How do I operate my furnace? - A major learning experience!

[perlgurl]

It might help if you download the manual for this suburban pilot model furnace from our member section.  It is the 1970 Dyna-Trail NT Series (Installation, operation, service, diagnosis & repair and parts list for NT series 20A-AD, 22A-AD-CS-CDS & 30A-AD-CS-CDS).
It includes parts descriptions as well as sequence of operation.

The flame you got going is the pilot light.  The fan has to be running to operate the sail switch then the main gas valve.

Anatomy of an RV Pilot Model Furnace

DaveVA78Chieftain , I was wondering when or if I'd see you post a reply! I've seen / read so many of your replies to other inquiries and you, like so many others here, seem super helpful!

I'd already downloaded the manual  from another site (and double checked to be sure it was the same you all offer). I've printed it, skimmed it twice and started highlighting the areas for my furnace model.  I'm not sure what it all means, but I'm trying to read it!

I did find another forum with someone with my exact RV and furnace and problem and they described the issue pretty well which is also helpful. 


But considering when I started this I was not even sure how the darn thing worked at all, I'm happy that I got the pilot light to work and the furnace itself gets hot but the motor is not turning on which makes me think I'm not doing something that is power-related. 

I REALLY appreciate all the help everyone has offered though! It's nice to ask questions and get help (unlike my motorcycle forum, ugh!)

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

I have been out of town for a couple of weeks and it is now 11pm here.  Work day tomorrow.  I will check back tomorrow evening.  You do seem to be on the right track though.

Dave

[TerryH]

Perlgurl, with Dave in your corner, you cannot do better.
If only he knew motorcycles.....................

[perlgurl]

I have heat blowing from the furnace! YEEHAW!

It was a lack of power.  As soon as I plugged the RV into shore power, turned on the propane and then turned on the thermostat before even lighting the furnace I heard the fan kick on. 

I need to button everything up real tight which mostly means check my propane lines with soapy water. I also think I want to look into replacing the ducting or at least put a filter on the end where the heat blows into the RV since I have sensitive lungs and don't want dirt or dust or anything else that might be in there blowing into such a small space.

And it looks like once I figure out how to make it run on battery power I won't be freezing when I spend a week in Denali or go out to the motorcycles races my friends race at this year

Thanks so much to everyone for their help on this issue!


Next up, how to get the battery power working.  I'll be posting on my other thread about power with updates on all my power-related stuff. 

Joyce in Fairbanks, Alaska

[M & J]

Congratulations Joyce in Fairbanks. One thing scratched off the list. And thank you for giving us the outcome. Some ask, get help then we never hear how it went.
Most all here gives complete, full answers on what we think or otherwise freely admit we are  clueless and defer to another. Nice to see your comment about being better than your bike forum also.
On to the next opportunity.

[Rickf1985]

NOW, or the wet blanket.If you are planning on boondocking for a week be sure the genny is in good running condition and you will be needing more batteries. That heater blower uses a lot of power and will drain one battery in one night. Bring this up in your electrical post if you haven't already. I am just getting back in. W%

[M & J]

Oooh. One more thing ma'am. Now that you've got heat, please be sure you have a working smoke detector and a really good CO monitor. Please please don't go to sleep in it without those.

[LJ-TJ]

Well hot digity dog. Congratulations I think most of us have been where you are so can appreciate that stupid grin on your face. Awww not bad for a girl. :)rotflmao Kidding just kidding Well done.

[Rickf1985]

And you get to appreciate that wonderful smell of all the crap burning off of the heater from sitting for years.

[perlgurl]

And you get to appreciate that wonderful smell of all the crap burning off of the heater from sitting for years.

OMG. Yes!  It stinks so badly! I think I might let it run for a while a home hooked up to the house to clean out that stink. 

And yes, I'm planning on the purchase of a RV-specific CO detector and fire extinguisher to leave in the RV before heading out.  (I borrowed the one from the kitchen to use in the RV while I was testing).

[perlgurl]

Well once your happy with the furnace start a new thread on Batteries and we'll try hand give you a hand hooking them up. Just remember we like pictures. Oh! did you figure out what that extra copper line was for. Some thought a fuel line some though propane? Hm?

I'm still wondering what that line is for and plan to co-opt my husband to help me trace it since I seem to have failed in that regard. 

[perlgurl]

Your propane hoses look original and one is retained with a hose clamp. It would be a real good idea to change them. The Suburban heat exchangers are thin sheet metal. With the age of that furnace, if the exchanger leaks, you will have carbon monoxide coming into living space. At the very least, I would recommend a CO detector.

To be clear, you mean I should replace the hoses that go on the propane tanks to the regular, correct?  I still need to buy a couple tanks since the one I'm using is for the BBQ grill so picking up new hoses could be done at the same time.....

[perlgurl]

NOW, or the wet blanket.If you are planning on boondocking for a week be sure the genny is in good running condition and you will be needing more batteries. That heater blower uses a lot of power and will drain one battery in one night. Bring this up in your electrical post if you haven't already. I am just getting back in. W%

I'm not sure what you mean by wet blanket.  And I've got questions about the boon-docking power drain I'll add to my other thread. 

