3400RL furnance

[pokypa]

We just purchased a new 3400RL 3 months ago and just started using the furnance this past week in Tenn.yone The furnance would run for 5 mins and stay off one min. It use both tanks of propane in two days. The temp didn't drop in the unit to cause the furance to start so often. I called Keystone and they gave the OK to get a mobile service tech to come out. we were 200 miles from the nearest dealer.
The service tech said yhat the location og the thermostat was located too near the outside wall and to close to the slideout seal He stuffed a towel against the wall and slideout to keep the coldnest from the thermostat. It worked. Has anyone had this problem
Pokypa

[rogersuemegan]

we have a 2005 3400 and even though we hate the remote thermostat, we have not had the problem you have. Good luck

[richfaa]

Well our purchased in May 0f 06 3400 does not do that..Just as a thought.. just about every wall in a camper is a outside wall..Do you have a leak in your slideout seal,,can you see outside when the slide is open..If the tech stuffed a towel were the wall meets the slideout it sounds like there is a leak there but that would not explain the furnace running for 5 mins then going off. You do have a problem but I can not understand what it is. Your description of the problem and what the tech did to correct it does not make sense to me?????

[vickir]

Roger ... we took delivery of our 3400 on August 30th so it's about the same age as yours and we too had trouble with our furnace. The mobile RV guy replaced a corroded control board and it's working fine now.

[bsmeaton]

Does anybody find that the fireplace being below the thermostat on the 3400 makes it pretty inaffective?

[Cat320]

quote:Originally posted by bsmeaton

Does anybody find that the fireplace being below the thermostat on the 3400 makes it pretty inaffective?

We don't have the fireplace, but it is so close to the thermostat it would have to have some affect. We carry a couple of ceramic heaters and they cause the heat to go off sooner than we'd like depending on where I put them.

BTW, no trouble with the furnace on our 3400.

[rickfox]

Brad,

Our 06 Montana is now just 1 year old, and we have now owned it into our 2nd winter.

The fireplace does effect the operation of the furnace since, when in operation, it heats the air around where the thermostat is located - not such a good idea.

However, we typically run the fireplace when we are in the living room area - typically early morning to sit, drink some coffee and watch the morning news, and in the evening before bed. We do not keep it on long term to warm the rig as it actually keeps the furnace from turning on and keeping the kitchen and bedroom warm.

[bsmeaton]

Thanks Rick, Bert,

I was wondering about that - guess I'll have to work around it as it sure doesn't seem like it would be easy to move.

Brad

[Driftwoodgal]

Brad,

I read the boards and Hubby doesn't even know how to find this website. I read a thread a few weeks ago about concerns with the fireplace. On our last camping trip we finally got a chance to use the fireplace and our propane heat. It wasn't long after running the fireplace that he became concerned about the potential problem of over heating the wood above the fireplace. It becomes hot after a period of time, so we won't leave it on unless we are in the living room. It would keep your propane heat from coming on. We have the same problem in our stick home when we use our fireplace. It will heat up our living area where the thermostat is keeping it from coming on. That is ok with us as we like a colder bedroom. If the temps would threaten pipes on the Montana I guess we would not use the fireplace.

Colleen

[dsprik]

When the temps are going to fall into the mid to lower 40s, or lower, we leave our fireplace on with the thermostat turned up about 85% of the way. I turn on the ceiling fan on low-reverse. This circulates the air past the thermostat, along with mixing it with the cooler air. I turn the thermostat on 76. We leave our bedroom door open about half way.

This seems to give us a comfortable temp to sleep - we like it cool in the BR - while keeping the LR around 68. The furnace will only turn on very occassionally to keep a little heat in the belly.

The lowest temp we have been in is two consecutive nights at 20 degrees in the NC mountains a few weeks ago. This system works well, but you really have to play with the fireplace thermostat and the furnace thermostat to figure how to get your LR and BR where you like it. The ceiling fan is the key - keep the air moving.

BTW, when 20 degrees was predicted, we simply filled our internal fresh water tank, and then disconnected our hoses from our water source and let them drain right where they lay. We used our internal water system until the temps rose enough to reconnect our hoses and turn the water back on. Very simple and quick changeover.

[bsmeaton]

Thanks Colleen,

I did read that about the hearth - and also the one that had a loose connections in the wiring. I'll pull that and make sure the screws are tight, as it caused a nasty meltdown and almost a fire.

Dave,

Good info - glad I got the ceiling fan as I almost didn't. I wasn't even sure where they put it but someone told me in the middle of the living room.

I was sort of laughing thinking we would be snuggled in on the couch this summer with the fireplace light on, TV, and both AC's blasting = hahaha.

