Lou_and_Bette
Well-known member
On Sunday, 2 March, at 11:30 PM, with the temp hovering in the 12 degree range and the wind howling here in Mansfield, Texas, the furnace, which had been functioning great all day, decided not to work. The DW noticed the temp in the trailer was 64. I switched the system off and back on. The fan came on, ran for about 60 seconds and promptly quit. I repeated this action several times with the same results. Using some of the knowledge from the forum, since I had recently filled the DS tank and had the switch selecting this tank, I went out in the cold, turned the tank off, noting the frost line was near the top, unhooked and reattached the pig tail, reopened the tank slooooowly and went back inside to try recycling the system again. No joy in Mudville. Went back outside to repeat the tank procedure on the ODS, noting its frost line was also near the top, hoping something had gone wrong with the other tank filling. Inside to recycle again, nope. Turned on the stove and had good flame on all 3 burners. Back outside to pull cover off furnace to check for blockage in the air flow. First 4 screws removed from large portion of panel using Phillips screw driver, next 4 screws need square headed driver which was at the bottom of the tool box in the back of the truck...gave up that idea. Went back inside, no luck on recycle. Pulled out the 2 electric heaters so we would stay warm and started Bette setting them up while I pulled the grate off the cold air return to look for blockage...seeing none, rapped on furnace housing several times, recycle system, nada. Now worried that no heat going to underbelly, back outside to pull basement wall after clearing enough stuff to get to it. Finally, after getting access to area behind UDC, placed light to provide some heat to pipes. Back in for another try...didn't happen. Thinking enough gas flow for stove but not enough for furnace, dug heating pad out from bottom of DW's closet without plug because it was wedged in gap in forward side of wall. No spare plug in electrical parts box, cut plug off spare extension cord and spliced on heating pad cord. Back out in cold to place around DS tank hoping to warm slightly to increase vaporization. Back inside, recycle, knowing not enough time for any warming and still ran 60 seconds and stopped. While waiting for tank warming, remembered that thermostat some times was problem, maybe wire came loose. Tried getting cover off but, with very cold hands and in a very agitated state, was afraid of breaking it. Snapped the half of the cover I did get loose back on, gave the thermostat a couple of good raps, recycled since I was there and eureka it worked. Let it run until it shut off, went back and got the cover off the thermostat and found no loose wires. Gremlins???? Went to bed, sleeping lightly, always listening for the furnace kicking on and off...worked all night. About 2:30 AM, got up to use bathroom and no water?? Knew I should go out and turn water supply off in case hose/pipe cracked to keep from flooding anything but there was no way I was going to get dressed and go back out in the cold. Had water hose wrapped with foam and heat tape inside so thought frozen area was in trailer. On checking next morning, while hose was protected, water had frozen inside brass pressure regulator. Removed the device and water flow was restored. Gremlins at work again? I also ride MC and every bike I ever owned has had a Gremlin bell attached. Bikers will know what this is, for you others, this is a small bell, that must be given to you not bought by you. Since bikes are prone to Gremlin problems, you hang this bell low on the bike, while stopped, the Gremlins seek refuge in the dome of the bell and then when riding the constant ringing drives the Gremlins crazy and they jump off the bike to be left behind on the roadway. We need something similar for our RVs. Hope you got a laugh from this true story. I know I now have another story for around the campfire. I'm tired of this cold.
