Help with Suburban Furnace

[jacklb]

Hello,
My mom has a Whitewater Retro 15 trailer with a Suburban propane furnace (Model NTSEQ), and we're not having any luck turning on the furnace. She has the furnace that is separate from the AC unit and is turned on via a thermostat on the wall. The trailer is currently plugged in to AC power and when we turn the thermostat from "off" to "on" nothing happens. No fan, no heat, and I can't see a pilot light. I'm new to trailers so I really don't have a clue. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks!!!

[Carol H]

Is the propane on? Is there an an on/off switch on the very top of the wall thermostat?

[Dan Meyer]

There is also a switch on the right side of the furnace. Is it on?

--Dan Meyer

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by jacklb

..
My mom has a Whitewater Retro 15 trailer with a Suburban propane furnace (Model NTSEQ), ...

The Suburban propane furnaces I am familiar with have model number with numeric digits after the NT.. such as NT16, NT20, etc.. with a trailing alpha character. So if you can confirm the model number then get the manual with operating instructions.. that is what I would suggest.

[jacklb]

Originally Posted by gordon2

The Suburban propane furnaces I am familiar with have model number with numeric digits after the NT.. such as NT16, NT20, etc.. with a trailing alpha character. So if you can confirm the model number then get the manual with operating instructions.. that is what I would suggest.

It's an NT-16SEQ. I'm usually good at figuring these kinds of things out, but I'm at a loss.

[gordon2]

Not sure what the Q is for on the end of the model number but its probably trivial.
Give this a read and see if it helps:
https://www.scamptrailers.com/images...SE_NT-20SE.pdf

[Donna D.]

Maybe this manual in the Document Center will help? Fiberglass RV - Document Center - Suburban_NT-12SE_NT-16SE_NT-20SE

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Maybe this manual in the Document Center will help? Fiberglass RV - Document Center - Suburban_NT-12SE_NT-16SE_NT-20SE

Yes that another place to find it.. but since I am in the Scamp camp.. that is the direction I gravitate.

(Just say NO to silly cone!)

[Scksbb]

I installed a new one that wouldn't start, so I called tech person who pointed out a possible air gap in gas line. I turned off gas and reconnected the flex hose and then it worked.

[Ttocs M]

My Surburban NT16 furnace didn't turn on after being stored over one winter. Replaced thermostat and it worked fine...until being store over another winter - fan turned on but no pilot light. Took it to RV repair service to be cleaned/repaired....spider webs had collected in burner tube. After cleaning, worked fine. Currently in storage...so hope it works this spring??? If not, will either replace the furnace or the RV repair shop.

[Darwin Maring]

Do you have 12 Volt DC Power? It operates on 12 Volt DC.

[Wayne Collins]

Originally Posted by jacklb

Hello,
My mom has a Whitewater Retro 15 trailer with a Suburban propane furnace (Model NTSEQ), and we're not having any luck turning on the furnace. She has the furnace that is separate from the AC unit and is turned on via a thermostat on the wall. The trailer is currently plugged in to AC power and when we turn the thermostat from "off" to "on" nothing happens. No fan, no heat, and I can't see a pilot light. I'm new to trailers so I really don't have a clue. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks!!!

Not sure if it's the same model, but our thermostat has two switches. one for ON-
OFF, the other for temperature. The on/off switch is hard to move. Pull the cover off and inspect the way it works.
Check you fuse panel. Be sure the outside vents are clear.

[David O.]

I just bought a 2008 Outback.
Pretty sure the furnace has not been used for the better part of 3 years.
After a number of attempts I finally got the blower only to come on a couple times, but it was sporadic.
A friend came over to help and suggested that it needed to be jumped, he suggested we turn the thermostat up and put a tester on the electrode in the front of the furnace. So we put the end of the tester on the firing electrode and the alligator clip on the metal frame to the right.
The furnace came on immediately. We cycled it through several times at various temp settings. It came on went off just as it should.
I don't really know what that did by putting the tester on but it worked.

[Dudley]

clean the contacts in the theromstat. By turning up the thermostat you probably rubbed off some corrosion. A lot of folks replace the old style thermostats with a new digital one. Its an easy replacement and they can purchased at any hardware store or Walmart for pretty cheap. You don't need a programmable one just the basic digital one. Dispose of the old one safely as it probably has mercury in it. BTW if your trailer wasn't level it will throw off the mercury switch and your temperature settings.