Such a newby, need a little help

[dropthepop]

I took the 2007 Niagra for maiden voyage with grandchild. Never practiced backing the sucker up and drove into a dead end. I eventually got it out without denting my TV, had a huge crowd watching that I threatened to charge admission for watching and not offering to help as I kept shouting, this is my first time!!!!

Not the issue, I finally found my space and got pup in, even if a little crooked.

Problem was that we FROZE that night and I can't figure out why. I had all the books for the popup, since nothing seems to be added at the factory. Propane was working, since stove worked. I was plugged into my 30 amp, lights worked. My furnace has electronic ignition and all switches are inside the camper. I still took off panels outside, they were refridgerator and stove access only. So I am sure I got that part right.

Turn termostate to lowest setting, turn power off, wait 5 minutes, turn switch back on (this is behind the grill inside the camper, beside or under the refidgerator), then it said to set thermostate and warm it up. Never happened. I tried 3 times. I wish I was computer literate enought to attach pictures.

Also, I was hooked up to water, flipped the switch in the camper for hot water, also electric switch beside breaker box, and never got hot water.

Then when I had to go to dump station to dump black and then grey water, I could not remember which was on what side. I was standing there with my Fleetwood book reading while others had to wait, it was not listed in the book as to which is what, nor outside on the pulls that I could read. I gave up and pulled right side then left side to dump. Rinsed my sewer hose REALLY GOOD before putting into plastic bad.

I felt bad for my grandson, to freeze like that, no hot tap water.  I feel like selling the moster now. Anyone in the market?

Or maybe someone can tell me what I did wrong. The dealer will charge me $150 to take it back and get an "inservice" . They kept if for three weeks last time in when I thought the fridge did not work and dropped the darn thing from the hitch pullling out of the lot. I feel my RV is snake bit.

Maybe a middle aged woman should not try to become an RV person this late in life. My grandson had a blast by the way and asked when we could take it to the coast!! FREAKING OUT HERE. Thanks for any advice, all is welcomed.

[wavery]

Sounds to me like the heater may be defective. Have you ever run it before?

I'm really sorry that you had a negative experience. It can be such a wonderful lifestyle. We have many (Dare I say) middle aged ladies that set-up and have a blast with their campers. It just takes some experience and there is only one way to get that. We always suggest doing, "Camp Driveway" the 1st time out for the very reasons that you are mentioning.

It doesn't matter which tank that you dump 1st. They both need to be dumped anyway. However, next time that you set up, run some water down the sink with both dump valves open. The one that has water running out is the gray water tank. :sombraro:

As for dead-end streets....... sometimes, you are better off unhitching the trailer and turning it around by pushing. You could have even inlisted a couple of willing young soles to help. :-()

[putnam2030]

Hey,

Don't sell the pup just yet. I am a newbie as well (06' Niagara) and have experienced most of the problems you are having INCLUDING the crowd of people (it was my neighbors as I was trying to back into my driveway!). Practice will solve the backing challenge but your furnace seems like a bigger problem. I will defer to the professionals on this board but... I bought my camper used so I had to figure out some of the things. However, I have lit my furnace and it is just like you said, turn it on, set the thermostat and listen to the ignitor start-up a light the gas. It should be easy. You may have to get that one checked. I though the hot water heater was a bigger pain to deal with and I still don't know where to light the pilot on the fridge to run it on LP.

[putnam2030]

Oh, another thing. My 06 Niagara  has the blackwater / greywater valves color coded. Since my year model does not have a grey water tank both valves connect to a single outlet hose connection with the valves on either side. The greywater valve has a little grey colored fitting just after the valve.

[TXpopper]

On my '07 Niagara there is no need to remove any panels to use the heater.  The heater controls are below the microwave.  On top of the thermostat is a small switch, which needs to be pushed to the left to turn on (it can be very hard to move, and mine makes a loud click).  Adjust the thermostat and the heater should auto-ignite if your propane is turned on.  Remember to turn the heater switch off when packing up, or the heater can run down your battery trying to auto-ignite if it is cold out (at least that is what I was told).  Perhaps your set up is different, or did you find an on/off switch on the thermostat?

Good Luck

[TXpopper]

Also, the water heater switch seems backwards to me, mine toggles down for on, but if you look at the switch it is actually marked that way.  Did you check your breakers to make sure they were OK?

On the tank draining, the Aft valve is the black water (larger pipe) and the grey water is the Fwd valve (smaller pipe).  If you look under the trailer you will see a large flat tank, which is your grey water.  The black water tank sits above the floor under the toilet.  Drain the black water tank first, then the grey.  Draining the grey water works best if you make sure you have it fairly full, which also helps flush the line.

We love our Niagara, and will be off on our fourth trip for the year this weekend at Mustang Bear Creek near Benbrook.

[AustinBoston]

As for dead-end streets....... sometimes, you are better off unhitching the trailer and turning it around by pushing. You could have even inlisted a couple of willing young soles to help. :-()

A Niagara could be quite a handful to move by hand, at about 3,500 lbs (depending on year).  This could be especially true if the road is not flat or level.  :yikes:

Having said that, I got into a "situation" last summer that almost had me unhitching and just using the tongue wheel and chains on a very uneven dirt track.  Fortunately, a local came along and told me of a place farther ahead where I could turn around.

