TravelTiger
Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
No, this is not just dust. It's far worse, and it's getting more "smelly", not less smelly with usage.
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Furnace smell
- Thread starter TravelTiger
- Start date
No, this is not just dust. It's far worse, and it's getting more "smelly", not less smelly with usage.
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You may have a bad heat exchanger
Remove the heater disassemble put a shop vac on the exhaust pressure side of the vac and pressurize the chamber then use dish soap all over the exchanger to find a possible crack.
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TravelTiger
Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
This is starting to be our theory, but since the unit is covered by a two year warranty, I have to leave it up to the pros to do something like that!
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TravelTiger
Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
Thanks for everyone's suggestions, keep them coming!!
We are going to contact a dealer and/or tech in Monday and send the photos. Hoping someone with more furnace experience can guide us and/or come make a repair.
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We are going to contact a dealer and/or tech in Monday and send the photos. Hoping someone with more furnace experience can guide us and/or come make a repair.
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CoveredWagon
Well-known member
i would really push hard / demand a new furnace. The one you have was damaged when someone beat it in place when they installed it. That is piece is unacceptable. Those are not minor adjustments. You could be smelling products of combustion, not CO you won’t smell that. That’s even worse and if you are smelling products of combustion, you can bet CO is present as well.
RoadJunkie
Well-known member
Be ready..."Oh, that? That's normal."
JohnDar
Prolifically Gabby Member
She may not have a breach, but it sure looks like that section of the heat exchanger has seen some serious heat. With the furnace design, it's not in the direct path of the burner flame, so it appears that possibly something inside ignited and did the job. While the idea that there was debris on the outside of the exchanger that burned has merit, it doesn't jive with Erika not seeing smoke and smelling something burning. The smell she describes does not sound like a combustible material, rather overheated metal.
But, you're right, that unit has to go. Or at least be thoroughly examined and tested by a licensed professional.
TravelTiger
Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
Yes there was no evidence of anything inside this metal box of the furnace itself, no rodent evidence or bird or wasp or anything. I have not seen any evidence of soot outside, suggesting an incomplete burn, either.
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Invizatu
Senior Road Warriors
Erica...
We had issues with ours and after removing the furnace (very easy to do) I discovered a hole in some of the welding of the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is warranted for 5 years. I got a new one and had a local rv guy assemble and then I reinstalled. Better than new!
- - - Updated - - -
Erica...
We had issues with ours and after removing the furnace (very easy to do) I discovered a hole in some of the welding of the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is warranted for 5 years. I got a new one and had a local rv guy assemble and then I reinstalled. Better than new!
TravelTiger
Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
Thanks Brett, how did you know you had issues with your furnace?
How did you obtain a new heat exchanger? I understand the warranty, but Suburban requires a certified service center to do the work. It again is challenging because as fulltimers we cannot take it and leave it somewhere for diagnosis and repair.
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TravelTiger
Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
Well, I have an appt with a tech the week after Thanksgiving. Weather has been such we rarely have to run it, so hasn't been an issue.
Today I got an email from Dometic expressing concern over the type of ductwork used. They are checking with their engineers to see if there's a problem.
I can't imagine that the type of ductwork would not be correct! Can anyone with a 2016 or newer unit go behind the basement wall and take a pic of their ductwork coming off the furnace?
Here's mine:
(View of ducts going into underbelly)
Thank you!!
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Today I got an email from Dometic expressing concern over the type of ductwork used. They are checking with their engineers to see if there's a problem.
I can't imagine that the type of ductwork would not be correct! Can anyone with a 2016 or newer unit go behind the basement wall and take a pic of their ductwork coming off the furnace?
Here's mine:
(View of ducts going into underbelly)
Thank you!!
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My ducts looks the same as yours.
The mylar-like duct with insulation for the underbelly runs.
And the fabric-like ducts for the other runs (could be this stuff: High strength, woven and coated fiberglass fabric permanently bonded to a coated heavy steel wire helix. Standard of the RV industry for over 25 years).
The mylar-like duct with insulation for the underbelly runs.
And the fabric-like ducts for the other runs (could be this stuff: High strength, woven and coated fiberglass fabric permanently bonded to a coated heavy steel wire helix. Standard of the RV industry for over 25 years).
TravelTiger
Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
Thanks Jim, yes after a week, emails to Heartland and Suburban both confirmed the ducts were the correct materials.
I had to move my mobile tech appt until after the Thanksgiving Holiday, so hopefully we'll know something next week. Heartland Rep said he thought it was an improper combustion mixture causing the smell. Suburban is willing to let a tech look at it, but must call before they do anything.
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You never should smell combustion gasses in your coach.
It is a sealed system with combustion gasses vented to the outside.
Peace
Dave
TravelTiger
Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
I know!!! I don't know that it's combustion gasses. Outside, it smells different by the exhaust than it does in the rig. But inside, it sure ain't roses! It makes me gag.
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TravelTiger
Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
Just to add some more info, we looked today again to see if possibly our blower fan had disintegrated, as reported by a few other owners.
Ours looked and felt fully intact, from what we could see without taking it apart.
We also took another look into the exhaust and intake orifices and see no obstructions.
All the wires look good, all the connections seem tight, there is no sign of propane leaks.
Whatever the problem, it's inside the unit somewhere.
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Ours looked and felt fully intact, from what we could see without taking it apart.
We also took another look into the exhaust and intake orifices and see no obstructions.
All the wires look good, all the connections seem tight, there is no sign of propane leaks.
Whatever the problem, it's inside the unit somewhere.
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rxbristol
Well-known member
Ok, removed vents and front and back cover, no evidence of anything. Still smells even when running with no vents.
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Erika,
I re-looked at my old furnace and mine is not discolored like the top left of yours. It definitely looks like it's overheating in that area of the heat exchanger. Not sure why it would overheat in just that area, but it is right after combustion. Here's some interesting reading...Link
