New Escape 19 Dometic Furnace problems

[thoer]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

ETI agreed to extend the new trailer warranty to us because the trailer was only a few months old when we purchased it .

Fine move, by a fine company.

[Brian B-P]

While many consumer products may come with a warranty which is limited to the original owner, motor vehicle warranties transfer to any subsequent owners, with rare and specific exceptions. It would be hard to sell a car only a couple of years old if the buyer would not get warranty coverage. To me, a travel trailer seems more like a motor vehicle than it seems like, for instance, a toaster.

[Dave Walter]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

..To me, a travel trailer seems more like a motor vehicle than it seems like, for instance, a toaster.

Not so sure about that. Just saying Brian that I have made toast in my Escape, but I have never made toast in my FJ.

[steve dunham]

ETI has agreed to send me a new circuit board and sail switch for my furnace
The cost of the parts is approx $190 CDN which I will be charged and then I will be credited that same amount when I return the defective parts to ETI
I will have to pull the furnace , replace the bad parts and reinstall the furnace .
Hopefully the weather will improve so I can tackle the project .
I was hoping for a better solution to the problem but it is what it is .
Now off to try and fix my water pump problems !

[drmemory]

Wife and I picked up our 21 in March and proceeded down the west coast to I40 and back to Charlotte NC. We took our time and loved our new trailer. (Still do) At first all systems worked fine then we discovered the furnace would not ignite at altitudes in excess of 2500 ft. That was Ok because we brought our North Face bags (Good to -20) and felt we could deal with it when we got home. Escape referred us to Dometic who dragged their heels for about 3 weeks until Reace "Reasoned" with them. It took another 3 weeks but we got a new furnace. Recently drove it up to the top of MT Mitchell ...6500 ft. Works great! As an independent factory rep in the consumer electronics Industry I dealt with many dozens of manufacturers. Only three were as professional and customer service oriented as Escape.... And relatively they charged a lot more money for their products.

[Tam2004]

Originally Posted by drmemory

Wife and I picked up our 21 in March and proceeded down the west coast to I40 and back to Charlotte NC. We took our time and loved our new trailer. (Still do) At first all systems worked fine then we discovered the furnace would not ignite at altitudes in excess of 2500 ft. That was Ok because we brought our North Face bags (Good to -20) and felt we could deal with it when we got home. Escape referred us to Dometic who dragged their heels for about 3 weeks until Reace "Reasoned" with them. It took another 3 weeks but we got a new furnace. Recently drove it up to the top of MT Mitchell ...6500 ft. Works great! As an independent factory rep in the consumer electronics Industry I dealt with many dozens of manufacturers. Only three were as professional and customer service oriented as Escape.... And relatively they charged a lot more money for their products.

Altitude does seem to be a big issue. We are still on our trip and have given up trying any longer to get it fixed while on the road after our two shops efforts - and the wrong sail switch getting sent. Ours seems to work at higher altitude than yours - but we are still in the travel and test mode. Funny that we learned the first shop actually put in a dinosaur board and the second shop told us to keep hold of that one as they put a Dometic board back in (3rd board). We DO NOT want to be restricted to lower elevations. We are just coming out of the Rockies and now in New Mexico. We live at 3,600 feet. Good grief. We do have a very thick down comforter, but still don't appreciate cold mornings. The furnace did work yesterday and we are now in New Mexico which is quite warm right now. Thanks for th info.

[Tam2004]

We are finally cutting our long journey a little shorter - the one that started on Sept 14, 2018 with a brand new Escape 19 - which is lovely -- but after 4 days our furnace quit working properly. After many weeks of trying to deal with this - my husband and I are a bit depressed. The furnace is intermittent with its symptoms - David at Escape believes it is the Sail Switch - but Dometic sent us the wrong one. So now we are waiting until we get home to go to our regular shop. The depression is that David is not blaming altitude - but Dometic says it could be or that it could be any one of many other problems and have our shop at home work on it!!! Frankly, we don't see how Dometic can get away with a furnace only working for 4 days, causing us to have to wear coats indoors on random days over our 4 week trip. But I am also wondering if Dometic's new DFSAD12 furnace is actually and Atwood? Atwood's have had many problems at altitude (which ours may or may not be as it randomly worked at any altitude). Does anyone know? We feel they should give us a new furnace, they feel that we should just keep taking it in until it works. I told Dometic that means that when we pull our trailer out of storage in the Spring and head off to altitude it may or may not work. David said that the Escape trailer owners he has worked with on this issue don't seem to continue to have problems. Yet he admits the DFSAD12 is a new furnace -- not sure how long? Who else has this model - it is so new some of the parts places don't seem to have the SAID switch - the furnace board is universal. Any advice would be welcomed. Should we demand a new furnace - can we do this?

