'63 Safari - It 'Bee' Traded (#8671)

[goransons]

Woohooo well thanks to Joe I think we have a workable oven burner control valve sometime this spring! As soon as we get a little more melt off on the snow I hope to get out there and run some tests on the furnace, hoping it's just a board.



Thanks Joe!

[HiHoAgRV]

HAPPY DANCE!!!!

[goransons]

Anyone have any info on age ranges of serial numbers on suburban furnaces? I was about to order a board for ours, but according to websites they say the serial number break between old and new board models is serial number 013105484

The problem, my serial number is 1890863 It doesn't look that old, but wondering if the numbers are really that different. It's a NT-30SP. According to their website pre-1990 models use a 3 alpha date code and 6 digits, which it doesn't match either.

Is it safe to think this probably close to 20 years?

[goransons]

Is 20,000 BTU enough for a 22' trailer? According to airstream.com they install an 18,000 btu furnace in the 23' flying clouds for 2012. I'm concerned about installing something too small, but wouldn't mind the additional storage space, and wouldn't mind the small amp draw from a smaller unit.

[HiHoAgRV]

Originally Posted by goransons

Is 20,000 BTU enough for a 22' trailer? According to airstream.com they install an 18,000 btu furnace in the 23' flying clouds for 2012. I'm concerned about installing something too small, but wouldn't mind the additional storage space, and wouldn't mind the small amp draw from a smaller unit.

Good timing...I noted the heat loss in my '63 last night...(it was cold)

30 degrees outside, 42 inside (12 degree diff) at steady-state using a 1200 watt heater...that's 1 degree per 100 watts AND 1 watt is = 3.4 BTU...

So, for every 10 degrees of differential, I need 1000 watts or 3,400 BTU...multiplying by 5.8...a 20,000 BTU heater would hold a 58 degree diff at 100% duty cycle or 29 degrees at 50% duty cycle...your milage may vary...
Then again...get one that has enough BTU's to warm a BUTT the size of a TUB...and everyone will be happy

[goransons]

Wow! See that's why I didn't go into a math heavy field. Thanks for that info, perhaps I better lean towards the 30,000 unit. We're bottoming out around 10 degrees outside. Thanks for the info, sounds though like you need another space heater in yours for now! Have a lead on a 30k unit, used but working well.

anyone interested in a Nt-30sp from the early 90's for parts?

[goransons]

Well let's face it, some things unfold for a reason.




Potential deal for a used furnace died this morning. I decided to stop back out at the trailer and pull the furnace and bring it home.

When I worked on the trailer, and I must confess was in a hurry to get ready for the rally this past spring, I just put the existing furnace in, cleaned it up as well as I could and figured if it worked it was a bonus (I already had a smoke, propane, and carbon monoxide detector on board).



I must admit I was a bit afraid to take the thing apart. First off I didn't find the 1 screw that holds the guts in this thing into the outer housing.



After reading a thread recently I thought I'd pull it and see what I could find.



Picture #1, the dead board. My worry was that this furnace had been powered up with 110 by someone since it was wired to a lamp plug when I got the trailer. Melted board, sign #1 that this was true. The good news is that no sign of issues past that, rest of the switches work well and so does the fan. Also the rusted electrode/flame sensor, with cracked ceramic (no doubt from it's removal etc).



Picture #2 - very clean burner assembly, practically new looking.



Picture #3 - fan cage in good condition on burner side and blower side.



Picture #4 - surprise!! guess what fell out of the heat exchanger back by the blower opening. Darwin comes to mind, how did that get in there and what was someone attempting to do?




Since this had the 230587 board that Suburban no longer makes, I was able to get a Dinosaur UIB L board that lists as a direct replacement, a new ignitor/flame sensor assembly, new burner/ignitor gasket kit, fan assembly gaskets, new floor discharge gasket, and new access panel gasket. All shipped to my door for $115.00.




Next step is to clean out the grime on things, going to give the heat exchanger a coat of exhaust manifold paint, and start reassembly. Going to go pick up some stainless screws to replace a lot of the rusty ones. Figure the ignitor wasn't grounded well, since both screws for it were so rusted it took an act of god and a grinder to get them off.

[goransons]

Woohoo, well before "the big game" today I spent a few hours in the garage. What I accomplished:

Cleaned out the heat exchanger. All new gaskets.
reinstalled the burner, new burner gasket, new ignitor/ignitor gasket
rewired ignitor
new dinosaur board installed
new sail switch installed.
new fan compartment gaskets
cleaned rest of housing, reinstalled in sheet metal cage

tomorrow after work, going out to the storage yard to reinstall it and trial fire up this beast. Hoping for the best, only other piece of equipment on this electrically is the gas valve so I hope it lights right up!

