Sol-Aire furnace

[Chazzer]

My spark pack is not working in my Sol-Aire furnace. Looking to see if any one had any I could buy. I have read all the information on them. As long
as I have all the safety items needed I should be ok. Don’t plan on using it much anyway. I was thinking I could put a suburban board in it to make
it work as a last resort.
--
Hager and Sissy
1975 Eleganza #5 of that year
Has a plaque on the glove box from GMC
Mostly stock with a few changes to the interior
Eagle rims and through the bumper hitch
Granite City Illinois

 

[sgltrac]

I know that this is un solicited advice but,
A furnace from any manufacturer that old is a potential hazard. Especially
a Sol-Aire. I had a solaire in my 77 and it worked but was noisy. The noise
in conjunction with my fear of dying in my sleep made many nights far less
restful than optimal. I was able to find a salvaged Dometic furnace after
looking for a few weeks on CL for $250. Was able to buy the install kit for
less than $50. Since the newer furnaces can be worked on from the outside
which is a hell of a lot less labor than removing the kitchen cabinet which
was necessary with the oe solaire.

Sully
Bellevue wa

On Sun, Dec 20, 2020 at 9:51 AM Jim via Gmclist
wrote:

> My spark pack is not working in my Sol-Aire furnace. Looking to see if any
> one had any I could buy. I have read all the information on them. As long
> as I have all the safety items needed I should be ok. Don’t plan on using
> it much anyway. I was thinking I could put a suburban board in it to make
> it work as a last resort.
> --
> Hager and Sissy
> 1975 Eleganza #5 of that year
> Has a plaque on the glove box from GMC
> Mostly stock with a few changes to the interior
> Eagle rims and through the bumper hitch
> Granite City Illinois
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

 

[adolph santorine]

I’ll second what Sully said, and add this- do you want to trust your life to a 40+ year old piece of stamped steel that is in a bad location to rust, and one that is nearly impossible to visually inspect?

I put in an Atwood, using these instructions:

Swartzendruber_Atwood_Furnace_Install.pdf http://www.gmceast.com/technical/Swartzendruber_Atwood_Furnace_Install.pdf

Dolph

DE AD0LF

Wheeling, West Virginia

1977 26’ ex-PalmBeach
Howell EFI & EBL, Reaction Arms, Manny Transmission

“The Aluminum and Fiberglass Mistress”

|[ ]~~~[][ ][] \
"--OO--[]---O-"

>
> I know that this is un solicited advice but,
> A furnace from any manufacturer that old is a potential hazard. Especially
> a Sol-Aire. I had a solaire in my 77 and it worked but was noisy. The noise
> in conjunction with my fear of dying in my sleep made many nights far less
> restful than optimal. I was able to find a salvaged Dometic furnace after
> looking for a few weeks on CL for $250. Was able to buy the install kit for
> less than $50. Since the newer furnaces can be worked on from the outside
> which is a hell of a lot less labor than removing the kitchen cabinet which
> was necessary with the oe solaire.
>
> Sully
> Bellevue wa
>
> On Sun, Dec 20, 2020 at 9:51 AM Jim via Gmclist

>
>> My spark pack is not working in my Sol-Aire furnace. Looking to see if any
>> one had any I could buy. I have read all the information on them. As long
>> as I have all the safety items needed I should be ok. Don’t plan on using
>> it much anyway. I was thinking I could put a suburban board in it to make
>> it work as a last resort.
>> --
>> Hager and Sissy
>> 1975 Eleganza #5 of that year
>> Has a plaque on the glove box from GMC
>> Mostly stock with a few changes to the interior
>> Eagle rims and through the bumper hitch
>> Granite City Illinois
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

 

[Irish Rogue]

Hager and Sissy:
Hey there - We have not met you good folks yet but we are from Peoria, IL. (During the summers and fall) and belong to the GMC 6 Wheelers (mainly out of Illinois and Indiana)!
Just wanted to say hi, welcome to the cult, and invite you to one of our 6 rallies May thru Oct! Or you could just join our Gr8 club and attend all of them! We are a small club (25 to 30 active members) but are active, helpful to each other, and fun loving!
Mike Kelley - Membership Chairman
Mike & Billie Kelley

