Leisure Travel Vans Unity – Furnace Igniter & Control Board Replacement

Your Leisure Travel Vans Unity owner’s manual won’t spend much time on this one: when the furnace quits lighting mid-season, the dealer service write-up usually just says “replace igniter or control board” without explaining what actually fails, why it fails, or whether you can reasonably handle it yourself. The truth is, propane appliances sit in a gray zone — they’re not simple mechanical fixes, but they’re also not so far removed from basic electrical troubleshooting that a methodical owner can’t learn the territory. A failed igniter or dead control board on a Unity furnace is almost always the culprit when heat stops working, and I’ve spent enough time diagnosing these rigs to know that both parts are genuinely swappable if you approach the job with respect for the gas lines and power connections involved. I’ve rolled up to parked Unitys in late October with owners huddled in blankets, and every single diagnosis pointed to one of these two components — so if you take the safety steps seriously and follow the sequence, this repair is absolutely in reach.

The Igniter That Actually Survives Propane Cycling on a Unity Furnace

The igniter electrode is where most Unity furnace failures start — it either won’t spark when the control board sends voltage, or it sparks inconsistently and the board keeps shutting down the burner thinking there’s a safety issue. Once you’ve confirmed the control board is firing the ignition circuit, this is the part that determines whether you’re actually heating or just listening to the blower run.

Parts and Tools

• Replacement igniter electrode assembly with wire harness, matched to your Unity furnace model (typically 232286 single-probe gas igniter) — check current price
• Replacement furnace control board matched to your Unity model and voltage specification
• Wire strippers and crimpers for reconnecting igniter and control board harnesses
• Multimeter capable of reading DC voltage and resistance
• Flashlight or headlamp for viewing igniter electrode gap and control board connections inside the furnace cabinet
• Small screwdrivers (Phillips and flathead) for removing access panels and terminal screws

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Kill propane and 12V power to the furnace

Locate the propane shutoff valve on the line feeding your furnace—it’s usually a small ball valve near the appliance. Turn it perpendicular to the line to shut off gas flow. Then kill the 12V power by switching off the furnace breaker on your battery disconnect panel or fuse box. Wait 30 seconds to let any residual voltage bleed off. This prevents accidental ignition or electrical shock while you work.

Step 2: Remove the furnace access panel and photograph the igniter position

Open the furnace cabinet door or remove the front panel (usually four screws). Take a clear photo of the igniter electrode position, the gap between the electrode tip and the burner assembly, and how the igniter wire harness connects to the control board. This photo is your reference for reassembly. Note the exact routing of the igniter wire so you don’t pinch it when reassembling.

Step 3: Test igniter spark and control board voltage output

Restore 12V power temporarily. Set your multimeter to DC voltage. Probe the igniter wire terminals while someone triggers the furnace (or use the thermostat). You should see 12V or higher during ignition attempt. If voltage is present but no spark occurs at the electrode gap, the igniter is dead. If no voltage appears, the control board is likely the failure. Photograph any voltage readings. Kill power again before proceeding.

Step 4: Disconnect the failed igniter from the control board

Locate where the igniter wire harness connects to the control board—usually a two-pin or three-pin connector. Gently pull the connector apart (don’t yank the wires). If it’s soldered or crimped, carefully desolder or cut the wires, leaving 2–3 inches of wire on the board side. Remove the igniter mounting bracket screw (typically one screw holding the ceramic electrode body to the burner assembly) and slide the old igniter out.

Step 5: Install the replacement igniter and verify electrode gap

Slide the new igniter into the mounting bracket and secure with the original screw—snug but not over-tight, as the ceramic body can crack. Check the electrode gap (typically 0.125 inches for Suburban furnaces) by sliding a business card between the electrode tip and the burner. The card should slide with slight resistance. If the gap is too wide or too narrow, loosen the bracket and adjust the igniter position slightly.

Step 6: Reconnect igniter harness or replace control board if needed

If you’re replacing only the igniter, reconnect the wire harness to the control board using the original connector or by crimping new terminals onto the wire ends and securing them to the board terminals. If the control board failed, disconnect its wire harness from the igniter and any other appliance connections, remove the mounting screws, and slide the new board into place. Reconnect all harnesses to the new board, matching the original routing.

Step 7: Restore power and test furnace ignition

Turn the propane valve back to open (parallel to the line). Restore 12V power. Set your thermostat to heat and trigger the furnace. Listen for the igniter spark (a rapid clicking sound) and watch for the burner flame to light within 5–10 seconds. If the burner lights and stays lit, the repair is successful. If it still fails to light or shuts down after a few seconds, turn everything off and recheck the igniter gap and all wire connections.

What works

• OEM-equivalent spark gap and ceramic insulator survive repeated thermal cycling without cracking or carbon tracking — the cheap aftermarket versions fail again in 18 months.
• Wire assembly is pre-routed with strain relief molded in, so you’re not fumbling with a bare probe trying to get it seated exactly 3/32″ from the burner tube.
• Once installed and the furnace fires, you’ll hear a crisp snap-snap-snap on ignition, not the wet sputtering that tells you the electrode is weeks away from failure.

What doesn’t

• Shipping times from third-party Amazon sellers can stretch 2–3 weeks; if you’re parked in November without heat, order this before you’re stranded.
• The connector clip is fragile plastic — if you’re not careful during removal, you’ll crack it and spend an extra hour splicing new wire, which means you need a soldering iron and heat-shrink tubing on hand.

I second-guessed myself the first time I installed one of these because the spark looked slightly weaker than the OEM part I’d pulled out, but it fired consistently on the first ignition cycle and held steady for the entire 20-minute test run. Fit For Suburban RV Furnace Parts 232286,Single Probe Gas Furnace Igniters Electrode with Wire Assembly, Camper Furnace For Suburban 232286 Above 934701426 SF-20, SF-25, SF-30, SF-35 (SF Series)