Forum Discussion

StarcraftNick's avatar
Nov 14, 2017

Atwood Hydro Flame furnace shoots cold air then shuts off

i am very new to the RV world. I have a 2015 starcraft ar-one that I just bought used. I got the RV winterized last friday and on saturday went up to the in-laws for a big party they throw every year. i was only planning on using the furnace to stay warm through the night. we used a converter to hook the 30v up to a normal outlet (15v). The heat worked great for most of the night and then shut off. When attempting to turn thermostat off and back on again. the fan starts to run, but shoots out cold air for about 30 seconds to a minute then shuts off. propane tank is full. i tested the burners on the stove and they seem to be working fine. the flames are blue with an occaional yellow flair. i also tried at home where i have a 30v plug. It looks as if the former owner replaced the propane regulator once or maybe moved it. Any ideas on how to fix it. could it be something with the winterizing? since it is a hydro flame...
  • As Artum Snowbird has indicated a stuck sail switch maybe the culprit. The manuals for most furnaces are on-line and if your handy with Google you should be able to find. Another alternative is to call a mobile RV tech - s/b easy fix for them.
  • midnightsadie wrote:
    you do need a good 12volt battery even when plugged into shore power.


    Not on a 2015 RV. The converter is clean enough that it doesn't need the filtering of a battery.
  • StarcraftNick wrote:
    i currently don't have an auxiliary battery for the camper. Are you saying this is needed? could you explain why, so i am better in the know. Because it was working without one for a bit. thank you!!

    The battery serves as a separate power source and also acts as a capacitor for the onboard 12V converter. It's mandatory to have a charged battery in your trailer if it's moving because that is the power for the Emergency Braking system.

    You will need to confirm if you have continuous 12V power available at the furnace, on the circuit board and through the various switches/safety devices. A service manual and troubleshooting chart is available from Bryant RV.

    Bryant RV service manuals
  • i currently don't have an auxiliary battery for the camper. Are you saying this is needed? could you explain why, so i am better in the know. Because it was working without one for a bit. thank you!!
  • It would sound like the sail switch isn't working properly. I suggest you put in a model number and do a google check on troubleshooting your model.

    Generally what is supposed to happen is the fan starts blowing, then the sail switch says that is enough air flow and lets the gas valve open.

    There is lots of info on the net, but your model number would really help.
  • That's long enough and since it worked most the night, it doesn't need to be purged.
  • I have already fired up the burners and let them run for about a minute. How long do you suggest I let them run for? thanks.
  • Try turning on/igniting the burners of your stove - that should purge the air in the gas system and help eliminate one the possible problems. If the burners don't light then shut off the main propane valve and then SLOWLY turn the valve back on (if you turn the vale on quickly if can trigger and emergency shut down function)