# It Was A Dark And Cold...



## DebtManWalking (Jul 7, 2007)

night last night...

Good Morning!

Well, here we go again with another Outback issue.

It appears the furnace decided to take an attitude with us, and appears to have given up the ghost...

The fan turns on for about 10 or 15 seconds and then goes out...

We have a 3 month old baby, 12 year old son and my wife, so it was not a pleasent morning to say the least...

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

Cheers!

DebtManWalking


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## Rollrs45 (May 7, 2007)

1st - Are you making sure that when you set your thermostat adjustments w/ the remote your getting a confirmation "beep"? If batteries have been replaced you may need to reset the remote.

2nd - Checked all your breakers?

3rd - Running on shore power or batteries? (battery voltage may be too low to keep the fan going)

4th- Tanks have LP?

5th - Where are you that would cause you to need the furnace???? It's 103 degrees here!

Mike

p.s. It sounds like the furnace isn't getting LP. It will come on for a short time but if it fails to ignite it will shut down. Try clearing the lines by turning on a stove burner and let it run a while, then try and get the furnace to ignite.


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

I hate to think where you are camping that you need heat in August but the symptoms you indicate are most likely a fan flow switch failure to activate.

Can you test the furnace again and be out side by the intake and exhaust. You can hear things better out there. The following is a quick run down of what you should hear.

You should hear the fan turn on and purge the fire box.
Then the igniter should start (hear tick tick tick)
Then you should hear a loud click (gas valve opening)
Then you should hear it ignite and the roar of flame.

Tell us at what point you don't get to in the above sequence.

Most common faults are low voltage which equals low fan speed and this prevents the switch from activating or the intake or exhaust is blocked reducing the air flow.


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## DebtManWalking (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi Rollrs45,

Thanks for the reply...

1) We have double and triple checked the beep confirmation, turned the A/C on and had no problems

2) We did check the breakers and even pulled the "FURN" fuse and reseated (fan turned on briefly)

3) I am running on shore power - Wife also double checked battery levels were fully charged

4) We did check that, turned on the second tank and "switched" over to it and both have LP

5) We are in Okotoks, Alberta, Canada and it got cold last night here...

We did run the stove this morning to double check for air in the lines, it appears that that does not appear to be the case as the stove ran no problems for well over 3 minutes...

My wife pulled the manual and is going to try a few troubleshooting steps but as always, we love suggestions... Failing that, we'll have to haul someone out today to fix it as it's cold and rainy again today....

Thanks in advance!

DebtManWalking


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Did you listen to the sequence as I asked?? It will isolate the point of trouble and will help tell what to fix or check next.


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## DebtManWalking (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi CamperAndy,

To be honest with you, I did listen but I am at work right now and my wife and kids are at "home"...

I did point the steps out to her and once she has a chance, she'll let me know...

Thanks, I appreciate the troubleshooting steps, hopefully we'll get this resolved...

Cheers!









DebtManWalking


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## DebtManWalking (Jul 7, 2007)

CamperAndy,

Okay, so it was done...

We did as followed and only heard the fan turn on, no tick, tick, tick, nada....

Nada, nada, nada.............

Argh...

Thanks in advance!

DebtManWalking


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## Sayonara (Jul 23, 2007)

This place is awesome. I cant believe how quickly you are able to get some support from the friends online here !! Hopefully you can get it worked out.

I have a question (may be a dumb one) is the thermostat set high enough to enable to furnace to start. Only reason i ask is this happened to friends of ours in an older TT. they were starting the furnace but the stat was set lower than the inside temp, so it did not fire up until they set it higher. may be a stretch but i thought id put it it there.

Good Luck!! Awesome trailer BTW. We have the same one. Do you have the digital stat or the remote? Ours has the digtal and is very nice but takes a little learning as to make sure the heat/cold/fan and zone settings are correct.

DT


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## Mgonzo2u (Aug 3, 2004)

I can't help with the troubleshooting but this is a good place to advise everyone to have a portable ceramic heater with them whenever shore power is available just for situations like this.

p.s.

