ParkLiner Suburban water heater problems

[frank_a]

We can't get our pilot light to even start, & can't smell propane at all. Any ideas? We've been using the furnace, no problem, tried the stove today, no problem, but can't get the pilot to light at all after a number of tries this morning. I had a better water heater in my old Sunline. Of course, I installed it & got one that electrically started the pilot from inside.

The factory manual is next to useless...

Is it possible to convert one of these Suburban SW6P water heaters to a remote electronic switch? Got a link?

Thanks for any help.

Frank

[deryk]

Frank, could the burner tube be clogged? My burner tube on my fridge was.

[frank_a]

How would I tell Deryk, other than I can't smell any propane at all? What's involved in cleaning it? I wish I could post a pic, but can't till I get home to my desk top PC. If nothing else, the whole trailer finally got waxed (except the roof). You know, I have yet to even try the fridge on propane. Sure works good as it is! Also, I very much want this water heater to be like the one I put in my '83 Sunline - remote start!

Thanks,

Frank

[Darwin Maring]

Needless to say but are you holding the gas valve down when you attempt to lite and if so then You may need a new thermocouple.

[frank_a]

Sure am Darwin. The trailer goes to the factory in less than two weeks for some warranty work. I'll have them look at it and make sure the fridge works on propane too. At this point, I'd rather not screw around with it!

Thank,

Frank

[Brian M. in NY]

Originally Posted by frank_a

We can't get our pilot light to even start, & can't smell propane at all. Any ideas?
Frank

Frank,
We're just back from Chenango Valley State Park having spent the 4th of July weekend at the Binghamton Air Show. We used both the water heater and refrigerator on propane with no problems. This is our procedure for lighting - Turn on gas at tank. Light burner on kitchen stove and burn for 1 full minute to purge any air out of propane lines. Turn off stove burner. Open water heater valve to pilot position and depress knob. Using a propane torch set on very low, hold under pilot area until pilot flame lights. This sometimes takes 15 - 20 seconds. Once pilot is lit, continue holding valve down for a minute or so to heat up the thermocouple. Turn valve to main burner position. Main flame on water heater should fire within 3 -4 seconds. Finally, switch refrigerator to gas position and set for high cool. Depress knob and push red igniter button two or three times. Continue holding knob in for a minute or so. Open inspection port in the burner area and visually verify flame and then turn valve to low cool position. Otherwise, (voice of experience) you will have to chisel the creamer out of the carton for your coffee in the morning.

We always follow the above procedure in that order and so far, it has always worked for us. Hope that helps.

[frank_a]

Originally Posted by Brian M. in NY

Frank,
We're just back from Chenango Valley State Park having spent the 4th of July weekend at the Binghamton Air Show. We used both the water heater and refrigerator on propane with no problems. This is our procedure for lighting - Turn on gas at tank. Light burner on kitchen stove and burn for 1 full minute to purge any air out of propane lines. Turn off stove burner. Open water heater valve to pilot position and depress knob. Using a propane torch set on very low, hold under pilot area until pilot flame lights. This sometimes takes 15 - 20 seconds. Once pilot is lit, continue holding valve down for a minute or so to heat up the thermocouple. Turn valve to main burner position. Main flame on water heater should fire within 3 -4 seconds. Finally, switch refrigerator to gas position and set for high cool. Depress knob and push red igniter button two or three times. Continue holding knob in for a minute or so. Open inspection port in the burner area and visually verify flame and then turn valve to low cool position. Otherwise, (voice of experience) you will have to chisel the creamer out of the carton for your coffee in the morning.

We always follow the above procedure in that order and so far, it has always worked for us. Hope that helps.

We just got home too.

Okay, we're idiots. Both Gail & I were trying to light the hot water heater where it just looked like it's where it gets lit. Oh, no, that's not it, it's some open metal tube on the right that ain't gonna get lit with a stick match. Grr. Gotta love factory manuals. Never tried to light the frig. Next weekend maybe I'll try this stuff out once I buy a propane torch!

Why don't they make this stuff more intuitive, or at least put big arrows in the thing that say "LIGHT HERE"? As a matter of fact, what's wrong with remote electrical start, like the Atwood 6 gallon water heater I put in our old Sunline? That thing was great. Click the switch and it did everything without you having to even exit the trailer. They don't do that for frig's?

I gotta get this trailer modernized I guess!

Thanks for the tips Brian. We'll keep y'all posted.

