1985 Fleetwood Tioga Arrow forced air furnace need help

Hi travellady,


Here is a simple flow chart.

Budget-->Energy Audit-->Battery bank size-->number of watts-->PWM or MPPT.
One rule of thumb is between 60 and 150 watts of panels per 100 amp-hours of storage. The smaller the battery bank the high the wattage needed (per 100 amp-hours). Here is a link to the rather special spreadsheet which includes an energy audit, that N8GS has created to help size solar battery charging systems!
Solar Spread Sheet N8GS

For a nice explanation of solar, try this link: Golden rules of solar

travellady2013 wrote:
My next item to do is a 500 watt solar panel on the roof for electricity.

If you use a propane heater indoors, read/heed safety instructions, and have adequate ventilation avoid carbon monoxide or using up oxygen in rig.

Thanks for the update!
Keep us posted!
If you have hook ups, a small portable 1500 watt electric heater does wonders.

Thank you to all of you for the wonderful information. I looked again, its a Suburban heater, forced air flow. I checked everything you told me to do and it is the sail switch. I will be getting one in the next couple of days. I figured out how to get it changed and come Thursday when the temps go down to 9 my dog and I should be just fine. I have also arranged to get a propane heater for backup. I checked everything out and did a great deal of troubleshooting by all information received and found it to be just that. Should be a quick fix once I get the part. Dog is fine, she is buried under 5 blankets and a down comforter when I work. At night, she and I sleep under the down comforter and stay quite warm. Thanks for the concern about her. Once this problem is resolved, most of the problems I have on the camper are done. My next item to do is a 500 watt solar panel on the roof for electricity. Got any ideas where to get a completed one shipped to me? Let me know. Thanks again for the concern and all the help.

Many times new memebers get overwhelmed by too much information too quick.
I am sure Travellady will get back to us.

The OP never came back. I sure hope the dog didn't freeze.

Try operating the water heater and the cooktop range to get propane moving through the pipes.You may have air bubbles in the gas lines that upsets the ignition in the furnace. When you move the thermostat to a higher temperature setting you should hear a click then a faint whistle inside the furnace housing then hear the gas igniting and burning, maybe a faint smell of propane. There are some 12 volt DC connections and ground connections at the furnace unit that may be loose or corroded causing ignition problems. There is a circuit board that plugs into a connector. Unplug it and clean the contacts with fine sandpaper or pencil eraser. There's more, including a "sail" switch that may be sticking. There have been previous furnace troubleshooting threads. Old furnaces can be quirky.

Try the furnace with engine running. Increased house battery voltage may get furnace to ignite letting you know that there is a low charge level problem with your house battery and/or 12 volt connections to furnace.

Hi,

Welcome to the forums.

Are you plugged into shore power? Low voltage may be an issue with the fan not turning fast enough to engage the sail switch.

check the 30amp fuse at the battery and try bypassing the thermastat and see if it kicks on.i have seen a bad therm cause same symtoms

See if yours look like the 7900 series!
Atwood Service Manual