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Old 10-04-2010, 06:14 AM   #1
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1978 28' Argosy 28
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Furnace works TOO good!

While we were camping last fall we used the furnace a few times with great success. The motor had been replaced so it runs pretty quietly and without much headache. We ran into one problem which was that the furnace would not turn off even after it achieved the desired interior temperature, it just kept getting hotter. I assumed it was the old thermostat and purchased a simple dial style replacement through Lowes, but that did not work. I checked my wiring (two black wires) and tried it several times, but it would not turn the furnace on. I reinstalled the old thermostat and everything worked, it just did the same thing. Sometimes it would stop once it reached the right temp, and other times it was bent on roasting us to death by not turning off! I assumed I could use any thermostat that was available at the home improvement store. Does anyone know if that is true or do I need to by a special thermostat? Thanks!
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Old 10-04-2010, 06:56 AM   #2
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You can use the new programmable thermostats, but stay away from the old style round Honeywell thermostats with the mercury switch.
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Old 10-04-2010, 08:21 AM   #3
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Buy the cheapest thermostat you can which has an actuator feature which will let you set the furnace on and off temps. The house versions say 24 volts dc but work just fine on 12
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Old 10-04-2010, 09:29 AM   #4
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markdoane brings up a good point. if the trailer/thermostat was not perfectly level, the setting temp could have been off by quite a lot.

since it did not turn on with the new thermostat or off with the old one, it seems to be that the wiring is ok. (not broken (open) or shorted (closed)

i'm curious if the old thermostat turned off with temp turn as low as possible.

there are some posts about cleaning the thermostat contacts. i'll try to find one for you.
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Old 10-04-2010, 09:37 AM   #5
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http://www.airforums.com/forums/f427...ace-18610.html


the new thermostat might be polarity sensitive. (post #6
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f427...-on-60066.html
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Old 10-04-2010, 11:21 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by todbot View Post
While we were camping last fall we used the furnace a few times with great success. The motor had been replaced so it runs pretty quietly and without much headache. We ran into one problem which was that the furnace would not turn off even after it achieved the desired interior temperature, it just kept getting hotter. I assumed it was the old thermostat and purchased a simple dial style replacement through Lowes, but that did not work. I checked my wiring (two black wires) and tried it several times, but it would not turn the furnace on. I reinstalled the old thermostat and everything worked, it just did the same thing. Sometimes it would stop once it reached the right temp, and other times it was bent on roasting us to death by not turning off! I assumed I could use any thermostat that was available at the home improvement store. Does anyone know if that is true or do I need to by a special thermostat? Thanks!
Unless they have been physically damaged, the original furnace thermostats can easily be repaired and/or adjusted, which is usually all that's wrong with them.

Andy
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Old 10-05-2010, 08:49 PM   #7
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When I turned the thermostat all the way to off the heater would keep cranking out toasty warm air. It didn't stop until I cut the LP off under the camper. I tried it again and the next time it did cut off when it hit the right temp (this means I moved the temperature needle), but the next time (in the middle of the night) It kept getting hot again. It did seem like the thermostat worked until the temp selector moved past a certain temp and then it was more prone to not shutting off. That temp seemed to be anything above 65. So I guess clean all the contacts sounds like the easiest route. Any particular solution or materials that work best for this job. I'll also keep my eyes peeled for a model with an actuator feature. Thanks everyone for the replies.
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