HOW-TO/REPAIR - 1970-1980s DuoTherm RV furnace 65017-64 - a fix for intermittent ignition failure
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ต.ค. 2024
- I live full-time boondocking in a 1982 20-foot Layton travel trailer. It came with an old DuoTherm model# 65017-64 forced-air furnace. Initially it seemed to work ok in cooler weather, but it hadn't been up against anything below freezing. In freezing conditions it seemed it would only function intermittently. I would go to sleep on a cold night in Colorado (15 degrees Fahrenheit or so) and the burners would be on, and the vents would blow hot air...but I would wake at 2 or 3 a.m. to a temp of 30 something degrees inside. The blower would still be operating properly, but it would blow cold air because the burners wouldn't remain lit. I couldn't figure it out.
I am no HVAC expert, but I do understand the basic operation of the furnace, and I was able to do some troubleshooting. Eventually I determined that it was the spark that was at fault, and not the gas. I did this by using a grill lighter (the long tip kind) to manually ignite the burner. I placed the lighter into the burner assembly through the little pilot light viewport, lighting the lighter while turning the thermostat on. You may need an extra set of hands to do this depending on your thermostat/furnace location. When I tried this, the burner lit immediately, telling me that it is an ignition/spark problem, not a gas problem. The gas was making it to the burners, it just wasn't consistently being ignited.
I found that by simply adjusting the ignition electrodes to create a slightly bigger spark, my problem was solved. Right now, it is about 15 degrees outside at night, and has been for the past two days; and my indoor temp has been kept steady around 60 degrees Fahrenheit. It seems as if this simple adjustment has resolved my issue.
#vintagecamper #rvliving #rvrepair
Had the same exact problem I have taken it apart several times and a RV Mobile mechanic Said that thing Is old And You can't get parts for it need to get a new one. Well that isn't an option im poor so some perseverance and your Video did it. Hell ya man!, props to you.
me too why buy a new one when the old one can work
Hey Ryan, I’m glad you found the video to be helpful! I’m quite strapped for cash myself these days, and I’ve attempted to fix tons of stuff on my old rig, and sometimes I’m successful. Thanks for checking out the video and commenting!
@AmericaChillOut I completely agree! I think not long ago, people used to fix all types of things when they’d break down; my grandpa would fix anything…sadly it seems like lots of people have transitioned more into a mindset where when something breaks, you just buy a new one :/
@@vastirvision my grandmother was born in the 1920s and lived through the great depression. Before she died she would often express how disgusted she was with that idea of just buying a new one when the old one breaks. Major example was how we just discard our old shoes for new ones. i guess she saw that shift in mentality in her life. crazy.
@@vastirvision if something like that ever happens again people like us will be happy we know how to fix shit lol
*This unit works like a charm. Keeps my rv 21 x 41 very **Fastly.Cool** . I recommend to anyone that wants to keep a rv cold without having to turn on the main a/c.*
I had a HVAC guy tell me that I needed a new furnace for my house and I looked online and found a replacement circuit board. Replaced it and bought me a co2 tester that they use and it read hardly any co2. It has been a few years now and it works perfectly and saved myself thousands of dollars
I hear this a lot, and it’s happened to me too actually. Often times, it will be something simple that causes the furnace to fail. Yet we’re told we need to spend all kinds of money. I’ve got one working again just by replacing the thermocouple, which is maybe a $20 part.
I’m glad you had the will and the skill to repair your own! It’s tough enough to pay for food and gas these days, let alone a new furnace or some other home appliance. Thanks for watching the video!
I just came across your video, and I also have an old rv duro furnace from 1984 . Thanks for sharing your video it helped me out.
You are welcome!
I have the exact furnace I did exactly what you said and saved the day thank you. But after a hard winter and using it every night this coming winter it doesn't spark any more. It just won't but thank you I'm going to try cleaning the spark things again and space them out correctly and I guess we'll see
I’m happy to hear that it worked out for you! Eventually my furnace began to have some other issues, and what I ended up doing was putting in a small propane heater that I got off of Amazon and it works really well.
Good video and insightful. My Duotherm furnace quit in my camper and made me cancel a trip this week. What I noticed is the fan was struggling to spool up, so I went on a search for a compatible motor. Ordered one that is close in amps and matching physical dimensions. I'm hoping that will solve the problem and allow me a winter trip.
Thank you for checking out the video I hope it helped in some way. Let me know how it turns out with your repair!
I love the way your thought process works! Keep it up.
Thank you! I greatly appreciate you saying that! I hope the video was of some use to you :)
Good looking out. Mad respect for chasing it down sorting it out and keeping the "Dinosaur" alive and chooching!
