seraphim
Ohio
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We haven't used the propane system much, and then only for a few minutes to heat water, so please excuse what may seem an ignorant question.
If I've got the propane turned on (and firing) to heat the camper, I'm also heating water, it seems. If I want to heat the camper with the furnace, but have no water in the hot water tank, am I damaging the tank, or anything else?
Growing old is no excuse for growing up.
1995 Intervec Falcon 190
The GyrFalcon
(pronounced jer-falcon}
Jerry and Gail Hartwig (with Ben in the middle)
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bldrbuck
Boulder, Colorado
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The furnace and the water heater are separate items and do not affect each other. You can run the furnace with out the water heater. I guess you are heating the water on the stove.
93 Ford F350 Turbo Diesel, DRW, Crew Cab. PullRite Hitch. 90 Nomad 28' 5er, 375 Watts Solar, 2800 Watt Yamaha Generator, 1750 Watt Inverter, 4 Trogan T105 Batteries, Spare tire and wheel and folding ladder. Me, wife and 2 spoiled Maltise furkids.
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Hit The Road Jack
Treasure Coast of Florida
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seraphim wrote:We haven't used the propane system much, and then only for a few minutes to heat water, so please excuse what may seem an ignorant question.
If I've got the propane turned on (and firing) to heat the camper, I'm also heating water, it seems. If I want to heat the camper with the furnace, but have no water in the hot water tank, am I damaging the tank, or anything else?
Typically, if a water heater is wired for heating and engaged/ignition, there must be water in the tank or anode rod destruction will occur.
2006 DIY Dodge Badged Sprinter Conversion
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BIKERK9
Santa Cruz, CA
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If your hooked up to shore power, use a portable electric heater
and save the propane.
DoggyDaddy
2008 Damon Outlaw 37', WH-24, 8.1 GMC
Class A Toy Hauler
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seraphim
Ohio
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Confusion *grin*
After turning on the propane regulator, there's an electrical switch just above it that turns on the igniter: when I hit the switch the burner near the water tank ignites and heats the water.
The furnace doesn't kick out hot air unless this switch is turned on, also. Figured that out by trial and error. I don't know if the burner is heating the water tank directly or not.
Hence my question: if I want hot air from the furnace, and that burner is ignited, but have no water in the tank, will I damage the empty water tank?
I have no, yes, and a non-sequitur LOL.
Any Falcon owners have the answer, or know if I'm doing something wrong?
* This post was
edited 11/01/09 12:14pm by seraphim *
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Aikensbest
Aiken, SC. USA
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If you have propane on to heat and DO NOT turn hot water on, as they are two separate units, one does not affect the other. If you turn the hot water tank ignition on then you will definitely ruin the tank if it is empty.
Aikensbest
2001 GreatWestClassic
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Handbasket
Asheville, NC
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I think the answer you're looking for is YES, the empty water heater will be damaged if it's on.
Now the issue is figuring out why the WH seems to have to be on to get the furnace to run, as I think you're saying. No, that's not the way it's _supposed_ to work, at least on any unit I ever heard of.
Jim, "One good turn.... gets most of the blanket."
'06 Tiger CX 'C Minus' on a Silverado 2500HD 4x4, 8.1 & Allison ('Loafer's Glory'); '07 Forester 2.5 ( the 'HANDBSKT'); '95 Toyota SR5 V-6 4x4 pickup, ARB locker, Bilsteins, Warn hubs & M8000, etc;
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Hit The Road Jack
Treasure Coast of Florida
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Handbasket wrote:I think the answer you're looking for is YES, the empty water heater will be damaged if it's on.
Now the issue is figuring out why the WH seems to have to be on to get the furnace to run, as I think you're saying. No, that's not the way it's _supposed_ to work, at least on any unit I ever heard of.
Jim, "One good turn.... gets most of the blanket."
Exactly Jim!...the WH'r and furnace should be isolated (from ignition of propane/electrically powered) for individual use no?
I'd installed an on-demand, tankless, propane fired WH'r in our 'Roadhouse' creating one less in-house appliance worry...
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Handbasket
Asheville, NC
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I'd recommend starting by posting make & model numbers of the furnace, WH, and any associated stuff. Maybe also some photos, possibly with overlaid labels, with access panels open. Show us this switch, ignitor, the distance between them, etc.
More info may help, too. For instance, is your LP leak detector a simple alarm, or does it also shut off the LP at the tank? Anything of this nature may help someone to help you solve this.
It may be something simple that you or we are missing, or some PO may have jury-rigged a 'temporary' repair that never got disconnected.
Jim, "Be the coffee!"
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J.Wook
Front Royal, VA, USA
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Jerry,
Our Falcon is older than yours but I would bet that your water heater and your furnace are entirely separate. My furnace is back on the right rear side of the van beneath the wardrobe and there is a manual gas shutoff valve that needs a 90 degree turn to open or shut. The heater is then turned on by moving the small lever at the bottom of your thermostat to the right and adjusting the thermostat above the ambient temperature.
Like Handbasket, I can't figure out why the WH and the furnace should be interconnected. You might try filling the WH and turning on the furnace to see if the WH also heats up water. It is not that much trouble to drain it again. Please keep us posted.
John
John & Waltraud
1989 Class B InterVec Falcon 190 SLF (Ford E-250, 351 cid) "Wagon Lit"
backup is '81 Jeep Scrambler
starting point: Northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
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