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Old 04-22-2019, 04:27 PM   #21
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Originally Posted by sclifrickson View Post
There was also the carbon air filter mod for the intake, which should help mitigate dust bunnies.

It seems like this problem only seems to be affecting newer furnaces. I wonder why.
It may be a lot to ask but does anyone have an estimate of the year and month when the "new" furnace went into production at ETI?
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Old 04-22-2019, 04:30 PM   #22
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My guess would be when they started with the exterior furnace door, maybe late 2017, 2018 sometime.
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Old 04-22-2019, 04:31 PM   #23
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I believe the sail switch needs air movement to operate, no air, no ignition. Air movement means no blockage and any disruption will cause issues. If anything, the supply air should be coming from outside and exhaust goes outside, so there should not be any air being pulled from inside. Similar to a HE furnace, it has dual walled pvc pipe, the smaller is the supply and the larger is the exhaust, or vice versa my point is no air is consumed from inside the unit. So where and how is the lint getting on the sail switch? Does the exterior need a filter cover?

This is the question that I would like to see answered too, although I don't have the specified furnace or any issues with the sail switch.
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Old 04-22-2019, 05:35 PM   #24
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Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
I believe the sail switch needs air movement to operate, no air, no ignition. Air movement means no blockage and any disruption will cause issues. If anything, the supply air should be coming from outside and exhaust goes outside, so there should not be any air being pulled from inside. Similar to a HE furnace, it has dual walled pvc pipe, the smaller is the supply and the larger is the exhaust, or vice versa my point is no air is consumed from inside the unit. So where and how is the lint getting on the sail switch? Does the exterior need a filter cover?

I asked this question awhile back and someone smarter than me indicated that the sail switch is located in the cabin air loop, so that would be the source of contamination.

While we’ve used our 2017 furnace quite a bit and never had issues, knock on wood, I preemptively installed the carbon air filter mod, and the furnace continues to run just fine with that in place.
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Old 04-22-2019, 05:45 PM   #25
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That does not make sense when the source of combustion is from outside air one would think that blocking the outside source would be the purpose of a sail switch, inside loop means nothing to the proper functioning. something does not add up and I can not seem to be able to download the Atwood install .pdf. Anyone else familiar with rv furnaces maybe chime in?
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Old 04-22-2019, 05:49 PM   #26
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I have seen some pictures in other posts with a lint or fiber material stopping the sail switch from moving. Perhaps it could be from construction material like the headliner being cut? On the 21 is there a way to vacuum out the area around the furnace?
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Old 04-22-2019, 05:50 PM   #27
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Interestingly, all of the Atwood Mojave 12/16/16 BTU furnaces are the same size, perhaps another model may have the sail switch relocated? Which could make for an easy swap. Maybe Escape could swap them out?
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Old 04-22-2019, 05:53 PM   #28
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It may be a lot to ask but does anyone have an estimate of the year and month when the "new" furnace went into production at ETI?
If you are asking when did the furnace come with the outside access hatch...ours was picked up one year ago tomorrow, April 23 2018 and it did not come with the access door.
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Old 04-22-2019, 06:18 PM   #29
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The air for combustion comes in from the outside, on the tube surrounding the exhaust tube.

This action is isolated from the cabin air which comes in the front grill...along the side and top of the furnace and pulled in through the slots by the fan and out the front.

Filtering can be done on the grill in the trailer in the area surrounding the round heat output tube. OR as some have done, over the slots at the rear of the furnace case.

Keep in mind if you use to much filter or don’t keep it clean, you could restrict air flow. Reduced air flow means the sail switch will not act correctly and you could be making your own problem.
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Old 04-22-2019, 06:30 PM   #30
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The air for combustion comes in from the outside, on the tube surrounding the exhaust tube.

This action is isolated from the cabin air which comes in the front grill...along the side and top of the furnace and pulled in through the slots by the fan and out the front.
We have a 2015 Escape 19 and I recently had to service the furnace as it failed for unknown, to me, reasons. It became intermittent. When I removed the furnace, I found that the sail switch in my model is in the area for the combustion, not in the area for cabin air. At first, I thought that this was bad as it is much harder to reach the sail switch to replace it, as the furnace must be removed to reach it. No access door would work. The sail switch is a different design so I don't think it will clog nearly as fast, if at all, so this older design might just be better for me.
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Old 04-22-2019, 07:06 PM   #31
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Yes I remember you posting that photo and it does look like they have changed the blower design.
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Old 04-22-2019, 07:25 PM   #32
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Our furnace failed in the same manner on our last fall outing. Now that it’s time to de-winterize it is time to address that common problem. Has anyone serviced that sail switch on a 2014 21 footer? There is good access under the dinette bench. Can it be done without removing the unit? If not anyone have any tips for the R and R?
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Old 04-22-2019, 07:58 PM   #33
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We have a 2015 Escape 19 and I recently had to service the furnace as it failed for unknown, to me, reasons. It became intermittent. When I removed the furnace, I found that the sail switch in my model is in the area for the combustion, not in the area for cabin air. At first, I thought that this was bad as it is much harder to reach the sail switch to replace it, as the furnace must be removed to reach it. No access door would work. The sail switch is a different design so I don't think it will clog nearly as fast, if at all, so this older design might just be better for me.
Bill, we also talked about a door for this model of furnace in another thread. A door that you could mount the intake/exhaust and screw it to the outside of the trailer. A thin door that would not require the furnace to be remounted closer to the inside wall.

