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Old 09-19-2011, 01:04 PM   #1
roj
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1994 34' Excella
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What is this exhaust?

The little lady and I are recent owners of a 1994 34' Excella, and boy do we have questions!

But one of the most perplexing at the moment, (the answer to which I cannot find in the manual), is... What is the exhaust located on the exterior, to the left of the door?

It is a rectangular compartment, with a small, round, screen-covered "vent", the innards of which are located inside beneath the stove. (There are also two round vents just inside the door and below the stove that are obviously connected.)

Sometimes it seems to be related to the A/C, other times not. But it runs on it's own, and this summer was venting our cool, interior air to the very hot outside. Can't seem to find a switch to turn it on or off. And we'll often wake up in the night with it running. Oh, and we're currently hooked up to shore power.

Noone we talk to seems to know about this, including the guy from whom it was purchased. Anyone here?
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Old 09-19-2011, 01:08 PM   #2
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Sounds like your furnace???? Pictures would help. It shouldn't be running on its own though, if it is the furnace.
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Old 09-19-2011, 01:20 PM   #3
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Is your furnace under your stove? Ours is but we have a much older trailer. I think it will be the furnace vent. With a wall mount thermostat it may be trying to run,I would play with that idea and see if that's it.
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Old 09-19-2011, 01:27 PM   #4
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Not sure if that is the furnace or not. Looks like only ductwork. There is a thermostat over on the wall (labeled Hydro-Flame) by the fridge, but no on/off switch. And the roof a/c unit also seems to have a "heat" setting, so right about now we're a bit confused where the heat is going to be coming from.

I will try to post a pic later this evening.
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Old 09-19-2011, 01:33 PM   #5
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Look on the underside of the thermostat for a switch.
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Old 09-19-2011, 01:46 PM   #6
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Sounds like the furnace to me.

The heat supplied by it is fueled by burning propane. The blower runs from your battery, or convertor if plugged in.

The air coming out of the vent on the outside of your trailer would be hot, if the furnace was running correctly, as that is the vent for the exhaust gases from the burning propane. It works mostly like the central furnace you may have at home.

The heat setting on the roof A/C is a heat pump or perhaps electric heating elements. Either of which are powered only by being plugged in. This option allows you to use the electricity you have paid for at a camp ground/RV park so you can save your propane.
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Old 09-19-2011, 01:54 PM   #7
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The A/C may have a heat pump, thus a "heat" setting. These work at cool temps, but below 40˚ or so outside they become pretty inefficient. This would be independent of the furnace although on newer models they use the same thermostat to control the different items.

The item you are talking about sure sounds like the furnace and it is possible the thermostat is poorly adjusted. Older thermostats have a mercury switch under the cover and may be adjusted badly. The mercury container moves when you move the lever for a specific temp and will make contact when the temp goes below a certain setting. If it is running all the time, then someone may have jumped the wires because the switch wasn't working. These thermostats are found in places like Lowe's, etc. Many people now buy electronic thermostats usually run by batteries these days, but the old fashioned ones work well for an RV.

Someone may have removed (or disabled) the furnace because they lived in a warm climate and left the ducts and exhaust in place. Maybe they didn't want to spend the money to replace a broken one. Maybe they took out part of the old one and left the rest. There should be a fan motor, a fan, a gas valve, pilot light and more.

Photos of this would certainly help.

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Old 09-19-2011, 02:42 PM   #8
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There may be a removable panel below the stove. If so, remove it and see if the furnace is located there.

My money is on the furnace.
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Old 09-19-2011, 05:39 PM   #9
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it is likely the furnace if you have a curbside sink.
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Old 09-19-2011, 08:13 PM   #10
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Wow. Thanks so much all, for taking the time to respond. My low-tech self hasn't yet figured out how to post photos. I know that would help.

So, if this mystery exhaust was coming from the furnace as many seem to think, would the furnace itself be under the stove? I ask because I've seen no familiar furnace parts such as a pilot light...just duct work.

I won't be able to check it until this coming weekend, but I will be more thorough next time. Maybe eventually figure out how to post photos.
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Old 09-19-2011, 08:19 PM   #11
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Here's a picture of a Suburban furnace exhaust. The look varies a bit in different years, but generally has this layout.

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Old 09-19-2011, 08:24 PM   #12
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if you have drawers below the cook top burners the furnace is below/behind the drawers. to remove a drawer, slide the drawer out until it stops and then push up on the center finger of the plastic stop on the bottom of the drawer and continue to slide it out. the metal case encloses the furnace and it is serviced from outside.
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Old 09-20-2011, 12:28 PM   #13
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Well, under the stove top burners is an oven. Under that is the removable panel wherein lies all the ductwork.
To the right of the stove, is four drawers. I did try to get them out the other day, but was unsuccessful. I'll try again this weekend.
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Old 09-21-2011, 09:03 AM   #14
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roj, the ducts have to come from somewhere and go somewhere. A furnace has a box called a plenum to which the ducts are attached. The plenum is next to or over the firebox—where the main burner is.

All the ducts should be attached to the plenum and thus you will see the end of the furnace. If the furnace has been removed, the plenum may not be there and the ducts will be scattered about. If the furnace has been removed and the plenum was left, I suppose from the inside it will look normal.

It sort of sounds like there is furnace in there from your first post. The plate over the opening—it has the exhaust coming out it—covers the furnace. Have you removed the plate to see what is behind it?

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Old 09-30-2011, 08:09 AM   #15
roj
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Thanks, Gene. We've had to postpone our trip back out to the Airstream for a few weeks due to social commitments. But on our next visit I will try to take that panel off of the outside and see what's under it.

I do have a photo of the vent here on the computer, but can't figure how to include it in this post.
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