dometic gas furnace does not stay on

dblagsvedt · 06-28-2022, 03:24 PM

We have just finished our second weekend with our Escape 19. It had been sitting in our for driveway for the last 3 months. I tried several times to start the furnance and each time the fan went on for 20 seconds and then went off. It appears that the switch that kicks in the propane never happens. I have done the simplel things that are suggested in the manual, such as turning the thermostate to lowest setting and then turning back on. Always the same result -- Fan runs for 20
seconds and then turns off. There was a campground neighbor that had an Escape 5th wheel who has had issues with his furnance but again no luck in figuring this out.

Rockhead · 06-28-2022, 04:15 PM

Check your sail switch for any debris in the switch

davidmurphy02 · 06-28-2022, 05:36 PM

This sounds a lot like a faulty sail switch. When you try and run the furnace and it cuts off, there is an LED on the circuit board accessible by removing the external cover that will be flashing a code. Depending on the number of flashes it indicates where the problem like. There is a sticker on the blower motor housing below the sail switch that shows the codes, depending on the number of flashes.

The sail switch seems to fail a lot. It is easily removed. There is a plastic mounting block with one screw, indicated by the screwdriver in this photo. Then the sail switch can be carefully wiggled out of the furnace. Check to see if it has any lint, fuzz, or other debris on it and blow it off. Sometimes cleaning and reinstalling it will get it to work. Given the amount of trouble people have had with the sail switch, it's also possible that this is just a poorly made component that fails a lot - it's a good idea to obtain an extra one to have as a spare to swap out when one fails.

If this doesn't help, check out this thread for lots more furnace troubleshooting info: https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...ing-20805.html

dblagsvedt · 07-01-2022, 02:10 PM

I have removed the sail switch, and indeed there was a piece of thread on it.. But cleaning and puting the switch back in place not solved the problem. Is there a better sail switch than the one that ETI offers? Seem weird that the switch is not functional after only 2 weekends.

DT6 · 07-01-2022, 03:37 PM

They are pretty standard, and while someone may make a better model, I've never heard of it. I try to keep an extra around just in case. One question/suggestion - did you you anything to clean the sail switch with? If you did, you may want to ensure it all came off before reinstalling. You might also try to remove it and wipe it off one more time. If that does not work, then time for a new one (actually two since you will want a spare).

They can sometimes be very finicky, but usually they work fine. However, an occasional bad one will certainly try your patience.

Fender · 07-01-2022, 04:00 PM

Is the sail switch the same in all Dometic furnaces that ETI installs?
If so, even though I don't yet have my trailer, I'd order one to have on hand.

davidmurphy02 · 07-01-2022, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fender

Is the sail switch the same in all Dometic furnaces that ETI installs?
If so, even though I don't yet have my trailer, I'd order one to have on hand.

Yes, good idea to have a spare on hand - an easy swap out if you have problems while camping, and they do seem to have a more than occasional failure rate. Here is the part: https://pdxrvwholesale.com/products/...-bracket-33081

Fender · 07-02-2022, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

Yes, good idea to have a spare on hand - an easy swap out if you have problems while camping, and they do seem to have a more than occasional failure rate. Here is the part: https://pdxrvwholesale.com/products/...-bracket-33081

Thank You David!

**Donna D.** · 07-02-2022, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

Yes, good idea to have a spare on hand - an easy swap out if you have problems while camping, ....

Only for 2nd generation trailers. 1st gen trailers requires pulling the furnace.

BobG · 07-02-2022, 09:29 AM

The furnace in my trailer quit a few days ago after about 30 days of use. I think it must be the sail switch from what I have been reading on this forum. There seems to be inordinate maintenance and replacement of this part. I have not replaced the draft sensor in my home gas furnaces in nearly 40 years of using gas furnaces. At least the replacement switch for the trailer is fairly cheap.

Vermilye · 07-02-2022, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Only for 2nd generation trailers. 1st gen trailers requires pulling the furnace.

Unfortunately, some of the 2nd generation trailers require pulling the furnace as well. My August 2017 21C doesn't have the outside door access to the furnace. So far, it has been pulled twice, once to remove a screw Escape left behind the circuit board, and once to clean the sail switch.

davidmurphy02 · 07-02-2022, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobG

The furnace in my trailer quit a few days ago after about 30 days of use. I think it must be the sail switch from what I have been reading on this forum. There seems to be inordinate maintenance and replacement of this part. I have not replaced the draft sensor in my home gas furnaces in nearly 40 years of using gas furnaces. At least the replacement switch for the trailer is fairly cheap.

The sail switch in our old trailer on a larger Atwood furnace worked fine for 15 years, and it's pretty rare for a home furnace sail switch to have problems. These smaller furnaces have a sail switch unique to them, probably because they are lower amperage lower flow fans, the sail is definitely smaller than on the larger units. And I don't know whether it's the design of the smaller furnace, or just poor quality in the manufacturing of this particular sail switch, but they seem to act up a lot. I've found that when one acts up if I clean and reinstall it, it may work for a bit and then quit again so I decided it was just a poor quality control issue and replaced with a new one....which has worked for over a year with no hiccups.

Whatever the reason, it's an inexpensive insurance policy to carry a spare and on the newer trailers since 2018 a very easy swap out to do if your sail switch quits working on a cold night.

BobG · 07-02-2022, 05:10 PM

The sail switch was collecting lint.

ChuckBC · 07-03-2022, 12:14 AM

Try slightly bending sail switch paddle toward blower cage. Manually spin blower to ensure contact with sail switch is not going to happen. My furnace got to the ignitor clicking step but no successful propane ignition. After bending paddle I have a working furnace. I need to try for a while to see if I have solved my problem.

Camerman · 07-03-2022, 02:42 PM

I had the same issue with furnace not lighting after 20 seconds. I removed the sail switch (there wasn’t much debris) and ran furnace with sail switch wiring connected but outside of the fan unit. As long as I pushed in the sail switch after ignition it would continue to fire and stay ignited and stop if released the switch.

I tried several times bending the metal shaft in various directions but in the end the best was slightly angled along the long axis so that the metal blade part was at an angle closer to perpendicular to fan airflow but still at about 45 degrees. Furnace has been working fine since.

ChuckBC seems to have the right idea.

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