| Replacing Sol Air furnace with Suburban [message #160747] |
Sat, 18 February 2012 00:23  |
gbarrow2
Messages: 765
Registered: February 2004
Location: Lake Almanor, Ca./ Red Bl...
Karma: 3
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The Sol Air furnace in my 76 Palm Beach had five 3 1/2" ducts and one 2" duct.
Two ducts going forward to registers under the sofa- one for heat and one for return air.
Two ducts going rearward supplied heat to registers below the closet and drawer bank.
One duct going rearward that terminates in the void behind the generator box. I assume it was also a return air duct.
The 2" duct goes to the bathroom- there is a booster fan in that line behind the stove. If I can make the fan work is it effective in getting heat to the bath? I assume the fan is supposed to run when the furnace blower runs. I never checked it before removing the Sol Air.
The reconditioned Suburban furnace has 2 round duct knockouts on each side (which have all been removed) and one rectangular knockout on the bottom.
It doesn't use ducts to get the return air.
I think I can use the 2 openings on the front side to supply heat to the 2 registers below the couch.
I can't use the openings on the rear because the cabinet is in the way. So I will have to build a plenum to fit under the furnace and use the rectangular opening to supply heat to the two rear registers.
Any reason to NOT connect the third rearward duct to the plenum and have another register discharge out of the back wall under the bed?
Have any of you that installed Suburban furnaces been successful in getting heat to the bathroom? Or is that a lost cause? Did you use the in line booster blower?
All suggestions will be appreciated.
Gene Barrow
Lake Almanor, Ca.
1976 Palm Beach
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| Re: Replacing Sol Air furnace with Suburban [message #160759 is a reply to message #160747] |
Sat, 18 February 2012 06:46  |
1275gtsport
Messages: 272
Registered: September 2009
Location: Rothesay NB
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I have what I would guess is a suburban replacement in my 77 Palm Beach. installed by the PO. I have never really looked into return vs heated air. there seems to be warmish air coming out of all the ducts that got hooked up. 2 under the couch one under the closet door and the tiny 2 inch one that runs around to the bathroom.
I too have the inline blower for the bathroom. so far it has never made a sound.and the last test was after about 30 min you could tell there was air movement coming out of the vent, it was cold but at least moving. seems to me I read that they sometimes were installed and never wired up.
The duct under the passenger side settee was not connected as the PO had decided on a permanent bed.
I can't stand the smell of old dust that comes with the heat right now. all the duct work is a cloth flex pipe. thinking about replacing all of it with solid duct work or at least metal flex pipe so that there is less dust.
Adam Raeburn
Rothesay, NB
1976 Austin Mini
1977 GMC Palm Beach
---------------------------------------------------
Once you replace everything that is attached to something else. It will all be fixed.
[Updated on: Sat, 18 February 2012 06:46] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Replacing Sol Air furnace with Suburban [message #160767 is a reply to message #160759] |
Sat, 18 February 2012 08:33 |
chasingsummer
Messages: 434
Registered: May 2011
Location: asheboro, nc
Karma: 0
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PO installed my suburban, but he did leave the instructions.
the instructions mentioned leaving the blower disconnected, i am not completely sure why. i have verified my fan is disconnected.
i assume they had a reason
brian
asheboro, nc
75 eleganza, 74 build
119k miles and counting,
DOG HOUSE
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| Re: Replacing Sol Air furnace with Suburban [message #160796 is a reply to message #160747] |
Sat, 18 February 2012 12:12 |
idrob
Messages: 645
Registered: January 2005
Location: Central Idaho
Karma: 0
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| gbarrow wrote on Fri, 17 February 2012 22:23 |
Have any of you that installed Suburban furnaces been successful in getting heat to the bathroom? Or is that a lost cause? Did you use the in line booster blower?
All suggestions will be appreciated.
