Atwood Furnace

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Doesn't look like a silly question to me.

I have some flare nut wrenches, but just use common open-end wrenches on propane fittings if I don't have the right size of flare nut wrench, or just don't have those wrenches with me. Make sure you have the right size and don't go overboard applying force, and there's no problem turning the relatively soft brass nuts without damaging them.

and meh, it appears to be 13/16", and I can only find 3/4 and 7/8 open ends in my kit, nor do I seem to have a close-enough metric wrench (21mm?)... ah well, ordered some flare nut wrenches. extra fun, the common 5 piece Craftsman SAE flare-nut kit doesn't go above 3/4" ... grrrrrr. ah well, Harbor Freight's set DOES have 13/16, 7/8, as well as 1"

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Well, since you brought it up...

https://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/t...ailure.142441/

https://expeditionportal.com/forum/t...firing.191345/

https://vandogtraveller.com/propex-c...-igniting-fix/


Those were the first 3 hits. They likely are better than the Suburban or Atwood, but the point was well taken - all of them have issues of one sort or another.

I hear you, but a few random hits isn’t telling us much about their overall reliability or lack thereof. The second link the problem was solved with a simple reset of the thermostat and the third link is for an old model no longer produced. This needs some more research.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

I hear you, but a few random hits isn’t telling us much about their overall reliability or lack thereof. The second link the problem was solved with a simple reset of the thermostat and the third link is for an old model no longer produced. This needs some more research.

Right, I'm not saying they aren't reliable - just that you can find a problem with just about every product out there. After all they were made by humans. [emoji23]

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Right, I'm not saying they aren't reliable - just that you can find a problem with just about every product out there. After all they were made by humans. [emoji23]

True...and installed, operated and maintained by humans which are of course other sources of issues completely out of the control of the manufacturer.

[John in Santa Cruz]

argh, the flare wrenches won't be here til tuesday, $#@$@# harbor freight.

so I found a 6" crescent that cleared the sheet metal etc, put an 11/16 open end on the fitting under the flare, and no way I could get enough torque to budge the flare nut

wondering if I should dribble a little AeroKroil penetrant on the fitting... but I don't know what that will do with the nipple thats threaded into the regulator, whihc seems to have some sort of white sealant..

[KirkB]

Hi John,

I have the same furnace as you, but in the 19. I replaced my sail switch. You were asking about wire length. There was enough slack to get the furnace out of its compartment, but not enough to set the furnace on the floor to work on it, so I had to support it while repairing it.

If you haven't done it yet, you should check the failure code LED on the control board before pulling the furnace.

Good Luck

[John in Santa Cruz]

ahhh, man that led is not easy to see, i had to turn the lights OUT in the trailer, then I could dimly see it reflected off the sheet metal inside.... 1 blink, 3 secs, repeat. per http://techsupport.pdxrvwholesale.co...-MPD-32072.pdf I believe that means, 'limit switch / airflow problems', which likely means sail switch.

for completeness, 2 blinks means 'flame sense unit', and 3 blinks means 'ignition lockout fault', steady on means 'internal circuit board failure'

[cpaharley2008]

I continue to be amazed at technology and the progression of such. When I was growing up, if something broke you just threw it away. Tubes in electronics had to be tested and replaced. Now the machine tells you what is wrong with it, amazing to someone who remembers the introduction of battery radios in autos as well as portable. Cell phones, never thought of them other than Dick Tracy's wrist gadget.

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I continue to be amazed at technology and the progression of such. When I was growing up, if something broke you just threw it away. Tubes in electronics had to be tested and replaced. Now the machine tells you what is wrong with it, amazing to someone who remembers the introduction of battery radios in autos as well as portable. Cell phones, never thought of them other than Dick Tracy's wrist gadget.

When I was maintaining a 1967 era theatrical dimming system, that I serviced up until my retirement in 2002, when a dimmer failed, it would be pulled from the rack, set up on a test bench & trouble shot with a scope. Individual components replaced, and back in the rack.

