Furnace Won't Ignite
Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=2604
Printed Date: 16 May 2025 at 5:14am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Furnace Won't Ignite
Posted By: elko.mike
Subject: Furnace Won't Ignite
Date Posted: 27 May 2012 at 11:30am
|
Symptom: Blower runs but the furnace doesn't light, when it is turned on at the thermostat. Furnace: Suburban nt20seq Background: The furnace has caused me trouble (could be operator problems) since I picked up the trailer. On the first night, I could hear it spark but it wouldn't light. I cleaned the outside vents and it lit fine. Then it wouldn't light again. I decided to put off dealing with it until I came home. When I got home it lit, but I'm not sure why. Now it won't light again. What is different now than from before is that I don't hear it sparking. From my reading I find 3 possibilities: 1. lockout; 2. sail valve; 3. controller board. I don't know if there are more possibilities. Of these 3, I think the only one I am competent to "fix" is the lockout problem. Answers to the "have you done something stupid questions" are 1. the gas is on, as has been checked by lighting the burners on the stove; 2. the pod is plugged into 20 amp power; 3. the fuse for the furnace is OK. First Attempted Lockout Fix: The information for resetting the furnace from a lockout is pretty thin. The two pieces of advice I found are to recycle the furnace at the controller a few times. What I believe this means is to turn the furnace on and let it try to light. After a minute or so turn it off, wait for the blower to stop, and then try it again. I went through this 4 times and have concluded that this isn't going to fix my problem. I am not sure whether, or not, this approach clears a lockout. Second Attempted Lockout Fix: I lost this reference (this is at least one stupid thing) but as I recall it was to turn off the gas; cycle the power to the furnace; turn the gas on; try to light the furnace. As I said, I lost the link to this piece of advice. Anyway, I turned off the gas and then pulled the fuse to the furnace to be sure it had no power. I lit the burner on the stove and waited for it to go nearly out to be sure the gas was off. I then waited for 10 minutes and turned the gas back on. I then put the fuse back into the furnace and tried to light it. That failed. Is there any more I can reasonably do or is it time to seek professional (not mental, but service) help? ------------- Mike, Linda & Doxies 2013 Hood River Edition r-pod 171 Tow Vehicles: 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 (Linda's) and a 2003 Dodge Dakota (Mike's fishing truck) |
Replies:
Posted By: cane2
Date Posted: 27 May 2012 at 12:15pm
| We had our Sail Switch replaced before we picked our new 177 up in 2010, I do not know what symptoms were that made it necessary to replace it. I do not know if a Sail Switch is a interment problem or not, it could cause the gas not to flow. Sounds like you know to get air out of lines. I would have dealer check out the Sail Switch, not that i want you to spend your money. |
Posted By: dsmiths
Date Posted: 27 May 2012 at 8:54pm
|
elko mike, I had a similar problem, was ready to start opening gas lines to see if gas was getting to the heater, (the last gas appliance on the circuit) I took the tank in and made sure it was filled, same problem, furnace would not light. Finally with a little help from this forum, I found out my 20 lb cylinder has a safety valve that will not let gas come out to fast. I had to shut off the valve to the tank, wait for a few hours, slowly and very slowly open the valve, wait overnight, made sure cook top would light and stay burning for more than 30 seconds, then the furnace lit and worked every time. I hope that is all the problem you have, like you I could hear mine purge blow, then spark then putt, then out. after leaving the valve on for 24 hours it was fine. good luck. ------------- Dane and Donna Smith 2011 RP-172 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer 4X4 lift kit prodigy wireless brake controller |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 27 May 2012 at 9:28pm
|
I haven't looked very closely at this furnace since we haven't had any problems with it, but on our last furnace I believe there was a reset switch behind the furnace's inside grill.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
|
Posted By: elko.mike
Date Posted: 27 May 2012 at 9:37pm
|
Thanks folks. It lit this afternoon, which adds to my confusion. I let it sit with the LP on and on a lark tried to light it this afternoon. I could hear the ignition system working. I did have to cycle the controls a few times, but it did finally light. In that regards, Dane's post is similar to my experiences. One post I found on the net mentioned the need to purge the system, although it wasn't too explicit as to what that meant. I took it to mean replace the air in the lines with LP. The idea of opening the valve slowly is interesting, as it seems some deliberate set of actions should result in the furnace lighting every time. ------------- Mike, Linda & Doxies 2013 Hood River Edition r-pod 171 Tow Vehicles: 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 (Linda's) and a 2003 Dodge Dakota (Mike's fishing truck) |
Posted By: dsmiths
Date Posted: 27 May 2012 at 10:26pm
|
Again, most of these problems could be overcome with a good, thorough pre delivery. p.s. get a good little ceramic heater, Donna and I use a small ceramic heater, it is quiet and keeps us as warm as two bugs in a rug. The gas heater is great, but very noisy, I like the quiet little ceramic heater. ------------- Dane and Donna Smith 2011 RP-172 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer 4X4 lift kit prodigy wireless brake controller |
Posted By: KayakkrazyUP
Date Posted: 27 May 2012 at 11:17pm
|
I just bought a slightly used 2011, 177 and tonight I tried the refrigerator on gas for the first time. The ignition clicked repeatedly, then a tiny puff of ignition, but never did operate. No gas?? Is there a shut off valve somewhere for this appliance. The hot water tank worked on the LP when I tried that last, before taking it to a dealership for a different plumbing problem.
