need high temp gasket for furnace - ideas?

[AKSCAMP]

Howdy!
I have an old gravity feed furnace in my scamp, and there is a gasket that goes between the 3"x3" plate/flat area in the pic, and the upright burner section. Once they are mated.
The old one is almost gone, leaving gaps to the burner that make me nervous, but it looks like a woven fiberglass cloth or something.

Can anyone think of a high temp DIY gasket material that would seal it up and be appropriate in that environment? Thanks!

[tractors1]

Most any real hardware or automotive shop sells gasket material by the sheet (like a piece of paper) that you cut with scissors to form whatever shape gasket you need. Xacto knife is good too.

Charlie Y

[Roy in TO]

In that era the gasket was probably asbestos, so handle it appropriately. I agree with tractors1 there are other sources of replacement materials. An other area to look is in the heating / boilers industry. The dental lab and jewelery industries may have replacements for asbestos once used as ring liners for investing their castings.

[mszabo]

It would help if you had the make and model of your heater.

Suburban 071084 Firewall Gasket Furnace Parts camper RV | eBay
Here is one such kit available

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Suburban-070...54eafd&vxp=mtr

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by tractors1

Most any real hardware or automotive shop sells gasket material by the sheet (like a piece of paper) that you cut with scissors to form whatever shape gasket you need. Xacto knife is good too.

Charlie Y

Most gasket material offered by Hardware and autosupply shops IS NOT suitable for furnace applications. If you get the wrong stuff all you risk is your life when it leaks.

If you can't get a factory replacement gasket, try an HVAC shop and beg off a small piece, better yet, have them make the gasket for you.

[stevebaz]

McMaster-Carr

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

Most gasket material offered by Hardware and autosupply shops IS NOT suitable for furnace applications. If you get the wrong stuff all you risk is your life when it leaks.
.

A good heads up Bob. Using a 40 year old gravity only feed furnace is for many here to big of risk to start with.

[David Tilston]

Since you have it apart Bob, do a good inspection of the fire box, and exhaust vent. Look for excessive rust. If it looks like there is a chance of it rusting though, anywhere, then I would salvage the gas valve, if it works, and toss the rest of it.

There are those that consider the life of a furnace to be in 25 year range. That may be true for a home furnace that gets used daily. On the other hand, I have seen 40 year old gravity furnaces in trailers that look like they have never been used.

Due diligence.

Just out of curiosity, what is the model of your furnace?

[greendragon]

Have you tried a place that sells wood stoves

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by Carol H

A good heads up Bob. Using a 40 year old gravity only feed furnace is for many here to big of risk to start with.

I concurr. In many climates just air exposure for that long will start damage inside the firebox. Unless someone was already a "Qualified & Experienced" furnace repair person, I would, at the very least, have said type person check it out before use.

Or, at the very least, be sure that all of the life insurance policies were paid up.

[AKSCAMP]

Sheesh, I just need a gasket people. I am thankful for the help, but recommending life insurance?
The furnace works well and I have inspected for any rust or whatnot. Yes, a bitchin new furnace would be nice but sometimes we have to make due.

And thanks all for the ideas one of them should surely work especially that eBay link.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by AKSCAMP

Sheesh, I just need a gasket people. I am thankful for the help, but recommending life insurance?
The furnace works well and I have inspected for any rust or whatnot. Yes, a bitchin new furnace would be nice but sometimes we have to make due.

And thanks all for the ideas one of them should surely work especially that eBay link.

Keep in mind that the posts made here remain available to anyone to search through and find information. Not all newish members or those new to our older trailers are as knowledgeable as you as to the risks of choosing to use an older gravity feed furnace or are aware as you as to the extra precautions they need to take should they choose to continue to use one. There is after all a very valid reason for why they are no longer made and why a professional with a licence to do repairs on propane appliances will not touch it. Would hate to have anyone here have a serious accident as a result of having read here it was all OK to do.

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Keep in mind that the posts made here remain available to anyone to search through and find information. Not all newish members or those new to our older trailers are as knowledgeable as you as to the risks of choosing to use an older gravity feed furnace or are aware as you as to the extra precautions they need to take should they choose to continue to use one. There is after all a very valid reason for why they are no longer made and why a professional with a licence to do repairs on propane appliances will not touch it. Would hate to have anyone here have a serious accident as a result of having read here it was all OK to do.