Thank you! My Cathy is definitely a keeper and aside from some issues with the fresh water tank, and the furnace troubles, she’s taken good care of me 🤙
Thanks for the video! I just purchased a 1981 StarCraft motorhome with the exact same furnace. Very informative. Thanks again!
I love those 80’s model RV’s! Much more style and substance than the newer ones I think 👍 I’m very happy to hear you found the video useful, thanks for checking it out! And safe travels to wherever the StarCraft takes you!
I am having the same problem with my furnace. Mine is in a 1989 Komfort Trendsetter class A motorcoach. I am going try your fix and hope it works. I hate waking up in the morning and it's 35° inside.
Yes I hear you on that…I dealt with some very cold mornings on many days, and it’s not a great way to start your day. I hope the video helps you to arrive at a solution! Thanks for commenting, and if you can, let me know how it turns out. I ended up just replacing the furnace with a propane heater off of Amazon, after other issues arose, and I haven’t had any of those ice-cold mornings since.
Thanks man I sincerely appreciate your making this video . You saved me from spending money that I dont really have .
I’m very happy to hear that!
Cool. I'm glad I found your video. I have a Widerness 1989 18ft and it worked. THANKS.
You’re welcome! I’m happy to hear that it was of use to you. Wishing you many more adventures and safe travels in the ‘89!
Good job done. Good explanation. Glad you're warmer now.
Thank you! Yes I’m warm and also boondocking in a state that is far less cold than Colorado now.
I'm living off grid as well on vintage motorhome too.
I hear you. The problem is alot of people nowadays are boneheads that just know how to buy and replace stuff, and can't even do a simple maintenance job.
There's also alot of misconception and discrimination towards things that are 'old', when in most cases they are built with much better quality and simplicity then their modern counterparts.
stay safe stay warm brother
Yeah you’re absolutely right about that. We are taught now (most people anyways), that when something breaks, you just go out and buy a new one. I’ve learned to fix a lot of things I’ve the years, and it’s really saved my behind more than a few times!
I actually just got a new job, doing tile, where I can finally afford to rent a place that doesn’t move lol. Three years I’ve lived in that 40 year old travel
trailer. But my new place does not have indoor plumbing, or insulation either; so I’m still figuring out the whole heating thing, even though I’m not living in my camper at the moment. Luckily I have a pellet stove, which works pretty well. Thanks for watching the video, and thank you for your comment! Stay safe out there and may health and happiness find you always 🙏
Many of these do not have a “board” for ignition, but are pilot models. It runs the fan and tests the proofer with a delay, then fires the burner. Fan is 12V-4.5A/120V-.9A. which is handy with solar because it’s only 50W at 12V.
That’s the one I’m trying to fix: this duo therm hasn’t been run for 20+ maybe 30 years. I’ve got to decide whether to rebuild it or drop the $600+ for a new one.
I was faced with the same dilemma, and running on solar also, but even the 50 watts or so added up quick when the furnace ran as often as it did (pretty cold at 8500’ in CO 🥶) I did get it running and it worked great for a while, but the deposits would build back up on the ignition and I’d have to pull the front off and clean it every so often, which was a pain. In the end I ended up just getting a new propane heater off of Amazon for about $140. It works well. Let me know what you end up doing with it!
iv got a 87 nomad. has a duo therm. been working great threw winter in montana all the sudden a few weeks ago it stopped igniting and blowing cold air. checking out this vid thanks !
I bet a winter in Montana is a real test for an old RV furnace. 8500 feet in the mountains of Colorado sure was for me! I wish you the best! 🙏
@@vastirvision yep. out here iv got 3 heaters in the winter a infrared on each end and the furnace each ine pretty much on low. i stsrted really liking the furnace. heats the place up quick and especially the bathroom. it stopped working a few weeks ago luckily was good threw winter
Hey there I think I messaged you along time ago only because we have the same furnace well I just read your description again and this is exactly what my duo therm 1988 started doing after winter same thing sometimes it burns and blows hot sometimes it’s blowing but the burners not lit kinda works on it wants to did you figure out what was wrong with it I’m thinking today I’m gonna get into it try and keep it simple cause it’s gonna be a pain in the butt to take it all apart and pull it out
The 3 electrodes from right to left is #1 & #2 are for the spark ignition, and #3 is for proof of ignition or proof of a successful ignition. Cleaning your spark ignition is probably what fixed it, and possibly the spark gap as you had suspected. Parts can be difficult to find however the control board I had found quickly by using the identification numbers on the board itself.
PLEASE NOTE!!! The reason the technician had suggested replacing the unit is due to the likelihood of there being a hole in the heat exchanger! A hole could very well result in death from inhaling carbon monoxide! Definitely something to take serious. Years ago my cousin and his family all died from carbon monoxide poisoning! Such an easy thing to test for for such an important reason!
