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Scott321968's avatar
Scott321968
Explorer
Oct 23, 2015

Furnace issue.

I am the owner of a 264bh. We went for our first cool weather trip this past weekend and had a problem with our furnace not firing the second night there. Temps got down to 28 degrees. I had one tank full and another about half. Furnace tried to fire a few times and couldn't. The auto changeover valve didn't kick in, so I switched over to the full bottle and reset the furnace. Fired up fine. Couple next to us also had the same issue and used the same fix. My question is, how do I prevent this from happening again? Can bottles be heated with a magnetic oil pan heater or lines with a heat tape? Not sure how hot an oil pan heater gets. I didn't know if someone makes a kit for this or not.

------I posted the above on the Jayco forum and was asked a few questions so I will add more details below.----

The first tank was about 1/2 to 1/3 full. The lines were bled the day before and the furnace worked the first night in thirty degree temps. I did reset the furnace before tank changeover. Regulator assembly was replaced this summer due to a leak when new. We were on shore power. And, as stated above, the couple next to us in a Jayco 26 with slideout had same issue. He did state that his bottle was almost empty , but his changeover valve had not switched.

Someone on the other site suggested that the line might be bad and not allowing proper flow. We did have the stove and the furnace running together the first morning as well as the oven the second morning. Any ideas?

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  • DutchmenSport's avatar
    DutchmenSport
    Explorer
    Oct 23, 2015
    My previous trailer was a Keystone Springdale and the automatic switch over never worked. The propane ran equal out of both tanks. So when the tanks were empty, we were REALLY empty. After that first time, I kept one bottle turned off at the valve and never bothered using the switch again. I did this for 8 years. Oh ya, many time I'd have to get up in the middle of the night and turn on the second tank and turn off the first one, but that was much better than running out.

    Perhaps your automatic switch over is simply not working. If not, you have the option to switch them manually, or replace with a new switch over.

    FYI, my current trailer has the automatic switch over too. I think it does actually work, and works quite well. BUT I prefer to keep one bottle closed all the time. This way I KNOW when I need to refill one tank and do the very first chance I get. I don't mind getting out of bed when it's 5 degrees outside to switch over a tank. But I'd hate to go all night and most of a day (especially if it's a Sunday and everything is closed) with no propane at all because I didn't realize the first tank had already emptied, and now the second one is too!
  • Scott321968's avatar
    Scott321968
    Explorer
    Oct 23, 2015
    To add to the above. Talked to the Dealer service rep and he said he had never heard of any cold issues with propane furnace. He asked one of the techs and he stated that cold weather can affect propane flow and there was nothing to do about it. Well as Pete from Oh Brother Where Art Thou stated "that just don't make no sense."

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