They rebuilt the theatre in 2017. When the current dimmer rack detects a fault, it contacts the manufacturer over the internet, and they often can fix it from the factory. If not, they send a replacement module (no user replaceable components) with a note saying which part to pull & replace.

Certainly an overall improvement, however it does put local electronic technicians out of work!

[John in Santa Cruz]

ok, so 13/16 flare wrench (along with 11/16 open end holding the nipple) made short order of the gas connect.

I've removed the 2 square head screws holding the heater to the face of the cabinet... but its not wanting to slide out more than about 1/8" no matter how hard I pull and wiggle. Do I have to remove the riveted-on exhaust plate on the outside? Or do I just need to get more brutal with pulling it free from the exhaust port ?

again, this is a 2014 E21 with the Atwood 8012-II, mounted under the street side of the rear dinette bench.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

ok, so 13/16 flare wrench (along with 11/16 open end holding the nipple) made short order of the gas connect.

I've removed the 2 square head screws holding the heater to the face of the cabinet... but its not wanting to slide out more than about 1/8" no matter how hard I pull and wiggle. Do I have to remove the riveted-on exhaust plate on the outside? Or do I just need to get more brutal with pulling it free from the exhaust port ?

again, this is a 2014 E21 with the Atwood 8012-II, mounted under the street side of the rear dinette bench.

In my experience it takes quite a bit of force to separate the exhaust pipe from the exterior fitting because it is a friction fit. Keep tugging and wiggling. When I reinstalled my furnace the exhaust port broke free outside and I had to reinstall which was a bit of a mess. When you reinstall make sure someone is applying pressure on the outside fitting!

[fudge_brownie]

You did not do your homework. In Post No. 54 above I provided you a link with the exact same problem. Inside that link is a lengthy description, including photos, about how to pull the furnace.

I had the exact same experience and found a screw fastening down the furnace in a plywood spacer board. There is a photograph. See post no. 24. inside this link.

[John in Santa Cruz]

so, this thread? http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f9...12-a-5803.html

I guess then I'm 'hung up on the white tape around the vent box' ? i felt around that leveling board, even rocked the heater back and forth a bit, and I don't think there's a screw hanging it up there, or I'd feel it scraping. it appears to be locked firmly in place to the vent box. i can't see or feel any sort of tape back there, just the rectangular box running right up against the heater body.

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

In my experience it takes quite a bit of force to separate the exhaust pipe from the exterior fitting because it is a friction fit. Keep tugging and wiggling. When I reinstalled my furnace the exhaust port broke free outside and I had to reinstall which was a bit of a mess. When you reinstall make sure someone is applying pressure on the outside fitting!

I will second the use of force.
Note the sealing tape around the rectangular fitting. This gummed up the opposite fitting that needed to slide over.
--
Alan

[John in Santa Cruz]

yup, finally got brutal enough and it popped right out.

wires are long enough to work on it.

have the fan and sail switch out. found a loose sheet metal screw banging around inside.

[Red Dog]

Originally Posted by KMG

I'm having second thoughts on buying a new Escape. What is their response to customers having new trailers with a serious reliability issue? Are they still installing this furnace into their new units?

We have been full-timing in our 2017 21’ Escape for two years now and have not had a problem with our furnace.

In addition, we would not have any second thoughts on buying another new Escape.

Fred M.

[John in Santa Cruz]

I note the Atwood user manual suggests annual furnace servicing by a RV furnace professional. this would apply regardless of what RV its installed in.

[John in Santa Cruz]

btw, the innards of mine are pretty dusty. tomorrow I'm going to wheel my compressor out and blast it clean.

[Steve Clark]

Originally Posted by Red Dog

We have been full-timing in our 2017 21’ Escape for two years now and have not had a problem with our furnace.

In addition, we would not have any second thoughts on buying another new Escape.

Fred M.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

btw, the innards of mine are pretty dusty. tomorrow I'm going to wheel my compressor out and blast it clean.

Hopefully before you install the new sail switch..............