dirt dobbers in Furnace opening

[Ronnelly]

Would appreciate any suggestion on how to get rid of those dirt dobbers in our furnace opening. No heat, just furnace blowing cold air.

[Ozz]

Well, the prevention aspect is a stainless screen, Camco makes one. PPL RV Parts has them, among others.
Are you saying you have no heat because of the pesky Dobbers?
I would try shutting off the gas at the bottles, then get compressed air and blow into the furnace openings, blow it out real good.
Tell us exactly what the furnace is doing besides not firing.
Ozz

[ols1932]

We use the screen Art mentioned. Have used one on every RV we've owned over the past 35 years.

Orv

[Art-n-Marge]

This Art doesn't have one yet, but thanks for the vendor, Ozz and the recommendation, Orv. This is one of those things I want to get, but keep forgetting. This is not something that one should wait for the need and so far I've been lucky. I believe you'd want an appropriate screen at the furnace outlet and hot water heater too.

[Ozz]

I took some aluminum mesh and covered the inside of the high and low refrigerator vent openings also.
I recommend that to keep the little guys out.

[Hooker]

quote:Originally posted by Ozz

I took some aluminum mesh and covered the inside of the high and low refrigerator vent openings also.
I recommend that to keep the little guys out.

Same here...refrig, furnace, and water heater.

[bncinwv]

Another one who used the cheap way. I priced one of the Camco thing-a-ma-jiggers at the dealer and quickly decided I was not going to shell out $15.00. I had some extra aluminum screen at the house and cut a piece to fit behind the panel. If it burns through (don't think there is enough heat in the exhaust for that), then I have plenty to replcae it with. Why is it when a product of any type starts with RV, that the price automatically escalates??? Sorry, wandered off topic there, must be more symptoms of cabin fever surfacing!!
Bingo

[Ronnelly]

We have heat now. Thanks so much to all your suggestions. We did not have a strong enough compresser, so used the leaf blower. It worked and all is well again. We will definetely try the stainless screen.
Those pesky Dobbers are not fun when they get into stuff. Water will wash them away too, but not in the furnace.

quote:Originally posted by Ozz

Well, the prevention aspect is a stainless screen, Camco makes one. PPL RV Parts has them, among others.
Are you saying you have no heat because of the pesky Dobbers?
I would try shutting off the gas at the bottles, then get compressed air and blow into the furnace openings, blow it out real good.
Tell us exactly what the furnace is doing besides not firing.
Ozz

[Ozz]

Yeaaaa!!
Glad you are up and going.

[kdeiss]

I had them so bad I had to remove the furnace their nest was all around the fan big time and

I had the screens. Ronnely I am thinking the air may have just been a temp fix hope not!

[ole dude]

Sink strainers, the metal ones, work pretty good too. About correct size to cover opening. A little stainless wire to tie them in place and wala done deal.

[Ozz]

it doesn't take much to stop a furnace from ignition and operation. I just did a job where the furnace cycled on with no problems maybe 6 times, then it exploded... the flame runner took the flame across the 4 burners, lighting all of them with no incident. Then the fun event, gas valve opens, flame runner goes across, but one lonely burner was left out of the fun, oh the gas went in fine, just didn't ignite.... until it got ignition from the burner next to it. BOOM!
I learned a long time ago to not leave my head in front of the furnace or water heater when igniting.
I took the gas valve off, removed the burners and flame runner. Mr. Spider left a web inside the flame runner, sometimes it lit off, sometimes not so much. I used a wire brush for all the burners and flame runner after removing the Q-tip size web.
I imagine that Ron's furnace will be fine now. if it isn't, he will have to do some dis-assemble and cleaning.
Good luck Ron, good job fixing it.

[Ronnelly]

I turned out to be working great. No more problems.

quote:Originally posted by kdeiss

I had the screens. Ronnely I am thinking the air may have just been a temp fix hope not!