Furnace Smelling...sometimes

[Rocketsled]

(When it rains, it pours, i guess...this is happening just after I got the trailer back from installing a new axle and suspension components.)

1. Went to sleep in the trailer the first night and there was a hot dust/rubber/chemical smells, we went in and slept in the house
2. Ran the furnace all the next day and it wasn't bad.
3. Slept in the trailer last night and woke up to hot chemical smells...and the lights were dim. Looks like the shore power was pulled out of the outlet in the garage...1 LED light on the battery display
4. Plugged in shorepower and system is recharging, but there's still a smell (not thinking low voltage would cause the problem, but including it as it's happening at the same time.
5. switched from one propane tank to the other in the off chance is was the propane (it's not).

Exhaust vent smells fine, I pulled the access panel and...there's really not a whole lot to see, the furnace doesn't have any access panels, and is just about the size of the access panel. I'm not quite prepared to take the steps to pull it out.

I see tha furnaces can smell if they haven't been used in awhile, but we just put it away about 6 weeks ago...and it doesn't smell like dead critter.

ETA: It's not mercaptan, and the propane/carbon monoxide sensor is functioning properly

[chuckster57]

How new is your unit? I always ran the furnace until it set off the smoke alarm, that way I knew the detector was working and it was well on its way to burn off all the oils used in manufacturing. I have had furnaces take 4-5 times to burn it all off and quit smelling.

[Rocketsled]

Couple years. It's run fine for the past 18 months or so.

I noticed the foil tape for the ducts was coming loose....I've cleaned it up and retapes with new...pehaps blowing hot air in the dead spaces was kicking up debris from in the dead space between the walls?

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by Rocketsled

(When it rains, it pours, i guess...this is happening just after I got the trailer back from installing a new axle and suspension components.)

1. Went to sleep in the trailer the first night and there was a hot dust/rubber/chemical smells, we went in and slept in the house
2. Ran the furnace all the next day and it wasn't bad. Could be dust from shop? Was this the first use of the furnace this year?
3. Slept in the trailer last night and woke up to hot chemical smells...and the lights were dim. Looks like the shore power was pulled out of the outlet in the garage...1 LED light on the battery display An electrical smell is typically a very acrid smell that sort of "sets" in the Back of your throat. Was only the lights on while the battery was run down or were there other things running like the furnace?
4. Plugged in shorepower and system is recharging, but there's still a smell (not thinking low voltage would cause the problem, but including it as it's happening at the same time. The "electrical smell" can linger and will take a good airing to clear from fabrics and other permeable surfaces
5. switched from one propane tank to the other in the off chance is was the propane (it's not).

Exhaust vent smells fine, I pulled the access panel and...there's really not a whole lot to see, the furnace doesn't have any access panels, and is just about the size of the access panel. I'm not quite prepared to take the steps to pull it out.

I see tha furnaces can smell if they haven't been used in awhile, but we just put it away about 6 weeks ago...and it doesn't smell like dead critter. 6 weeks is plenty of time for dust to accumulate in the furnace depending upon the conditions of where it's stored.

ETA: It's not mercaptan, and the propane/carbon monoxide sensor is functioning properly

See my comments in red above. I would suggest starting with the battery or batteries, you don't specify what you have. I would suggest having them load tested to start. Running a battery down below 50% capacity can cause permanent damage.

Also check the electrolyte level in the battery. Charging a very discharged battery can "boil out" or cause the battery to rapidly evaporate the electrolyte and if the plates are exposed will cause damage. Only use distilled water to bring it back to level, The most economical, and IMO the best tool for battery maintenance/testing is a battery hydrometer. It costs <$10 and you can check each cell individually. While the battery voltage may appear OK you tell if one or more cells are getting weak by the specific gravity.

[sourdough]

Marshall beat me to it. By your comments I would start looking into the electrical side of things. Was it an electrical/component burned smell?

[Rocketsled]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Marshall beat me to it. By your comments I would start looking into the electrical side of things. Was it an electrical/component burned smell?

There really wasn’t, smelled more like home construction...I’ve fixed the leaking air around the duct work and will retest when I’m done installing the DC voltmeter. I’ve got distilled water and a Baster specifically for maintaining the batteries (dual 6v deep cycle). We’ll run the crap out of the heater and see what we get. This was the weekend I was going to transfer the batteries to the garage on a trickle charger.

[Rocketsled]

Additionally, the trailer had (edit) sat with the batteries disconnected but otherwise out in the cold. If they weren’t in tippy top shape to begin with, having them expire after a day and a half with the heater running and no shore power wouldn’t be unexpected.