I may need to replace the furnace; I really don't know why because it's 'only' 21 years old. Anyway, it's always worked fine but on this trip, it only lights when electricity is available. Unplugged or no generator, the fan kicks on, but there is no ignition. On top of the Medicine Bows, it was snowing, sleeting, and hailing with temperatures in the 40's. It was cold. I have 2 fully charged 6 volt batteries, 220 amps, so that's not the problem. I'm familiar with the basic operation of the furnace, but don't even know where to start trouble shooting. Any suggestions or links would be appreciated. OBTW, the generators worked great but had to be off at 10:00 PM.

Furnace is strictly DC (unless you have an AC style)IF it fires up and heats while connected to an AC power source but doesn't w/o AC power than the DC voltage from batteries is low or at issue.Check DC voltage at furnace while on AC and w/o AC.Dirty/loose/corroded connections/contacts cause resistance. Doesn't take much resistance to stop DC power. The lower the DC voltage the easier for any resistance to impede. Good cleaning of contacts at furnace may solve your DC issue

Sounds more like a battery problem. 12VDC voltage is too low for the furnace to light when the converter (powered by 120VAC from shore power or generator) isn't feeding the battery.Rusty

Check the voltage and for loose connections at the furnace. If the voltage is low, you probably have a battery issue or a converter/charging circuit problem not charging the batteries.Ken

It's JULY!!! You're not supposed to be in snow country.

Thanks; appreciate the replies. Again, I have new batteries, installed last month. I can watch hours of TV, lights, etc; and I have a digital volt meter, constantly visible. Available DC power is not an issue. I'll check the wiring and contacts. When the furnace is off, or when it's lit, I'm not sure how to check voltage. To my understanding, dc is only present to 'shoot' the spark. Can/ will someone elaborate?

Furnace problem | Good Sam Community

rskeans
Explorer
Jul 23, 2015
It's JULY!!! You're not supposed to be in snow country.
TXiceman
Explorer II
Jul 23, 2015
Check the voltage and for loose connections at the furnace. If the voltage is low, you probably have a battery issue or a converter/charging circuit problem not charging the batteries.

Ken
RustyJC
Explorer
Jul 23, 2015
Sounds more like a battery problem. 12VDC voltage is too low for the furnace to light when the converter (powered by 120VAC from shore power or generator) isn't feeding the battery.

Rusty
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Jul 23, 2015
Furnace is strictly DC (unless you have an AC style)

IF it fires up and heats while connected to an AC power source but doesn't w/o AC power than the DC voltage from batteries is low or at issue.

Check DC voltage at furnace while on AC and w/o AC.

Dirty/loose/corroded connections/contacts cause resistance. Doesn't take much resistance to stop DC power. The lower the DC voltage the easier for any resistance to impede.

Good cleaning of contacts at furnace may solve your DC issue

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