Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: twobus on November 30, 2013, 03:08:36 pm

Title: I give up, where are the valves?
Post by: twobus on November 30, 2013, 03:08:36 pm
geeez. I am trying to search this site on my phone to no avail. I cannot frin the 3 valves that let me drain the plumbing. The manual says they're under the bed or between the froont seats but nooooo... so where are they on an '89 U280? Thanks!
Title: Re: I give up, where are the valves?
Post by: JohnFitz on November 30, 2013, 03:49:12 pm
The ones on my '91 U300 are in the basement directly under the water heater. The descriptions in your post sound like the ones used on the U224/U240's.  My manual has some info on both the Oshkosh and the Unihome chassis.
Title: Re: I give up, where are the valves?
Post by: twobus on November 30, 2013, 04:02:12 pm
Ah ha.. well there's one, and it is draining the fresh tank so success, thanks again!
Title: Re: I give up, where are the valves?
Post by: MR B2 on November 30, 2013, 04:07:32 pm
In the middle between the seats on my 89 G/V is the valves,
There is some more under the Couch,
They have tags on them to tell you which do what,

You turn the valve on under the couch and one under the middle section between the seats, drains your tank, It also fills the tank,
Title: Re: I give up, where are the valves?
Post by: twobus on November 30, 2013, 09:57:57 pm
Well there sure are a lot of layout differences here! In any case the tank is empty and the liines are blown and if it gets as cold as they're advertising, it'll be ready for it. Meanwhile we lived in it for a couple days dryparked and it did everything we asked of it, keeping us warm and the food cold and the rain out. A good test for the planned Yellowstone trip. Note to self, we need to find better anticondensation solutions and we need a thermostat upgrade to stop the rear furnace from cyling every 15 minutes...
Title: Re: I give up, where are the valves?
Post by: Caflashbob on December 01, 2013, 12:25:39 am
Well there sure are a lot of layout differences here! In any case the tank is empty and the liines are blown and if it gets as cold as they're advertising, it'll be ready for it. Meanwhile we lived in it for a couple days dryparked and it did everything we asked of it, keeping us warm and the food cold and the rain out. A good test for the planned Yellowstone trip. Note to self, we need to find better anticondensation solutions and we need a thermostat upgrade to stop the rear furnace from cyling every 15 minutes...


Furnace cycling is part of the natural beauty of the bedroom propane furnace.  Too hot. Too cold.  Repeat
Title: Re: I give up, where are the valves?
Post by: kenhat on December 01, 2013, 10:27:18 am
Quote
Furnace cycling is part of the natural beauty of the bedroom propane furnace.  Too hot. Too cold.  Repeat

Agreed! First it blows cold air until it decides it has enough juice to blow hot air then it kicks on the heat and blows till it gets too hot and shuts down then blows air again (at least it's hot air this time) until it cools down then the furnace kicks in the heat again (rinse repeat until thermostat is happy) then it blows out the last of the hot air.

It's noisy, uncomfortable, annoying and well loved on a cold winters morn.

see ya
ken
Title: Re: I give up, where are the valves?
Post by: sgwynn on December 01, 2013, 03:36:44 pm
The furnace in the bedroom also heats the water bay.  So, having it cycle a lot during a freezing night would be a good thing.
17 Degrees F last night, and my water still flows this morning.  After a couple nights, you get used to it, and it doesn't keep you
awake any more.
Title: Re: I give up, where are the valves?
Post by: JohnFitz on December 01, 2013, 07:54:58 pm
Well there sure are a lot of layout differences here! In any case the tank is empty and the liines are blown and if it gets as cold as they're advertising, it'll be ready for it. Meanwhile we lived in it for a couple days dryparked and it did everything we asked of it, keeping us warm and the food cold and the rain out. A good test for the planned Yellowstone trip. Note to self, we need to find better anticondensation solutions and we need a thermostat upgrade to stop the rear furnace from cyling every 15 minutes...
I replaced my original thermostats with digital units made by Hunter.  Needs to be a unit that has batteries.  I had to figure out which wires performed which function (A/C, Heat, A/C fan only, 12 volt power) and then translate into the connections on new thermostat.  The wire color charts that come with the new one are no help.  Thermostat was only $30 or so and commonly available from Target, Walmart, Lowes, or HD.  It's been years since I did it but it looks just like this one:  Hunter 42999 Just Right Digital Thermostat - Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Hunter-42999-Right-Digital-Thermostat/dp/B000ALEBZY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1385945079&sr=8-2&keywords=hunter+thermostat)  Newer units with programmability will work too.
We like it much better.  You can set it to the exact temp you want and not have to nudge it up and down all the time.  Our complaint with the old was not over cycling but too much temperature swing (what engineers refer to as hysteresis).
Title: Re: I give up, where are the valves?
Post by: Caflashbob on December 01, 2013, 11:44:46 pm
Agreed! First it blows cold air until it decides it has enough juice to blow hot air then it kicks on the heat and blows till it gets too hot and shuts down then blows air again (at least it's hot air this time) until it cools down then the furnace kicks in the heat again (rinse repeat until thermostat is happy) then it blows out the last of the hot air.

It's noisy, uncomfortable, annoying and well loved on a cold winters morn.

see ya
ken

Its in the design to prevent a pocket of propane from causing a problem.

Plus in the old oreds the rear furnace was below the thermostat in the same cabinet and in the narrow hallway the air flow  accentuated the temp swings in my opinion.

The aqua hot temp swings are much less noticeable and quieter and the pre fan does not exist as does the after run on.

Still mine might benefit from a fan speed control knob
Title: Re: I give up, where are the valves?
Post by: Dub on December 02, 2013, 11:38:54 am
On my U280 there are two drain valves in right side back of the same compartment that holds the batteries.. There is a third inside the large bay on the passenger side.. for that one there is a hand size hole on the bay wall just to your left and floor level when you open the bay door.
Title: Re: I give up, where are the valves?
Post by: Dub on December 02, 2013, 12:37:43 pm
Bit of a tight squeeze getting a big hand in the hole for the 1 on the passenger side but you can do it... Our's being same Model  U280's.. I think you will find your 3 drains where I mentioned.