Sent from my iPhone

>
> My spark pack is not working in my Sol-Aire furnace. Looking to see if any one had any I could buy. I have read all the information on them. As long
> as I have all the safety items needed I should be ok. Don’t plan on using it much anyway. I was thinking I could put a suburban board in it to make
> it work as a last resort.
> --
> Hager and Sissy
> 1975 Eleganza #5 of that year
> Has a plaque on the glove box from GMC
> Mostly stock with a few changes to the interior
> Eagle rims and through the bumper hitch
> Granite City Illinois
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

 

[Chazzer]

Looking forward to a lot of Rallies, have a lot to learn about things I should keep an eye on
--
Hager and Sissy
1975 Eleganza #5 of that year
Has a plaque on the glove box from GMC
Mostly stock with a few changes to the interior
Eagle rims and through the bumper hitch
Granite City Illinois

 

[Chazzer]

Thanks for the offer for the furnace ,but I have a suburban furnace to put in if needed . I want to keep the outside of my coach clean looking around
the furnace vents. I would like to use my original vents if possible
--
Hager and Sissy
1975 Eleganza #5 of that year
Has a plaque on the glove box from GMC
Mostly stock with a few changes to the interior
Eagle rims and through the bumper hitch
Granite City Illinois

 

[Chazzer]

Found an igniter on eBay. Will update if it works
--
Hager and Sissy
1975 Eleganza #5 of that year
Has a plaque on the glove box from GMC
Mostly stock with a few changes to the interior
Eagle rims and through the bumper hitch
Granite City Illinois

 

[Matt Colie]

Hagar and Sissy,

Welcome to the group, family,cult, asylum....

Starting out with a great sigfile is a real good thing.

You don't say how long you have owned the coach, but you found your way here and that will serve you well. You will quickly discover that she is much
more than a big new toy. The real value in being the owner and caretaker of a GMC is the community that it connects you to. You will find us to be
an amazingly supportive and helping community. Do not be put off by the forwardness of those that contact you. As far as we are concerned, you are
another old friend that just arrived. You may be contacted by those local to you, they are all friends. When you get to be a member of: Six
Wheelers, Greatlakers and GMCMI, you will find that we all have a not-so-hidden agenda. That agenda that we all take to heart is to see to it that
you get to enjoy both the coach and what she can do for you. There is a world out there that is difficult for normal people to access.

If you do not have all of the service and owner's documentation, that can be downloaded at GMCMI, or you can join GMCMI and get it all on a
thumbdrive.

I can't help you with the Sol-Aire, but others can. The coach may be nearly OE, but that is not scored for much around here. Safety is first and
functionality is second, somewhere down the list is "stock". Someone that was looking over my coach (which is honestly kind of shabby), asked if I
was going to restore it. I replied that my intent was to wear it out. (There is not much chance that will happen before I do.)

When I found this community, I was instantly at home. These people are so much like the watermen of my world that it was amazing. For this reason, I
have taken to welcome those that show up here with a slight paraphase of the initial greeting they should get there. So,

May the Good Lord bless this coach and all those that set forth within her.

Welcome Hagar and Sissy

Matt

--
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit

 

[richshoop]

We also have a 75 Eleganza, originally with a sol aire furnace in it. Told by two different RV repair people that the sol aire is not a safe appliance. I replaced it with an Atwood Hydroflame furnace. It allowed me to reuse one of the sol aire's vent holes for the coaxial fresh air / exhaust of the Atwood. I reattached one of the sol aire outside trim over the spare hole. The Atwood is physically smaller than the sol aire. I did have to redo the plenum, which was bit of a pain. You need to run a direct ground wire back to the coach ground lug.

>
>
> Thanks for the offer for the furnace ,but I have a suburban furnace to put in if needed . I want to keep the outside of my coach clean looking around
> the furnace vents. I would like to use my original vents if possible
> --
> Hager and Sissy
> 1975 Eleganza #5 of that year
> Has a plaque on the glove box from GMC
> Mostly stock with a few changes to the interior
> Eagle rims and through the bumper hitch
> Granite City Illinois
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

 

[sgltrac]

You can also ground it to any of the aluminum wall braces(don’t need to go
all the way back to the lug)

Sully
Bellevue wa

On Sun, Dec 20, 2020 at 9:15 PM RICHARD/MARLI SHOOP via Gmclist <

> We also have a 75 Eleganza, originally with a sol aire furnace in it. Told
> by two different RV repair people that the sol aire is not a safe
> appliance. I replaced it with an Atwood Hydroflame furnace. It allowed me
> to reuse one of the sol aire's vent holes for the coaxial fresh air /
> exhaust of the Atwood. I reattached one of the sol aire outside trim over
> the spare hole. The Atwood is physically smaller than the sol aire. I did
> have to redo the plenum, which was bit of a pain. You need to run a direct
> ground wire back to the coach ground lug.
>

