Since new our fifth wheel has been very obnoxious when the furnace lights off. It makes this unusual tuba sound when it first lights. It often wont light off on the first try so you get to hear the tuba sound two or three times. Once lit fully the sound goes away and it sounds like a normal furnace. This sound is loud enough that I have actually had other people comment on it and has me wondering if we are inadvertently waking neighbors up in the middle of the night. Trailer is a 2011 Heartland Sundance. Furnace I believe is a Suburban SF-30. I've had this furnace before in other trailers and it never made this noise. The trailer is at the dealer right now for this and other warranty issues. I am going to pick it up today and I just have a hunch that it's still going to make this noise. To add insult to injury, my folks also have a 2011 Heartland Big Country and their furnace makes this same god awful noise. Commonality? maybe something in the propane regulator they're using? Anyone else run into this?

If mine doesn't fire off on the first try then it shoots out a very large flame from the side of the trailer when it does finally fire-up... Kinda scary when you see it for the first time... This gives off a loud WHOOOMP sound...Roy Ken

Check for a blockage in the heat exchanger, like a mud dauber nest

X2 on the mud daubers, cost me around $500 for repairs on the water heater due to them. I had screens on all the lovers but one, it was the smaller louver on the left side of the access panel. New circuit board, gas relay, wiring and labor. I had the local mobile RV service do the work, and was very pleased with them. (Cost wasn't very nice but all is working)I went to my local RV parts store looking for a screen to cover that one louver and low and behold, there it was the correct screen to cover it. You have to drill a 1/16th hole in one of the louvers to fasten the spring. when I took it to the counter to pay for it, the lady said they just got them in, and they were the first ones they had seen for that louver. I'll have to find the package info to remember you makes it.

We are not really known for bug related blockages as much in this region. Not saying it's impossible but unlikely. As a matter of fact I have actually found that I get get this furnace to light off immediately if I partially block the furnace exhaust with my hand. It's also unlikely we'd have two trailers doing this same thing at the same time in two different regions. I have had a few suggest it's a regulator problem but I just don't know. I have asked the dealer to do a LP pressure check with a manometer but I don't even know if they have the equipment for it. If the issue is not resolved I'll try and get a video of it to capture the sound it makes.

Hey Mr. Black, just spent $50 for a new propane regulator. The furnace still sounds like a fog horn when it tries to light off.Two blasts to light off and all the boats on the Colorado river pull over, 30 miles away!!

Furnace in our Heartland sounds like a foghorn when lighting

17 Replies

dougrainer
Nomad
Mar 04, 2014
beaslwd wrote:
Hey Mr. Black, just spent $50 for a new propane regulator. The furnace still sounds like a fog horn when it tries to light off.

Two blasts to light off and all the boats on the Colorado river pull over, 30 miles away!!

Either the LP orifice has debris in it or the "cone" funnel to the burner is not installed correctly. Sometimes you have to replace the burner when this happens. BUT, It is NOT normal. Doug
dougrainer
Nomad
Mar 04, 2014
Mr. Black wrote:
We are not really known for bug related blockages as much in this region. Not saying it's impossible but unlikely. As a matter of fact I have actually found that I get get this furnace to light off immediately if I partially block the furnace exhaust with my hand. It's also unlikely we'd have two trailers doing this same thing at the same time in two different regions.

I have had a few suggest it's a regulator problem but I just don't know. I have asked the dealer to do a LP pressure check with a manometer but I don't even know if they have the equipment for it.

If the issue is not resolved I'll try and get a video of it to capture the sound it makes.

A quick test for a mis-aligned Spark Electrode is the outside hand test. This keeps a larger amount of LP in the chamber that will light. It is also a good test for a restricted LP orifice. This also keeps a large build up of LP and it then ignites. Either way, you have to pull the burner to verify which it is. Doug
beaslwd
Explorer
Mar 04, 2014
Hey Mr. Black, just spent $50 for a new propane regulator. The furnace still sounds like a fog horn when it tries to light off.

Two blasts to light off and all the boats on the Colorado river pull over, 30 miles away!!
Mr__Black
Explorer
Dec 16, 2013
We are not really known for bug related blockages as much in this region. Not saying it's impossible but unlikely. As a matter of fact I have actually found that I get get this furnace to light off immediately if I partially block the furnace exhaust with my hand. It's also unlikely we'd have two trailers doing this same thing at the same time in two different regions.

I have had a few suggest it's a regulator problem but I just don't know. I have asked the dealer to do a LP pressure check with a manometer but I don't even know if they have the equipment for it.

If the issue is not resolved I'll try and get a video of it to capture the sound it makes.
sljkansas
Explorer
Dec 16, 2013
X2 on the mud daubers, cost me around $500 for repairs on the water heater due to them. I had screens on all the lovers but one, it was the smaller louver on the left side of the access panel. New circuit board, gas relay, wiring and labor. I had the local mobile RV service do the work, and was very pleased with them. (Cost wasn't very nice but all is working)

I went to my local RV parts store looking for a screen to cover that one louver and low and behold, there it was the correct screen to cover it. You have to drill a 1/16th hole in one of the louvers to fasten the spring. when I took it to the counter to pay for it, the lady said they just got them in, and they were the first ones they had seen for that louver. I'll have to find the package info to remember you makes it.
eHoefler
Explorer II
Dec 16, 2013
Check for a blockage in the heat exchanger, like a mud dauber nest
RoyB
Explorer II
Dec 16, 2013
If mine doesn't fire off on the first try then it shoots out a very large flame from the side of the trailer when it does finally fire-up... Kinda scary when you see it for the first time... This gives off a loud WHOOOMP sound...

Roy Ken

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Furnace in our Heartland sounds like a foghorn when lighting

17 Replies

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