How to replace sail switch ? (Atwood 8012) - Page 2

tractors1 · 11-02-2016, 07:33 PM

Just noticed we both have the same year 21; I'll go take a look at mine tonight. Bolt/screw might be an option but you don't want wood up against the exhaust pipe. My recommendation to reinstall the furnace was based on an earlier trailer where I had no inside access to the pipes and had to line things up with a flashlight buddy.

Starbrightsteve · 11-02-2016, 07:38 PM

Hot pipes! I remember when in school back in the late 60's my girlfriend mentioning that she had hot pipes. She said it had something to do with ovulation.

tractors1 · 11-02-2016, 08:12 PM

Took a look at my 2014 21 - before I unriveted the outside plate I would remove the drivers side decking over the dinette seat framing to get better access to the rear of the furnace to wiggle it around. Possibly remove the 1x2 support under the furnace to get wiggle room to persuade the pipes to slide together, then reinstall the support if that works.

fudge_brownie · 11-04-2016, 06:41 AM

Thanks for the suggestion. Removing the leveling board that was screwed into the floor did the trick. There is a screw protruding on the bottom of the furnace and that causes the hang up on removal and reinsertion. The sticky tape did not seem to be an issue.

The sail switch that I received as a replacement was not packaged very well and arrived bent. Took some fiddling to get it to swing freely once installed. Be sure to check its clearances before reassembling. Like others I found it a pain to obtain the switch and plan to carry a spare.

Here is the offending leveling board.

Parker · 11-04-2016, 06:59 AM

Great news! Thanks for posting the result.

tractors1 · 11-04-2016, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fudge_brownie

Thanks for the suggestion. Removing the leveling board that was screwed into the floor did the trick. There is a screw protruding on the bottom of the furnace and that causes the hang up on removal and reinsertion. The sticky tape did not seem to be an issue.

The sail switch that I received as a replacement was not packaged very well and arrived bent. Took some fiddling to get it to swing freely once installed. Be sure to check its clearances before reassembling. Like others I found it a pain to obtain the switch and plan to carry a spare.

Here is the offending leveling board.

Love it when I guess right!

Rossue · 11-04-2016, 10:27 AM

Hope the furnace works now for you. Was the board left out or? Would you say that the original install was completed by attaching the outside cover last? Am also wondering how the switch would be replaced with the unit in the drawer stack now.

fudge_brownie · 11-04-2016, 10:57 AM

I think the stack was in place when the furnace was installed. The board does some leveling? Since the screws fastening the board are under the furnace it would not be possible to reinstall as was. I was able to wedge the board partially under the furnace, could not get it completely under. Then fastened it into the floor with one screw but a new location.

They have switched models as the 8012 II was discontinued. I know the new one is low voltage but does it still have the oversized sail on the switch and is it still problematic. Atwood stated the switch is quite fragile. Poor packaging on mine resulted in a bend. Another reason for a spare. Delivery took a week using the service from hell, USPS Mail Innovations. I get shipments from China Postal faster.

Brian B-P · 11-04-2016, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fudge_brownie

Delivery took a week using the service from hell, USPS Mail Innovations.

I wondered what that was, so I searched a bit... did you mean UPS Mail Innovations? This a service (from UPS, the cheap courier) which is intended to be cheaper for companies sending large volumes of mail than just using the Post Office, while the final delivery is still done by the Post Office. I'm not surprised that it isn't a great service.

fudge_brownie · 11-04-2016, 06:00 PM

Mail Innovations is a joint venture so both USPS and UPS would be correct. UPS, as does FedEx have additional shipping ventures called SurePost and SmartPost respectively. Here the postal service does the last mile and both these services seem to do a pretty good job. UPS SmartPost even allows you to switch over to a UPS delivery if you are willing to pay a fee and it makes sense. Usually that will shave a day off.

The Mail Innovations is not comparable, lots of time for delivery. For example, I tracked my sail switch. It sat for three days on the dock at the shipper. On the other end it arrived at my post office mid morning on Saturday only to be delivered on Wednesday. Then on Thursday I received notice of delivery.

