Furnace Replacement for Bigfoot 17

[ZachO]

Thanks. I just wish the breaker had tripped instead of letting it fry things!

I'll work on it this winter.

[MAP 56]

where your wires conect to a brown or black plastic or bakelight is a switch it tells the sail switch to come on and the gas valve to open from what i remember it was about $45.00 cnd .solved my furnace problem .

[k0wtz]

zacho the circuit breaker never works for me either!

[ZachO]

Originally Posted by MAP 56

where your wires conect to a brown or black plastic or bakelight is a switch it tells the sail switch to come on and the gas valve to open from what i remember it was about $45.00 cnd .solved my furnace problem .

Not sure where you're talking about but I'll probably replace most of the electronics.

There's the delay relay, is that the switch you mean? Not sure. There are a lot of wires and connections in there. I plan to replace the delay relay switch, sail switch, circuit board (if I go Dinosaur I think theirs integrates the delay switch so I need to look closer into that), and possibly the motor. And I'll look at the fan...I don't want it to keep making noise but I don't think I've seen replacements available. That'll add up to about...$300 on the high side, without having to cut my trailer shell.

If I were going to be in the camper for a while longer, I'd just go Suburban and put a temporary patch over the old vent/exhaust holes. That would be the fastest way to get heat. But since I'm looking to start renting a place pretty soon...might as well look at this as a winter project. Take my time, get it working, and keep the OEM furnace and not have to worry about modifying stuff.

[Buggeee]

I think your furnace is frying things on you to save your life my friend. I had a 25 year old suburban forced air furnace in my long long trailer and it started getting flaky like this. I diagnosed things, looked into prices of gas valves, boards, igniters, all the usual stuff.

I decided propane is an unforgiving s.o.b. if not respected properly and I had more than just me asleep in there at night, so I ordered a brand spankin' new Suburban in the price ranges you mention, from PPL motor homes in Texas. Here is their link.

https://www.pplmotorhomes.com/rv-parts-rv-accessories

UPS damaged the first one in transport and PPL had another one on my doorstep in short order.

I put it in. Of course, loved it.

But then, for the grins and giggles of it... I autopsied the 25 year old furnace. Oh Boy, was I glad I did not spit and tape that thing together with new board or valve or whatever. Killing machine is all I can use to describe the insides of a furnace that old.

Remember, these things work by way of metal heat exchangers that need to keep the combustion on one side of the metal and the moving air on the other. Rust, cracks, holes, metal fatigue, dried gaskets... you get the idea.

Rust never sleeps my friends, but I will, and not with a furnace that old believe me.

Plus, I promise you that whatever you replace today, the next part will fail right when you don't want it to. They last a long time, but not forever.

Just my two cents. Keep the change.

[k0wtz]

Zacko I used to sell restaurant cooking equipment the big boys would come out with the latest ranges stuffed with electronic well you know the rest. Equipment repair people there all the time. I would not sell them restaurant cooks are not el. wizards!




Give me just basic stuff thank you no electronics in some things. Furnaces to name one great while they work but load them up with all the el. gizmos who you gonna call?

[ZachO]

Well I get it; both sides of it.

I'll pull the furnace and take a good look at it before spending money. Where I live rust isn't much of an issue. Most of the furnace is dusty, but otherwise looks practically new. It was, I think, stored in BC near the coast so there is some light corrosion, but no real rust.

If Atwood sold a replacement for under $600 I would probably just save up for it. But man...they're pricey. And I was very, very close to just buying a new Suburban...but the size difference and different exhaust...was enough to make me rethink it.