Austin

[brainpause]

Make sure you have water in the water heater tank before you light it. I'm not terribly familiar with that model, but somehow, you can ensure there is water in that tank before lighting.

Oh...don't give up. There is a learning curve. Once you have your routine and everything figured out, you'll love it! I admire you for taking it on yourself, and taking your grandson out. I guarantee you are making indelible memories. That's exactly what Holly and I plan to do with our arrival after July!

Larry

[TXpopper]

Larry makes a good point, the water heater is under the fwd left seat, you probably should check that it is not by-passed by checking the position of the little valve.  Also, when you first turn on the water heater does the red light come on?  It should for about a minute then shut off if everything is working correctly.

Also, it is a good idea to carry a small electric heater for those times when you have power hook-ups.  We use ours to keep the chill off, and the trailer heater only kicks on when the little electric can't keep up.  Saves a lot of propane, and you are already paying for the electric so why not use it.

[sandykayak]

I've been awol for a  few months, but work is starting to slow down a bit.

Since I live in Florida, I did not choose the furnace option -wanted more storage.  But there have been several chilly nights.

I use electric heaters/fans but what does the best job is clipping some blankets on the inside of the canvas around the bunks.  I also lower the privacy curtains (It's a Jayco), making sure that the heaters are not blocked.

[Gameldor]

Backing is easy if you take your time and be calm. You get in trouble when you over steer. The best way to learn is to use only the left and right hand mirrows and don't turn to look over your shoulder, usually causes more input on the stearing wheel. Hold the stearing wheel at the bottom, palm down, only with one hand and the vehicle and trailer streaght if possible. If you want the back of the trailer to go left, move your hand to the left (clockwise), if you want to back it to the right move your hand to the right ( counterclockwise). When you get the hand movement down you find it much easier than turning around and using the top of the wheel.

[dropthepop]

I will try the furnace one more time in the Fall before I give in and take back to the dealer. I will also double check the switches on the furnace. I will look for additional switches. I need to take my magnifing glass. I did not find an on and off, as book said to look for, I did find a type of reset button/switch.

I am not sure how to check to see if there is water in the heater, I thought if the water was hooked up, it went into the hot water heater. The toggle below the bench seat did turn red then went out. The outside of the camper, where vent and drain is for the water heater, was warm to the touch, but the water never got hot and eventually, the outside cooled down too. I read in the book that it gives 3 trys then will cut off if a problem??

As for the tight spot turn around. I did ask the "young men" who were watching if one of them would volunteer to back the camper into the tight space for me, since there were so many trees and other things in the way. No takers, but as I pulled out and told them next time they pay admission, they gave big smiles as they told me one of them would have taken over if it looked like I was really going to damage my truck or the camper. It gave me a boost of confidence. But took a week for my blood pressure to drop back to normal.

At some point, I will attempt to put the camper into either my drive way or back yard. It would be so much eaiser to check out these things, but I live on such a busy though street on a curve and with a 90 degree turn to get into drive way, again fences, posts and trees to miss, as well as a huge curb, while cars whiz toward me at 50 miles per hour like torpedos.

AND finally, the black and grey dump. I don't have color coding and can't physically get under the camper so will do the open valve and run the sink to find my grey dump, thank you and what a great idea, simple but would never have thought of it myself. I will then color code it myself with some paint.

Thank you all, you are a great community and how can I sell my camper without getting to know more folks like you.

When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. Terri

[TXpopper]

Since the light came on and went off correctly and the exhaust felt warm, I'm willing to bet the by-pass valve is your problem.  Lift the seat cushion above the heater switch and rotate the little brass valve between the inlet and outlet to the water heater 90 degrees.  Mine was in by-pass when I got it and the dealer showed me where to find it.  On the heater issue, that switch is little, hard to find, and hard to move (it is part of the actual thermostat in the recess), I'm considering changing mine to the LUX 500 or similar electronic to make it easier to turn on and off.

Don't give up, we will all try to help, and I know you will love your Niagara once you use a few times.

Vic & Debbie

[chip]

The on/off switch for your heater, assuming you have the same thermostat as I do, will be located on the upper right corner of the thermostat as you face it.  It is just a short toggle and is quite stiff.

I agree that your hot water heater is likely in bypass mode.  Remove the seat cushion over the converter and you will see the hot water heater-looks like a large styrofoam box.  At the bottom of the heater will be a valve marked "Bypass" or "??" (I can't remember at the moment).  Turn the valve to the "???" position and it should fill up when hooked up to city water (with a hose), or after filling the fresh water tank and turning on the pump.
 
If you can see the pipes leading to the valves on your dump point, the side with the smaller pipe and valve is the gray water side.  The larger valve and piping is black water.  Open the black water and drain it first then dump the gray water.  It technically doesn't make any difference, but the gray water will tend to rinse the black water from the hose and make the remaining cleanup a little more pleasant.  Rubber gloves are a nicety, as well.
 
Hope that Helps.

[wavery]

The way that you can tell if your water heater is full is to turn on the hot water faucet. If you have water and air spurting out, the water heater isn't full yet. Let the water run until you have a steady stream. That means that all of the air is out and it is full of water.