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Topic: Furnace and Water Heater (Read 659 times) previous topic - next topic

Furnace and Water Heater

Tonight.............
we will reach freezing temps... 
( Arizona - high desert) holding about 12 hrs.........
Have never started heater or water heater.....
Have just under half tank propane...
are there any tips or tricks for this initial start-up...
and will half a tank of propane last 12 hrs?
New-be with angst
Elaine 1991 U225 36'

Re: Furnace and Water Heater

Reply #1 –
you have enough propane. you may have to go through several light cycles to purge air from the lines.
Current coach 1996 U320 40'
Previous coach, 1990 36' U280

Re: Furnace and Water Heater

Reply #2 –
Last winter we had temps from -10 up to +15 for a couple of weeks and one full tank lasted us about two weeks. Of course we weren't using much hot water since we used the house for washing dishes and showers.

Re: Furnace and Water Heater

Reply #3 –
elaine,

Heaters and water heater usually work fine.  If they don't, there are some simple trouble-shooting steps to follow.  On the page linked below, scroll down to "furnace" and "water heater" sections for some good info.  Also check your owner's manual (if you have one) for specific instructions.  Good luck!

Foretravel Motorhome technical help and information links
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Furnace and Water Heater

Reply #4 –
You need to know, there are some things that happen after you ask for heat or hot water.

There is a time delay for the furnace unit to start doing anything.
Then the fan comes on, that you will hear.
Then air blows out that is in the cold duct works.
Then you get warm and then warmer air.
When the wall controller is happy with the set temp, the burner goes off.
When the furnace is cooled down, the fan goes off.

The water heater switch starts that process.
You should hear the electronic spark, and then a whoosh of the gas flame.
The water heater is sort of noisy, and heard inside the coach.  When you hear the flame noise quit, you have a full tank of hot water.

You might stuff a towel or small pillow into the trap door opening for the electric cord, to help keep that bay warmth from the furnace inside the bay.  I made a trap door insert, that fits tightly, but has just enough room for the power cord to fit.

If you have water to an ice maker, we just learned that the heat tape on that water line is not for winter heating.

Best of luck
Dave Cobb
Buckhorn Lake Resort The Club, #6202, Kerrville TX
check the map.  I do rent it out when I am traveling!
2001, U320, 36' #5887, in Kerrville, FT Club #17006, (7/23 to present)
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Summit, white
EX: 98 U295, 36' #5219, (mid door), (4/13-10/23)
EX: 93 U225, 36' (4/11 to 4/13)

Re: Furnace and Water Heater

Reply #5 –
As I recall the bays are heated more by the front furnace. There is some heat to the holding tanks that comes passively from the interior temperature from the vent under the shower. I had my thermostat set to its lowest setting on my 93, U225 in temps in the single digits with no freeze ups. The inside coach temp went as low as 33 degrees over night but we were in the house at that time.

We were as low as 7 degrees while living in our current coach with no problems. I now have supplemental heat, 100 watt incandescent lights, in the bays and 1500 watt electric heaters in the coach just in case I have a furnace problem.

Many of us have installed remote sensing thermometers in the bays to insure they don't go below freezing.
The selected media item is not currently available.Kent Speers
Locust Grove, OK
1993 U300 SSE 40' (Restored at FOT 2009) Build 4323
720 watts Solar
6V92TA DDEC Silver Engine
2014 Subaru Outback

Re: Furnace and Water Heater

Reply #6 –
Thanks for all the great info just  making sure we aren't missing something.. this forum is the best! :D
Elaine 1991 U225 36'

Re: Furnace and Water Heater

Reply #7 –
If your stove lights you have flowing propane. I would test your furnace right now to be sure it does light. I just replaced my rear furnace and will need to replace my front one soon. They lasted 22 years. Yours are 24 years old so depending on usage/maintenance yours maybe on their last legs. Better to find out during the day then tonight when it's dark and cold out. If they (do you have one or two furnaces) don't light you'll need to make other plans. Take a trip to Walmart or Home Depot or anywhere they sell heaters and buy several. Two 1500w heaters for inside the coach and 1 for the water bay. You really don't run into many problems until you get down in the teens temperature wise.

Good Luck!

see ya
ken
The selected media item is not currently available.ken & dori hathaway & Big Agnes
🍺1992 U300 GrandVilla WTBI #4150 FOT FBP 2011
✨6V-92TA DDEC Parlor Coach 350HP Series 92
🏁2011 Nissan XTerra Pro-4X

Re: Furnace and Water Heater

Reply #8 –
Some of us are using the small personal 200 watt heaters in the water bay, on a thermocube.  The Easyheat EH 38 thermocube controls the heater, on at 38, off at 50.  The thermocube plugs into your bay outlet, the heater into the cube.  I found the Easyheats at a hardware store, and at the big box store, in the section with outside water faucet heater tapes.

We too use remote sending units to be able to read temps in the bays, and know the heaters are working.
Dave Cobb
Buckhorn Lake Resort The Club, #6202, Kerrville TX
check the map.  I do rent it out when I am traveling!
2001, U320, 36' #5887, in Kerrville, FT Club #17006, (7/23 to present)
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Summit, white
EX: 98 U295, 36' #5219, (mid door), (4/13-10/23)
EX: 93 U225, 36' (4/11 to 4/13)

Re: Furnace and Water Heater

Reply #9 –
...or crank up the engine and drive south until you finally reach someplace warm! :)
Scott Cook
1991 U300 36' 6V92TA
Old Town Penobscot 16
1984 Honda VF1100C (V65 Magna)

Re: Furnace and Water Heater

Reply #10 –
In our '92 U 280, the rear furnace has a duct that enters the water bay.  It's important to plug up the sewer hose outlet with an old terry cloth towel to prevent cold air from reaching the water tanks.
Don Hay
'92 Grandvilla, U-280
The Hayfever Express
Build #4055
'97 GEO Tracker
Life is like licking honey off a thorn.

Re: Furnace and Water Heater

Reply #11 –
Quote from: elaine –
Have just under half tank propane...

If you have never used your propane fueled equipment (since buying your coach), it occurred to me that perhaps you have not yet had your propane tank filled.  If this is the case, you might not have as much propane as you think.  You might have more than a half tank, or you might have less - the tank level gauges (both electronic and mechanical) are often incorrect.  The only sure way to know what you have is to get the tank topped off, then see what the gauges do as you use propane.  Foretravel installed generously sized tanks on most models - like stated above, a full tank will last you quite a while.
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Furnace and Water Heater

Reply #12 –
Quote from: cajk –
If you have never used your propane fueled equipment (since buying your coach), it occurred to me that perhaps you have not yet had your propane tank filled.  If this is the case, you might not have as much propane as you think.  You might have more than a half tank, or you might have less - the tank level gauges (both electronic and mechanical) are often incorrect.  The only sure way to know what you have is to get the tank topped off, then see what the gauges do as you use propane.  Foretravel installed generously sized tanks on most models - like stated above, a full tank will last you quite a while.

My tank gauge originally showed incorrectly.  After bouncing around 15k miles it seems more accurate
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4
 

Re: Furnace and Water Heater

Reply #13 –
A little late at this point, but I would never try and start my furnaces for the season without at least taking a shop-vac to the furnace tube and squirrel cage fan. I've had them packed with mud from insects and dirt and leaves.
Andy 1989 U300 40'