Two part question from a newbie (furnace & winterizing)

Topic: Two part question from a newbie (furnace & winterizing) (Read 1149 times) previous topic - next topic

Two part question from a newbie (furnace & winterizing)

October 23, 2013, 03:23:49 pm

While winterizing the coach toady I found something I've never seen on any of the TT I've ever had. This white pressure type bottle (see attach pic) is under the couch by the front furnace. It says LASCO on top and has a air nipple on the top with a saddle cable on the water drain line. What is it?

Now my next question is my front furnace will not turn on. No fan, burner, nothing. Fuse is fine, rear furnace is fine. Earlier in the summer I bumped the thermostat and broke the cover so I'm thinking I might just replace the thermostat anyway but I figured since you all have helped in the past with other issues I'd try and ask. Maybe I'm missing something?

Jeff

Re: Two part question from a newbie

Reply #1 – October 23, 2013, 03:56:51 pm

Can't help with the first question, but if you have a bay door that when open can cover the furnace exhaust, there may be a switch that controls the furnace such that when the bay is open, the furnace won't run. We have that on our 2003 and if the bay door is just slightly ajar, the furnace will not come on.

Re: Two part question from a newbie

Reply #2 – October 23, 2013, 04:10:40 pm

Thanks George but mine isn't a Unihome so my bay doors fold down and I didnt see any switch.

Re: Two part question from a newbie

Reply #3 – October 23, 2013, 04:21:10 pm

Quite likely the white canister is an accumulator-- is it connected to the potable water system? If so, with water pump off, shore water off and pressure bled off (faucet open), the pressure (regular tire gauge) should be 23 PSI for the OE pump.

If you suspect the thermostat, remove it and connect the two green wires together. That should start the furnace.

Brett

Re: Two part question from a newbie

Reply #4 – October 23, 2013, 04:41:58 pm

Thanks Brett it is connected to the potable water by the saddle valve so that's probably it...do you think I should do anything to it for the winter? I'll check that thermostat tomorrow and let you know the results.

Re: Two part question from a newbie

Reply #5 – October 23, 2013, 04:47:14 pm

Since it is installed vertically, if you drained the system, it should be drained as well.

Re: Two part question from a newbie

Reply #6 – October 23, 2013, 09:48:08 pm

You will need to make sure that white accumulator tank has no water in it as I have seen several of them that have frozen and split open

Re: Two part question from a newbie

Reply #7 – October 24, 2013, 08:26:33 am

Even though the fuse is good, make sure it is actually making contact. I had a problem with that.

Re: Two part question from a newbie

Reply #8 – October 24, 2013, 09:02:23 am

Swap thermostats.

Re: Two part question from a newbie

Reply #9 – October 24, 2013, 10:20:52 am

On our 99' U270, there is a breaker on top of the fan motor under the inside furnace door cover. That will also keep the furnace from comming on.
Don

Re: Two part question from a newbie

Reply #10 – October 24, 2013, 04:30:40 pm

Brett
I took off the thermostat and put the two wires together and BINGO furnace fired up right away. Off to buy a new thermostat. Thanks again for your help!!
Jeff

Re: Two part question from a newbie

Reply #11 – October 24, 2013, 08:40:53 pm

Greetings from experience if you do not put antifreeze in the system that accumulator tank will freeze mine broke last winter.

Re: Two part question from a newbie

Reply #12 – October 28, 2013, 02:25:36 pm

Replaced the thermostat today and everything works fine. Thanks for the help everyone. I plan on leaving the furnace ON and set at 50 till after our vacation to FL on December. The lines have been blown our and antifreeze in all the drains. I also have it pluged into my 120 with a backup ceramic heater set at 40....I figure I'll be safe. I'll be blowing that accumulator out with my low pressure bike pump today just in case... The DW and I can't wait till we can ditch the snow in the winter, dang work gets in the way.

Re: Two part question from a newbie (furnace & winterizing)

Reply #13 – October 28, 2013, 07:11:09 pm

Jeff, I am not sure of the LP consumption rate for these furnaces but it is a great deal. I would not depend on a LP furnace running for more than a week or so depending on temp.
Gary B

Re: Two part question from a newbie (furnace & winterizing)

Reply #14 – October 28, 2013, 10:21:05 pm

Quote from: Gary Bouland – October 28, 2013, 07:11:09 pm

Jeff, I am not sure of the LP consumption rate for these furnaces but it is a great deal. I would not depend on a LP furnace running for more than a week or so depending on temp.
Gary B

At ambient temperatures of 0-20F, we figure about 4 gallons of propane day to keep the coach at about 72F. That is based on our experience in Montana in January. Supplementation of heating with electric heaters and lowering the temperature from "comfort" to "do not freeze" will reduce requirements. Your results may vary, so check often until you know what is required for your coach and conditions.

