Furnace exhaust odors in Winnie

biggrock1 · April 28, 2009, 10:21 PM

Sent: 3/7/2008

I am guilty of not being able to wait for camping season. I spent the night in the Winnie last week-end using the furnace. I was planning on spending the whole week-end but awoke in the morning to the smell of exhaust fumes. I did a search and didn't find anything that really applied to me unless something is cracked.The furnace worked fine other than the odor.I can remove the unit this summer to check it out but was planning on going out camping earlier and using furnace.It is a Coleman furnace.
I tightened all the screws on the front of the combustion chamber but the smell persisted.The furnace seemed to exhaust well outside. I am just looking for other possibilities.

Thanx
Howie

brians1969 · April 28, 2009, 10:22 PM

Sent: 3/7/2008

You do have a CO detector in your rig don't you?
Was it going off?

Your combustion chamber could be rusted through.
brian

denisondc · April 28, 2009, 10:22 PM

Sent: 3/7/2008

For sure a CO detector is good to have. You can expect any furnace to have a noticeable smell the first time it is used. I would run the furnace a 2nd night, (without sleeping in it) and see how it smell in the a.m. Could the smell just be the mud dauber nest on the heat exchanger getting heated?

ClydesdaleKevin · April 28, 2009, 10:23 PM

Sent: 3/7/2008

I think Dave Denison is right. If your furnace is venting well to the outside, what you are probably smelling is the dust and whatnot that accumulated inside the furnace since the last time you used it...or a mud dauber nest or cocoon, etc. When the furnace heats up, it cooks whatever is on it or touching it, so that could be what you smell.

Since we have 2 German Shepherds and a cat, we have to vacuum out the furnace before we use it...the smell of cooking pet hair can be rank...lol!

Clean it out and try running it again, and see if you get the same smell...propane burns very clean and should have very little odor itself...you can sniff the exhaust fumes on the outside and get a good idea of what the exhaust gases smell like.

Also, if it was very very windy, the wind could have blown some of the gases back into your coach.

In any event, get a CO detector...it could save your life!

Kev

biggrock1 · April 28, 2009, 10:24 PM

Sent: 3/19/2008

Thanx very much guys. I haven't been here for a few weeks and haven't had a chance to look into it. I haven't even been near a computer. I will be checking into it soon and will let all know whatever the prob is. I do have a CO detector in the old girl but not sure how well it works. I will probably replace it.

Happy Easter!!! all

biggrock1 · April 28, 2009, 10:24 PM

Sent: 3/23/2008

I have found at least 1 problem. There is a leak where the heat exchanger enters the combustion chamber. I am trying to find something with enough heat resistance to repair i

Froggy1936 · April 28, 2009, 10:25 PM

Sent: 3/23/2008

You have to be very careful with repairs to these items Unsatisfactory repairs can result in DEATH ! Welding or Brazing are probably safest. Muffler repair asbestos tape and paste might work, but you would have to keep an eye on the repair. Whatever you do a C/O detector is a must anytime people are sleeping with any type of flame heat. Or sleep may become Permanent, New furnaces are the best bet. They are much cheaper than Funerals, And they have many updates (electronic igniter's etc) Just like being at home just adjust the thermostat & forget it. Lots of luck Frank

bluebird · April 28, 2009, 10:25 PM

Sent: 3/23/2008

If it has rust holes, forget it. As soon as you try to weld them up, you will have a very large hole. Welding a plate over the hole is the only proper repair. Maybe it's time for anew furnace.You DO want to wake up in the morning don't you?

biggrock1 · April 28, 2009, 10:26 PM

Sent: 3/24/2008

I have what I think is the solution. The heat exchanger is separated a little where the heat exchanger enters the combustion chamber. It appears that a spot-weld has loosened a bit. There is no rust. It is about 1/32 of an inch wide by 3/16 long. The product is Rutland stove gasket cement. It is good to 2000 deg F. and all the distributors vouch for it's ability to adhere to metal and stop leaks.

P.S.

I have a new CO / smoke detector that talks to me.

Thanx all

ibdilbert01 · April 28, 2009, 10:26 PM

Sent: 3/25/2008

If the cement doesn't work and you don't know anyone with a mig welder, you might take it to a metal/fab shop. I doubt they would charge 10 to 15 bucks to weld it.

biggrock1 · April 28, 2009, 10:28 PM

Sent: 3/26/2008 7:40 AM

I will give it a try this week-end, no time during the week.