[Rickf1985]

You probably should also get a new regulator at the same time since the one there is probably original. If you get one that automatically switches over to the other tank when one tank runs out then you do not have to worry about waking up cold. There is a flag marker that show it has changed over and you just flip the valve and close the empty tank. You will probably want to get at least 30# bottles. In very cold weather propane does not deliver enough BTU's to keep the heater running well once the bottle goes below half or so. And those heaters eat a lot of gas.

[Rickf1985]

It means to dampen your enthusiasm, or ruin a party. Make real sure that the sell you have in there is NOT a cracked heat exchanger. I would feel much better if  you held off running it till you got the CO detector.

[perlgurl]

It means to dampen your enthusiasm, or ruin a party. Make real sure that the sell you have in there is NOT a cracked heat exchanger. I would feel much better if  you held off running it till you got the CO detector.

Oh, THAT kind of wet blanket! I thought you meant I would have to use a real wet blanket to put out the fire on the furnace or something!

Bwhahahaha.....

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

This valve is a furnace cutoff valve


This main propane "system" valve is on the propane tank.
The main tank hose is connected to the regulator

WARNING
DO NOT CONNECT PROPANE HOSES WITH HOSE CLAMPS.  THAT IS NOT LEGAL AND VERY UNSAFE.  REPLACE THAT HOSE WITH A STANDARD PROPANE HOSE THAT HAS BRASS FITTINGS ON EACH END LIKE THE HOSE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE REGULATOR OUTPUT.


When you have "TWO" propane tanks you want a switching regulator

http://www.adventurerv.net/254-automatic-changeover-propane-regulator-p-8431.html?gclid=Cj0KEQjwipi4BRD7t6zGl6m75IgBEiQAn7CfF31yldoBXrI_OLRXFDHN5M9ed5juL-qJMJ0CRxM3V4kaAie48P8HAQ&utm_campaign=partsfeed_ppc&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=Froogle

The dual tank selector operates like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjqE00P2aPY

This other pipe is a gasoline line for the generator not a propane line.  I can see the generator base plate (floor) in this picture

[perlgurl]

AWESOME. I was close to understanding!

Ok, the propane lines came that way when I bought the rv; I only have a temp tank hooked up to the left which I'll go disconnect completely and remove the tank until I get new hoses. SAFETY FIRST.    

I also PROMISE to get new hoses and a dual tank selector switch-over regulator thing. I'll check my local RV shops tomorrow (not a lot up here though so I might need to get mine online.)  No more testing anything propane related until I fix that issue. 

I see why they call you Super Dave!

[perlgurl]

Also, regarding the furnace cutoff valve:

Do I need to be opening it and closing it every single time I light or turn off the furnace?  I have been doing that, but that vavle is super hard to turn and really hurts my fingers, but I know now that I'm not supposed to use metal pliers on it.....

[Rickf1985]

Once you check for leaks and find none then there is no reason why you cannot leave it on.

[LJ-TJ]

Ricks right. It's a matter of preference. LJ and I turn ours off every time after using it just for safety and piece of mind. Not a big deal.  Hm?

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Turning that valve OFF secures the supply for the pilot light.  Pilot light will remain ON if you leave that valve ON.  You could secure the main propane tank valve however that would mean you would have to purge all air from the system any time you use propane (a real pain).

BTW - Please note you have a pilot operated water heater. There is no electric power required for a pilot operated water heater.

WARNING - DO NOT LIGHT WATER HEATER WITHOUT IT BEING FULL OF WATER!  TO DO SO WILL DAMAGE THE WATER HEATER!

The water heater lighting sequence is similar to the furnace.  Instructions are normally on a sticker.  If no sticker. post a picture of the propane control valve in it.

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

BTW - When opening the propane tank valve, do it slowly.  There is a safety valve built into the tank that can shut the gas supply OFF if opened to fast and there is a valve open down stream.  You have to shut the tank valve OFF, wait 30 seconds then open slowly to reset the safety device.  This safety feature is used to shut the supply OFF if your in a vehicle accident that damages the system resulting in a propane leak.  The high flow of gas in that case triggers the safety device to shut the gas OFF.

[perlgurl]

Turning that valve OFF secures the supply for the pilot light.  Pilot light will remain ON if you leave that valve ON.  You could secure the main propane tank valve however that would mean you would have to purge all air from the system any time you use propane (a real pain).

BTW - Please note you have a pilot operated water heater. There is no electric power required for a pilot operated water heater.

WARNING - DO NOT LIGHT WATER HEATER WITHOUT IT BEING FULL OF WATER!  TO DO SO WILL DAMAGE THE WATER HEATER!

The water heater lighting sequence is similar to the furnace.  Instructions are normally on a sticker.  If no sticker. post a picture of the propane control valve in it.

Thanks for the tip!

I was not even going to try the water heater until I am sure I can purge the water tank and get at least cold water running.  That is a task for next week or the week after, but I'm sure there will be loads of questions then too

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Hope the compressor works. It is no longer made