Frank

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by frank_a

As a matter of fact, what's wrong with remote electrical start, like the Atwood 6 gallon water heater I put in our old Sunline? That thing was great. Click the switch and it did everything without you having to even exit the trailer. They don't do that for frig's?
Frank

Complain to Parkliner. They bought the appliances that require manual lighting. I don't light furnace, water heater or fridge from outside, or with match.
Obviously those you have cost less.

[Darwin Maring]

Don't pit the match in the right place and once the gas finally gets over there it will sound like the 4th of July all over again and hopefully you survive the explosion.

[Huck]

Originally Posted by frank_a

We just got home too.

Okay, we're idiots. Both Gail & I were trying to light the hot water heater where it just looked like it's where it gets lit. Oh, no, that's not it, it's some open metal tube on the right that ain't gonna get lit with a stick match. Grr. Gotta love factory manuals. Never tried to light the frig. Next weekend maybe I'll try this stuff out once I buy a propane torch!

Why don't they make this stuff more intuitive, or at least put big arrows in the thing that say "LIGHT HERE"? As a matter of fact, what's wrong with remote electrical start, like the Atwood 6 gallon water heater I put in our old Sunline? That thing was great. Click the switch and it did everything without you having to even exit the trailer. They don't do that for frig's?

I gotta get this trailer modernized I guess!

Thanks for the tips Brian. We'll keep y'all posted.

Frank

The water heater in my Parkliner is auto light.

[frank_a]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

Don't pit the match in the right place and once the gas finally gets over there it will sound like the 4th of July all over again and hopefully you survive the explosion.

Well first of all, I didn't "...pit the match..."

Very helpful suggestion for someone like me that has never had a pilot light water heater. No doubt it will help many others.

Frank

[frank_a]

Originally Posted by Huck

The water heater in my Parkliner is auto light.

That's what I get for having a 2012 model eh Huck? I wish I could figure out how to convert this thing to auto light!

Frank

[Carol H]

Assuming there are no spider webs etc in the system I sometimes have a tough time lighting my water heater if it hasn't been used in a long time. The way I get mine to light (as well as several friends hot water tanks with the same issue) is to use a long BQ lighter and run it under the pilot light area a min or two to warm everything up before attempting to light it.

[frank_a]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Assuming there are no spider webs etc in the system I sometimes have a tough time lighting my water heater if it hasn't been used in a long time. The way I get mine to light (as well as several friends hot water tanks with the same issue) is to use a long BQ lighter and run it under the pilot light area a min or two to warm everything up before attempting to light it.

I don't think this water heater has ever been used Carol. Now that I know where to light it, I will give it (and the frig, which I also don't think was ever used with propane) a test before I run down to Gibsonville a week from Friday for warranty stuff.

Thanks for the tips, much appreciated!

Frank

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by frank_a

I don't think this water heater has ever been used Carol. Now that I know where to light it, I will give it (and the frig, which I also don't think was ever used with propane) a test before I run down to Gibsonville a week from Friday for warranty stuff.

Thanks for the tips, much appreciated!

Frank

As other suggested light your stove first to get the gas in the lines.... sometimes if I have heated up the pilot light tubes and it still will not go while holding the pilot light setting I have been known to just turn it to on position and light it but keep you face away from it as it has been known to do a little boom!

[frank_a]

Originally Posted by Carol H

As other suggested light your stove first to get the gas in the lines.... sometimes if I have heated up the pilot light tubes and it still will not go while holding the pilot light setting I have been known to just turn it to on position and light it but keep you face away from it as it has been known to do a little boom!

Thanks again Carol, any and all tips greatly appreciated. Our stove top works just fine too.

Frank

[Darwin Maring]

The thing about GAS is sometimes you don't get a second chance to do it right.
If you wait until you are in a campground there will be a plethora of people there to show you what to do

[deryk]

Frank, the ParkLiner is my first camper. I watched a few YouTube video's on how to do-winterize a trailer and figured it out from there. Yes the electro insta start stuff is great for the slackers and older folks lol...It takes me like 2 minutes to light my fridge and water heater.

[Borrego Dave]

Originally Posted by deryk

Yes the electro insta start stuff is great for the slackers and older folks lol...It takes me like 2 minutes to light my fridge and water heater.

Now now Deryk, be kind to us. I've had units 30 years ago I had to light. Yes it worked but it's sure nice to just put a buttom now . After you have one you won't want to go back, believe me. One day you'll be an old folk too .

[frank_a]

Apparently the only way you can covert one to pushing a button is to get a whole new unit? I thought for sure you should be able to get a kit to upgrade ours, but looking high and low, find naught!

Frank