Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:24:03 -0500
Reply-To: Karl <tdiguru@WESTYVENTURES.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Karl <tdiguru@WESTYVENTURES.COM>
Subject: Re: propex heater problems
In-Reply-To: <6e95da691001270456u4525bf56q6d149baff48b54cd@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Joy, no, I only drop in here now and then when I have a moment, I'm not
subscribed. Usually I am fairly accessible through email and phone. :-)
I believe your heater is one of the older EX1800 models, so has no
self-diagnostics, therefore no flashing trouble codes. If it has sat for
a long time, I would suspect perhaps a stuck gas valve. If you can see
the gas line where it enters the heater (far passenger side of the van),
you will see the copper line screws into a fitting at the heater
sidewall. Using a blunt object like a screwdriver handle or the like,
tap repeatedly on the largest part of that fitting as soon as you turn
the heater on. Sometimes that will dislodge a stuck gas valve. Of
course, if you suspect the auxiliary battery is low, that should get a
voltage check as well - the heater will shut down below 11.5 volts. If
these ideas don't help, feel free to call me and we'll try to sort it out.
Karl
301.637.2299
Joy Hecht wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Thanks for all the suggestions regarding my heater. I'm copying Karl
> directly this time - Karl, are you there somewhere? Are you no longer
> on the vanagon list?
>
> I've followed the instructions people suggested - turning it on with
> the thermostat dial on the lowest setting, waiting, etc. The fan
> stays on for about ten seconds, then turns off. The red and green
> lights (not yellow - I'm sort of color-blind, thought it was yellow)
> stay on. The red light does not flash. I assume it would do that
> reasonably soon after the fan goes off, say within a minute? No
> flashes. Just two little lights glowing at me.
>
> I have one propane tank, not two. I do have propane, I've been
> cooking with it before & after trying the heater.
>
> I do have the blue heater.
>
> It is possible that my auxiliary battery isn't super charged, as I
> haven't driven in a few days (and I had started to wonder if it was
> dying of old age and I might need to replace it). But other things
> that use the aux battery are working fine - lights, radio, etc.
>
> The heater used to work. I haven't tried it in a long time. I did
> try it last winter sometime, and it didn't work, but I don't know if I
> had any propane at the time.
>
> If this were a pressure regulator problem, where would I find that
> pressure regulator?
>
> Thanks for any additional advice anyone can offer!
>
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