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MrQuantum · 02-17-2025, 12:16 PM

Hi all,

We took the 1994 Safari Serengeti for a trip this weekend. While a number of things happened on the trip, I'll just ask about the propane furnace issue here.

For context: The furnace, up until now, has worked very well. Blower would come on, it would ignite, and heat the cabin. I can feel a good bit of air moving out through the vent outside, which has steel mesh over it to keep the mud daubers out. These meshes are clean.

We went away, spent the night, used the furnace, and it worked well. We made the trip back and at one point my wife and I looked at each other and asked, "Do you smell that?". We pretty quickly identified the smell as propane, and we pulled off at the nearest exit and opened the windows and ran the ceiling vent fans. After a few minutes, the coach was filled with fresh air and the propane smell gone. I checked the propane tank, it's sitting at about 1/2 full. Gas range still operates as expected. When I put the refrigerator on LP mode, I hear the sound of propane burning as normal (though I have not determined whether it still keeps the fridge down to temp, but I have no reason to believe it wont').

We continued our journey and got home. At no point after that did we smell propane again. However, the furnace will not put out heat. The blower blows plenty of air, I still feel air coming out through the external vent, but it seems like the air never gets warm.

Where do I start?

Thanks.

SafariBen · 02-17-2025, 01:36 PM

How about a picture of the furnace label, or the model number? Not a ton of Serengetti owners here, and they might have a different furnace model.

The furnaces I've seen have the propane and exhaust outside, so there shouldn't be propane smell inside. The second issue is why did the furnace go out? Could be a cracked heat exchanger, possibly?

Old-Biscuit · 02-17-2025, 09:38 PM

Thermostat calls for heat
Furnace fan starts,,,,,,,,purge cycle for up to 90 seconds
Then Sail Switch closes and DC goes to circuit board for ignition trial
DC goes to gas valve and Spark Electrode

Fan motor provides Room Airflow & Combustion airflow
No ignition...no flame...no heating

Suspect spark electrode is dirty/bad spark gap/just bad
*1994 vintage just replace the spark electrode

BUT.........should not have smelled propane inside the RV as combustion side is isolated to exterior
As mentioned Heat exchanger could be cracked allow propane smell into room airflow

Propane sniff detector would be the tool to use if furnace can get fired up

MrQuantum · 02-19-2025, 02:05 PM

Well, I went in to look at it yesterday to get model info and stuff, and thought I'd turn it on to see what happens. It's working now...? Blower came on immediately, after about 5 seconds I heard the furnace fire up and warm air came out of the floor vents. No propane smell. Coach came up to temp and shut off accordingly. I left it on last night and checked it this morning, it held temp and still no propane smell.

Not sure what to make of it. Maybe the batteries were just a touch low after boondocking for a night... Not sure what was up with the propane we smelled that one instance while rolling down the road.

DustyDriver · 02-19-2025, 02:48 PM

The gas solenoid on our furnace failed to seat properly when the furnace was off. A small amount of propane would continue to leak past it, and we actually could smell propane inside the coach. My propane sniff detector isolated it to the solenoid. Had the valve changed out and it took care of the problem.

DD