switch for outside light

[Lynn in Arizona-HILO]

Hi,
I just bought a 2004 1707 and was wondering two things. One, where is the switch for the outside light.
Two, why so I have to turn on a switch before using the furnace that is under the seat and behind a panel? this doesn't make sense to me. The book says to turn it off and wait 5 minutes and then turn it on but it would already be off if I turned it off after my trip wouldn't it???
Thanks for your experience.
Lynn in Arizona

 

[retiredcamper47]

Hi Lynn,

The switch for the outside light is mounted near the entry door, usually underneath an overhead cabinet. The info on the furnace you give sounds strange. The furnace is turned off and on by a switch on the wall mounted thermostat. It works the same as the one in your house. Never heard about a 5 minute gap between off and on. When turning on the furnace for each camping trip, it is best to bleed the propane line. You do this by lighting the burners on your stove top. This way you know the air is purged out of the lines. Same goes for if you use the hot water heater on propane instead of electric, bleed the propane line.

Bob

 

[Lynn in Arizona-HILO]

light switch

Thanks, Bob.
When I bought it the former owners said to go under the dinette seat and open the panel and flip a switch before the furnace will go on with the thermostat. I'm not sure what this if for. They said you have to do it only once a trip.
Lynn

 

[retiredcamper47]

Lynn,

What I would do is look at the furnace info that came with the trailer. If none came with it, go on-line to the furnace manufacturer and look up your model. Find the switch on their drawings. It should tell you the purpose of it. I believe that the particular switch in question totally cuts off the 12v power to the furnace. If that is the case, I personally would leave that switch in the "on position" and control the furnace "off and on" with the thermostat. Seems to me that what the previous owner did and told you is "over kill" for operating the furnace. If I am wrong with my answer, somebody on this forum will correct me and get us both straightened out. That is the beauty of this great forum.

Bob

 

[RichR]

Lynn,

What I would do is look at the furnace info that came with the trailer. If none came with it, go on-line to the furnace manufacturer and look up your model. Find the switch on their drawings. It should tell you the purpose of it. I believe that the particular switch in question totally cuts off the 12v power to the furnace. If that is the case, I personally would leave that switch in the "on position" and control the furnace "off and on" with the thermostat. Seems to me that what the previous owner did and told you is "over kill" for operating the furnace. If I am wrong with my answer, somebody on this forum will correct me and get us both straightened out. That is the beauty of this great forum.

Bob

I agree with that.

We had a 1705T and now a 2310H, both have essentially the same furnace and I don't know of any instruction to turn off any switch on the furnace. Setting the thermostat to the coldest setting and turning the little switch on it to off is quite sufficient. Make sure the switch clicks off, they usually take a good tug to do that. Better yet, replace the thermostat with a non-programmable digital model. There are posts here about that.

http://www.hilotrailerforum.com/f35/replaced-thermostat-1299/

 

[Rolff]

The switch is a sail switch on the gas valve for safety. The if you flip it on and then the thermostat and it fails to ignite they recommend that you shut it off and wait 5 minutes for the propane to clear to prevent explosive combustion from built up gasses. I turn mine on when I set up the trailer since I am on the floor anyway. If it's on you can leave it on. I shut it off while towing even though I close the valves on the tanks too. Simple enough to be safe.