Gch10a-4e heat exchanger blower noise

[Oddjob]

2004 Adventurer 33V with GCH10A-4E blower for floor heater motor noises how to change it

[Oldchinahand]

Sure you don't mean your SUBURBAN SF-35 2322J gas furnace?

Pretty sure GCH10A-4E is your Atwood water heater.

Many youtube videos on surburban maintence. Here's one https://youtu.be/bgq7NStsK4Y

Fair Winds and Following Seas

[Oddjob]

I’m talking about the AtwoodGCH10A-4E water heater blower motor for the floor heat very noises and binding how to remove it you tube

[Oldchinahand]

Perhaps this will be of some assistance.

ATWOOD_GCH10A-4F_LP-WATER HEATER MANUAL.pdf

Fair Winds and Following Seas

[Oddjob]

I have a 2004 33V Winnebago Adventurer it has a Atwood water heater GCH10A-4E water heater when I turn the blower on for floor heat through using the motor assist heat the motor makes loud noise and stops running.My question is do I need to pull the entire water heater out of the motor home to change the motor I have a manual for it I would like to see a you tube to do this job Thanks for any help George

[Morich]

Originally Posted by Oddjob

I have a 2004 33V Winnebago Adventurer it has a Atwood water heater GCH10A-4E water heater when I turn the blower on for floor heat through using the motor assist heat the motor makes loud noise and stops running.My question is do I need to pull the entire water heater out of the motor home to change the motor I have a manual for it I would like to see a you tube to do this job Thanks for any help George

I may be confused as I don't think of the water heater having a blower.
Where is this noise coming from? The dash area when you turn on the regular truck/car type heater or is it coming from the area near the water heater?
I think of the motor assist as being a way to use the engine heat to help heat the water as you travel.

[Oddjob]

I am talking about. Atwood hot water heater GCH10A-4E water that has a built in heat exchanger that is coach motor assisted it gives you hot water to all sinks while driving it also gives you heat through the floor ducts there is a switch on the dash to turn the blower on and it is very noisy and I would like to know if I have to remove the hot water heater to change the motor please if you don’t know what it is you can’t help me I get reply’s hot water doesn’t have a blower. This is on a 2004 Winnebago 33V

[creativepart]

You have mistaken two systems for one.

The water heater has Motorad and this uses hot water from the RVs engine to heat the water in the water heater tank while you drive. That is all it does

But you also have Rear Coach Heat - a totally separate system - that also uses hot water from the engine to provide cabin heat to the rear of your motorhome while you drive.

These two systems are totally separate of each other.

I’m not sure where the blower motor is for the Coach Heat feature but it’s not in the water heater.

I have these two systems on my Adventurer and all I can say is that the fan sounds like it’s in the rear of the motorhome. It may be a part of the main propane heater, but it sounds different.

[Bones2003]

Oddjob, your RV has a system called Motoraid. As you mentioned, it circulates hot engine coolant through the water heater and through a separate heat exchanger when the RV engine is running. The heat exchanger has a blower on it that is controlled by that switch on the dash. Since it is a separate heat exchanger and blower, it does not have anything to do with the Atwood water heater. The blower is usually loud but there could also be something wrong with it such as bad bearings. It is common to have blower motor problems especially based on the age of your RV. Generally, they can easily be replaced without removing the hot water heater but that depends on two things. First is to determine where it is located which you should be able to tell from the sound. There is usually and access panel to get to it. On my 2003 Winnebago it was located under the bed. The second issue is if you can find a replacement motor.

EDIT: Oddjob is correct. The Motoraid heat exchanger and blower is NOT the same as the RV furnace.

[Oddjob]

Yes thank you you are confused if you don’t know about this unit you can’t answer my question

[Oddjob]

Thanks bonesim glad you know what I’m talking about mine is right behind the front right wheel in the water heater compartment

[creativepart]

Originally Posted by Oddjob

Yes thank you you are confused if you don’t know about this unit you can’t answer my question

That’s okay. You can come back later when you learn that what we are telling you is correct and thank us later. We won’t mind.

[Bones2003]

Oddjob, if you open the basement compartment door by the water heater, is the heat exchanger in the left side of that compartment next to the water heater? You may have to crawl underneath the motorhome to find an access panel.

[Morich]

The only thing this has to do with the water heater is that the water does run through it!
But it is not the water you drink but the radiator water that cools the engine.

What we are all talking about is what I would call the aux heater NOT the water heater.

One way to tell the difference is when you look at the water heater manual, there is no blower in the parts for it!

[Bones2003]

Oddjob, if the link below works you should be able to find a diagram of the auxiliary heater around page 183. Winnebago almost always mounts these close to the water heater so that they can minimize the routing of the coolant hoses. Mine was mounted in the rear because my water heater was in the rear. In this file they call it the rear heater but it is mounted in the front of your RV since the water heater is mounted near the front. This drawing will give you an idea of the inner parts of the heater.

https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...04/4wfg33v.pdf

[creativepart]

Good work Bones2003. I looked and looked for that in the parts PDF for his model and year but never found it.

I have used that heater once or twice and only while driving. So I’ve heard the fan but always behind me. It sounds like it is in the rear, and is labeled as Rear Coach Heat. My water heater is mid-Coach next to the entry door.

[tderonne]

This writeup ought to help.

I repaired mine without removing the water heater like in the above writeup, but it was NOT easy.

(And while it is included as part of the Motoraid system, it's separate from the water heater, but does live behind it. Like Bones mentions. You can see where it goes on page 59 of his parts link. It's shown separate, but you can see where it goes.)

[Oldchinahand]

Well, this thread was a hoot. And ultimately informative. Good job Bones2003!

Actually, good job all!

Fair Winds and Following Seas

[Bones2003]

Thanks tderonne for the link to that write-up. Geez that's a lot of work! I think we finally answered Oddjob's original question. You don't have to remove the water heater but it does make it easier to access the blower motor if you do.

Like creativepart mentioned in post #16, I also only used that heater once or twice so I would have to think very seriously about bothering to fix it. My 2021 doesn't have the Motoraid feature so fortunately I don't have to worry about it.

[Farco]

The coach heater is indeed a stand alone unit. In my 32V it is directly behind the water heater. What happens is hot coolant continuously flows through the heater core creating a lot of heat in the unit. This heat eventually dries out the bushings of the blower motor.
I managed to crawl in the cubby that contains the water heater getting behind it accessing the heater.
You almost have to be a contortionist!🙄
I took out a bunch on screws that hold the coach heater box together and my blower motor was frozen. (Explained the fuse blowing).
I used multi-lube spray and worked the squirrel blower back and forth until the spray freed it. It’s still a bit tight as it will only run on “high” position. It rubs the housing a little but once it’s running it is pretty quiet.
Getting in there and inspecting this set up is a bit disheartening as there are coolant lines running everywhere! (To eventually leak). Main line comes from the engine to the water heater loop and from that to the coach heater and then returning to the engine. These hoses should be replaced eventually I would imagine. Doesn’t look like a very fun job!😖😖