Thank you for this info! I wish I had you around when I was taking this thing apart, you sound like you know about it than I did. Unfortunately those deposits would build back up every so often and I’d have to clean them back off…
I’m very saddened to hear what happened to your family members. Just goes to show how important a carbon monoxide detector is in these situations. Be well out there 🙏
Great job man, trying to figure out my boys furnace, his backfires .
Ever figure yours out? Mine's doing the same, getting taken apart today.
@@bairfamilyfarm1336 unfortunately no, but we replaced it with a Chinese diesel heater cheep and it works well.
@@JerrycanWanderers that’s actually what I ended up doing, and it works great! Pro-com blue flame “ice house heater” off of Amazon. It was getting very cold in Colorado and I needed heat for a low price and fast. Glad you found a solution!
This is a great video. I’ll yank mine apart tomorrow.
Good luck to you! Let me know how it goes!
My friend said go on YT, I guarantee you it will have a video on your problem. 😂 and here I am... going to get busy and try your suggestions. Thanks ...
TH-cam University! Here to solve a problem and safe the day ☺️ thanks for watching!
Thanks bro. Well done.
You’re welcome! And thank you for watching! I hope it helped you in some way, it seems like there’s still not a lot of info out there on these older rv furnaces
Much love dude thanks
You are welcome! Stay safe out there, and travel well 🤝
You rock!! I'll let you know if you saved my day.
Thank you! I’m no furnace expert by any means, but when mine was failing I could find not one video on TH-cam about how to fix them, so when I got mine working I thought it might help someone, and I posted that video. Please let me know how it goes, and if you have any other questions about it I’d be happy to try to answer them!
Great video...TY
You’re welcome!
Ha ha my pos furnace is broke again this time I think is shot! Mine is all sealed and nothing is “serviceable” even spot welded together! And like yours ours was fixable with a few basic tools. But now lol I may try a dinosaur board it’s by igniting but the spark is very weak. Pretty sure that’s the issue. Just don’t know if I want to spend 110 on a board or 600 on a furnace I can buy parts for! Lol my dilemma today!!!
Man that really sucks. I’m sorry to hear that. This is a good life, but not an easy one that’s for sure. There’s definitely an alternative solution though! I’ve got all the heat I need now, after mine eventually crapped out too, and I spent less than $200. All you need to know is how to hook up a propane line, and I’m betting my bottom dollar that you can do that without any trouble. I’ve figured it out and you will too.
Check out “blue flame propane heaters”. They work great. I wouldn’t go with infrared. You can Either google it, or you can go right to Amazon and order one. I have a 10,000 BTU model which will usually heat around 250 square ft of living space (most RVs) w no problem. There are 20k and 30k BTU models also. You want one that has a variable thermostat for sure.
PS: looks like the 10k BTU and 20k Procoms are sold out right now, but Mr. Heater makes the same type of propane heater also. Here’s a link to one for $167.99. It will take you maybe an hour to get it all hooked up. Let me know if I can give you any more info.
www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-Corporation-Vent-Free-Propane/dp/B01DPZ56PU/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3U89U6AIBGKEK&keywords=blue+flame+propane+heater&qid=1668959714&s=home-garden&sprefix=blue+flame%2Cgarden%2C216&sr=1-5
Glad you're posting again. I'm staying in an older RV, 1979, with a Duo-Therm 65930. The motor is starting to go. Hoping it makes it through winter. I'm trying to figure out how to change it. I'm not sure how to get to the ducts to remove them or when to remove them. Any tips?
Hey Jonathan, you know after I fixed mine, it worked great for a while, and then my motor started going out too. I don’t know exactly how to remove the ducts, and I’m assuming you’re referring to the ducts on the unit itself that come out of the side and supply the vents…if your setup is anything like mine with the oven next to the furnace unit, my guess is that you’d have to at the least pull the oven to access the ducts on the side. I can’t imagine being able to get to them any other way. I was gonna replace my DuoTherm with a new Suburban unit, and they were about $600-750 depending on the BTU output.
Are you open to an alternative solution? Because what I ended up doing was ordering a propane heater off of Amazon. I got a Pro-Com “blue flame ice House heater”, putting out about 12,000 BTUs if I’m not mistaken, and it was only $150 or so. It is designed for indoor use and has carbon monoxide failsafes and a thermostat. It’s the cheapest and most effective solution that I could find. They have different manufacturers aside from ProCom, and they make bigger models if you need more heat than that. But for me the smaller unit makes plenty of heat. It worked great and is still working well! It’s a simple install, and I even left my furnace intact and in place in its original location. I just ran the gas line that went to the old furnace into the new unit and mounted it right in front of the DuoTherm. It kept me alive and warm in the mountains of Colorado, where it was extremely cold. I’m posting a new video hopefully today and I do show that new heater in it, if you want to check it out.
