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Old 12-30-2014, 06:44 AM   #1
talk2cpu
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Want to switch furnace blower to run constant

I have a 2011 Passport 250BH and want to be able to either set or add switch to run the furnace blower continuous. We will be out in sub freezing weather and want to be sure underbelly stays above freezing. Mostly with shore power so want to run furnace blower while using portable electric heat unit.

Still have not figured out how to keep AC blower off other than circuit breaker. Will check in spring to be sure I have tried the "Auto" setting.

Tom
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Old 12-30-2014, 08:11 AM   #2
chuckster57
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If you have a Dometic digital thermostat you can set the fan on automatic (AU on display). That will turn off the A/C fan while operating the furnace.

Making the furnace fan operate separately may be a bit of a chore, depending on what controls it.
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Old 12-30-2014, 08:58 AM   #3
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Yes, if you set the fan to auto, as low or high will run the fan, that will shut it off if the AC is off. If you run the furnace fas all the time you will be blowing cool/ cold air into the living space if the burner is not running. I understand your concerns as I think the heated tanks is more of a gimmick.
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Old 12-30-2014, 01:59 PM   #4
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talk2cpu, Howdy;

I've seen, either here or other forums, where folks have used computer fans
to direct air into a basement or under bellys to spread heat from other than
the furnace sources. Might look into that if you are dedicated to that type of
plan of action.

hankaye
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Old 12-31-2014, 05:58 AM   #5
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Thanks

Thanks for the suggestions. I think the addition of fans to circulate air under may be a better plan. I didn't think about how cold the air would be when the furnace is not running. With added fans I can put the "return air" where it will have little affect on our comfort.
Tom
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Old 12-31-2014, 09:45 AM   #6
mikell
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Good place to buy stuff fans switches goodies that you didn't know you needed!!

http://www.surpluscenter.com/Electrical/

I put a small fan blowing into the area under the shower and fridge in our class C and I was in the teens for a week while hunting no water one morning but about 10 minutes with the fan on and life was good!!
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Old 12-31-2014, 09:31 PM   #7
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Actually I think you have a good idea. If you have an electric heater running in the RV, then the furnace fan would be sucking that heat through the return air and reblowing it to the tanks and inside the rv. The only problem is that I think it would take pulling the furnace out, isolating the fan circuit and rewiring it to include continuous blowing with an added switch. That might take a pretty experience electrician to figure out.
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Old 01-01-2015, 07:17 AM   #8
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theeyres, Howdy;

Quote:
Originally Posted by theeyres View Post
Actually I think you have a good idea. If you have an electric heater running in the RV, then the furnace fan would be sucking that heat through the return air and reblowing it to the tanks and inside the rv. The only problem is that I think it would take pulling the furnace out, isolating the fan circuit and rewiring it to include continuous blowing with an added switch. That might take a pretty experience electrician to figure out.
The problem is that he would also be pulling in outside (cold), air just as
the furnace does prior to ignition ... now if one could figure out how to isolate the cold outside air ...

hankaye
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Old 01-01-2015, 10:15 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hankaye View Post
theeyres, Howdy;



The problem is that he would also be pulling in outside (cold), air just as
the furnace does prior to ignition ... now if one could figure out how to isolate the cold outside air ...

hankaye
Please correct me if I am wrong

Everything I have read indicates that outside air is only circulated through the firebox and back outside again to purge the firebox of accumulated gas.

Granted, the RV inside fan recirculates rv inside air and the colder air in the underbelly around the firebox before the furnace heats up but there is no outside air brought into the RV.
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Old 01-01-2015, 10:43 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by B&T View Post
Please correct me if I am wrong

Everything I have read indicates that outside air is only circulated through the firebox and back outside again to purge the firebox of accumulated gas.

Granted, the RV inside fan recirculates rv inside air and the colder air in the underbelly around the firebox before the furnace heats up but there is no outside air brought into the RV.

Your right. Outside air is only circulated in the combustion chamber. There is no outside air drawn into the interior of the RV.
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Old 01-01-2015, 05:51 PM   #11
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chuckster57 & B&T

Quote:
Originally Posted by chuckster57 View Post
Your right. Outside air is only circulated in the combustion chamber. There is no outside air drawn into the interior of the RV.
QUOTE B&T "Granted, the RV inside fan recirculates rv inside air and the colder air in the underbelly around the firebox before the furnace heats up but there is no outside air brought into the RV."

So, the air that is cold and coming out of the floor vents when the furnace
first comes online, the air that is 20 degrees colder than the room temp is
from "inside air" and how does the underbelly air get sucked up to
the fan if the fan is pushing air into the vents and underbelly??? Something
just doesn't make sense with that ...
My thought is that the outside air is brought into the RV's heater inlet tube to
purge any residual fumes from the last burn and the only fan is the one that
circulates the heat through the ducting.
Perhaps one of our tame RV Techs will chime in to explain this...
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Old 01-01-2015, 06:33 PM   #12
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If you take an RV heater apart you will see clearly that the combustion chamber is completely vented to the exterior of the unit. When you turn up the thermostat, the fan starts blowing and since the combustion chamber has been in direct contact with the outside the air is cold until the flame ignites and starts heating the exchanger. When the thermostat senses the desired temp has been reached, the fan continues to operate to cool off the exchanger.

Cold air FROM the underbelly if drawn into the main cabin, is most likely from cracks and gaps in walls and floors. I haven't had the occasion to closely inspect underbelly heating systems, but the ones I have seen are just outlet vents and no return.

Furnaces and refrigerators are required to be "sealed" from the interior due to carbon monoxide produced in the burning of propane. Look at your stove, there should be a warning about using it for heat and the production of CO.
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Old 01-01-2015, 06:42 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hankaye View Post
chuckster57 & B&T


QUOTE B&T "Granted, the RV inside fan recirculates rv inside air and the colder air in the underbelly around the firebox before the furnace heats up but there is no outside air brought into the RV."

So, the air that is cold and coming out of the floor vents when the furnace
first comes online, the air that is 20 degrees colder than the room temp is
from "inside air" and how does the underbelly air get sucked up to
the fan if the fan is pushing air into the vents and underbelly??? Something
just doesn't make sense with that ...
My thought is that the outside air is brought into the RV's heater inlet tube to
purge any residual fumes from the last burn and the only fan is the one that
circulates the heat through the ducting.
Perhaps one of our tame RV Techs will chime in to explain this...
When I was referring to the cold air in the underbelly I should have been more specific, Should have stated, the cold air in the duct work running through the underbelly.


There is an informative post on this subject here:

http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/for...p?topic=2640.0


Anatomy of an RV Furnace, the overview covers it pretty well.
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Old 01-01-2015, 06:46 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hankaye View Post
Perhaps one of our tame RV Techs will chime in to explain this...
I am tamed... and house broken
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Old 01-01-2015, 07:03 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chuckster57 View Post
I am tamed... and house broken
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Old 01-02-2015, 08:15 AM   #16
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chuckster57, Howdy;

Thanks for the great link. Also for helping me to understand more fully the
how of the system. As I'd stated I didn't see how it could suck air from
the same places it was pushing air into. Being better able to visualize the
process after reading the link it all makes better sense.
Thanks.

hankaye
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Old 01-02-2015, 08:17 AM   #17
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Can't take credit for the link, but glad to help anybody understand the workings of RV's.
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