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The booster blower behind the stove is mostly a lost cause. The ductwork is too small, the blower takes too much current. In addition, many were wired with the fan turning backwards, which made it impossible to get any air through it.
Most have just disconnected the fan and removed it.
Rob Allen
former owner of '76 x-PB
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| Re: Replacing Sol Air furnace with Suburban [message #160802 is a reply to message #160747] |
Sat, 18 February 2012 13:07 |
captjack
Messages: 271
Registered: February 2010
Location: Sebastopol, California
Karma: 1
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Hi,
I replaced by Solair w/ a suburban and pretty much did what you propose. I connected the two openings on the right side to the two vents under the front couch. I built a plenum and used the rectangular slot on the bottom to go rearward. I did hook up the 2 inch vent to the line going to the remote fan to an opening on the left of the furnace, but it didn't seem to do much good with or without the fan which draws a lot of current, so I pulled the fan. I had to do a fair amount of metal cutting and filing to get the rear of the Suburban to fit the side of the coach properly for the burner intake and outlet. No heat in the bathroom, but it doesn't seem to be a big deal and keeps the traffic moving through there.
Jack Christensen - K6ROW,
'76 Glenbrook/Clasco - "The Silver Bullet",
Sebastopol, CA
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| Re: Replacing Sol Air furnace with Suburban [message #160847 is a reply to message #160802] |
Sat, 18 February 2012 22:24 |
gbarrow2
Messages: 765
Registered: February 2004
Location: Lake Almanor, Ca./ Red Bl...
Karma: 3
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Jack,
What did you make the plenum from? Sheet metal or?? How did you make the connections for the ducts? Do you have any pictures or descriptions & dimensions of your plenum and install?
Thanks for your reply. I knew some one had crossed this bridge before.
Thanks to all others for your info. It is all helpful.
Gene Barrow
Lake Almanor, Ca.
1976 Palm Beach
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| Re: Replacing Sol Air furnace with Suburban [message #160887 is a reply to message #160847] |
Sun, 19 February 2012 13:01 |
captjack
Messages: 271
Registered: February 2010
Location: Sebastopol, California
Karma: 1
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Hi Gene,
The new furnace I bought came with some of the metal parts and I fabbed the rest I needed from sheet metal. My old furnace already had a bottom plenum which I was able to modify. Pop rivets are a good friend. I cut out at least one flange from the old furnace and used it on the new one. I needed one new vent like the one's ERF gave you a link to and got it and flexible duct at a local RV store. I think I took some pictures. Now to find them.
Jack Christensen - K6ROW,
'76 Glenbrook/Clasco - "The Silver Bullet",
Sebastopol, CA
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| Re: [GMCnet] Replacing Sol Air furnace with Suburban [message #160972 is a reply to message #160771] |
Mon, 20 February 2012 08:50 |
PETEinLongBeach
Messages: 90
Registered: June 2007
Location: Long Beach, CA
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| emerystora wrote on Sat, 18 February 2012 06:48 |
Probably because it doesn't move much air and it is noisy. It also draws current from the battery when you are dry camping (without hookups).
A lot of people that have it disconnect it for those reasons.
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| idrob wrote on Sat, 18 February 2012 10:12 |
The booster blower behind the stove is mostly a lost cause. The ductwork is too small, the blower takes too much current. In addition, many were wired with the fan turning backwards, which made it impossible to get any air through it.
Most have just disconnected the fan and removed it.
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I can hear the bathroom booster fan working on my coach, but I don't feel much (if any) warm air coming out of the bathroom duct. Perhaps it is wired backward, as mentioned. What is the easiest way to disable this blower? I would prefer not removing the oven...
Pete Smay
Long Beach, CA
1977 Kingsley
[Updated on: Mon, 20 February 2012 08:52] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: [GMCnet] Replacing Sol Air furnace with Suburban [message #161001 is a reply to message #160972] |
Mon, 20 February 2012 12:18 |
powerjon
Messages: 2446
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 5
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The bath blower never worked well when new. It acts as a restriction in the heater hose to the back.
