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10-14-2019, 03:07 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: El Granada, California
Trailer: Trailer: Escape 19'
Posts: 32
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Troubleshooting furnace?
Haven't been in the trailer for a couple of weeks, in the process, power was shut off (back on now). When I turn on the furnace the fan seems to run for a little bit blowing cold air and then stops. No heat coming. Read the manual but cannot figure out the way to troubleshoot it. Any ideas?
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10-14-2019, 03:46 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Northern California, California
Trailer: 2019 Escape 21
Posts: 759
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Quote:
Originally Posted by debedb
Haven't been in the trailer for a couple of weeks, in the process, power was shut off (back on now). When I turn on the furnace the fan seems to run for a little bit blowing cold air and then stops. No heat coming. Read the manual but cannot figure out the way to troubleshoot it. Any ideas?
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We also have a 2019 Escape. Not sure what model you have is... but if your furnace is the same (Dometic DFSAD12131) then this is what our operating instructions say:
Problem: Furnace does not light, but blower does turn on:
Solution: 1. Air is in the LP line. Purge the air by turning on other appliances (like a cooktop) that are further downstream from the LP tanks.
2. The thermostat is not set to Heat or a hight enough temperature. Adjust the thermostat.
If you try this and still have issues, I would watch the orientation 'sail switch' video. Maybe that's your culprit? During our orientation, ETI said that those who travel with pets are more apt to have sail switch issues with their furnace. Best, -Bea
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10-14-2019, 05:43 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
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Try #1 from Bea. My normal procedure when checking the gas before a trip is to light the stove 1st. After it lights turn it off and try all the other appliances.
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
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10-14-2019, 07:08 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Burlington Twp., New Jersey
Trailer: 2010 Escape 19
Posts: 7,126
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If you have the outside access panel that can be removed and then try to run furnace. Red LED should flash a diagnostic code if something isn’t right. See attached for codes and control board location. Also the full video about sail switch and control board replacement might be helpful.
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10-14-2019, 08:48 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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According to other owners with the same set up, if it runs for 30 seconds and then stops, sail switch. If it run for a minute and 20 seconds, it is a circuit board. Go from there...
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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10-15-2019, 12:18 AM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Victoria, British Columbia
Trailer: 2019 5.0 TA
Posts: 39
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My furnace did this 2 weeks ago. Contacted Escape, they advised it was probably the sail switch and attached a video on how to repair. Followed the steps in the video and found the smallest ever piece of lint in the sail switch. Removed lint, reinstalled switch, works fine. I've got a feeling this might be a regular thing.
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10-15-2019, 08:55 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Yarnell, Arizona
Trailer: 2024 Bigfoot 21 Rear Bed
Posts: 545
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It is a regular thing. We travel with a cat and about every 10 hours of furnace time we have to clean the sail switch. Previous posts on this suggest a filter fabric on the front of the furnace. We have the fabric, just waiting for inspiration to hit us and install the fix.
__________________
Myrl and Gary
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10-15-2019, 11:03 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Whidbey Island, Washington
Trailer: 2020 Escape 17B "Voyager"
Posts: 2,661
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Mine did this a few weeks ago. I tried blowing air at it, no immediate luck, ended up taking a Mr. Buddy heater to the campground, but when I got there the furnace started fine and worked for the whole trip and still works.
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10-25-2019, 02:54 PM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: El Granada, California
Trailer: Trailer: Escape 19'
Posts: 32
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Thank you all for the replies.
Hi
Having watched the video, I was able to remove the sail switch and saw that there was lint on it. (Was able to do this without disconnnecting the wires either).
I've cleaned it and reinserted and the same problem occurs. Is it possible to insert it incorrectly?
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10-25-2019, 04:12 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Austin, Texas
Trailer: 2019 5.0TA "Junior", 2019 Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi
Posts: 1,600
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Quote:
Originally Posted by debedb
Thank you all for the replies.
Hi
Having watched the video, I was able to remove the sail switch and saw that there was lint on it. (Was able to do this without disconnnecting the wires either).
I've cleaned it and reinserted and the same problem occurs. Is it possible to insert it incorrectly?
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Yes - even though there is just one screw attaching the plastic mounting base it is possible to get it in a bit crooked, that happened to me. Check and make sure it is in straight with no gap, if there is a bit of a gap at a slight angle loosen the screw and reinstall making sure it fits square with no gap.
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11-01-2019, 04:13 PM
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#11
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Glenview, Illinois
Trailer: 2018 Escape 19
Posts: 48
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Thanks for this info! I recently also had the 30 second issue, and following the video was able to take out and clean my sail switch of more fibers than I had anticipated. Furnace is runing again but can see repeated need for future cleaning as I also travel with cats. I'll look for the posts about the filtering fabric fix, as otherwise I'll be doing this frequently, stripping screws in the process.
I had problems with my furnace when I picked up my trailer a year ago. This was before I brought the fur babies along. Reace was very helpful walking me through possible causes of the problem. An RV repair shop ultimately adjusted the spacing of the tines of the igniter, which solved the problem at that time.
Always nice to stay toasty, which is why I also travel with a small ceramic heater.
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11-01-2019, 04:38 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Austin, Texas
Trailer: 2019 5.0TA "Junior", 2019 Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi
Posts: 1,600
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Dometic apparently has come out with an upgraded sail switch mounting block, hopefully to direct airflow away from the contact points and keep it from attracting lint and dust....see this thread: http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f7...tml#post313165
__________________
David, Mary, and the cats
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11-01-2019, 04:58 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Trailer: 2015 Escape 19 "Seventy Degrees"
Posts: 3,495
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Wonder if it would be worth spraying the sail switch with some static guard or some such so as not to attract the lint and dust. Forturnately, the classics don't seem to be experiencing this issue, but just throwing that out there for a possible solution. I bet the new sail switch design is Dometic's attempt to solve this from their end.
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11-01-2019, 06:34 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg A
Fortunately, the classics don't seem to be experiencing this issue.
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Good thing, it sounds like a bear pulling out the furnace in the older ones.
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
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11-05-2019, 03:00 PM
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#15
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: El Granada, California
Trailer: Trailer: Escape 19'
Posts: 32
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Hi all
Thank you all for the replies. The second time worked out well - I just removed the sail switch again and reinserted it and everything worked.
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