Trouble shooting a furnace?

[Spade_Cooley]

The butane furnace on an older travel trailer isn't working. The fan blows but I do not hear the auto start clicking. This belongs to my Wife's nephew who is living in the travel trailer. Don't all of the trailers have an auto igniter? Is it easy to replace?

[down_home]

At RV Rallies particularly American Coach, Frieghtliner, FMCA, CAT RV they use to have workshops or seminars on the various systems, including engine and trans maintenance. Last few we have been too I haven't taken ntice but ask your organization to invite them. last American Coach rally in Goshen Indiana and in Florida and others they had tech units fro just about every system in the coaches. Often services were free too. But you had to get on the lists early as you could.
All the little details, all the problems, if you haven't covered the territory, are big when you first face them. Manuals seem to always leave out just the information you want many times.
We go for the services and some seminars and the feeds each of the biggies at the larger Rallies put on, in addition to meeting new Friends and exploring the surrounding country, sights, shops etc.

[down_home]

Sail Switches in the thermostat were the only problems we had replaced with a heavier unit designed for something else. They have contact points like old points distributors that burn etc.
Butane " be hard pressed to find butane in quantity now. Butane does not do good in cold weather. We had at least one Distributor mixing a lot of it in to his Natural gas which should have been propane. There are differences. Natural gas is not all propane and Butane and some others are all labeled natural gas and uses in the pipelines to homes etc at different times of the year.
Are you sure you don't mean propane furnaces,...in an an RV? Either way check the igniter, the pilot tube etc and adjustment of flame and first that you are getting fuel to the furnace.
Best idea but perhaps not the cheapest if nor familiar with the system is to call a good Mobile Tech, and observe what he does and ask questions, its your dime.Furnaces, water heaters, water pumps and lines and air conditioners/ heat pumps are the chief items they get calls for.

[Hondavalk]

dedmiston wrote:

Hondavalk wrote:
wa8yxm, Thank you for the helpful resoponse. Geeze

Sorry Hondavalk. The Devil made me do it.

😉

[Old-Biscuit]

Spade Cooley wrote:
The butane furnace on an older travel trailer isn't working. The fan blows but I do not hear the auto start clicking. This belongs to my Wife's nephew who is living in the travel trailer. Don't all of the trailers have an auto igniter? Is it easy to replace?

Propane Furnace

Living in it......did it work before and now doesn't?
OR
Didn't work and can't get it to work?

Does the FAN come on?

Brand/Model or pictures

[dedmiston]

Hondavalk wrote:
wa8yxm, Thank you for the helpful resoponse. Geeze

Sorry Hondavalk. The Devil made me do it.

[Hondavalk]

wa8yxm, Thank you for the helpful resoponse. Geeze

[wa8yxm]

Back to topic. First if you have not already done so identify make and model and then go to Google or other search engine and type make model manual pdf and hit ENTER.

Download to hard drive and read it.. NOTE the manuals tend to cover mutiple models

On the control board (likely left side of unit on outside) there is a multi-pin connector Identify the SAIL SWITCH pins. one should have 12 V on it when the blower blows.. So SHOULD the other but as someone suggests might not.

How to access that blasted switch... I've never done that so sorry.

If the switch is closing then the next suspect I'm sad to say is the control board I suggest having it tested at a RV dealer (many can do it at the parts desk) and Dinosaur Boards if you need a replacement.

[wing_zealot]

How "old" is this old travel trailer? I had a 70's vintage trailer that you had to light the pilot light in the furnace.

[down_home]

I usually back off about 50 yards and hit with a .270/

[RobWNY]

dedmiston wrote:
Trouble shooting vs. troubleshooting.

Exhale half your breath and pause while you squeeze the trigger.

Now there's a man that knows the difference between Squeezing the trigger and pulling the trigger of a firearm.......or is it fire arm LOL.

[capacitor]

Butane or propane? Make and model would be helpful.

[MFL]

Anywho...can OP get more info on his furnace issue.

I know...we all need more humor ending the 2020 year!

Jerry

[wildtoad]

Bad post.

[MFL]

dedmiston wrote:
Trouble shooting vs. troubleshooting.

Exhale half your breath and pause while you squeeze the trigger.

Spoken like a true sniper Dave!:B

Jerry