Viking furnace

[viking]

We bought our Viking 17FQ in June and had to take it in to have the furnace worked on in November, they said they had to clean the contacts, When we left it worked but not for long and since we live inn Southern Arizona we didn't winterize our RV , so when it goes to the lower 30's we turn the furnace on low, Well it worked one or two times now won't come on. The fan comes on and runs cold for about 30 seconds then shuts off. can't here igniters kick on. Hot water tank, stove and fridge all work. Should I take it back to service or is it something I can handle myself.

 

[calvin99]

Sounds like a problem with what's known as a sail switch. That's a switch that detects airflow before allowing the furnace to ignite. (if the switch doesn't work, the furnace won't light and the fan will turn off...exactly what you're experiencing).

I had a similar issue shortly after buying a used RV. (it worked when I bought it but failed a couple of weeks later).

One thing that I discovered is there are a ridiculous number of different sail switches so you'll have to find your furnace model number and do some googling to find the correct one. Mine was very simple to locate and replace, but I found many articles and youtube videos showing models that were stupidly difficult to access. Seems some manufacturers don't consider serviceability when they design these things. Hopefully yours will be simple like mine was.

 

[viking]

Sounds like a problem with what's known as a sail switch. That's a switch that detects airflow before allowing the furnace to ignite. (if the switch doesn't work, the furnace won't light and the fan will turn off...exactly what you're experiencing).

I had a similar issue shortly after buying a used RV. (it worked when I bought it but failed a couple of weeks later).

One thing that I discovered is there are a ridiculous number of different sail switches so you'll have to find your furnace model number and do some googling to find the correct one. Mine was very simple to locate and replace, but I found many articles and youtube videos showing models that were stupidly difficult to access. Seems some manufacturers don't consider serviceability when they design these things. Hopefully yours will be simple like mine was.

Well i'm back, and I have had it in for service two times, first they said they cleaned some contacts and done, number two bad wire to the sail switch repaired. Got the RV home and tried to get the furnace to work. guess what , no heat. Not like I can walk it across the street, we nlive in Sierra Vista, Az and have to take it to Tucson about 1 1/2 hours away. Frustrated, yes. Going to Ohio for a visit and it can be chilly there. Oh well!

 

[calvin99]

This is why I avoid shops whenever possible. Sail switch is inexpensive. If you have access to the furnace from the outside, it should be simple to replace. It could also be a temperature limit switch, also inexpensive part. I replaced both. They were easy to access on mine. No special tools needed (just a screwdriver). Over the last 5 years I’ve discovered that RVs can be simpler to work on than you might initially think. Shops are overpriced and don’t always have competent staff. I’ve gone from knowing absolutely nothing to knowing more than most shops in my area. Plus it’s good to understand how things work before getting stuck somewhere.

 

[viking]

This is why I avoid shops whenever possible. Sail switch is inexpensive. If you have access to the furnace from the outside, it should be simple to replace. It could also be a temperature limit switch, also inexpensive part. I replaced both. They were easy to access on mine. No special tools needed (just a screwdriver). Over the last 5 years I’ve discovered that RVs can be simpler to work on than you might initially think. Shops are overpriced and don’t always have competent staff. I’ve gone from knowing absolutely nothing to knowing more than most shops in my area. Plus it’s good to understand how things work before getting stuck somewhere.

Since I only got the RV in June it's been warranty, I was hoping they would replace the unit, maybe now they will.

 

[calvin99]

Ah! Warranty….yeah…make ‘em fix it out of principal.

But check their work before taking it home. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