Furnace pilot won't stay lit

[salplmb]

Sent: 4/19/2003 2:08 PM

I tried lighting my furnace and the piolt wont stay lit after releasing red button. I cant see any thermo couple for pilot but there is a wire going from the pilot assy. to some kind of soliniod? Cant figure it out and none of the lit. I have says anything about this part or problem. Its in a 73 and coleman model # 4023-889. Thanks for any help.
sal

[denisondc]

Sent: 4/19/2003 9:24 PM

Once the pilot is lit, you may have to hold the button in for a minute or two, at which time you should be able to release it, and have pilot stay on - because the heat from the pilot flame has expanded the mercury in the little sensing tube, which then pushes up on the tiny bellows at the other end of it in the all purpose valve, and that latch keeps the all purpose valve from closing off the supply of propane to the pilot. It could be your pilot flame is too small -it is adjustable-, or misformed due to dirt/soot/cobwebs in the very small orifice, or - - - worst of all - the little sensing tube with its drop of mercury could have gone bad. Then you would need to find a replacment for it. And if that is what you need, when you find a source for the replacement, let the rest of us know about it - where from and how much? Your furnace may use the thermocouple type of pilot-hold-open instead, and they too can go bad. In fact, they can go bad by slow degrees, requiring a larger and larger pilot flame to do the job. You want the pilot to be as small as possible and still work - so there is less heat stress on the heat exchanger when the blower is off. denison

[salplmb]

Sent: 4/19/2003 11:16 PM

o.k. I held the button in for at least three minutes. no luck. took the cover off the little bellows/mercury switch thing and was able to rig bypass for switch. pilot will now stay lit. so I'm assuming the murcury switch thing is bad. one other thing is that now that i got the pilot to stay lit i could not get the burner to fire. the thermostat was bad so bypassed thermostat. that got the blower to come on but burner did not fire. don't know if gas vale may be bad or if there is something else i'm missing. i think i can get the switch thing from supplier i know for gas vaves but am not sure if there might be some other thing to check first. will check on switch and let you know if i can get it. thanks for the help.
sal

[HAL]

Sent: 4/20/2003 2:14 AM

HAL HERE. HAVE YOU TRIED USING STEEL WOOL TO CLEAN THE THERMOCOUPLE?  WHAT I DUE EVERY YEAR IS PULL THE FURNACE AND CLEAN THE BURNER CHAMBER, CHECK AND CLEAN ALL ELECT. POINTS AND CLEAN THE PILOT ASSY. WHAT I USE IS EMERYCLOTH. BE CAREFUL NOT TO BRAKE THE TUB AS IT IS FILLED WITH GAS. IF THE THERMOCOUPLE IS BAD YOU CAN GO TO AN APLINANCE REPAIR STORE AND  BUY ANOTHER ONE. IT IS THE SAME AS USED IN HOT WATER HEATERS.

[salplmb]

Sent: 4/20/2003 11:19 PM

hey guys thanks for all the good tips. took the whole burner assy. and gas valve assy out. good thing hal mentioned this because whole thing was full of rust flake. cleaned everthing really good and adj. pilot flame on little mercury switch. got pilot to stay on. main burner still would not light! got really fustrated and taped on gas valve. bingo! fired right up. thermosat is still bad so have to get one for 12 volt. thanks for all your help! will still check on that gas valve and switch for anybody who might need it. last thing to go through is the water supply. fill spout broke and cant find one anywhere.
sal

[mightybooboo]

Sent: 4/21/2003 1:34 PM

Ive heard you can use the battery powered digital house thermostat from wall mart and it eliminates the wide temp swings of the old style thermostats.If interested i will research the link,found it i think on the IRV2 site..
BooBoo

for the hunter thermostat changeout try this link
www.rverscorner.com/articles/hunterstat.htm

booboo

[Rick Shaw]

Sent: 4/21/2003 4:22 PM

BooBoo,
Was your post concerning using a thermostat for a house in your motorhome?   If this is true I would appreciate any information that you come up with.   I need to replace my thermostat.
Rick

[beach]

Sent: 4/21/2003 5:48 PM

we used an rv one on our pace arrow May be the same thing

[mightybooboo]

Sent: 4/21/2003 10:28 PM

the link I posted is for putting a house thermostat in your MH.I use this thermostat at the house,its a good unit and really moderated  the temperature extreme swings.Its on the to do list for winnie,just havent done it yet as the current one still functions so havent made it a priority.The folks who have done it swear by it.
http://HTTP://WWW.klenger.net/arctic-fox/hunter-tstat/index.html
this link should do it,are the links not working when you click them?

