Heater Vent with no Heat

[Bondad]

I need a little help. My 1999 Minnie Winnie DL 30 foot Class C RV has a heater vent right next to the dinette but no air blows from it with the heat on. All the other vents have really good airflow.

It happens to drop into a storage compartment on the passenger side but disappears in a run toward the drivers side. The odd thing is, the heater and all ducts are on the passenger side.

I received a diagram from winnebago (link below) but the vent in question is not even shown on the diagram. One thing I do know is that the waste tanks and fresh water tank storage compartments are supposed to be heated and the vent does run right toward the tank storage compartments.

So I'm wondering if for some reason the heat for the tanks is somehow drawn from that vent?? If anyone has any ideas, I'm all ears! The front of the RV gets no heat the way it is set up but the back is very warm.

The diagram is a pdf so I put it into my public dropbox area:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12691668/RV...%20Diagram.pdf

[Francesca]

The diagram does show a register where you describe...

I realize this is a long shot, but I wonder if it's possible that there's a nest of some kind (mice?) in the ducting that's blocking flow. I had this happen with my car heat ducting, and my mom had a squirrel build a nest inside her car's carburetor!

[Bondad]

Originally Posted by Francesca

The diagram does show a register where you describe...

I realize this is a long shot, but I wonder if it's possible that there's a nest of some kind (mice?) in the ducting that's blocking flow. I had this happen with my car heat ducting, and my mom had a squirrel build a nest inside her car's carburetor!

Thanks for the reply, Francesca. I thought it showed the register when I first looked at it, too. But the register I'm talking about is right next to the rear dinette booth - to the left of the door (in the area of E, 5 1/2 looking at the edge for the numbers and letters).

It's very strange. I guess it's possible I have a nest. I guess I'll need some sort of camera on a snake type thing.

Anyone know where I can rent me on of them? (redneck slang intentional)

[Francesca]

I get it now- it is strange that nothing shows there on the diagram!

Per a "snake" down the register:
You might try putting a flexible vacuum cleaner hose down there a ways and turning the vacuum on...you'll find out soon enough if it's sucking anything up!

Or if there's actually any ducting there at all, I suppose....

[wa8yxm]

Question... Is the heat register the same design as the rest of them? I have one "register" that looks for all the world like a heat vent, but it is a different shape (Round, not retangular) and what is behind it is the 0.1 in my 5.1 audio system

[John Hilley]

Originally Posted by Francesca

I get it now- it is strange that nothing shows there on the diagram!

Per a "snake" down the register:
You might try putting a flexible vacuum cleaner hose down there a ways and turning the vacuum on...you'll find out soon enough if it's sucking anything up!

Or if there's actually any ducting there at all, I suppose....

You might also put the vacuum in the blow mode and see if you find it coming out by your holding tanks. Is it possibly the cold air return?

[Clay L]

There is normally a return air vent for the air going from the furnace into the heated compartment. I would place a small wager that is what that vent is for.

[cbeierl]

According to the Parts Catalog for your coach you should have a GRILLE - RETURN AIR - 15.6" X 7.6" - BEIGE, though I can't tell you just where it's located.

[John Mo]

It wouldn't surprise me if that vent is intended to allow warm air into your utility compartment. Most of my heat registers are in the floor, but there are a couple in the end of the kitchen cabinet by my entry door. I have two or three of the wall type registers under my bed (like the ones by my entry door) that are not connected to any duct work. My utility compartment is under the bed and there is an opening between the compartment and under my bed. I suspect this is the only air exchange by which my utility compartment is "heated."

So far, I have learned that my utility compartment with a light bulb will reach 32 degrees in 20-degree weather. If I see temperatures much lower, I will have to rig a fan to blow into the compartment from above (through the bathroom cabinet, which is also open to the utility compartment) or put a heater in the compartment itself.

[Bondad]

Thanks for all the replies. I plan to blow some air from my shopvac down the vent and see if I can find where it goes.

I also noticed it is VERY close to a vent attached to the dinette that just deadends wide open in the storage compartment (less than a foot). I figured THAT vent was for fresh air intake. I'm sure they are somehow related. I'll repost back what I find out this weekend.