Thank You Carol, you beat me to making the very same reply.....

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

I concurr. In many climates just air exposure for that long will start damage inside the firebox. Unless someone was already a "Qualified & Experienced" furnace repair person, I would, at the very least, have said type person check it out before use.

Or, at the very least, be sure that all of the life insurance policies were paid up.

Oh Bob, could you please site evidence of your claims? A galvanized box which has not seen heat would seem unlikely to corrode, in any climate. Unless of course if it were left out doors, which is probably not the case here.

Do you think the integrity of a metal box requires the skills of a "Qualified & Experienced" furnace repair person? Really? What value do you think that would add? Please remember that part of the beauty of a gravity furnace is it's simplicity. It is just a metal box with a fire in it. Which, (and this is the important part) is vented to the outside. Other options such as Mr Heater, or catalytic heaters don't have that feature, yet people sleep with them on.

Since gravity furnaces are not available for trailers anymore, restoring the existing ones is the only option for people who like the quiet, simple heat that requires no power. It should be noted that they are available for domestic use though. The design is almost exactly the same as these 40 year old units. This leads me to believe that it is not safety concerns that made them unavailable.

Why are you trying to scare people? Life insurance? Come on! Is this just a rationalization of your decision to replace all the appliances in your unit? Was that based on research, or fear? You site resale value, (in another thread) but you argue safety. There are possibly thousands of these furnace types in operation. I am sure that if people were dying from their use, you could site examples. So if you have anything to offer, other then your vague fears, then please do.

[AKSCAMP]

Yes!!!! ^ i figured id just bite my toungue. Thanks david!

[David Tilston]

As someone who likes to restore old Trillium trailers, I have run into several people giving advise to "buy a new one" be it a trailer, or appliances, or what ever. I realize that, if you have more money then you know what to do with, that makes sense, I guess. But I get a thrill out of saving things, and getting maximum value. Our throw away society makes me sad.

Though it should be mentioned that if you are heating your trailer by combining oxygen and some fuel, you should have a tested CO detector. Incense works.

[Bob Miller]

As the old saying goes (I suppose)

There are Old Pilots
and there are Bold Pilots
But there are few Old, Bold, Pilots.

Not knowing a thing about qualifications of the person asking the question, (but who did have to ask where to find a gasket) much less those that read this same post in the next minute, day, month & year, I will always err on the side of safety, as I am sure will many others.

The very fact that this type of appliance is no longer installed in or available for RV use, speaks tons to me.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

So if you have anything to offer, other then your vague fears, then please do.

David I highly respect your skills in restoring your trailers and the fact you have enough experience to take a look at an old gravity feed furnace and be able to determine without out outside help if its in good enough condition to use. As well as make modifications to its venting to improve it. Sadly most here are not that skilled or knowledgable.

The simple fact is more than 400 people a year in the US die from unintentional CO poisoning, more than 20,000 visit the emergency room and more than 4,000 are hospitalized due to CO poisoning. (numbers provided by www.CDC.org) Those are no vague fears. Its as I am sure you are aware why the furnace in question is no longer made or installed for RV's. Pretty simple it does not have adequate venting and puts people at a higher risk to carbon monoxide poisoning than newer RV furnaces that have fans.

Its entirely up to each individual as to how much risks is to much. As to my comments and I suspect Bob's as well, its important that people new to RV's understand that there is a VERY real risk to continue to use old gravity feed furnaces with no fans. Simple as that.

[Glenn Baglo]

Cite |sīt|
verb [ with obj. ]
1 quote (a passage, book, or author) as evidence for or justification of an argument or statement, esp. in a scholarly work.
• mention as an example: medics have been cited as a key example of a modern breed of technical expert.
• praise (someone, typically a member of the armed forces) for a courageous act in an official dispatch.
• Law adduce a former tried case as a guide to deciding a comparable case or in support of an argument.
2 Law summon (someone) to appear in a court of law: the summons cited four of the defendants.

[Carol H]

LOL Glenn, your reporter days seem to be surfacing! ;-) Hopefully this discussion really doesn't need to go that far!