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Furnace won’t spark

Heater Furnace

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#21 patrkbukly

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Posted 11 September 2020 - 07:05 PM

Living here my heart sank as well when I was told that they would not work at altitude.

 

I did nothing more than remove the ignitor which has two prongs on it with a tiny gap (like 1mm).

I expanded the gap a few times till I finally ended up I think at about 4mm and it now fires up and runs around here where I live between 10 and 11,500 with no problem and still works fine at sea level. 

 

It's quite simple to remove it and I remember I had to try several gap sizes before it consistently worked. 

 

I even called several Atwood Service Centers around the US and they all said the same thing, won't work at altitude. 

Nothing against them but I think it's too small a percentage of people to look into the resolution to get them to work. For me it was absolutely imperative. 

ACtC-3dEUYX0MUMhJNS_aWHdi-Vum8ZKyNvVEsiS


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#22 heinphoto

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Posted 11 September 2020 - 07:27 PM

The altitude issue is perplexing. We have a new Grandby with the standard Dometic propane furnace. On our shake down trip a few weeks ago we camped for four nights at elevations ranging from 7000 to 9000 feet. I ran the heater for a little while every morning and had no problem with it starting. Of course, it will probably fail me when I really need it during a fall or winter trip!
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#23 patrkbukly

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Posted 11 September 2020 - 11:11 PM

Yea mine did too.

Imagine my joy arriving home from picking it up brand new and first night out my furnace won't work.It wasn't till I continued to travel that it WOULD work and then WOULD NOT. 

It took time to correlate the cause.

 

But I did get it resolved and it has been a fantastic camper. A couple of bugs I had to work out and since then it has been really awesome.


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#24 BigRanchInSky

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Posted 15 September 2020 - 04:41 PM

Living here my heart sank as well when I was told that they would not work at altitude.

 

I did nothing more than remove the ignitor which has two prongs on it with a tiny gap (like 1mm).

I expanded the gap a few times till I finally ended up I think at about 4mm and it now fires up and runs around here where I live between 10 and 11,500 with no problem and still works fine at sea level. 

 

It's quite simple to remove it and I remember I had to try several gap sizes before it consistently worked. 

 

I even called several Atwood Service Centers around the US and they all said the same thing, won't work at altitude. 

Nothing against them but I think it's too small a percentage of people to look into the resolution to get them to work. For me it was absolutely imperative. 

ACtC-3dEUYX0MUMhJNS_aWHdi-Vum8ZKyNvVEsiS

Thank you all for responding! Love this forum and it's awesome, helpful members.

 

I took rig up to Alta ski resort, base 8500 ft. Zero problems getting furnace to light and stay on. Oh well, I'll keep on trucking'.


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#25 Geologist

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Posted 26 October 2020 - 12:54 AM

Brand new Hawk (three days old).  Furnace works fine at 1,000 feet elevation.  Camped at 6,200 feet, furnace doesn't work.  The fan turns on, it lights for about 1 second, and then turns off.  Plenty of power, even started the truck, bled all the lines, stove works fine, and hot water heater works fine.  Heater no worky.

 

Besides a couple chilly mornings, which is the main reason we bought the Hawk, we love it.

 

John


Edited by Geologist, 26 October 2020 - 02:13 AM.

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#26 JWL

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Posted 28 October 2020 - 04:36 PM

Brand new Hawk (three days old).  Furnace works fine at 1,000 feet elevation.  Camped at 6,200 feet, furnace doesn't work.  The fan turns on, it lights for about 1 second, and then turns off.  Plenty of power, even started the truck, bled all the lines, stove works fine, and hot water heater works fine.  Heater no worky.

 

Besides a couple chilly mornings, which is the main reason we bought the Hawk, we love it.

 

John

I found that the flexible vent hose on my new Hawk was going from the right side of the cabinet to the center where the vent was. When I was camping I just took the whole cover off and it worked! When I got home I stuffed all the vent hose I could to the back on the furnace to open the exit up. That seems to have done the trick. BUT, I have not tried it at altitude again yet.


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#27 Idahojolson

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Posted 15 February 2021 - 04:59 AM

Hi all, first night in the camper. Winter camping at about 6500 feet. Heater stopped being hot. We heard the clicking and started the truck up and the heat turned on.. we’d eventually turn off the truck and eventually the heater would blow cooler air again and we’d hear the clicking again. Based on the fact that this is literally brand new, is it a charging issue? Or propane issue. We think we have enough propane since we just filled it. Volts said 12.7 on voltage reader.... insight or help please?
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#28 Wyo4Life

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Posted 16 February 2021 - 11:36 PM

I don't currently have a FWC but am doing a lot of research on them because I want to get one.  I have a 2017 Northern Lite and love it, just want to be more mobile going further off road than I can now.

 

I have also heard the same thing about these furnaces, in all campers, not working at altitude but 99% of my camping is at 9000 ft plus and I have not had a problem.  If FWC knows this is an issue, are they doing anything about it to fix it?  With what they are charging for these little pop-ups, I would expect more that what I am reading about.


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#29 Idahojolson

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Posted 17 February 2021 - 01:42 AM

I don't currently have a FWC but am doing a lot of research on them because I want to get one. I have a 2017 Northern Lite and love it, just want to be more mobile going further off road than I can now.

I have also heard the same thing about these furnaces, in all campers, not working at altitude but 99% of my camping is at 9000 ft plus and I have not had a problem. If FWC knows this is an issue, are they doing anything about it to fix it? With what they are charging for these little pop-ups, I would expect more that what I am reading about.


I contacted fwc and they said it is an option to pull the corrugated foil house and it will help. I did, and it did work so far. Going out again next weekend and I’ll let you all know what happens. Four wheel campers offered to upgrade the parts and they are doing that. I’ll let you know on that too. I liked their response, and am very glad the quick fix may have worked too. I do a lot of high altitude cold camping. I’d need it to work well and regularly or else I made a huge mistake with my fwc purchase. Update coming.........
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#30 patrkbukly

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Posted 17 February 2021 - 03:48 AM

I contacted fwc and they said it is an option to pull the corrugated foil house and it will help. 

what or where is that exactly?


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