I know that’s a lot of information, but I hope that it may help you. Let me know how it goes and what you decide to do; and if you have any other questions I’ll do my best to answer to them. Rock on in the ‘79, and best of luck to you!
@@vastirvision Awesome. Mine is next to the fridge, so I'll try and remove that. Still going to run it till it dies. Thank you for all the suggestions. I probably would have gone with a propane house heater if I didn't buy the motor already.
Let me know how it goes either way! If all else fails those blue flame propane heaters are around $150-200, and mine definitely saved my butt last winter. Good luck brother!
@@vastirvision Last week the furnace went out in the middle of the night. I was able to change the motor. My arm was able to fit through the duct hole below the fridge and unscrew the ducts on that side of the furnace.
I noticed that all of the screws for the ducts on that side were cut and I just realized while typing this message that the person who worked on it previously probably did that so the furnace would be able to slide out of the shell without removing the duct screws since they impede it from sliding out smoothly.
Keep a carbon monoxide detector handy. I heard these older ones are bad for it. If the heat exchanger is the style I'm thinking of, a MIG welder might take care of any leaks.
I agree 100%. For the cost of one of those detectors you’d be silly to not have one in a camper with this type of furnace set up. Could save your life
love this video so far ! was yours making that spark when it wasn't working? because i believe mine used to spark up when i started it and now nothing so right off i thought maybe the igniter needs replaced but first thing is get in there and clean up and take a look. maybe its just dirty from all tye dusty air
Thanks for checking it out! Mine definitely had some type of buildup or corrosion that would accumulate on those ignition leads. It made it hard for the ignition to work properly. After I would clean it, it would work. I thought it was maybe impurities in the propane that were causing it, but I’m not 100% sure.
Great vid. Thank you for the info.
Thanks for checking it out! Hope it helped you!
I've got an 84, that i have to troubleshoot.
20 ft prowler.. 🚬😎🥃
That’s a classic. I’m still living in my 82, over a year later! 🤙 She’s still dry inside, but a couple of things have broken over the past year.
Good video very helpful
Thank you! Glad to help!
Thank you for the vid ...
You are welcome! Thanks for checking it out! Hope it helped 🙏
Good shit
Thank you
Hey thanks for the video! I have a very similar problem with my duo therm furnace. Did this adjustment you made end up solving your problem long term or did you go back and do anything else? I am considering replacing either the board or the valve but not sure which one. I cleaned off my igniter with some sand paper but my furnace still goes out after a while.
It would run for a few weeks and the deposits would build back up sadly, and I’d have to pull it back apart and clean the ignition again. I got really good at pulling that furnace apart, trust me on that one lol.
What I ended up doing was ordering a Pro-com “blue flame ice house heater” from Amazon for about $140. I mounted her on the wall, right over the old furnace in fact, and I ran the existing gas line from the old furnace to the new unit and it works great. Having heating problems at 8500’ in the mountains of Colorado in the dead of winter was a nightmare, and the new setup works great. Plus I don’t have to power a fan off of solar anymore, which helps bc I boondock full-time.
Let me know what you end up deciding!
Recycle. I get all my heater's out of old campers. I live in Wisconsin a vented heater a most. Peace
This is excellent advice! I’m all about recycling, reusing, and if you’re handy, repairing! Rock on man, be well out there!
i have one from the 70s.i dont turn a wrench i wonder if their is a shop somewhere with a pro. but due to liability nobody wants to touch these old thing? mine has no fan which i like
Yeah the fan just consumes extra power and this is something to consider if you’re boondocking w solar like I am. If you can get away without having the fan that’s your best bet I think!
@@vastirvision i have one installed in my tear drop. without the fan. i think im safe if i have enuf detectors inside the camper to warn me of trouble or leaks
@@vastirvision i have one without fan.......i just wouldnt want to camp with heavy wind from outside coming in towards vent
what i heard is as long as the heating box has no holes this heater will last forever
@@yogavnture1 yes I bet in a teardrop you wouldn’t need the fan, you don’t have as much space to heat in there. And for most mechanical systems, the more moving parts you have, the more potential for something to fail eventually.
Poor american😂😂( we are all under demons, they know how to complicated life- for nothing))
I don't want to see or hear you eating
Take your ass on to another video then Ronnie. Plenty more to see over that way 👉
Many of these do not have a “board” for ignition, but are pilot models. It runs the fan and tests the proofer with a delay, then fires the burner. Fan is 12V-4.5A/120V-.9A. which is handy with solar because it’s only 50W at 12V.
That’s the one I’m trying to fix: this duo therm hasn’t been run for 20+ maybe 30 years. I’ve got to decide whether to rebuild it or drop the $600+ for a new one.
I just bought 1988 camper , so lm pulling out the heater and changing the 3 switch relays i got on amoz