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Old 10-30-2008, 07:30 AM   #1
TMerrell
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Panama City
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Furnace Problem

We were in Tallahassee, FL last week and needed the furnace for the first time this year. Fired it up before the cold snap came thru just to make sure it was working and it was fine. When the cold front came thru, we woke up to a chilly Monty. I recycled the switch on the wall ON-OFF-ON and the furnace blower kicked on blowing cool air for about 15 seconds then stopped. The service department recommended blowing compressed air into the exhaust to see if something was blocking the ignitor. I did that with no luck. Next I took off the outside panel and saw that the circuit board was hanging loosely by one screw. I secured it as best I could and made sure all the electrical connections were snug. Fired the furnace up, and it worked......once. The second time it kicked on, the fan blew cool air for 15 seconds and then stopped. I noticed there was a red flashing light on the circuit board after that. It flashes continuously at about a 3 second interval. I'm thinking I have an electrical problem either with the ignitor, circuit board, or the ground to the furnace.

Anyone seen this before or have any recommendations on things to try before I take it to the shop?

BTW, propane is good. Stove and water heater working fine on propane.

Thanks,
 
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Old 10-30-2008, 08:27 AM   #2
wingerphil
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The flashing light is a code light indicating a problem. Take the off the outside panel and there is a tag on the furnace (at least on mine there is) that tells you what the possible problem may be by the number/frequency of flashes.

Mine was doing similier to yours and the light flashed the code for a faulty limit switch/air flow problem. I got it scheduled into my local dealer for the next week following a week end camp out. When we arrived at the campground that week end furnace worked fine and has had no problems since. Not sure what happened unless the limit switch was just stuck and towing "unstuck" it or the blower was not able to get enough air flow because I was parked next to my garage with the bedroom slide open.

Check for the code and if your not sure, call a dealer's service department and let them know the number of flashes and they should be able to point you in the right direction.
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Old 10-31-2008, 06:44 AM   #3
Fire5er
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We had the same thing happen when we in Glacier MT this Aug.. Got the book out for the furnace, then opened the outside panel, and found the red light blinking. Switched the power to the furnace off and still had the red light flashing. Flipped the circuit for the furnace off and still had the red light flashing. Pulled the wires on the furnace off and reconnected still Had the red light flashing. Went back inside and told the DW that it looked like the furnace was out and that we would have to use electrical heaters to say warm. Then I tried the furnace about two hours later and it worked fine, and continued to work for the remainder of the week. I have no idea what the problem was or what fixed it.
Will be watching this to see if other have an answer to this problem.
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Old 10-31-2008, 10:26 AM   #4
Ozz
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Fire5er, that is strange, but it happens to me all the time, Gremlins, I guess.
My Pellet stove has 2 circuit boards, it was not feeding pellets with the auger, and the igniter wasn't getting power. I pulled both circuit boards, looked at all the solder circuits with a jewelers loop and did not see any problem, there was a rheostat for something on one of the boards, I ran it one way, then another a few times, cleaned both of th boards with a small paint brush, re-installed them, and it's working great! Go figure....
TMerrill,
I work on rooftop commercial heating and cooling units for a living, most times, the ground wire is corroded and not making good contact. Your circuit board hanging by one screw could have damaged something, but try cleaning the contact on the flame ground.
A furnace 'proves' ignition when the flame is playing on the ground rod, a flame actually conducts. But if the ground from the flame rod is corroded, it will cycle off.
Clean all connections, sometimes just pulling the connector with needle nose pliers and re-connecting them is enough to get the good contact. The flashing light will tell you what is 'faulting', good information by wingerphil and Fire5er on that.
Good luck.
Ozz
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Old 10-31-2008, 11:05 AM   #5
TMerrell
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Thank you all for the suggestions, advice, and education. I'll try to put it to good use when we get back over to the Monty in Tallahassee.
Tim
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Old 11-10-2008, 07:22 AM   #6
TMerrell
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Well, as it turns out, the furnace is now working. All I did was turn it on and it worked just fine. Gremlins, I guess, I'll still have the service dept take a look at it.
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Old 11-10-2008, 09:56 AM   #7
Exnavydiver
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Ours has done that several times in our 08 Big Sky. It is always after several weeks of sitting with the gas off. When I turn it all back on I turn the valve very slowly and then go cycle everything that uses gas a few times. The stove is usually fast, and it usually takes several cycles to get all the air out of the lines. The furnace and water heater take the longest. They usually take between 6 and 12 cycles to get fuel to them but after they light off a couple times they stay lit and work fine till I shut everything off for awhile... Dave
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Old 11-10-2008, 10:09 AM   #8
HughM
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After ours have been sitting for a while with the gas off I try something different. I turn the gas back on and then light the stove and let it burn for 5-10 seconds and then turn them off.
I can then light the fridge or furnance and they may only cycle once or twice before lighting. This clears a lot of the air out of the propane line.
Hugh
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Old 11-10-2008, 10:48 AM   #9
Lambchop
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I leave the gas on 24/7...never had a problem...everything works perfect this way. NO, nothing is running...everything is off. Done this with all our RV's since 1969.

Maybe I'm asking for trouble?

Roy
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