[Rick Shaw]

Sent: 4/21/2003 10:39 PM

I was impressed with the house thermostat article.   But my problem is that on my 1979 Brave's thermostat only has two wires going to it.   Where are all these other wires going to and coming from.   
Rick

[HAL]

Sent: 4/21/2003 11:04 PM

HAL HERE. THE HOUSE T-STAT. USES 4 ,SOME TIMES 5 WIRES. THE USUALL COLOR CODE IS RED-POWER, WHITE-HEAT, YELLOW A/C, GREEN-FAN, THE 5 WIRE IS A GROUND WIRE. YOU WOULD HOOK THE WIRES TO RED AND WHITE TERMANLS ON THE T-STAT.

[mightybooboo]

Sent: 4/22/2003 2:01 AM

Hunter comes with simple instructions,my house uses only 2 wires too,it shows a simple connect,oddly enough even the screw holes to wall mount  lined up with the old holes in the wall from the old stat.  Doesnt get much simpler,hey,I cant even run bath water without flooding the house and drowning the cat,but I was able to hook this thing up.  At least I think I did it right,house hasnt burned down,and It hasnt electrocuted anyone.So far.LOL

.BooBoo

Rick
BTW,the hunter thermostat is a dry contact switch.All it does is make a connection between the 2 wires running to it.It doesnt care what the voltage of house is,be it 120 or 12.The furnace itself has all controls in it,thermo just connects those 2 wires creating a connection between the 2.Those 2 AA batts in stat will last a year easy,has a low batt indicator and it also has a great temp guage to show you the true indoor temp.Thing rocks for approximately 20 bux!
Boo

[Rick Shaw]

Sent: 4/30/2003 8:35 PM

Thanks boo,
I like the idea of that thermostat.   Did you say you got it at wally world?
I was there last night and should have looked.
Rick

[mightybooboo]

Sent: 4/30/2003 10:21 PM

Yep,got it at good ole WallyWorld.Let us know how you like it Rick,you know,the real world test results in a Winnie would be appreciated.I set it at home for 71 degrees,at 70 the furnace fires,off at 73.A 1 degree spread either way,used to be about 5 degrees each way.Does it ever make the house more comfy bigtime.I still cant get over what a heating upgrade this thing is for 20 bux!!!If I remember next time at Wallyworld I will get one for Winnie,forgot how much I like this thing,as its so unobtrusive and functional it just gets ignored.

I was just thinking tho....maybe a 1 degree swing with the fan staying on a couple minutes after it switches off,might be cycling quite a bit in a Winnie?Wonder if the fan time cycling is adjustable,any furnace experts here know?Hmm.......guess i need to hook it up and do a real world Winnie test and see how well it plays for Winnie owners.Will keep you all updated this may take another month before I can take her out again,if anyone does it sooner......Please post.
Boo

[denisondc]

Sent: 5/1/2003 6:16 AM

The fan time cycling is adjustable on some models, on others no.    Thats all I know about it.   denison

[looten35]

Hi all i have a 72 Brave and it has a Coleman 4030-889 furnace. Now everything works except the pilot light wont stay lit.  Anyone have any ideas. I am thinking its the thermocoupler. If so where can i get parts??

Thanks!!

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

If anyone still has them then this place will: RV Dealership


Set category to furnaces
Expand Coleman
Scroll down to and open 4030A889

[RANGERRICK]

I have some hard to find coleman parts for sale.

[looten35]

What do you have?? Email me please looten30ATgmailDOTcom

Thanks!!
Jaime

[looten35]

Does the coleman 4030-889 have a thermocoupler??

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

All the information I am reading about the 4230A889 indicates it is not a DSI based unit so yes, it would have a thermocouple.  Should be able to use a generic thermocouple.  The 4230A unit uses a 12VDC glow coil (Red button for Eaton gas valve or red knob for General gas valve) to light the pilot light.  It is a 12VDC only unit rated at 28,000 BTU

Anatomy of an RV Furnace