[cpaharley2008]

Since you are relatively close to the factory, I'd ask for a new one if you take it back to Escape. Have them test it while there. That is what I would do if I lived within a days drive.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Tam2004

We are finally cutting our long journey a little shorter - the one that started on Sept 14, 2018 with a brand new Escape 19 - which is lovely -- but after 4 days our furnace quit working properly. After many weeks of trying to deal with this - my husband and I are a bit depressed. The furnace is intermittent with its symptoms - David at Escape believes it is the Sail Switch - but Dometic sent us the wrong one. So now we are waiting until we get home to go to our regular shop. The depression is that David is not blaming altitude - but Dometic says it could be or that it could be any one of many other problems and have our shop at home work on it!!! Frankly, we don't see how Dometic can get away with a furnace only working for 4 days, causing us to have to wear coats indoors on random days over our 4 week trip. But I am also wondering if Dometic's new DFSAD12 furnace is actually and Atwood? Atwood's have had many problems at altitude (which ours may or may not be as it randomly worked at any altitude). Does anyone know? We feel they should give us a new furnace, they feel that we should just keep taking it in until it works. I told Dometic that means that when we pull our trailer out of storage in the Spring and head off to altitude it may or may not work. David said that the Escape trailer owners he has worked with on this issue don't seem to continue to have problems. Yet he admits the DFSAD12 is a new furnace -- not sure how long? Who else has this model - it is so new some of the parts places don't seem to have the SAID switch - the furnace board is universal. Any advice would be welcomed. Should we demand a new furnace - can we do this?

Hopefully there is an authorized Dometic Service center close to you
The closest one from us is 200 miles away
We had one in the area a few years back but they dropped being a service center cause there wasn’t any profit in it .
IMHO Escape is caught between a rock and a hard place . There trailer’s need furnaces and there are very few manufacturers to choose from . Since this seems to be a common problem , replacing one Dometic furnace with another one of the same design won’t necessarily solve the problem

[tractors1]

Have you taken it in to that huge RV shop just outside Bend? You could always pull the furnace and drop it at a warranty fixit shop (which is what I did with an earlier trailer) and they can repair it on a bench AND repeatedly test it. They don't need the whole trailer. These furnaces are NOT rocket science, and new units can have have early failures (the sail switch is just a mechanical switch.) I don't think it's reasonable to expect a whole new furnace when it's in warranty unless every fix possible has been tried - which a good shop will do.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Tam2004

We are finally Frankly, we don't see how Dometic can get away with a furnace only working for 4 days, causing us to have to wear coats indoors on random days over our 4 week trip. But I am also wondering if Dometic's new DFSAD12 furnace is actually and Atwood? Atwood's have had many problems at altitude (which ours may or may not be as it randomly worked at any altitude). Does anyone know? We feel they should give us a new furnace, they feel that we should just keep taking it in until it works. I told Dometic that means that when we pull our trailer out of storage in the Spring and head off to altitude it may or may not work. David said that the Escape trailer owners he has worked with on this issue don't seem to continue to have problems. Yet he admits the DFSAD12 is a new furnace -- not sure how long? Who else has this model - it is so new some of the parts places don't seem to have the SAID switch - the furnace board is universal. Any advice would be welcomed. Should we demand a new furnace - can we do this?

It is likely the same exact furnace as the Atwood AFSAD12. My guess is they just dropped the “A” and put a “D” on the front for Dometic when Atwood was acquired.
https://pantherrvproducts.com/dometi...e-furnace-12k/

IF it is the same as the AFSAD the manual is available here:
https://www.manualslib.com/products/...1-6901367.html

and IF it is the same sail switch it is part 31933:
Atwood Hydro Flame 31933 RV Heater Furnace Sail Switch

Another member, Bobbito, had problems with his furnace and it was the limit switch.
http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f9...tml#post206936

It stinks that you are having these problems. I would keep pressing Escape, but I agree with others that a good shop with the furnace on the bench is your best bet.

