# Heater / Furnace Problems Continue...



## samvalaw (Feb 17, 2005)

This is the second season without heat from the furnace... I previously tried all of the fixes mentioned here over the years, none worked. 
The fan would not even turn on in the furnace mode, the a/c worked fine. I reset remote, bled lines, filled propane tanks, checked for spiders, changed batteries, tightened connections, checked fuses...you name it, I did it.

This morning I went out to check the camper, and just for fun, turned the propane tanks on, fired up the stoves for a few minutes and hit the remote power for the furnace.... I immediately hear the fans and not 10 seconds later the heater kicks on. The heat works fine. I let it run for about 10 minutes and it continues to work fine. I turned it off, an hour later I try it again, nothing.... no fan, no heat.

The trailer did not move during that hour, no adjustments no changes, etc. I have no idea what it could be and really don't want to visit the dealer, no warranty and long waits.

Any thoughts or suggestions, armchair diagnosis?


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## daslobo777 (Mar 24, 2007)

Heater issues can sometimes be tricky.

Here is what I would do (some may be obvious so stick with me):

1) Verify you have new batteries in the remote.
2) Make sure you point the remote directly at the overhead unit - ours does not work unless you are pointing DIRECTLY at the overhead unit.
3) Do you hear the overhead unit 'beep' when you attempt to turn it ON? If you are not hearing the 'beep' there is an issue with either the remote or the overhead receiver circuitry.
3) Assuming the above are OK, next, sounds like you may have loose wires in the system (could be remote OR overhead unit). There is thermal expansion/contraction occuring throughout the winter/summer due to temp changes which may cause wires to becomes loose/contact intermittently.
4) From your description, it sounds like the furnace DOES work when it turns on properly, so I would assume the issue is in the control circuitry responsible for turning ON the system.
5) Check the overhead unit for good contacts on wiring.
6) If the above all checks OK and the problem exits - then either HOPE someone chimes in with a more definitive solution







..... or get in line at the dealer









Good Luck -


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## Doxie-Doglover-Too (Jan 25, 2007)

mine will not shut off...MOST of the time. Except when it goes to the dealer, then it performs flawlessy-sp they say. This year, I am going with it.


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## Ghosty (Jan 17, 2005)

Both you and Doxie-Doglover has circuit board problems...

Mine did exactly the same thing and both times I had to have a new circuit board put in...

With Doxies problem it was my circuit board up in the A/C unit . i would set the thermostat for 70 .. step outside .. and come back in to a 90 degree trailer and the sucker still running -- the circuit board was fried and they replaced that and then the thing would finaly kick off but then after a few hours would not kick back on ..

so they had to replace some board at the heater itself ... and tighten some wires up... they mentioned something about a grounding issue but I never listen (i think it was more the wires then anything -- but I'm not a technician)

Both of them was like 0.05 cent parts that cost Outback 60 dollars each time in labor to replace...

Thats my two cents worth...

One question though -- have you tried it on both shore power and then just battery???


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## Castle Rock Outbackers (Jan 18, 2004)

Ghosty said:


> I would set the thermostat for 70 .. step outside .. and come back in to a 90 degree trailer


We had the same problem early on as well. I thought 70 would be perfect. Wrong. Perfect is 63 or 64 (the minimum possible). Set there, the trailer is just right and turns on and off at appropriate times. When it is starting to get cool, the furnace kicks on. When it becomes plenty warm, it stops.

Randy


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## samvalaw (Feb 17, 2005)

One question though -- have you tried it on both shore power and then just battery???
[/quote]

Shore power, battery, it doesn't matter. Same problem no matter what power...


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

If you can't resolve on your own...try to find a mobile RV Repair company. They come to your house (or where the Outback is) and compelte the job the same day.


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Lets take the remote out of the equation and just use the EMER HEAT button on the AC unit. If this does not work you have a loose wire or a failed over temp detector. If the button works then you have remote issues.


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## samvalaw (Feb 17, 2005)

CamperAndy said:


> Lets take the remote out of the equation and just use the EMER HEAT button on the AC unit. If this does not work you have a loose wire or a failed over temp detector. If the button works then you have remote issues.


Not the remote, sounds like its time to have the professionals try to fix it. Circuitry is definitely over my head. Would a mobile rv place have something like that on hand? Is this type of thing readily available or special order from Keystone?


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## STBNCBN (Feb 7, 2007)

samvalaw said:


> This is the second season without heat from the furnace... I previously tried all of the fixes mentioned here over the years, none worked.
> The fan would not even turn on in the furnace mode, the a/c worked fine. I reset remote, bled lines, filled propane tanks, checked for spiders, changed batteries, tightened connections, checked fuses...you name it, I did it.
> 
> This morning I went out to check the camper, and just for fun, turned the propane tanks on, fired up the stoves for a few minutes and hit the remote power for the furnace.... I immediately hear the fans and not 10 seconds later the heater kicks on. The heat works fine. I let it run for about 10 minutes and it continues to work fine. I turned it off, an hour later I try it again, nothing.... no fan, no heat.
> ...


Remove inside AC cover on ceiling. Find the two blue wire that are spliced into other wires. Cut them and touch them together (the two that are not connected to the AC). If the furnace turns on then the problem is in the AC unit. If the furnace does not turn on then the problem is in your furnace. This should narrow it down.


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## samvalaw (Feb 17, 2005)

Took it in to my RV repair shop, all fixed. It was a Gilligan issue related to wire crimps at the furnace and up in the ceiling. Everything else checked out fine and we now have heat. Thanks for all the tips and advice, thank goodness it wasn't the circuit board. He did the Refrigerator recall while I was there too.


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## Lady Di (Oct 28, 2005)

So glad it wasn't a terribly co$tly fix, and with the fridge recall, yhou are now good to go.


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