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Old 12-16-2007, 05:34 PM   #1
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I took my new-2-me 2004 Adventurer 37B out for our inaugural outing this weekend. It got pretty cold and I had the gas heat turned on. What surprised me and prompted this question is that it sounded like a compressor running when the heat came on. I double checked to see that the selector was on gas heat and not electric heat. I have the basement air configuration. There was a vibration and a thrumming sound as soon as I heard the fan start. Is this normal for the gas heat in this rig?
Joe
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Old 12-16-2007, 05:34 PM   #2
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I took my new-2-me 2004 Adventurer 37B out for our inaugural outing this weekend. It got pretty cold and I had the gas heat turned on. What surprised me and prompted this question is that it sounded like a compressor running when the heat came on. I double checked to see that the selector was on gas heat and not electric heat. I have the basement air configuration. There was a vibration and a thrumming sound as soon as I heard the fan start. Is this normal for the gas heat in this rig?
Joe
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Old 12-16-2007, 05:57 PM   #3
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The furnace in my 37B has always been somewhat noisy especially with the return grill in the floor next to the bed. I have not noticed a vibration as such. It might be worth having someone check the unit in case the blower motor is on it's way out. Good luck.
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Old 12-16-2007, 10:22 PM   #4
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Thanks RonP, but this actually sounds more like a compressor running than a bearing issue. I agree that the return is a bit loud, but the "throbbing" sound pretty much drowns it out.
Joe

p.s. not to hijack my own thread, but what change did you see with the Ultrapower?
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Old 12-17-2007, 12:14 AM   #5
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by JWatkins:
Thanks RonP, but this actually sounds more like a compressor running than a bearing issue. I agree that the return is a bit loud, but the "throbbing" sound pretty much drowns it out.
Joe

p.s. not to hijack my own thread, but what change did you see with the Ultrapower? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Joe,

Sounds like heat pump harmonic noise from a dual compressor basement air system.

How cold is it? I am not sure if the gas heat selector bypasses the heat pump or just allows it if it gets too cold for just the heat pumps.

If you check the exhaust port of the furnace behind the coach is it blowing searingly hot when you are having the sound. If not then you are running on the heat pumps. You can also try putting the selector in the electric heat position and see if it sounds the same or if the gas burner ignites. The thermostat could be cross wired.
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Old 12-17-2007, 05:05 AM   #6
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JWatkins ...

You can turn off the compressor(s) by flipping the inside circuit breaker(s). Mine are located behind a removable panel at the foot of the bed. Then you can tell whether the noise you heard was the furnace fan or the heat pump / air conditioning compressors
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Old 12-17-2007, 05:09 AM   #7
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Good morning, Joe,

This could simply be a fan blade out of balance, which we've had to do a few times, especially if it does not get used on a periodic basis. It can be rebalanced, or in some cases, replacement is more cost effective.
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Old 12-17-2007, 05:26 AM   #8
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Was there heat coming out of the ceiling ducts? Was there an amperage draw reading on your EMS panel? Before I replaced my thermostat, I'd have a real close tolerance between the gas and electric heat setting.
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Old 12-17-2007, 05:57 AM   #9
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Sound like the problem I had with my 02 Adv.
When I removed the heater, I found that the weight of the fan motor had caused the
housing that hold the motor and squirrel cage fan to distort. The end of the motor
had dropped down causing the squirrel cage fan to rub against the housing.
That would set up a resonance in all of the floor vents that was very annoying.

I brace the rear of the motor up and all is well..I did call the manufacture and
according to them I was the only person to ever have this problem!!!MAYBE???TENN.
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Old 12-17-2007, 06:30 AM   #10
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Great info from all, thanks. I will have to go out to the MH and try some of the suggestions. I did try the electric heat suggestion and it IS the same noise. Perhaps I need to delve into how the "system" works. I assumed (you know what happens there! ) that the selector switch would be mutually exclusive between gas and electric heat. Perhaps not. It had gotten down into the high 30's and I figured from my reading that the electric heat wouldn't be sufficient. Is this a "hybrid" system that makes the choices for you? Does selecting the gas option only "enable" the gas furnace, but not "disable" the electric heat pump option? Therefore, do I need to throw the breakers on the compressors in order to run the gas furnace exclusively?

Boy, lots of questions. I wish my MH was stored a little closer to me.
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Old 12-17-2007, 07:24 AM   #11
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Joe:

The True Air system works like this:

...when you have the themostat set to 'electric heat' the heat pump will run and provide heat as long as the outside temps are generally above 36F (mine seems to heat pretty good down to about 32- 34F). When outside temps fall too low, the gas furnace will automatically start even if the T-stat is set to 'elec. heat.' Also, the gas furnace will come on along with the heat pump in the 'elec. heat' mode if the temp differential between 'set' and 'actual' is 5 degrees or more. So, if it is say 38F outside, 65F in your coach, and you set the T stat to say 72F, both the heat pump and gas furnace will come on until the differential is less than 5 degrees.

In the 'gas heat' mode, only the LP furnace will run (at least on my rig). If your heat pump is running along with the gas furnace in that mode, I would suspect a control issue with the T-stat.

Air flow from the gas furnace is only from the floor vents and flow from the heat pump/AC is only from the ceiling vents.
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Old 12-17-2007, 07:49 AM   #12
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Thanks for that smlranger. I will have to journey out to the storage sight and play with it. I suspect that both are running.I seem to recall heat from the upper registers as well as the lower.
I suppose it doesn't matter if you are plugged into 50 amps service or not? I suppose another test would be to try the gas heat on battery only? That should effectively isolate the compressors?
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Old 12-17-2007, 09:53 AM   #13
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I suppose it doesn't matter if you are plugged into 50 amps service or not? I suppose another test would be to try the gas heat on battery only? That should effectively isolate the compressors?
Joe

++++++++++++++++++++++++ </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yup, kill the A/C and run the gas off the batteries, that'll work. Like I said before, my Tru Temp thermostat had a fine line on the swith between the gas and elec heat.
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Old 12-17-2007, 06:21 PM   #14
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Test day tomorrow. I will report what I find.
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Old 12-18-2007, 05:54 PM   #15
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Well I got out in the rain today and tested the setup. I was on battery power only and placed the selector on Gas Heat. It worked as advertised without any undo thrumming sound and heat coming from the floor vents.

I started the genset and switched it to Electric Heat and heard the compressors start and heat started coming from the overhead registers as well.

Leaving the genset running, I turned the selector back to gas heat. The compressors stopped and heat continued from the floor registers.

So, it all seemed to work as it should. I can't understand what was going on while plugged into 50Amp shore power??? It didn't seem to make any difference where the selector was set while camped last Saturday night. Oh, well, I guess I'll have to keep an eye on it and see if it acts up again.

Thanks for everyones insight and suggestions.

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Old 03-02-2008, 02:40 PM   #16
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OK, this is getting weirder. We went to the coats and the temps got a little cool, so we ran the gas heater. Very noisy. Startup and running. Then Elec heat is actually quite a bit quieter. I understand the return being right by the bed, but this is that thrumming sound I had mentioned before. I guess that I will need to pull the cover and see what I can find. Maybe a fan is out of balance like someone suggested. Is that something that a anyone can do or is it shop time?
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