Sorry everyone. I have no owners manual, the former owner knew nothing about the trailer, and of course I had no dealer start-up instructions. |
Posted By: HuronSailor
Date Posted: 27 May 2012 at 11:40pm
|
It's been my experience with our 172 that the fridge won't light on propane until you purge the air from the gas lines. I do this by lighting the galley burners. Once they take off, it means the lines are purged and the fridge should work.
------------- .: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: 2018 rPod 180 :. |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 28 May 2012 at 7:37am
|
On our 177 I do the same thing: light the burners then the fridge will light. Then the water heater, nd last the furnace.
------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: Camper Bob
Date Posted: 28 May 2012 at 8:00am
|
Dsmiths. I also took your advice on the ceramic heater. Great little device and very quiet. ------------- Camper Bob and Camper Sue Gracie the Wonder Dog (12 LB. Mini Dachshund) 2013 Rpod 171HRE(ORPod) 2016 Lance 1685 2015 Nissan Pathfinder |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 28 May 2012 at 1:23pm
Take at least a minute to open the tank's valve to prevent triggering the safety valve. Then light the stove and you should be all set. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
|
Posted By: elko.mike
Date Posted: 28 May 2012 at 9:45pm
The problem, I believe, is that the lines need to be purged. This sounds like a good way to do it. ------------- Mike, Linda & Doxies 2013 Hood River Edition r-pod 171 Tow Vehicles: 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 (Linda's) and a 2003 Dodge Dakota (Mike's fishing truck) |
Posted By: KayakkrazyUP
Date Posted: 28 May 2012 at 9:52pm
| Thanks. Lighting the stove burners did the trick. Much appreciated. |
Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 29 May 2012 at 8:48am
We don't use ours for actual heat as a small electric heater is more than we've ever needed, but I test and keep the lines clean of debris a few times a season just to keep bugs and things out. Each time I've always had to light my burner first to get our furnace to go. So now it's just standard procedure for me! Glad it worked for you as well. ------------- https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=cnBvZC5zcG90dGVyQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ - RPod Rallies https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1W1foQXGtrjf8aYly1uh0b-bHPfI&hl=en_US - RPod Owner Map |
Posted By: elko.mike
Date Posted: 29 May 2012 at 1:02pm
|
My saga continues. I turned the gas off last night. This morning I turned the gas back on, lit a stove burner, and tried to lite the furnace. The blower started, I heard it spark one or twice, and it didn't lite. I waited a while for it to lite, but it stopped sparking and the blower ran on. So I turned it off and waited for the blower to stop. When it did, I turned the furnace on again. I heard it spark a few times, but again it didn't lite. After a few minutes I turned the furnace off and waited for the blower to stop. On the 3rd try I didn't hear it spark and assume it has locked out. My goodness, but this seems harder than it needs to be. I called the dealer and he told me to lite a burner -- same tip that was provided here -- and then to lite the stove. I told him I had done that and it didn't work. I then asked for specifics about the process of purging the lines. He told me to turn on the gas (I am), lite a stovetop burner (I do), wait for the flames to be nice and blue (I didn't), and then the furnace should lite. So I'm cycling everything now to test this new process. I recycle by turning off the gas, lighting a stove burner until it goes out, pull the fuse for the furnace (my lame attempt to get it completely recycled), and then to go through the process to lite the furnace. I think folks advising me to get a ceramic heater have it right, but it is my nature to run a problem to ground. After all I'm an engineer and a problem to an engineer is like a fire hydrant to a dog. Nuff said. ------------- Mike, Linda & Doxies 2013 Hood River Edition r-pod 171 Tow Vehicles: 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 (Linda's) and a 2003 Dodge Dakota (Mike's fishing truck) |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 29 May 2012 at 1:45pm
|
The other possibility is that when your new LP tank was filled it was not purged. They are filled with air when shipped, and have to be purged when filled for the first time. If you have a gas drum for a grill or something change it out with the one on the pod and try that. If the known good tank works have the one from the pod purged and filled.
------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: elko.mike
Date Posted: 29 May 2012 at 2:05pm
|
I am pretty sure I have a resolution. It was a purging problem in two parts: normal purge procedure unknown originally and once it was discovered an impatient operator wasn't performing it properly. Yet again I turned off the gas and lit the stove burner until it went out. That should bleed most of the gas from the line. After a couple of hours elapsed, I took the fuse from the furnace (as I've been doing all along) to set it to a known initial state. Then I turned on the gas and went inside where I lit a burner on the stove. It was at this point my process changed. My old process was to flip the switch on the furnace as soon as the stove burner lit. It was downhill from there. My new process, upon advice from the service tech, was to let the burner run until the flame was good and blue. I estimated (should have measured it) that to be about 30 seconds. When ALL of the yellow left the burner then I turned it off. After burner flame was good and blue I tried the furnace and it lit right away. Thanks to all for the encouragement and advice. It's time for a good scotch. Mystery solved! An impatient operator was failing to FULLY purge the gas lines. ------------- Mike, Linda & Doxies 2013 Hood River Edition r-pod 171 Tow Vehicles: 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 (Linda's) and a 2003 Dodge Dakota (Mike's fishing truck) |