# propex 1600 problems..!!!  erghhhh



## daisymini (Nov 16, 2013)

Trying to get van ready for my winter travels and my bloomin propex heater will not ignite...

I press switch to left (flame) on thermostat the heater fan comes on I hear a click then after about 60 seconds the heater turns off,   both lights remain on on the thermostat... It did work but id only really tested it a couple of times since fitting it last year as i never needed it through the summer.  Now I DO need it the blinking thing wont work...!!


Anybody got any ideas???

Ive googled it till it comes out my ears and i cant find a solution..!!


----------



## Smaug (Nov 16, 2013)

Don't know the model, but it needs gas & a spark to ignite the flame & there will also be a flame failure device.

So; make sure there is gas getting to it; make sure there is a spark for the ignition, can you see the flame lit? Presumably you need to keep the starter or some switch depressed to over-ride the flame failure until it heats up. If the flame goes out as soon as you release the override, even if it stays alight for ages while you hold it, then the flame failure thermocouple needs replacing (or at least checking & contacts cleaning).


----------



## Deleted member 20892 (Nov 16, 2013)

Do these have a thermacoupling (sp), fi so, it could be that, that needs replacing.?

jt


----------



## hextal (Nov 16, 2013)

Have you tried contacting propex? I found them to be very helpful when i was installing mine and had numerous technical queries.


----------



## daisymini (Nov 16, 2013)

Im not sure about them having a thermocouple, but from what i can gather it might need the air intake pipe blasting with air as there is a fan that sometimes gets clogged up with dust etc  so will try that tomorrow and see what happens....


----------



## bill scouse (Nov 16, 2013)

Make sure you have enough power in your batteries. Try with engine running.


----------



## Smaug (Nov 16, 2013)

daisymini said:


> Im not sure about them having a thermocouple, but from what i can gather it might need the air intake pipe blasting with air as there is a fan that sometimes gets clogged up with dust etc  so will try that tomorrow and see what happens....



If it has a flame (it's the only way it will get hot really) then it will have a thermocouple flame failure unit. And possibly some sort of overheat device too if the intake gets clogged. 

If you have heard the fan running then it probably isn't clogged with dust, but there could be spider nests & muck in the intake reducing the airflow leading to overheating. have you looked at the Propex 2000 pdf & manuals on their web site? I guess yours is an earlier model, but there may well be some good clues in it.


----------



## n brown (Nov 16, 2013)

don't blast with too much power as the fans are aluminium turbines and you could bend one,if the fan blows on the cold air button then it's ok. these things don't have a thermocouple as we know it,but something that looks just like a sparker.this can get a bit dirty and need cleaning.i would ring propex as hextal says,very helpful there,and if you have to send them the unit they sort it quite quickly.is it the 1600 Compact ?


----------



## Smaug (Nov 16, 2013)

n brown said:


> don't blast with too much power as the fans are aluminium turbines and you could bend one,if the fan blows on the cold air button then it's ok. these things don't have a thermocouple as we know it,but something that looks just like a sparker.this can get a bit dirty and need cleaning.i would ring propex as hextal says,very helpful there,and if you have to send them the unit they sort it quite quickly.is it the 1600 Compact ?



I can understand the sparker for ignition & that will need power (check fuses & connections) but there MUST be some sort of temperature sensor to turn the gas off if it doesn't light - otherwise it will go KERRR_BOOM!!


----------



## daisymini (Nov 16, 2013)

n brown said:


> don't blast with too much power as the fans are aluminium turbines and you could bend one,if the fan blows on the cold air button then it's ok. these things don't have a thermocouple as we know it,but something that looks just like a sparker.this can get a bit dirty and need cleaning.i would ring propex as hextal says,very helpful there,and if you have to send them the unit they sort it quite quickly.is it the 1600 Compact ?



Yes its a 1600 compact...and it did work when i fitted it but ive probably only had it switched on once just to test it...so i thought the cobweb dust theory could be the problem and was worth trying to blow out with air..apparently propex suggests this as something to try first


----------



## daisymini (Nov 16, 2013)

bill scouse said:


> Make sure you have enough power in your batteries. Try with engine running.



Hi bill,  battery is fully charged so not the problem, and before anyone asks...i do have gas.....lol....


----------



## n brown (Nov 16, 2013)

forgot to mention,it can take 5 or 6 attempts before it lights ,but you've probably done that many !


----------



## bill scouse (Nov 16, 2013)

But have you got the gas turned on.:idea:


----------



## n brown (Nov 16, 2013)

it sounds like the flame failure thing,the reason I said it looks like the sparker is that it's situated right next to the sparker and looks exactly the same !to get at it,the top cover comes off after undoing all the little self tappers round the base and one on top,there may be some resistance when you try to pull it off as they use a heatproof silicone mastic to seal the joins when they put the cover on,steady pressure and it'll unstick.  next bit's a nuisance if it's the same as mine !
  you can see the tubular burner unit and this has 2 wires coming from 2 electrodes screwed in the sidesthese electrodes have to come out and be cleaned with a bit of fine emery paper.trouble is ,on mine you had to undo the 2 larger screws underneath which hold the exhaust outlet,once these are out,the burner unit ,which is a very tight fit going through the red wall,can be tuned a bit to allow access to the screws and electrodes.don't get them mixed up !


----------



## daisymini (Nov 16, 2013)

n brown said:


> it sounds like the flame failure thing,the reason I said it looks like the sparker is that it's situated right next to the sparker and looks exactly the same !to get at it,the top cover comes off after undoing all the little self tappers round the base and one on top,there may be some resistance when you try to pull it off as they use a heatproof silicone mastic to seal the joins when they put the cover on,steady pressure and it'll unstick.  next bit's a nuisance if it's the same as mine !
> you can see the tubular burner unit and this has 2 wires coming from 2 electrodes screwed in the sidesthese electrodes have to come out and be cleaned with a bit of fine emery paper.trouble is ,on mine you had to undo the 2 larger screws underneath which hold the exhaust outlet,once these are out,the burner unit ,which is a very tight fit going through the red wall,can be tuned a bit to allow access to the screws and electrodes.don't get them mixed up !



