Using a lot of gas - DIY Chatroom

dsf · 12-03-2008, 07:42 PM

I have a coleman furnace that burns on propane, Model #DGAA056BDTA,
serial #WOH5701307, that seems to burn way to much fuel. Does anyone know what the orifice size should be for this furnace for 7,000 ft. My last fuel bill was $369.00 which seems way to high for a small mobile home.

hvaclover · 12-03-2008, 10:32 PM

An altitude of 7000 ft????

What do you have a flying mobile home?

But seriously, what makes you think it's too much?

Are you comparing last year's bill to this year?

dsf · 12-04-2008, 09:52 AM

I live in Flagstaff AZ, and yes it is 7000 ft. I'm comparing my bill to other trailers around me and they are hundreds less.

Tommy2 · 12-04-2008, 10:21 AM

The first thing I would do is talk to the propane company. Could just be a mistake.

Id say thats about impossible amount of fuel for a mobile home to use.

Could be a leak in the tank?

Daltex · 12-04-2008, 12:04 PM

Is there anything else that uses propane in your home? Stove, oven, water heater? See if your propane supplier can perform a leak test for you.

hvaclover · 12-04-2008, 12:52 PM

You asked about burner orifice size. That would be possible if the unit were brand new.

How long have you owned or how old is the furnace? I ask because if you've had the furnace a few years or more and you didn't have this problem then, the likelihood of an over sized orifice is not the source of the problem.

dac122 · 12-04-2008, 01:59 PM

If you have a gauge on your propane tank you can check for grossly large leaks by turning off everything that will use propane, note where the needle is, and come back an hour or so later. Any movement you've got a problem.

hvaclover · 12-04-2008, 03:55 PM

Nad don't use no open flame though...

dsf · 12-04-2008, 10:13 PM

No I do not have a leak. My bill in the summer is 3 dollars. The meter is owned by the park I live in. We all use the same gas from a bulk tank, and are metered on seperate meters. I just want to know if my orifice size can be changed for that particular furnace to help save fuel. Also the furnace is only a year old. Also there are no leaks past the meter, when everything is shut off the meter does not move.

Thanks

jerryh3 · 12-04-2008, 10:24 PM

Have you compared the usage and not just the price? Are there any other charges on the bill beside the commodity charges?

hvaclover · 12-04-2008, 10:25 PM

For one month it was $369?

You have a messed up meter. That furnace is only 56,000 btu. It's the smallest Coleman makes. You can't safely de-rate the heating value. How cold does it get there.

I'm a flat lander. Don't know nothing about AZ except it gets hot.

747 · 12-04-2008, 10:32 PM

369 a month. Something is wrong. I have a 3 bedroom home. Copperbase board heat. My heating bill has never been that high. Not even in the winter. I haven't got my current cold weather bill it should be coming. Once i did get a high bill called the gas company they had me go out and read the meter with the guy on the phone. He said someone read the meter wrong. My bill is usually 180 in cold weather months. Summer 78 dollars around there. I have natural gas. All applicances are gas.

dsf · 12-04-2008, 11:24 PM

No I have not compared the usage, but I intend to the next month. I don't think the meter is bad for it only showed very little usage in the summer, as low as 3 dollars worth. It gets very cold in Flagstaff AZ, we've been in the teens 12 to 19 degrees this last month, but the days have been in the high 50's to low 60's, so I am a bit surprised by the gas bill. If you know the BTU size of this furnace do you have specs on the orifice size I should be using?

Thanks

hvaclover · 12-04-2008, 11:32 PM

can't derate that furnace with out causing problems. If it gets that cold then your furnace would be too small to heat the home.

J_theo · 12-05-2008, 12:32 AM

You might have furnace that is over-fired, unfortunatly something a tech would have to check with a manometer. Can't remember what the Wg is on LP or how it's effected at higher altitudes, But, you may want the propane supplier to check your regulator and make sure the pressure is correct, if they find no issue, by all means, mix some water and dish soap to a thick consistancy, and bubble check the propane line junctions, if you find any bubbles, call someone immediately DO NOT TRY AND TIGHTEN THE JUNCTION YOURSELF, if you tighten one you may loosen another, domino effect with combustable gas is not something you want. Now, regualtor checked and line checked, the gas valve at the unit may be failed or simply over-fired. If the flame positioning valve has not changed position (something a tech would have to check), the diaphram inside of the gas valve may be failed in which case the valve must be replaced. The only other way to check to see if your propane usage is correct is to clock the meter. Bit involved, but effective.