Brad

[Parrothead]

Brad
While we haven't been in sub zero weather with ours we do not find the fireplace a problem with the furnace. If we feel it is getting to cold in other rooms, we just turn the fireplace off for a cycle of the furnace. Since heat rises we find the bedroom usually warm. We use an electric heater for showering (outside the shower). We use the fireplace a lot since it is quieter than the furnace. When we were in Northern California it did get down to 28 but we were really cozy in the Monty. Since we don't plan on being in cold places, I don't see it as a problem. The fan on the fireplace blows out not up. Maybe by now you know I'm a pretty easy going person, don't get real upset over things and don't look for problems. I don't expect living in an RV to be just like a stick home. Speaking of which our furnace is in our attic right above our bedroom. The family room is on the other side of the house and the last hit on the duct run. If someone is cold in the family room and turns up the heat, the bedroom is suffocating.
Happy trails..........................

[Bluegill]

I'm not real sure I've figured mine out yet. I do know that it gets ALOT warmer in the bedroom than the living room at night.(with the fireplace off)
I have to keep the thermostat on 67 degrees at night or i will wake up sweating.

I read somewhere that the fireplace wasnt meant to be a permanent heating source. So we just use it while in the living room and turn it off when going to bed.
I'm not saying thats right or wrong... I'm just saying thats what we do.

[bsmeaton]

Sue, you're right - I'm stressin too early . Should be fine. Guess I'll quit worrying about how I'm going to glue stuff to the knick-knack shelf too so it'll stay going down the road

Happy Thanksgiving all!

Brad & Dory

[DONnANNIE]

Bluegill, I know what you mean by a hot bedroom. Our furnace is below the bedroom. There is one small register in the bedroom, a round plastic register in the bathroom, one in LR by front door and two in the kitchen.(ALL are not adjustable) The thermostat was set on 68, but it was still too warm. We had to cover the bedroom register with a pillow and that helped.

I started a thread about it and I was told to turn the thermostat down to 60 degrees. I want to get adjustable registers. Also, I've found that magnetic advertising strip material made big enough to cover the register. I think I'll try that too. I haven't done anything yet, the 5er is closed up for the winter.

[Bluegill]

Hey Don, I used the metal tray from the microwave to cover the vent in the bedroom. Then, in the morning I just drop an egg on it for breakfast.
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one getting too hot. I was begining to think it was just my coach.

[richfaa]

We have been experimenting with the furnace for over a week now as the camper sits along side the house, Slides out in a normal camping configuration. The temps here in Northern , Ohio along Lake Erie have been in the mid 40's during the day and the mid 20's over night (23 this AM) The Camper thermostat is set at 70. We have thermometers scattered throughout the camper. near the back window, On the Counter, In the bathroom, On the bedroom dresser as well as the camper thermostat. Yes the furnace cycles on and off more that it does in the house.... This is a camper.It may be well insulated for a camper but in comparison to a well insulated house,,it is not. The camper thermostat works as advertised and keeps temp within 2 degrees of the set temp. Yes it is warmer in the bedroom..hot air rises so that is no surprise. Here in my PC room 2 floors over the furnace room I have the vent nearly closed..while it is 4 degrees cooler down in the family room that is mostly underground. We do not find the temp variations in the camper to be any different than here in the house..in fact..My opinion is that the camper temps are more constant across the length of the camper. Can the furnace in the camper seem louder...of course..you are never far from the furnace and fan in the camper.Stand 3 or 4 feet away from the furnace and fan in you house and check out the noise level. Does it cost more to heat the camper...of course...it is a camper .. insulation not to compared with your house.Let us always keep in mind that these are "Recreational vehicles) not houses and we use them in conditions that they are not designed nor constructed to withstand...All things considered they do a heck of a job.. Temp on counter of the 3400 reads right now 70...temp on bedroom dresser 73...I am not in a panic over that..

[Montana_5701]

quote:Originally posted by pokypa

We just purchased a new 3400RL 3 months ago and just started using the furnance this past week in Tenn.yone The furnance would run for 5 mins and stay off one min. It use both tanks of propane in two days. The temp didn't drop in the unit to cause the furance to start so often. I called Keystone and they gave the OK to get a mobile service tech to come out. we were 200 miles from the nearest dealer.
The service tech said yhat the location og the thermostat was located too near the outside wall and to close to the slideout seal He stuffed a towel against the wall and slideout to keep the coldnest from the thermostat. It worked. Has anyone had this problem
Pokypa

Yes, same thing happened with me. I was in Mississippi visiting family and temps were between 35 & 45°. Furnace performed just as you explained.

[dsprik]

We have not have too much of a problem with a warm BR. We also throw a pillow over our register - one of these days we will pick up an adjustable register. Just too easy just to throw something over it...

Fortunately, heating will not be an issue now for a while after our unusual cold spell here in central FL (snow night before last in a few areas - wind chill warnings). Next 5 days (starting today): Thu, 70, sunny - Fri, 73, sunny - Sat, 77, mostly sunny - Sun, 79, sunny - Mon, 80, sunny. Where did I put that swimming suit???

*On Edit~ Oh yeah... BTW, I also run my fireplace (light only) with my A/C blasting. Love that ambience...

[bsmeaton]

Some wonderful MOCer gave me this link and I used them to get heat to my water closet.

http://www.dwincorp.com/index.php

They have some options for adustable registers beyond what you can pick up at Home Depot or.... Especically for that bathroom register.