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Old 09-26-2020, 02:38 PM   #1
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Furnace runs erratically - Help

Hello, the furnace in my 2019 Escape runs erratically. The furnace starts normally and I hear the Burner fire and run. After 3 -10 seconds the burner stops only to refire at intermittent times. This keeps cycling back and forth. Sometimes the furnace seems to work normally for 5-10 minutes except for some clicking sounds. The fan runs during this entire time. Needless to say heat from the fan takes a long time due to the short period of time the burner fires. I did recently replaced the sail switch last week and it seemed to be initially working great. I tried another sail switch without any change. Anyone have any suggestions. Thanks
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Old 09-26-2020, 03:32 PM   #2
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Hello, the furnace in my 2019 Escape runs erratically. The furnace starts normally and I hear the Burner fire and run. After 3 -10 seconds the burner stops only to refire at intermittent times. This keeps cycling back and forth. Sometimes the furnace seems to work normally for 5-10 minutes except for some clicking sounds. The fan runs during this entire time. Needless to say heat from the fan takes a long time due to the short period of time the burner fires. I did recently replaced the sail switch last week and it seemed to be initially working great. I tried another sail switch without any change. Anyone have any suggestions. Thanks
Hi: BSC... I changed the run time by adjusting the thermostat. Open the cover and there's a rheostat that Escape usually has in the farthest swing position and you might need to swing it out some. We have the old fashioned bi-metal strip thermostat though!!! I'm sure there's a You Tube Co Vivid vid for that. Alf
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Old 09-26-2020, 03:40 PM   #3
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Thanks, I’ll give it a try.
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Old 09-26-2020, 03:48 PM   #4
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Thanks, I’ll give it a try.
If you have the digital thermostat - that's not going to work.
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Old 09-26-2020, 03:48 PM   #5
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this is the analog thermostat in our 2014 E21...



the hysteresis adjustment is in the upper left quadrant, its that chrome strip with the brass pivot rivet that's touching the curved thing pale green circuit board thats partially behind the main thermostat spring coil. the closer to "1" you set this, the bigger the temp difference between 'on' and 'off', so the longer the heater will run each cycle before shutting off, and the longer it will stay off before coming on again, which of course means the bigger the swings in temperature.
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Old 09-26-2020, 04:30 PM   #6
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You need to sync your thermostat. Someone else had that issue and someone posted a link to the forest rivers forums where others were having that issue been looking but can’t find the thread posted here. Hopefully someone knows where that thread is
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Old 09-26-2020, 05:24 PM   #7
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Hi: John in Santa Cruz... A pic is certainly worth a thousand words. In our case Escape had the 0-1 contact right off of the green board. The furnace only ran for a short period and then off. Alf
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Old 09-26-2020, 05:54 PM   #8
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Here you go - I copied this from a Forest River forum a while back, haven't needed to do this myself but saved it for reference. Hope it helps!
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Old 09-26-2020, 06:23 PM   #9
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Need basic info

Need to know which thermostat you have Big Sky. Manual or integrated digital for heating/cooling? You are getting responses referencing both types.
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Old 09-26-2020, 08:09 PM   #10
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Thanks. I have the manual thermostat only for heat. No AC. I am going to the trailer now to fiddle with the thermostat now. I’ll keep you posted.
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Old 09-26-2020, 09:11 PM   #11
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I have the manual thermostat only for heat. No AC.
Do yourself a favor and replace with a simple non-programmable digital...
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Lux-PSD0...nly-Thermostat
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Old 09-26-2020, 10:11 PM   #12
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Good post. Thanks.
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Old 09-26-2020, 10:20 PM   #13
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I installed this one.
No loud click before it sends signal to the furnace to start or shut down. Lighted display.
I'm a happy camper.
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Old 09-27-2020, 03:46 PM   #14
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I adjusted the thermostat without any improvement. The clicking a tapping sound comes from the furnace not the thermostat. The burner may go on and off 4 times over a minute or may run for several minutes. Could it be something else than the thermostat? Can the thermostat go bad suddenly when working normally prior. I recently replaced the sail switch when the burner would not fire. Could this be possible problem? I appreciate everyone’s input. Thanks
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Old 09-27-2020, 05:15 PM   #15
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For the price and simplicity of swapping, I'd change the thermostat with a digital like gbaglo mentions, just to eliminate it. If for nothing else, they hold the temp a lot better once you get the furnace figured out.
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Old 09-27-2020, 05:41 PM   #16
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I like that it doesn't wake me up repeatedly through the night, clicking on and clicking off. Thermostat is right above my head, so I can reach up from under the covers to adjust.
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Old 09-27-2020, 09:17 PM   #17
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I recently replaced the sail switch when the burner would not fire. Could this be possible problem? I appreciate everyone’s input. Thanks
Based on the history of issues with these furnaces and your description of the behavior I would definitely suspect the sail switch again.
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Old 09-28-2020, 12:45 AM   #18
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I installed this one.
No loud click before it sends signal to the furnace to start or shut down. Lighted display.
I'm a happy camper.
Absolutely the way to go. One of the first mods that I do. Hate that primitive factory switch.

You can always take the thermostat completely out of the equation. Jumper the two wires together and see if the furnace keeps cutting out. If so you've eliminated the thermostat as the problem.

Ron
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Old 09-28-2020, 06:19 AM   #19
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I agree. No second thoughts about it. Dumping that mechanical factory thermostat and replacing with a simple digital is absolutely the best way to go. Easy and far more functional.
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Old 09-28-2020, 09:23 AM   #20
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I adjusted the thermostat without any improvement. The clicking a tapping sound comes from the furnace not the thermostat. The burner may go on and off 4 times over a minute or may run for several minutes. Could it be something else than the thermostat? Can the thermostat go bad suddenly when working normally prior. I recently replaced the sail switch when the burner would not fire. Could this be possible problem? I appreciate everyone’s input. Thanks
I'm back from a month on the road and started trip with furnace doing what you noted and finished with it again acting up. In between operated fine.
I thought sail switch or thermostat and now home will try to fix.

First I'll do what Ron noted and bypass thermostat. Regardless, I'll replace thermostat with digital.

Second is getting at sail switch to see if simple cleaning or replacement. Need to look into best approach to access. May look into how Eggscape installed exterior access port.

Frustration is that I had similar problem with a boat with a hydronic heater, a motorhome and now the trailer. My wife wants heat with no problems so this is now priority #1 for happy life.
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