When I was at Walmart I took a few pictures for you of the cutting board product that I was thinking about. It is a new smooth hard style white cutting board...not the soft thicker style of years past. With the handle end trimmed off and suitable weather stripping, this could be just the hatch door you require.
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Old 04-22-2019, 08:21 PM   #34
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Originally Posted by Frank Bland View Post
Our furnace failed in the same manner on our last fall outing. Now that it’s time to de-winterize it is time to address that common problem. Has anyone serviced that sail switch on a 2014 21 footer? There is good access under the dinette bench. Can it be done without removing the unit? If not anyone have any tips for the R and R?
Hi Frank- love Eureka Springs- was introduced by friends from Branson a few years back. The 2013-2014 21 has the furnace under the driver's side dinette bench, which to me is great. To service the sail switch you have to pull the furnace. Here is a link that might help:

http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f9...-a-5803-3.html
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Old 04-22-2019, 09:39 PM   #35
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Originally Posted by Frank Bland View Post
Our furnace failed in the same manner on our last fall outing. Now that it’s time to de-winterize it is time to address that common problem. Has anyone serviced that sail switch on a 2014 21 footer? There is good access under the dinette bench. Can it be done without removing the unit? If not anyone have any tips for the R and R?
If you have the Atwood 8012-II
Try this link for a solution, includes photos.
Sail Switch Replacement
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Old 04-22-2019, 09:41 PM   #36
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This sail switch problem confounds me. Those that are saying it works because of the "cabin air loop" makes it sound like it works off some sort of built in thermostat. Isn't it strictly mechanical? IF it truly is mechanical, then a filter should be able to be built around it. IF it's not and needs air flow to work properly... how does the sail switch even know about 'air' without a sensor of some sort? I do understand if dust or dirt gets between the contacts why it doesn't work. I'm still trying to figure out WHY it needs air....
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Old 04-22-2019, 09:57 PM   #37
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Yes I remember you posting that photo and it does look like they have changed the blower design.
Yes, interesting. In the Escape furnace video Reace pulls the sail switch out from what clearly seems to be the indoor fan housing area. The photo you show looks like the sail switch could be in a combustion air path.
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Old 04-22-2019, 09:59 PM   #38
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This sail switch problem confounds me. Those that are saying it works because of the "cabin air loop" makes it sound like it works off some sort of built in thermostat. Isn't it strictly mechanical? IF it truly is mechanical, then a filter should be able to be built around it. IF it's not and needs air flow to work properly... how does the sail switch even know about 'air' without a sensor of some sort? I do understand if dust or dirt gets between the contacts why it doesn't work. I'm still trying to figure out WHY it needs air....
Hold a piece of paper in your hand and blow on it - the paper moves. The sail switch operates the same way - air blows against the square on the sail switch, the square is attached to an arm that when moved, closes the micro switch.

The problem occurs when dirt or dust gets between the micro switch and the arm preventing the arm from moving when the sail is pushed by air flow.
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Old 04-22-2019, 10:03 PM   #39
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This sail switch problem confounds me. Those that are saying it works because of the "cabin air loop" makes it sound like it works off some sort of built in thermostat. Isn't it strictly mechanical? IF it truly is mechanical, then a filter should be able to be built around it. IF it's not and needs air flow to work properly... how does the sail switch even know about 'air' without a sensor of some sort? I do understand if dust or dirt gets between the contacts why it doesn't work. I'm still trying to figure out WHY it needs air....
A sail switch is a simple mechanical normally open switch. With the proper force of airflow on the switch it closes or “makes” and the furnace is allowed to run.
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Old 04-22-2019, 10:11 PM   #40
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I understand how crud or fluff or fuzz would prevent a sail switch from operating correctly. What I don't understand is how 'cabin air' affects the switch. It doesn't work off a sensor or thermostat. So why does it need 'air'? I think I need to go back to school It almost sounds like it works on some sort of air pressure (barometer), like you'd experience in general weather.
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