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Post by elliemayharris on Jan 2, 2014 17:55:12 GMT -8
Greetings, all!
I have a 1959 Shasta Airflyte - and we just tested out the propane systems, and aside from needing a new regulator, the old copper lines are perfect. So now it's time to test out the appliances.
On the old Shasta proboards forum, someone posted the manuals for both the furnace and the fridge - but they aren't available there any more. Any chance someone here has a copy?
Alternatively - any suggestions on starting these old appliances?
Thanks in advance!
-- EllieMay and "Rosebud"
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Ten
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70 Shasta 16SC + 1964 Airflyte
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Post by Ten on Jan 2, 2014 19:48:43 GMT -8
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cowcharge
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Post by cowcharge on Jan 3, 2014 3:56:41 GMT -8
Not familiar with floor furnaces and I junked my original fridge 'cause it tried to kill me with an ammonia surprise party when I opened the door, but most propane appliances I've seen (not my oven though) have a pilot button that you have to hold in to let gas flow to the pilot, and that you have to continue to hold after lighting the pilot until the flame heats a thermocouple enough to open the main gas valve for the burner. If you don't hold the button in long enough, the pilot won't stay lit. If you have a bad thermocouple the pilot may stay lit but the main gas valve will never open. My hot air furnace takes a good two minutes of button-holding to get the pilot to light, and another minute or two for it to heat up enough to let go.
On my furnace there is also a gas shutoff valve in the supply line, right where it enters the furnace. The handle is moved parallel to the copper gas line to open it.
Other commonly needed repairs are cleaning the burner holes/pilot orifice/burner chimney of rust (burner holes), or creepy-crawler or varmint nests.
Look at the burner flame, if it has more than a just a hint of yellow at the tip of the flame or generates more than a little soot, it's burning too rich and needs the air shutter opened further.
Hopefully some of this applies to the floor furnaces. Good luck!
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Post by elliemayharris on Jan 9, 2014 13:21:07 GMT -8
Thanks to both of you for the suggestions!
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Post by bigbill on Jan 9, 2014 16:44:00 GMT -8
I no nothing about a camper floor furnace but I knew some people that had a floor furnace in their house and it was just a large grate with a gas heating unit under it. They had four young children and one day the boys were playing and one landed on the furnace. he was branded with little rectangles about 3/4 x 2. I don't know if they ever went away.
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Nomad95336
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1961 Nomad 16'
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Post by Nomad95336 on Jan 14, 2014 0:50:24 GMT -8
The way I start my applianaces. YMMV
When starting any Gas appliance, esp for the first time, always make sure the gas line, valves, exh, etc are up to par.
Also a great idea to have someone standing by w/ a fire extinguisher.
Floor Heater: (i have a metal plate inside my safety-grate with the instructions. If I ever get my Flicker account up, I can post some pix. )
1.Make sure On/Pilot/Off knob is Off for at least 5min
2.The Lower knob (temp control) should be set to Night/Off as well
3.Open small (apprx 1" dia") access door. (this is where the Pilot gas nozzle is)
4.Depress and rotate prev mentioned On/Pilot/Off to Pilot and stick a match/lighter into the small access door to ignite the pilot while keeping the knob depressed (although it has everything to live for, LOL)
5. Keep the knob pressed in for at least 1min with the flame ignited
6. Let go of the knob after 1 min. If, at any time, the pilot goes out, go back to #1: shut all down and give it time for the LP to disipate.
7. Close the access hole cover and secure
8. If all is well, let the furnace run for 3 min in Pilot
9. At that time, turn upper knob to On
10.Rotate the bottom-most knob to the desired temp setting.
Fridge:
1. Same thing: make sure no residual gas vapors, etc. before trying (or re-trying)
2. Turn knob to "C" for Coldest
3. Depress Red button @ lower RH corner
4. Light BBQ Burner looking dealio just behind and slightly above the red botton while leaving Red button depressed
5. You'll see the flame travel away from you along this burner and Up the backside of the fridge.
6. As you stare in wonderment, you will realize that the year your trailer was built is just about the same time Ralph Nadar was writing his book
7. Leave Red button pressed in for about 90sec (despite the self-preservation instinct to run)
8. When you let go, you should be able to look to a spot just below where the burner curved upward. There should be a shiny metal piece that will allow you to see a reflection of the burning flame to confirm success.
9. If not, you can open the outside access cover @ the rearside of the fridge and clearly verify the flame as well. (in fact some Internet Search results mention having 1 person push the red button, 1 person go outside and light pilot from the rear side)
10. Adj temp setpoint accordingly.
Hope that helps.
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Post by elliemayharris on Jul 7, 2014 19:10:45 GMT -8
So I finally had the opportunity to take Rosebud out for a week in Yosemite. She loved the adventure - and everyone loved her! We were stopped and asked about her at every gas station on the way to the park, and were a major tour stop of the White Wolf Campground roundabout each evening. We had the opportunity to camp right next to a 1958 vintage Airstream named "Mavis" and her roaming family all the way from New Jersey on a 2 month tour of the western U.S.
I had two new propane tanks installed (didn't even run dry on one tank after a week of use) and a deep cycle marine battery that never needed to be recharged even after long games of Yahtzee and Uno each night at the dinette (and a daughter that HAD to recharge her ipod each evening so she could listen to HER music). I really think LED bulbs are a wonderful thing!
Anyway, found out that even after over 20 years without being used, the original Dometic refrigerator worked like a charm - and kept several San Francisco It's-It Ice Cream sandwiches frozen for several days along with keeping our milk, cheese, and other perishables nicely chilled. It worked perfectly! When I discovered it had gotten cold overnight, my daughter said my expression reminded her of a child on Christmas morning!
Anyway, turns out that I have the original start up manual for the Dometic fridge - which came in handy, because I couldn't find anything online for that model which utilizes a long. metal pilot light starter that has to be first doused with kerosene or (in my case) oil lamp fuel (that's what I had on hand) before inserting below the fridge and waiting for it to give out an audible "click" to indicate that it's doing it's thing.
I also have instructions to light the floor furnace... but didn't need to do so based on the temperature, so I didn't tempt fate by trying. I'll keep that adventure for next time.
Should I post a copy of the Dometic Refrigerator manual? Does anyone else have one of the wonderful, still working perfectly, dinosaurs?
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Post by vikx on Jul 7, 2014 22:41:01 GMT -8
Please do post any manuals you care to! It will help some of us, for sure.
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Post by elliemayharris on Jul 11, 2014 5:43:03 GMT -8
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