[Tam2004]

I appreciate your reality check -- we just have to figure we had very bad luck and hope after we get home the fix will be a final fix. We go to Jerry's RV in Bend - they have been excellent and are on the Dometic warranty repair list. None of the shops really like to do warranty work - but they will. Dometic said to stress that the furnace is intermittent. As I sit here - the furnace is working after 4 days of not working. We can't find a good pattern, but intend to summarize it today and see if we can see a pattern we haven't seen.

[Tam2004]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

It is likely the same exact furnace as the Atwood AFSAD12. My guess is they just dropped the “A” and put a “D” on the front for Dometic when Atwood was acquired.
https://pantherrvproducts.com/dometi...e-furnace-12k/

IF it is the same as the AFSAD the manual is available here:
https://www.manualslib.com/products/...1-6901367.html

and IF it is the same sail switch it is part 31933:
Atwood Hydro Flame 31933 RV Heater Furnace Sail Switch

Another member, Bobbito, had problems with his furnace and it was the limit switch.
http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f9...tml#post206936

It stinks that you are having these problems. I would keep pressing Escape, but I agree with others that a good shop with the furnace on the bench is your best bet.

Wow - good information -- I will compare the manuals today. This is indeed depressing as there are a lot of on-line complaints about the Atwood at elevation (which isn't consistent with us). The Atwood complaints included such obscure problems as the battery being lower - having an altitude fix kit that basically changed out the outdent when at altitudes -- and the list goes on. Some of those poor people worked for the full two years and then got the warranty extended. If it weren't that our trips are challenged, I wouldn't have sunk into some sadness yesterday. THANK YOU!! I will include this information in my record on this furnace.

[Tam2004]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Since you are relatively close to the factory, I'd ask for a new one if you take it back to Escape. Have them test it while there. That is what I would do if I lived within a days drive.

I think your suggestion has merit - to take it back to Escape - except for us it would take 2 days and might be worth if our RV shop doesn't end up fixing it. The major issue is we are not headed into bad weather and soon won't use our trailer until the Spring. We did have another idea which was, if the snow holds off, driving it up to Mt Bachelor parking lot to test the "fix" we have scheduled for altitude. Or do this before our Spring trip. Since we have had it work and not work at all altitudes - perhaps this isn't necessary, yet Dometic staff did admit some furnaces falter at 5000 to 5500 feet and that parking lot is at 6000. Thanks for the input.

[Greg A]

Originally Posted by Tam2004

I think your suggestion has merit - to take it back to Escape - except for us it would take 2 days and might be worth if our RV shop doesn't end up fixing it. The major issue is we are not headed into bad weather and soon won't use our trailer until the Spring. We did have another idea which was, if the snow holds off, driving it up to Mt Bachelor parking lot to test the "fix" we have scheduled for altitude. Or do this before our Spring trip. Since we have had it work and not work at all altitudes - perhaps this isn't necessary, yet Dometic staff did admit some furnaces falter at 5000 to 5500 feet and that parking lot is at 6000. Thanks for the input.

Been following this discussion, and vey sorry to hear of your issues with the new furnace.
I get the theory behind the altitude discussion, but not the practice at least in our experience. I am on my 6th or 7th trailer (can’t remember, lol) and have camped quite a bit at altitude never having any issues with any of the furnaces. Our current 2015 19 camps quite a bit at 7-9000 ft and never had any furnace problems. Just returned from three days over 7000 feet and furnace was run 24/7 with no issues. So, my thinking is that if the furnace was working correctly when you got the trailer you shouldn’t have had any issues whatever the altitude. There are tons of Escapes that leave Chilliwack with stock new furnaces, camp at altitude and never have any issues that I recall. Perhaps, it is the new furnace they are using under the Dometic name doesn’t work at altitude without re configuring, but I seriously doubt it. Unless a bunch of trailers have left ETI recently with the new furnace and are having probkems, I’m leaning more towards you just got a defective furnace, and that happens with new items sometimes.
Anyway, just my thoughts, and I am hoping you have a satisfactory resolution soon and a problem free furnace for years to come.

