Ok, so I've got the issue with the furnance. I have to wait for Monday to get parts. I have another issue. This is a Grand Surveyor 31'. It's a 4 season camper with the closed up floor. With the heater pulled out, I noticed one of the 3 ducts had a mouse nest. The ducts are basically whats on your dryer. I started checking that out and found that all my ducts have been torn or chewed. I don't know how far the damage goes down. The heater is on the driver side, rear. There's 3 vents, one in the back, middle and front. Anyone with experience replacing these ducts? Is it doable to fish these through the floor without pulling the floor up or tearing open the bottom? What about just creating a new output vent somewhere near the heater? What's your thoughts?Thanks.

Aren't mice wonderful fuzzy creatures?One thing about mice besides their penchant for chewing up stuff is, they leave mouse turds everywhere, so you have the turds to deal with as well.Good luck, I think you'll need it because you'll either be pulling the floor or the bottom (probably the bottom), easier to access).

My ducts are all metal, so they can't chew but it still works as a pathway and a place for making nests. I plan to close all the registers permanently, since the furnace is no more - too much noise, 12V draw, and propane. Olympian 5 catalytic heater works fine, though my rig is a trailer, not 5-er, and shorter 26ft.Plain old mouse trap is the only thing that works -Trap. Don't put cheese, they "can" eat cheese but don't really like it, this is a myth. Put peeled nuts instead - walnuts, almonds. In kitchen and near heater registers. Make sure they are mice, not rats - the latter need a bigger trap Rat Trap. For long-term storage you might also put rat poison in small caps - mix it with rice, if you like an idea of having poison in your rig.Neighborhood cat is keeping my rig clean now, but he is getting old. This is the best. He doesn't have to go inside, just walks around, sits under the rig, listening - mice are mobile, they go in and out and won't stay if there is a working cat nearby. Not all of them hunt - this is another myth.

don't know how easy it is on your trailer to access, but on mine I pulled the coreplast and replaced all the ducting with the snap together all metal ducts then wrapped it with the foam insulation.One, airflow increased noticeably since the old stuff with the wire and thin material is very restrictive from an airflow standpoint vs smooth pipe.Two, the insulation kept the air warmer.

myowneq wrote:I have another issue. This is a Grand Surveyor 31'. It's a 4 season camper with the closed up floor.Just a clarification, Forest River does not make true 4 season RVs. Your Surveyor is a 3 season trailer at best. Just cause it has an enclosed underbelly, doesn't make it a true 4 season trailer.But since you're in the South, I guess it would be for your area.

NO, The ducts are NOT "basically" what a dryer uses. IF you use Dryer duct hose, you will either MELT the non metal type or the Metal foil type will deteriorate from the hotter exhaust than a dryer puts out. Get and use correct Furnace duct hose when you replace the bad duct hoses. Doug

Heating Problem Part 2 | Good Sam Community

12 Replies

garyemunson
Explorer II
Dec 11, 2017
OMG! Those Michigan campers are hard core!
time2roll
Nomad
Dec 10, 2017
My ducting was restricted for other reasons. Was overheating and causing the burner to cycle against the high limit switch. I added two ducts through the cabinet direct to the living area and all is good.

Not sure how to repair your ducting but I would consider abandoning them in place and adding my own if feasible. Warm air distribution could be an issue.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Dec 10, 2017
Had a neighbor's kid who was gaga about (non venemous) snakes. Python and whip snake "pets" Ugh. Get a hold of snake waste about the size of a pin head. No odor. Transport in a plastic bag. Rather than get overly descriptive, take it for granted the treatment is not "Ewwww".

You can't smell it, but rodents flee in terror and it stays working for a long time, maybe years. Again. No odor. Chela's kid has a native false coral, and after I salted exterior to the outside kitchen, zero visits from mice, rats, squirrels and rabbits.

Satisfy yourself about the no odor...
SidecarFlip
Explorer III
Dec 10, 2017
Skin them and get out the BBQ. Meat is meat.
myowneq
Explorer
Dec 10, 2017
Oh, the story..

So I was using a leaf blower to check the vents. Front and middle were full on clogged. I could blow into it, and nothing out. As my leaf blower is also a vacuum, I tried to suck up the debris.

Sad to say, there were a live resident in said duct. All I heard was a thump, then another. I didn't understand as the leaf blower was venting behind me. I turned around and it looked like a gory movie. The blood and guts were everywhere. On the walls, the sofa, the blinds, the carpet. Wow, its amazing how much splat there was.

I know it shouldn't be funny, but there's one less mouse in my camper...
myowneq
Explorer
Dec 10, 2017
So I've done some exploration... I'm fairly certain the vents are damaged beyond where I can see. I've cleaned a ton of nest material out of the middle vent. Crazy story regarding that later. I've got two of the vents operational, but the one in the front is going to be an operation.

Almot, Bikendan, I have used my camper in all kinds of weather. You're right, 3 seasons in the south. :D I thought about just removing the heater, but with a youngin and space at a premium, I'm thinking to keep it.

If I have to remove the bottom to redo the front, I will be doing a full replace with hard piping.

Doug, I figured the ducting would be different, but I try to go with the simplest explanation. So it is "basically" the same, just more upgraded. :D

I'm still debating on how I want to proceed. It looks like the bottom isn't too involved to drop. How hard is it to do that?
SidecarFlip
Explorer III
Dec 10, 2017
bikendan wrote:
myowneq wrote:

I have another issue. This is a Grand Surveyor 31'. It's a 4 season camper with the closed up floor.

Just a clarification, Forest River does not make true 4 season RVs.
Your Surveyor is a 3 season trailer at best.
Just cause it has an enclosed underbelly, doesn't make it a true 4 season trailer.

But since you're in the South, I guess it would be for your area.

Been my experience that Forrest River can barely make any trailer that will last a time, let alone a 4 season one..

I can get away with saying that here because you aren't a mod on this site and you cannot ban me like you did on FRF:p

Smoke that Dan....
dougrainer
Nomad
Dec 10, 2017
NO, The ducts are NOT "basically" what a dryer uses. IF you use Dryer duct hose, you will either MELT the non metal type or the Metal foil type will deteriorate from the hotter exhaust than a dryer puts out. Get and use correct Furnace duct hose when you replace the bad duct hoses. Doug
bikendan
Explorer
Dec 10, 2017
myowneq wrote:

I have another issue. This is a Grand Surveyor 31'. It's a 4 season camper with the closed up floor.

Just a clarification, Forest River does not make true 4 season RVs.
Your Surveyor is a 3 season trailer at best.
Just cause it has an enclosed underbelly, doesn't make it a true 4 season trailer.

But since you're in the South, I guess it would be for your area.
ktmrfs
Explorer III
Dec 10, 2017
don't know how easy it is on your trailer to access, but on mine I pulled the coreplast and replaced all the ducting with the snap together all metal ducts then wrapped it with the foam insulation.

One, airflow increased noticeably since the old stuff with the wire and thin material is very restrictive from an airflow standpoint vs smooth pipe.

Two, the insulation kept the air warmer.