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AtlantaRick · 11-18-2012, 04:20 PM

Was at a campground this weekend. Had 50 amp service. Turned the wall thermostat on to furnace and nothing happened except a slow clicking noise somewhere. ( I think somewhere in the opposite wall) I let it make the noise for a few minutes thinking maybe it was purging the air out of the LP line but nothing happened. I turned on the 'battery charge' switch and immediatly the furnace kicked on and ran fine thru the night. The next day I turned the battery charger back off and tried it again. Same results. No furnace until the battery charger was on.
Any ideas?

Mike Canter · 11-18-2012, 04:48 PM

That sounds like low 12 volt battery voltage. Need to check and see what voltage your batteries are at with the charger off. If low maybe time to check batteries under load, clean and tighten all battery cables and check water levels

AtlantaRick · 11-18-2012, 04:58 PM

Both chassis and house batteries show 12.5 volts when just sitting. But I was plugged into 50 amp service when this happened. Shouldn't that bypass the batteries?

itdave · 11-18-2012, 05:07 PM

The furnace runs off 12 volt from house batteries if they are low no furnace. Being on 120 shore does not bypass the need for 12volts from house batteries. When you turn on the charger the voltage on the batteries is high enough to let the furnace work. Like Mike said get the batteries checked.

AtlantaRick · 11-18-2012, 06:01 PM

Thanks Mike and itdave. I will check the batteries.

Luv2journey · 11-18-2012, 06:30 PM

I had this same problem with mine last year. I had to pull the furnace unit out and clean the igniter, sometimes the vibration of the RV can cause the igniter to pull away from the pilot. So I cleaned the igniter and repositioned it and it has worked great ever since.

Hope this helps

Dennis

mel s · 11-18-2012, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtlantaRick

Both chassis and house batteries show 12.5 volts when just sitting. But I was plugged into 50 amp service when this happened. Shouldn't that bypass the batteries?

NOT if your battery charger is OFF!
An RV LP furnace needs 10VDC, or more, to run, (12.5 volts "just sitting" may drop below 10 volts when the furnace is trying to run).
Since your furnace would not run on the battery voltage, and the charger was turned OFF, I don't understand what you think was supposed to "bypass the batteries".......As said you "turned on the 'battery charge' switch and immediately the furnace kicked and ran fine thru the night".....

When/if the house batteries are so low that the furnace will not run, and the charger is turned ON... 12VDC from the charger "bypasses" the low batteries and the furnace will run on that voltage..........OR you could charge your batteries, (if they are good)....if not, (replace them).

Mel
'96 Safari Sahara