Propane heater issue

restricting air intake is as simple as going out with the furnace heating then slowly covering the cold air intake with your fingers until the flame sounds right. Then cover that much with elec. tape.

I've seen an instance where stuff fell out of a drawer and around the furnace unit beneath the kitchen counter. It interfered with normal operations.

Clearing all that stuff and dust/cobwebs got it going for them.

According to your profile YOU have been living in this trailer for several months....so propane cylinders should not be the issue
Purging on those is only required when first purchased (NEW) prior to initial propane fill. After that not needed unless you completely remove OPD Valve exposing inside to air


If it is an Atwood 7900/8000 Series ....front grill discharge, you can remove that front grill to access burner/spark electrode

IF it is an Atwood 8500 Series......floor ducted registers, you can access furnace components via the outside access cover/panel

Atwood Service Manual....exploded views start on pg 39

Thanks everyone for your input!

Newman fulltimer- I hope your right cause that sounds easier than messing with the furnace, is there a way to test it before I go buy a new one?

SDcamperowneroperator- actually I recently moved from the mountains that where 2,134’ to hilly land at 1007’ and it does happen to sound loud and roaring, like a low altitude would cause. It did work fine (the two times I used it in the mountains) before the move. But sometimes it will work fine two times where I am now. Where would I be able tofind instructions on controlling the air flow?

Scott G- I would like to unturn every stone I can,I doubt theres lots of hours on it but if I find out where the thermocouple is I will clean it.

Wkamper- I will do that, I’m hoping the connections are the wires outside of it, or are you talking about some inside?

Old-Biscuit- I will attempt to do that, Do I have to open the whole thing up for that or should there be an access panel of some sort, from a quick look and uneducated assumptions it looks as though I have to mess with the sturdy propane pipe to at that. Also you have an awesome screen name.

mobeewan- It wasn’t purged. They never do that at the local ace. And my water heater sometimes does the same exact thing. The thing is it has been working flawlessly for the past week. But it has been doing the exact same thing. But the stove and oven have been perfect since I got the camper and I’ve been cooking on them for over a year

Terryallan-That was exactly my thinking when I first realized the problem, butunfortunately that didn’t work
Rbpru- Thanks, I will try to check out the spark gap. I wish there was a better manual

I discovered that my spark gap on my refrigerator was too small. The gap was about 3/8 inch. The flame would pop but not stay lit. I could light the flame with a match while it was sparking and it was fine until the next cycle.

I adjusted the igniter gap to 3/4 inch and the flame remained lit.

As already mention, proper gas flow is the first priority. In my TT it takes a while to purge the air out of the line with the stove burners before I try the frig or furnace.

Good luck

Have a question. Does it do it only on the first time you use it a trip? And after it once lights. Continues to work correctly? If that is the case. It could just be air in the lines, and the gas hasn't got there yet. That is what My gas appliances do.

To fix it. Before I turn on the fridge, or water heater. I turn on a stove top burner to get the gas flowing. Once there is enough gas to lite the burner. Then I turn on the W/H, and fridge, and after only a few clicks they run.

Was your propane cylinder purged before filling? Did you actually see it being purged or did they tell you it was purged. Have you used propane yet from the cylinder? Do the flames on the stove burners look okay? Has the water heater been functioning okay on propane?

Circuit board not getting 'flame proven' signal------milliamp signal is generated by flame retrification-----it uses the saprk electrode as a return path

IF spark electtrode is dirty/sooted up...no signal
If spark electrode is not FULLY engulfed in flame....no signal
If spark electrode ceramic insulator is cracked.....signal tracks to ground
If spark electrode high tension wire cinnections are dirty/corroded/loose...no signal


Clean up spark electrode and connections........ground also
Make sure of psosition in flame and spark gap is 1/8"

Check the connection at the ignitor. It can be good enough to create a spark but, will not be good enough to send the return signal that there is a flame. I experienced this on our furnace at one time and also later on our water heater. Cleaned the connections and working fine since.

Sounds like the flame verification isn't working. Dirty, mis-adjusted or failing thermocouple could be the issue but I would not expect that unless it has a lot of hours on it.