If anyone can troubleshoot the issue from this forum, it will be Andy.

Good luck!


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## OB--One (Aug 1, 2007)

CamperAndy was dead on with the sequence test as it has pointed to several things that be the problem. First is this a new OB or is it the first time you have tried to use the furnace; if so did the dealer turn on the furnace during the PDI? If they did not the furnace may not have been properly installed. The unit is not getting either gas or power or neither. As a first thought I would verify the fuse is good, some times they appear ok but in reality they are blown; if good the next step would be to remove the furnace cover, I believe yours is below the fridge and see if the gas line and power is connected to the unit. From these two things you may be able to discern the problem. I am sure you will get several other very good trouble shooting ideas on here.


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## DebtManWalking (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi Folks,

Thanks for all the feedback...

The furnace was confirmed working as we have used it several times, both in "burning off the paint" and also to keep warm at night...

I am not sure what the problem is here, we have set he temp to 90f in the trailer to get the furnace to go, it starts the fan but then quits after 10 or 15 seconds, again, with no attempt at igniting anything, we don't hear any clicks or ticks...

We have double checked the propance again, both by visually confirming the valves are open on both tanks and also by lighting the stove for several minutes....

Maybe it's time to call the dealer and have them send a tech at my expense....

Thanks in advance, I appreciate the help with gratitude!

Cheers!









DebtManWalking


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## wendy & chuck (Sep 14, 2004)

Considering it is currently 100 plus over half the nation, I think we all need to come up and help you. Time for a heater repair call rally!!!!

Hope you get the problem fixed soon.

Wendy


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Okay, I can give you a few more basic checks but if they do not pan out then it will need to go to the dealer unless you are comfortable going deeper into the troubleshooting.

Now that we know it fails at the point where the igniter should come on and you are on shore power (that should rule out low fan speed) you need to inspect the intake to the furnace to confirm it is clear and un obstructed.

There is a sail switch in the inside ductwork that must make to allow the igniter's to come on. Also use a flash light to inspect the outside combustion intake and exhaust for obstructions (wasp nest).


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## DebtManWalking (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi CamperAndy and crew...

Okay, I had to call in a Mobile RV tech as my wife and kids are freezing and it's only supposed to get colder (it's raining and cold here today)...

I can't thank each and everyone of you for helping me out!

CamperAndy, thanks, for taking time out of your day to help me as much as you did! Your troubleshooting steps you had us do allowed us to pass on a wealth of information to the RV tech... Where do I send your cheque? 

With an attitude of gratitude!

DebtManWalking


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## W4DRR (May 17, 2005)

Just to put in my $.02 worth....
I know with ours, when the LP is just about used up, the furnace will not light. The stove still appears to works fine, though. I am assuming the furnace has a LP pressure switch of some kind that will lock it out if the pressure is not up to snuff.
Anyway, when this has happened, I switched over to the full tank, and presto!, the furnace worked fine.

Bob


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Let us know what he finds out but I bet he replaces the control board. It may or may not be the problem but the process of doing that sometimes corrects the real problem of a loose wire or dirty connection.

Good Luck.


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## webeopelas (Mar 11, 2006)

My only other suggestion was to ask if when the batteries were checked was the trailer disconnected from shore power. If not, the panel will show fully charged even though the batteries are not charged, and the furnace will not run off of shore power, and as stated earlier, low LP pressure can cause it not to light even though the water heater and stove may still run.

Interested to know how it all works out.


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## DebtManWalking (Jul 7, 2007)

webeopelas;

I just had my wife completely disconnect from shore and recheck the levels on the batteries and she says they are full.

I am now having her completely shutdown the "in-use" LP tank and switching over to the other tank that has never been turned on.

I'll let everyone know if we manage to figure it out or when the Mobile RV guy shows up and tells us what's wrong.

Another development as well, my wife says the Furnance will only turn on with it turned up to max temp of 90f and nothing else, even though it's quite cool here today...

