> >Don Bradner wrote:
> >Well, it is back to the drawing board. The valve has been removed and
> >replaced, and the voltage tested. What I learned:
> >
> > The valve up front is a normally-open valve, closed by power
coming from
> >the timing circuit. Plus 12 volts is fed down to the valve, then back
> >through another wire to (somewhere) that gets power to the #12
relay. When
> >the relay is powered, there is no power to the circulation pump or the
> >Sporlan valve.
> >
> > So, power on, both valves are closed, one by the presence of
power, the
> >other by the absence of power, and the pump is off.
> >
> > When the valve was re-installed I left the power connection off,
so the
> >valve was open (bench test had shown it working, and it was left in the
> >open position). When the key was turned on, the Sporlan opened, and the
> >pump ran continuously. The pump never faltered, but nothing in the
system
> >got even warm to the touch (outside temp in the 40s, engine about
160).
> >
> > I pulled the top of the pump off and managed to lose about 4
gallons of
> >coolant in the process - certainly the supply side of the pump is
> >unobstructed! Replaced the gasket and reassembled, after
ascertaining that
> >the pump runs well and there is no damage to any of the impellor
blades.
> >
> > Both gate valves are wide open, which I assume is the correct setting
> >(and I presume they should have been closed before I messed with
the pump!)
> >
> > Looking for new possiblities, if anyone has any ideas.
> >
> > Don Bradner
> > 90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
> > Eureka, CA
> >
> > On 3/15/2008 at 5:52 AM Gregory OConnor wrote:
> >
> > >If you cant remove the valve maybe try and bypass it to see that
> > >that is the problem first???? KevinMk did that with a remote air
> > >regulator or somthing????
> > >GregoryO'Connor
> > >94ptRomolandCa
> > >
> > >--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Don Bradner"
> > > wrote:
> > >>
> > >> My concern is that the front valve may be the plug in the loop, if
> > >it is not opening. Temperature of the engine is not an issue - I ran
> > >it at idle today up to about 160 so that I would have it warm enough
> > >to be sure to feel the heat. All lines stayed cold, including the
> > >top of the pump, until I allowed the pump to run open via the
> > >dismantled Sporlan. Only took a couple of quarts of coolant spilled
> > >to heat up everything through the pump to the valve.
> > >>
> > >> On 3/15/2008 at 4:25 AM Gregory OConnor wrote:
> > >>
> > >> >Could be the pump works when not held against a closed loop????
> > >maybe
> > >> >the return line is simply plugged up. or your fan is staying on,
> > >and
> > >> >the detroit isnt getting hot??
> > >> >
> > >> >The camera trick is one CurtS taught me to do. I have even taken
> > >10
> > >> >meg picks of part labels then was able to read them on the
> > >computer
> > >> >screen.
> > >> >
> > >> >When you look at all the controls and appliances exposed to the
> > >> >weather on these rigs it is a wonder that anything works.
> > >> >
> > >> >GregoryO'Connor
> > >> >94ptRomolandCa
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >------------------------------------
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