[HiHoAgRV]

I have a question for the Fourms Resident Expert on Vintage Stove sizes...

Since I also have the 'only made for one year and no other stove is the same as this one' stove...I was thinking about building my cabinet to a larger size, then shimming it down to fit my stove...so IF it craps out...

Anyway...

What is the 'standard' size for a commonly available vintage looking stove?

[goransons]

hahaha, well no an expert implies knowledge. But I do have a few links that help from when I did the new stove in the 69.

Here are the measurements for the suburban furnaces (which were my favorites)

Suburban > Products > Ranges > Dimension Chart

Amana/Magic Chef RV Ranges on Sale - PPL Motor Homes

They are pretty close. On the plus side by the time I get this stupid oven going and all the chrome parts done I may own enough spare parts to repair every other one of these stupid ranges left in existance.

[goransons]

Furnace reinstalled, think it will have to come out one more time. Unlike before the board is showing green when the fan comes on, lights, I see a good flame in the sight glass but after a few seconds it goes out. Didn't have my multimeter with me to test the flame sensor wire for continuity (should have done that before reinstall). If that is ok, then I think I need to remove the ignitor/flame sensor and according to the manual carefully bend the sensor so it is directly over the burner opening, 1/4 to 5/16 of an inch away. Going to wait until I pull it home to work on it more, tired of running to and from the trailer with more tools!

[goransons]

We have heat!!!

So I decided, I wasn't going to sleep tonight if I didn't try a couple things.

Pulled the burner back out (thank you Suburban for making that possible without pulling the unit out of the rig), adjusted the flame sensor (it wasn't quite in the right place).

Tried.... better, but burned out after about 7 seconds.

checked continuity on wiring and connection points....

Tried... the same

Then started thinking, how do you adjust the mix, perhaps it's not getting enough air, then it dawned on me.

I had modified the original furnace cover, removed all the sheet metal from inside. I went out there, opened it up, and next light it fired right up and ran perfectly.

SOOOOOO

Now I need to devise a snorkle of sorts for the fresh air intake to pull air from a foot or so down when the cover is closed and a snorkle to help encourage the heat to move up. Some sheet metal work is in my future.

So 2 steps forward, 1 step back, not quite checked off the list but having heat is going to be awesome!

[goransons]

Yesterday I arrived home to find a amazing package of goodies from the Tolle family had been sent.

It had to be a 15-20 lb box of stuff. Can't wait to read it all, here's a little hint of the kind of stuff it included.


1st, Cecil and Mary's berets

2nd, about an inch thick of newspaper clippings and articles about the caravan, many specifically about our trailer and it's owners.

3rd, the original "join the around the world caravan" recruiting book

[goransons]

More items:

inside of book (1)

(2) Around the World Caravan original itinerary

(3) Around the World Caravan pens

[pbearsailor]

What a treasure, Scott!

You have earned it with the effort you've put into saving this great trailer.

cheers,
steve

[reinergirl]

Wow! What treasures! Did you see the recent sale on eBay of 6000 slides of the ATW caravan. Sold for $500.
eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices

[goransons]

We watched and researched those, all appear to be about 10 years newer than the around the world. Still would be awesome to have! Enjoying getting to read all this. Can't wait to share the details!

[Blue Pearl]

OMG how wonderful, it's so exciting to see you guys getting another piece of your trailers history. Yes, you so deserve it and A big thank you to the Tolle family for intrusting you with their history and not just selling it to the highest bidder. Hope to see you at a rally this summer and maybe see some of your treasures.

[tallytwo1994]

Originally Posted by goransons

Yesterday I arrived home to find a amazing package of goodies from the Tolle family had been sent.

It had to be a 15-20 lb box of stuff. Can't wait to read it all, here's a little hint of the kind of stuff it included.


1st, Cecil and Mary's berets

2nd, about an inch thick of newspaper clippings and articles about the caravan, many specifically about our trailer and it's owners.

3rd, the original "join the around the world caravan" recruiting book

Congratulations Scott,

Obviously, you and your passion for restoring this trailer to its original grandeur have made a profound impression on the family.

Carol

[soldiermedic]

Nice Scott...that family has been a great treasure to you themselves.