[Tam2004]

Originally Posted by Greg A

Been following this discussion, and vey sorry to hear of your issues with the new furnace.
I get the theory behind the altitude discussion, but not the practice at least in our experience. I am on my 6th or 7th trailer (can’t remember, lol) and have camped quite a bit at altitude never having any issues with any of the furnaces. Our current 2015 19 camps quite a bit at 7-9000 ft and never had any furnace problems. Just returned from three days over 7000 feet and furnace was run 24/7 with no issues. So, my thinking is that if the furnace was working correctly when you got the trailer you shouldn’t have had any issues whatever the altitude. There are tons of Escapes that leave Chilliwack with stock new furnaces, camp at altitude and never have any issues that I recall. Perhaps, it is the new furnace they are using under the Dometic name doesn’t work at altitude without re configuring, but I seriously doubt it. Unless a bunch of trailers have left ETI recently with the new furnace and are having probkems, I’m leaning more towards you just got a defective furnace, and that happens with new items sometimes.
Anyway, just my thoughts, and I am hoping you have a satisfactory resolution soon and a problem free furnace for years to come.

Thanks for your thoughtful reply -- and for everyone - as we work our way through this - you are all very helpful. We too did not have any problem with altitude on our past 30 years (actually) in either camper vans or trailers. So I hope this is just a defective furnace and that I am borrowing trouble to think it is an Atwood under Dometic name. But, if it is, I will keep at this and help Escape in their decision processes. I will let everyone know what ultimately happens - though that may take months. One Atwood guy kept at this for 2 years and got his warranty extended. So, I do borrow trouble!!! HAHA. May I just take this as a great experience to learn more. Did you know, for example, you should just replace your gas regulator after 10 to 15 years? I've learned a lot....

[rubicon327]

Another thought so you don't have to completely derail your trip and you would have a backup when you test the "fixed" furnace is to purchase a Mr. Heater Big Buddy. Not the most convenient, but would get the job done. With a window cracked and the integral oxygen depletion and tip-over sensors should be safe to use. Mr. Heater says it is ok to 7,000', but users report it being fine even higher. Based on the rated inputs and assuming a bit more efficiency on the Mr. Heater unit you would have a similar capacity on medium setting and a greater capacity on the high setting than your onboard DFSAD12 furnace.

Available at multiple retailers, but here's a link to Northern Tool:
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...7957_200307957

[Tam2004]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Another thought so you don't have to completely derail your trip and you would have a backup when you test the "fixed" furnace is to purchase a Mr. Heater Big Buddy. Not the most convenient, but would get the job done. With a window cracked and the integral oxygen depletion and tip-over sensors should be safe to use. Mr. Heater says it is ok to 7,000', but users report it being fine even higher. Based on the rated inputs and assuming a bit more efficiency on the Mr. Heater unit you would have a similar capacity on medium setting and a greater capacity on the high setting than your onboard DFSAD12 furnace.

Available at multiple retailers, but here's a link to Northern Tool:
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...7957_200307957

Wow - that sure is a great backup idea. A little late for us now-- but thanks for this idea. Looks like a good emergency heater -- and I like the idea that one can use the smaller canisters. Certainly not ideal -- but looks good.

[Fournier]

i have the same problem with my furnace,in my brand new escape, still have the issue, if you need heat ,( emergency) try to program your termostat in D2, (program mode D1 initialy) it will work, the relay will click some time but it will stay in conatct and you will have heat. have a nice day.

[Tam2004]

Originally Posted by Fournier

i have the same problem with my furnace,in my brand new escape, still have the issue, if you need heat ,( emergency) try to program your termostat in D2, (program mode D1 initialy) it will work, the relay will click some time but it will stay in conatct and you will have heat. have a nice day.

My goodness - multiple calls to Dometic and Escape have not suggested this idea. We have the trailer scheduled to go in Oct 25 and will ask technicians about this also. Ours is so random and at any elevation. It might work at 4200 feet and not at 3500. It doesn't seem to be connected to elevation, which is something Dometic mentioned. BUT I discovered it is an Atwood. There is an Atwood sticker inside the furnace when we looked and if one searches the WEB one can find unhappy Atwood furnace people with altitude issues. We never know when it will work or not. So we are keeping careful records and want a new furnace if this doesn't resolve (meaning if it somehow also connects to altitude - Dometic staff said some do.). This is sad as we cut our time short and back in town waiting for appointment we wanted to see if the furnace worked to go a short distance for a night over - it didn't. Yet it worked the two days before at a higher altitude on the way home. Please keep us posted.