Lots of complaints from persons like me. I cannot explain why. I ordered through Amazon and expected to receive their stellar delivery. Usually two days with Sunday delivery, next day an option for extra $. In Florida I had the option for same day delivery, for $7. I passed as they would never have gotten past the gate staff at the condo.

I can only lament how spoiled we (I) have become.

skiman · 11-04-2016, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fudge_brownie

Thanks for the suggestion. Removing the leveling board that was screwed into the floor did the trick. There is a screw protruding on the bottom of the furnace and that causes the hang up on removal and reinsertion. The sticky tape did not seem to be an issue.

The sail switch that I received as a replacement was not packaged very well and arrived bent. Took some fiddling to get it to swing freely once installed. Be sure to check its clearances before reassembling. Like others I found it a pain to obtain the switch and plan to carry a spare.

Here is the offending leveling board.

I now have a spare parts bag with a sail switch, complete door lock, and a propane regulator. I hope I never need any of them.

gbaglo · 11-04-2016, 11:22 PM

You give me something else to worry about. If I had bought all those spare parts eight years ago, would they still work when I need them, or would they have seized by now?

padlin · 11-05-2016, 06:10 AM

Be proactive, change the 3 parts out now.

Parker · 11-05-2016, 06:30 AM

And then be like me.....keep the old parts because they may come in handy some day.

Jim Bennett · 11-05-2016, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Parker

And then be like me.....keep the old parts because they may come in handy some day.

Once a year I haul a bin full of this kinda stuff to the dump, when I realize that if I ever really need it, chances are I am not near home and have to buy it anyway.

Slowly whittling down all the good stuff I have saved over the years, though I still have a 26x28 storage garage full that I have to deal with some day, though to be fair lots of that is larger tools and equipment.

**Donna D.** · 11-05-2016, 07:10 AM

The sum total of all the spare parts I now carry for the trailer is one spare tire. There was a time I hauled a big ole tool box and all kinds of stuff. Now it's AAA and a zero balance credit card. YMMV

Fletch Dobbs · 02-19-2018, 08:46 PM

Hi,

I found this thread to be exceptionally useful. For whatever its worth, I solved the problem I had with our furnace by directing compressed air directly at the sail switch, through the whole in the housing where the wires connected to it enter the housing. I did this just before removing the furnace to remove the sail switch.

As I directed compressed air into that hole, I saw a speck of something fly out of the opposite side of the housing from somewhere near the squirrel cage fan. I then tested the furnace one last time, and it worked fine.

So, I will now have spare sail switch because I ordered a replacement before I tried this last ditch effort at a fix. I also plan to throw a small, disposable can of compressed air, like the ones used to clean computer keyboards, into the trailer in case I experience this symptom again. Maybe that will save us from another cold night, maybe not, but at least I'll have one more thing to try before getting out the long underwear and extra blankets.

Thanks to Rosue, rbryan4, padlin, BCnomad, CPAHARLEY, Parker, 2yax2go, CADreamin, and any I've missed for all the posts on this topic. All were useful and directed me to parts diagrams that showed me where to point the air hose, what part I might need, and ultimately saved me pulling the furnace out. And if I had done that, the information I found here was also helpful in describing how to accomplish that and what I might run into when reinstalling it. Really, really helpful so thank you all again very much.

And now, I wonder how many sail switches have been replaced when the only thing wrong was something lodged in the sail switch?

Cheers!
Fletch Dobbs
pnfsjca

Rossue · 02-19-2018, 10:03 PM

Thanks for posting this Fletch; will try to remember this if just already having a spare isn't enough!

Parker · 02-20-2018, 07:19 PM

That's great! I bought a new sail switch, had ours completely out, found the little dust ball in there, and THEN learned about blowing it out from Tammie.

Jill · 01-09-2020, 10:39 PM

We don't have a problem with our furnace ... yet... but I like to be proactive. As our trailer is now 4 years old, I'd like to order a replacement sail switch but I want to be sure I get the right part. Our Atwood furnace is the old style mounted in the 2015 21 drivers side dinette. Does this part I found on Amazon fit all Atwood's? https://www.amazon.com/Atwood-36680-...8630590&sr=8-3

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