OOOhhhh nige that sounds complicated..!!! are you going to the medieval meet???   if i dont get it working before then would you be kind enough to have a look??  please....can always come down your way a couple of days earlier if needs be....:help::help::help:

Hopefully can sort it myself!!!


----------



## FULL TIMER (Nov 16, 2013)

Before you strip to much if you can get it apart you will find a very small fan type thing on the circuit board, looks like miniature computer fan, from memory about an inch square, these little fans have to be moving before the heater will fire up might just need a good hard blow to get it moving, if this fan doesn't rotate when the heater starts drawing air in the heater will not fire up. if the heaters are not used they can seize up or just get a little sticky through lack of use and build up of damp and dust etc. If you have access to a garage with a decent airline a quick blast of air up the heater exhaust pipe  and /or the air intake might just be enough to free it off.


----------



## n brown (Nov 16, 2013)

certainly i'll have a look but you might think about ringing propex  see what they say,and of course you can pop round !


----------



## wineciccio (Nov 16, 2013)

I would check the battery voltage first of all, if its below 12 volts 
it will be very difficult to ignite the heater. I have a truma diesel heater and that is what happens if the battery is low, it goes through the ignition sequence but but it does not fire up.:newhere:


----------



## Smaug (Nov 16, 2013)

diesel heaters need an electric heating element to fire them up which is why the battery needs to be good. OP has a Propex which is a Propane burning heater, a simple spark will ignite gas, so there is no need for high current heater elements.


----------



## witzend (Nov 16, 2013)

with my truma heater I had a similar problem after leaving it with out use for a while when i tried to start it it just clicked and the fan didn't start it needs to run for a few seconds to clear any gas that may have accumulated then while running it ignites the gas, Just tapping the fan housing with a screw driver handle started mine


----------



## Caz (Nov 17, 2013)

I agree, Propex needs a good 12v supply to run. When I got my last van it had a US leisure battery and propex wouldn't fire up. Bought a new leisure battery and Bingo - heating!


----------



## Smaug (Nov 17, 2013)

Well, ya live & learn, yet another heating system to avoid then!!! :rolleyes2:


----------



## daisymini (Nov 18, 2013)

You will all be pleased to know the heater is working...!!!!!!...yipeee  After doing every check that i could google without success, i sat and went through a process of elimination, i knew my battery was ok and that i had enough gas, but then i remembered that the seating had collapsed in the summer right on top of the gas manifold switch...!!!!!!!...Culprit...one broken switch.....!!!!!

Now at least ill be warm on my travels

Thanks guys for all your help once again!!


----------



## carol (Nov 18, 2013)

Yay well done you! Does this mean you're out and about again? Do hope so!:wave:


----------



## daisymini (Nov 18, 2013)

carol said:


> Yay well done you! Does this mean you're out and about again? Do hope so!:wave:



not quite out and about i go to pick new leg up on wednesday...and it still hasnt quite healed ..but im getting ready so 
that as soon as i can im off....lol


----------



## gaz2676 (Nov 18, 2013)

see you did nt need help in the finish ...nice job mini............ RESPECT


----------



## carol (Nov 18, 2013)

daisymini said:


> not quite out and about i go to pick new leg up on wednesday...and it still hasnt quite healed ..but im getting ready so
> that as soon as i can im off....lol



I feel a mini meet coming on. A Daisymini meet!


----------



## Deleted member 21686 (Nov 18, 2013)

daisymini said:


> not quite out and about i go to pick new leg up on wednesday...and it still hasnt quite healed ..but im getting ready so
> that as soon as i can im off....lol



See you in Caerphilly then Sue.


----------



## daisymini (Nov 18, 2013)

MORGANTHEMOON said:


> See you in Caerphilly then Sue.



Yep Hope so Morgan!!!!


----------



## n brown (Nov 18, 2013)

well done mate,good to hear about your leg and the heater,if you're coming to Wales,drive Caerphilly


----------



## daisymini (Nov 18, 2013)

n brown said:


> well done mate,good to hear about your leg and the heater,if you're coming to Wales,drive Caerphilly



:lol-049::lol-049::lol-049::lol-049::lol-049::lol-049::lol-049::lol-049::lol-049:   that had me in fits...!!!....lol


----------



## n brown (Nov 18, 2013)

daisymini said:


> :lol-049::lol-049::lol-049::lol-049::lol-049::lol-049::lol-049::lol-049::lol-049:   that had me in fits...!!!....lol


 cheesus ,you're easily pleased !


----------



## herbenny (Nov 18, 2013)

.!!


----------



## master (Nov 18, 2013)

I had a very similar problem to this with exactly the same model and finally it turned out to be a dry solder joint on the remote thermostat / control pcb. This gave me one of those really hard to find intermittent problems (also just to make it even more infuriating it worked fine in warm weather and was worse when the weather was cold!!) and I was convinced it was the main unit, but re-soldering the pad on the back of the pcb solved the problem and its probably not where you would think to look. For me it was obvious which pad was 'dry' but if you cant see any obvious sign then try dabbing them all with a soldering iron to see if it makes a difference. The unit is pretty easy to remove and dismantle but let me know if its a problem.

So worth a look and if you send the unit back to Propex then send them the thermostat/control unit as well so they can test with a known good unit.

Hope that helps

Chris


----------

