Damaged to motorhome heater

[mrwalker0404]

I have my heater set to its lowest setting, am going away for two weeks and am concerened that if I use all the gas will the thermostat continue to call for heat and if it does will this damage the heater?

[thewiz]

You are talking about your furnace?
When our furnace runs out of propane it will still run the fan as though it wants to start.
We have awakened in the am to the fan shoving cold air throughout the rv.
Sometimes it will drag down the batteries because the fan uses a lot of battery power.
Are you hooked up to ac?

[mrwalker0404]

Yes it is the furnace and I am hooked to ac, I am trying to remember that the furnace will only attempt to light three times and then stop trying, but can't find that anywhere in the manuals.

[Eric J]

well turn the gas off and see what it does? be the same difference, I think mine will try 3 times to light and then go into a lock out per say and a switch on the control board has to be reset or power cut to the RV..... unhook shore power and unhook the battery may reset it as well, but I think the blower will still continue to run it only locks out the spark to the ignitor.
I suppose in the end about the only thing I can think of wearing out would be the blower motor. but I would not think it would ware out that quickly?

[thewiz]

Good idea from Eric, turn off the gas and see what happens.
24 hours a day for about two weeks is a long time for the fan to run.
We use the furnace in the morning for 1 hour when in the desert.
That is for about three months each year.
Appx 90 days equals 90 hours.
24 times 14 would be 336 hours appx.
Maybe you should just get a small electric heater with a thermostat and let it cycle on and off as needed?
Good luck whatever you decide.

[Jerry]

I've never counted the number of times mine recycles, but seems like it is about 3 times, then my whole system shuts down until I restart it. I have an Atwood furnace. You could probably call the mfg. customer service department and they could tell you. My propane seems to always run out during the middle of the night. Ha

[mrwalker0404]

Followed good advice and called the manuf. Atwood, they confirmed my slow memory and said that when the furnace ran out of fuel that it would attempt to relight three time and then shut down and would not try to recycle, thus no large amount of wear to the ingenitors or the fan motors, thanks for the responces and everyone have a GREAT HOLIDAY.

[thewiz]

Good news and a Happy Holidays to you all.

[petenkathy]

I wish my fan cut off after the propane runs out. Mine keeps running and pumps in lots of nice cold air. They always run out in the middle of the night. I think that is built into the heater when they manufacture them.