> >
> >
> > Thanks for the offer for the furnace ,but I have a suburban furnace to
> put in if needed . I want to keep the outside of my coach clean looking
> around
> > the furnace vents. I would like to use my original vents if possible
> > --
> > Hager and Sissy
> > 1975 Eleganza #5 of that year
> > Has a plaque on the glove box from GMC
> > Mostly stock with a few changes to the interior
> > Eagle rims and through the bumper hitch
> > Granite City Illinois
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

 

[jim kanomata1]

I suggest you all should look at why Sol Air is no longer in business.
If you have one that has been use a lot , it is not a safe unit.

On Mon, Dec 21, 2020 at 3:12 PM Todd Sullivan via Gmclist <

> You can also ground it to any of the aluminum wall braces(don’t need to go
> all the way back to the lug)
>
> Sully
> Bellevue wa
>
> On Sun, Dec 20, 2020 at 9:15 PM RICHARD/MARLI SHOOP via Gmclist <

>
> > We also have a 75 Eleganza, originally with a sol aire furnace in it.
> Told
> > by two different RV repair people that the sol aire is not a safe
> > appliance. I replaced it with an Atwood Hydroflame furnace. It allowed me
> > to reuse one of the sol aire's vent holes for the coaxial fresh air /
> > exhaust of the Atwood. I reattached one of the sol aire outside trim over
> > the spare hole. The Atwood is physically smaller than the sol aire. I did
> > have to redo the plenum, which was bit of a pain. You need to run a
> direct
> > ground wire back to the coach ground lug.
> >

> > >
> > >
> > > Thanks for the offer for the furnace ,but I have a suburban furnace to
> > put in if needed . I want to keep the outside of my coach clean looking
> > around
> > > the furnace vents. I would like to use my original vents if possible
> > > --
> > > Hager and Sissy
> > > 1975 Eleganza #5 of that year
> > > Has a plaque on the glove box from GMC
> > > Mostly stock with a few changes to the interior
> > > Eagle rims and through the bumper hitch
> > > Granite City Illinois
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > GMCnet mailing list
> > > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > > http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
> >
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk
http://www.gmcrvparts.com
1-800-752-7502

 

[Chazzer]

The spark igniter from ebay works like a charm. It was around 25 bucks and was very simple to wire up. Just a positive and negative wire and a out for
the coil wire. Yes I know the soleaire furnace is not the safest but all furnaces are unsafe if not cared for. Just wanted it to work and I have all
the needed sensors. Don’t plan on using it much if any
--
Hager and Sissy
1975 Eleganza #5 of that year
Has a plaque on the glove box from GMC
Mostly stock with a few changes to the interior
Eagle rims and through the bumper hitch
Granite City Illinois

 

[powwerjon]

I would be sure that I had a new very good CO monitor in the coach if you must continue to use the Soleaire Furnace. Most have pin holes in the firebox. The choice is yours to make! And yes I had one in the 75 Avion model and it and all the spare parts went to the trash about 2 years ago, NOT in our coach!!

J.R. Wright
GMC Great Laker MHC
GMCGL Tech Editor
GMC Eastern States Charter Member
GMCMI
78 GMC Buskirk 29.5’ Stretch
75 GMC Avion (Under Reconstruction)
Michigan

>
> The spark igniter from ebay works like a charm. It was around 25 bucks and was very simple to wire up. Just a positive and negative wire and a out for
> the coil wire. Yes I know the soleaire furnace is not the safest but all furnaces are unsafe if not cared for. Just wanted it to work and I have all
> the needed sensors. Don’t plan on using it much if any
> --
> Hager and Sissy
> 1975 Eleganza #5 of that year
> Has a plaque on the glove box from GMC
> Mostly stock with a few changes to the interior
> Eagle rims and through the bumper hitch
> Granite City Illinois
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

 

[Larry Davick]

I had my furnace serviced at the local suburban shop, Almaden RV in San Jose. It has a cast iron burner and the tech said it should be repairable as long as the burner doesn’t crack. It works well.

Larry Davick
1976 Palm Beach
A Mystery Machine
Fremont, Ca