My Furnace Won't Blow

[AirSpleen]

I have a 72 Tradewind and I have been trying unsucessfully to get the furnace to push hot air. I have turned on the LP, lit the pilot sucessfully and turned up the thermostat.

Nothing seems to happen and I am not sure whether my furnace could be busted (in which case i will pull it out and probably get something newer or maybe a convection heater) It only gets hot around where the pilot is lit but doesn't blow hot air through the vents or even heat up the whole heater box.

I dont want to junk a perfectly good installed furnace if the only thing wrong is me and my uneducated furnace repairs.

Does anyone have any advice on what I can or should check for to properly diagnose this furnace issue?

[lewster]

Spleen,

You should remove the furnace and overhaul it before you junk it! It sounds like your burner is not igniting. The pilot alone will not heat the furnace plenum! If it ignites, YOU'LL KNOW IT as it sounds like a small jet engine. You might have a thermostat problem, a gas valve problem, a clogged gas burner orifice, a bad sail switch or ECO. There isn't much else in there .

Start with the t/stat and work your way in, checking every component for proper operation. You'll find something that isn't right.

PS: Do you have enough propane?

Originally Posted by AirSpleen

I have a 72 Tradewind and I have been trying unsucessfully to get the furnace to push hot air. I have turned on the LP, lit the pilot sucessfully and turned up the thermostat.

Nothing seems to happen and I am not sure whether my furnace could be busted (in which case i will pull it out and probably get something newer or maybe a convection heater) It only gets hot around where the pilot is lit but doesn't blow hot air through the vents or even heat up the whole heater box.

I dont want to junk a perfectly good installed furnace if the only thing wrong is me and my uneducated furnace repairs.

Does anyone have any advice on what I can or should check for to properly diagnose this furnace issue?

[rideair]

Make sure you have a working CO detector. The older units can form little pin holes from rust. If that happens, you can die.


Paul Waddell
WDCU/WBCCI/VAC

[AirSpleen]

I don't even know if the furnace is worth the trouble. I mean it is heavy and takes up valuable storage space. Would a couple of portable electric heaters do just as good of a job?

[A-Merry-Can]

i vote electric, too. that's what we use. we've camped in 20 degree weather with one heater in our trade wind, and it was toasty warm.

jp

[Fyrzowt]

Originally Posted by AirSpleen

I don't even know if the furnace is worth the trouble. I mean it is heavy and takes up valuable storage space. Would a couple of portable electric heaters do just as good of a job?

That obviously would work as long as you are always going to have electrical hook-ups. If you want to camp farther afield, you'll need a propane heater of one type or another.

[AirSpleen]

Okay. So I have finally gotten my LP tanks replaced and refilled (they weren't up to code.) Now I can confirm that the heater doesn't blow hot air. It doesn't even heat up. The pilot works and stays on but when the thermostat is engaged it remains inactive.

So, I am trying to find a way to test:

A)If the thermostat is working. Is there a way to test it electrically using a volt meter or something?
B)If the blower works. Is there some sort of override where I don't need to rely on the thermostat to trigger the furnace to start pushing hot air?

[ticki2]

The first thing you need to check is if you have power to the furnace . There is a power plug usually on the right side of the furnace as you face it from the inside , mine fell out once . Unplug it and use a test light to see if there is power , if not check fuses . You can by-pass the thermostat by removing it from the wall and putting a jumper across the two wires . If those don't do it , the furnace will have to be removed to check the fan motor , circut board and sail switch . Good luck

[RV_cool]

Originally Posted by AirSpleen

Okay. So I have finally gotten my LP tanks replaced and refilled (they weren't up to code.) Now I can confirm that the heater doesn't blow hot air. It doesn't even heat up. The pilot works and stays on but when the thermostat is engaged it remains inactive.

So, I am trying to find a way to test:

A)If the thermostat is working. Is there a way to test it electrically using a volt meter or something?
B)If the blower works. Is there some sort of override where I don't need to rely on the thermostat to trigger the furnace to start pushing hot air?

sounds like the main gas valve is not opening up. Does this got electronic ignition or do you have to light it manually?