J.R. Wright
GMC GreatLaker
Newsletter Editor/Publisher
78 Buskirk 30' Stretch
75 Avion Under Reconstruction
Michigan
On Feb 20, 2012, at 7:50 AM, Pete wrote:
>
>
> emerystora wrote on Sat, 18 February 2012 06:48
>> Probably because it doesn't move much air and it is noisy. It also draws current from the battery when you are dry camping (without hookups).
>> A lot of people that have it disconnect it for those reasons.
>
>
> I can hear the bathroom booster fan working on my coach, but I don't feel much (if any) warm air coming out of the bathroom duct. Perhaps it is wired backward, as mentioned. What is the easiest way to disable this blower? I would prefer not removing the oven...
> --
> Pete Smay
> Long Beach, CA
> 1977 Kingsley
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J.R. Wright
GMC GreatLaker
GMC Eastern States
GMCMI
78 30' Buskirk Stretch
75 Avion Under Reconstruction
Michigan
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| Re: [GMCnet] Replacing Sol Air furnace with Suburban [message #161011 is a reply to message #160972] |
Mon, 20 February 2012 15:24 |
idrob
Messages: 645
Registered: January 2005
Location: Central Idaho
Karma: 0
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| PETEinLongBeach wrote on Mon, 20 February 2012 06:50 |
I can hear the bathroom booster fan working on my coach, but I don't feel much (if any) warm air coming out of the bathroom duct. Perhaps it is wired backward, as mentioned. What is the easiest way to disable this blower? I would prefer not removing the oven...
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The range is pretty easy to remove, just the gas connection and a few screws in the side, maybe two in the lower bottom.
If you don't want to do that, finding the wires to the blower and cutting them is the other solution.
Here is a photo of what you are going to find when you take the range out. I don't know just where the wires to the blower go.
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=10362&cat=3916
Rob Allen
former owner of '76 x-PB
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| Re: Replacing Sol Air furnace with Suburban [message #161012 is a reply to message #160747] |
Mon, 20 February 2012 15:32 |
captjack
Messages: 271
Registered: February 2010
Location: Sebastopol, California
Karma: 1
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Re: Removing "fan".
I don't recall removing it was that difficult. I did remove the stove to get to ducts and gas piping to put in my Suburban so access to the fan was incidental to other work, in fact I was unaware of its existence until the stove came out. But, removing the stove caused me to install ERF's ignitor (link below) which made it definitely worth the effort. My wife thinks it's one of my better additions.
http://gmcmotorhome.info/living.html#IGNITOR
Jack Christensen - K6ROW,
'76 Glenbrook/Clasco - "The Silver Bullet",
Sebastopol, CA
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| Re: Replacing Sol Air furnace with Suburban [message #161082 is a reply to message #160747] |
Tue, 21 February 2012 10:17 |
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John Heslinga
Messages: 632
Registered: February 2011
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Karma: 4
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Here is one pictorial documentation of my furnace replacement.( I just uploaded) I've noticed that there have been others who have approached the problem in other ways, but this will give you a better understanding how you will need to approach your problem. I will eventually use two of the upper side take offs to heat the bathroom as I redirect heat for a permant bed installation, and heating for the cockpit area( making 6 Ducts exiting the furnace) this improved the air flow through the furnace. Also not shown, is the changes to the galley cabinet to accommodate the furnace shift in position and the cool air return . Both changes were very easy. Once I find those pictures I will upload them. However I can't seem to locate them.
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=42705&title=new-suburban-furnace&cat=6020
John and Cathie Heslinga
1974 Canyonlands 260
455, Manny tranny and 1 ton, 3:70 LS,
Red Seal Journeyman, DTE, BEd. MEd.
Edmonton, Alberta
[Updated on: Tue, 21 February 2012 10:22] Report message to a moderator |
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