Thanks in advance!

DebtManWalking


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## webeopelas (Mar 11, 2006)

Definitely sounds like a control board problem then. I asked about the batteries, because I had the same thing happen to me at the Grand Canyon. No furnace in the middle of the night, plenty of LP and plugged in. Turned out my converter went bad and was not charging the batteries. So dead batteries = no furnace even when plugged in.

Sorry to hear the easy fixes didn't work. Good Luck.


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Okay, Lets start from scratch as it sounds like your DW is handy.

Disconnect from shore power and pull the 40 amp fuses for the battery feed to the fuse panel (no lights or any other 12 vdc device should work). Power down the remote and remove the batteries.

Re install the remote batteries and press the reset button on the back but do not turn it on yet. Installed the Battery fuses.

Now use the Emergency Furnace button on the AC unit on the ceiling. This over rides everything and it should operate with a setting of 73 degrees.

If it works then great if not you still have a control board issue on the furnace.


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## DebtManWalking (Jul 7, 2007)

Good Evening All!

Well, good news! The RV tech came out and fixed it, but not only did he fix it, he showed both my wife and I how to fix it should it occur again AND told us some other things to keep an eye out for. It was simply a wire that "was not properly secured by the Monkeys on the assembly line".

He was very friendly, funny and most of all, willing to teach us.

We now have some heat and it's nice and warm in the rig for the whole family...

Thanks again to everyone here, I am proud to be a member of such a great resource!

Cheers









DebtManWalking


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## OB--One (Aug 1, 2007)

Good to hear and I am glad you all can get warm and enjoy you trip. I learned three campers ago that if something does not work to check the original installation. The guys that build these things make mistakes too. Like any production product, QA needs to stay on top of these issues. Happy trails

Tim


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## battalionchief3 (Jun 27, 2006)

A wire.....can you say quality control....did they even test it before selling it or did it work then but just came loose down the road...once again, QC.


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

CamperAndy said:


> Let us know what he finds out but I bet he replaces the control board. It may or may not be the problem but the process of doing that *sometimes corrects the real problem of a loose wire or dirty connection*.
> 
> Good Luck.


Well you found a good RV tech, I mentioned a loose wire and that is what the guy found but you got a good one for not trying to stick you for more. Make sure you use him in the future if you need a repair.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

CamperAndy said:


> Let us know what he finds out but I bet he replaces the control board. It may or may not be the problem but the process of doing that *sometimes corrects the real problem of a loose wire or dirty connection*.
> 
> Good Luck.


Well you found a good RV tech, I mentioned a loose wire and that is what the guy found but you got a good one for not trying to stick you for more. Make sure you use him in the future if you need a repair.
[/quote]

...and send his name out to some local RV'er's. Customer service like that is hard to find.


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## mountainlady56 (Feb 13, 2006)

Debt Man Walking,
Save your invoice/bill from the service guy and present it to your dealership (keep a copy for yourself). I was living in my OB for a week, and the toilet seal leaked (on the floor) and had to cut water off to the OB. No toilets were available at the CG.
I had talked to the dealership and they had located me a service tech ($75/hr) and they reimbursed me for the bill. I would think your dealership would do the same for you, as it was a necessity, and a problem that should have been caught by their techs when checking your OB over. It can't hurt trying.
Glad you got your problem solved and you and your family warm!!
Darlene


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## Sayonara (Jul 23, 2007)

Congrats on the repair and return of your heat. Where was the loose wire located?


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## DebtManWalking (Jul 7, 2007)

Good Morning All!









Thanks for the feedback, the RV Tech actually made the invoice out to our Dealer and told us to head in on Saturday and talk to James to get reimbursed.

The wire was located on the board behind the grill under the fridge, so remove the grill, then remove the cover plate and there is a board there with two wires, one of the wires had come loose.

It's all good now and the family was nice and warm last night!

Thanks to everyone again, the help we recieved here was amazing!

Cheers!









DebtManWalking


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