Re: Two part question from a newbie

Reply #15 – October 28, 2013, 10:34:52 pm

Quote from: danieljeff545 – October 28, 2013, 02:25:36 pm

I'll be blowing that accumulator out with my low pressure bike pump today just in case...

Not sure that is going to do much good. You really need to drain the water out the non air side of the system bladder. The air pump action on the air side just helps the pump not short cycle, it does not remove all the water.

You might also set your furnace down lower, something below 40 degrees. And use electric heat on thermostats.

Re: Two part question from a newbie (furnace & winterizing)

Reply #16 – October 29, 2013, 11:17:27 am

Quote from: danieljeff545 – October 28, 2013, 02:25:36 pm

I'll be blowing that accumulator out with my low pressure bike pump today just in case...

Dave beat me to it, but to offer some more info - You are suppose to maintain X number of psi air pressure in the accumulators rubber bladder. That is what the air nipple on the top is for, not to blow it out. It helps the water pump keep up water pressure. I think there is a label on the side of the accumulator that tells you how many pounds you are suppose to keep in it. If there is no air pressure in it, it is probably full of water, which would drain out the bottom when you drain your lines, and it there is air pressure in it , there is probably very little water in it. If you have a water well at home, your wells pressure tank is the same set up.

Re: Two part question from a newbie (furnace & winterizing)

Reply #17 – October 29, 2013, 08:47:55 pm

If you have the white plastic accumulator under the sofa, there is no rubber bladder in it so should be able to blow out the water

Re: Two part question from a newbie (furnace & winterizing)

Reply #18 – October 29, 2013, 09:26:59 pm

I threw caution to the wind and blew it out ....even if there was any in it as I had already drained and blew everything else out. This is a short term issue with the furnace on, more for peace of mind since we are spending Christmas in Fort Myers. Then she'll be put away till April. I have done my TT both ways either antifreeze or blowing out the lines. My PO of this coach always blew out the lines. It worked well for the 21 years he had it.

Re: Two part question from a newbie (furnace & winterizing)

Reply #19 – October 30, 2013, 01:34:06 am

Quote from: red tractor – October 29, 2013, 08:47:55 pm

If you have the white plastic accumulator under the sofa, there is no rubber bladder in it so should be able to blow out the water

You mean that they just use it to hold a extra gallon of water in the system? Why the air valve? Makes no sense that you would pump air into a accumulator without some type of bladder.

Re: Two part question from a newbie (furnace & winterizing)

Reply #20 – October 30, 2013, 08:11:48 am

I suspect that that ACCUMULATOR is really not that. It is probably there just to even out water surges and to provide a LITTLE pressure accumulation. If it is setting upright what happens is that when pump comes on the AIR in it compresses momentarily and keeps sudden surges down. Think of it as an ANTI-WATER HAMMER device,
Gary B

Re: Two part question from a newbie (furnace & winterizing)

Reply #21 – October 30, 2013, 08:18:00 am

Gary is onto it. Something about we can compress air with the water pressure and then the air will expand to displace the water when the tap is opened.

Interesting to learn that the white plastic units don't contain the bladder like the blue units. And in a vertical mounting position, you could bleed out the water completely.

Re: Two part question from a newbie (furnace & winterizing)

Reply #22 – October 30, 2013, 08:21:23 am

A lot of sticks and bricks have this kind of device to eliminate water hammer. In our house excessive water pressure blew apart a fitting at the foundation and we awoke Thanksgiving morning one year to find 4 inches of water in the lower level. That's when I added one of these. And most new construction codes requires these.

Gary B

Re: Two part question from a newbie (furnace & winterizing)

Reply #23 – October 30, 2013, 09:17:31 am

An Accumulator is to a fluid system as is a battery to an electrical system.
Treat each the same and you will not have trouble with either.

Re: Two part question from a newbie (furnace & winterizing)

Reply #24 – October 30, 2013, 12:51:19 pm

With homes, a short piece of vertical copper pipe is installed close to the faucet in the initial installation. It has a cap on it and is full of air. When the faucet is suddenly turned off, the air compresses and absorbs the overpressure caused by the moving mass of water.

In the fire service, we never shut down a hose or gate valve suddenly. Flowing 20 gpm on a small hose or 1000 gallons a minute to a deck appliance creates a lot of overpressure if the flow is suddenly stopped. The term "water hammer" is just that.

Pierce

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