Useless Furnace - Repairman Recommendation / Advice

[digi355]

Did you try pulling the tubes off and blowing them out? I had the exact same problem. I fixed it by blowing out a pressure switch tube. I think I posted about it on here years ago if your check my post history.

[killramos]

Originally posted by Crazyjoker77
Your getting flame lockout by the sounds of your symptoms but a LED code will tell you all you need to know. If that is the case a flame rod is the issue. (specifically the secondary flame rod in intermittent ignition system, or primary flame rod on a direct ignition)(primary is the one closest to the pilot assembly, secondary will be the one on the opposite end of the burner)

Its a safety feature built into the furnace and with the flame rod not working its not sensing that the burner is on(even though it is) and is shutting itself down so its not just dumping gas. It will attempt 3 tries before going into a hard lockout.(where you have to remove power from the board for ~5sec)

The main blower is irrelavant(other than it running) as its basically just controlled by its own thermo switch. (if the heat exchager is hot its gonna spin and if it doesnt blow the heat exchanger gets to hot and trips the high limit)

your symptoms also sound like it could be the high limit but "generally" it will just short cycle continuously and not actually "lock out".

As someone already said rollout switches are almost always manual reset and they wont try 3 times before locking out.

Yea it seems like its locking out but more of a "soft lockout" (like maybe gives itself an hour or so before re attempting) as it comes back. just not for a significant period of time. I think the furnace is running a bit in the night but just not nearly as much as it should.

Anyhow i will get the repair guy in today and see how things go.

[benyl]

Originally posted by killramos


Furnace is 1.5 years old (2013 house build) if its broken...

I'd be calling the builder.

I had them coming and fix a bunch of shit (including balancing and getting rid of a harmonic noise from the furnace). No charge. Or maybe the builder got charged.

[killramos]

Originally posted by benyl


I'd be calling the builder.

I had them coming and fix a bunch of shit (including balancing and getting rid of a harmonic noise from the furnace). No charge. Or maybe the builder got charged.

July 2013 Build, I doubt I still have new home coverage for this. I had his guy come last december for this problem...

edit: Apparently heating systems are 2 years! Sounds like time to call my builder. Even if his guy is useless.

[rage2]

Flame sensor.



I've had this same problem 3 times in 15 years, every single time it's the damn flame sensor. 10 mins to clean, or $2 to replace.

[Pacman]

Originally posted by rage2
Flame sensor.

I've had this same problem 3 times in 15 years, every single time it's the damn flame sensor. 10 mins to clean, or $2 to replace.

That's exactly what was causing my issues a few years ago. I cleaned it with some steel wool and it worked fine after that. About a year later, I started having the same problem, and another clean fixed it again.

This thread reminds me that I should clean it again. I bought a new rod last year and did noticed that the diameter was slightly thicker than the one I had been scrubbing down......so it might not be a bad idea to buy a 2nd one as a spare. It was less than $10 at a furnace supply store.

[killramos]

Originally posted by Pacman


That's exactly what was causing my issues a few years ago. I cleaned it with some steel wool and it worked fine after that. About a year later, I started having the same problem, and another clean fixed it again.

This thread reminds me that I should clean it again. I bought a new rod last year and did noticed that the diameter was slightly thicker than the one I had been scrubbing down......so it might not be a bad idea to buy a 2nd one as a spare. It was less than $10 at a furnace supply store.

Good to know, odd how this part breaks with such frequency but at least its cheap.

I will see what my builder has to say about it all now that i know i still have a modicum of warranty left haha...

[rage2]

Why don't you just follow the youtube video and clean that thing up? Even if they warranty it you'll be paying $50 in labour for someone to come out, even more if it's an emergency. It's an immediate fix that will most likely solve your problem.

[killramos]

Originally posted by rage2
Why don't you just follow the youtube video and clean that thing up? Even if they warranty it you'll be paying $50 in labour for someone to come out, even more if it's an emergency. It's an immediate fix that will most likely solve your problem.

With new home warranty labor is on the builder

aka he sends his guy who works for him.

[killramos]

Just a clarification for future people who read this. New home warranty is only 2 years for heating problems if the permit date is AFTER Jan 1 2014. As i was just reminded by my builder

Bascially the program is dynamic and you should always read your paperwork not the website.

But hes just such an upstanding guy that hes sending his dude to help anyhow since I "never bother him about anything"

How much of assholes are most people lol

And thats coming from me, maybe he remembers Jordan is my realtor

[killramos]

Well of course I get home early for repairman and house is sitting cosily at set temp and heat is blowing through the registers ffs.

This is going to be a great conversation. Of course I get a repairman when the temp outside is -5 not -25.

Now there is a low liklihood of anything being permanently fixed. Great.

Brb applying toothpaste to my foot.

[ZenOps]

I'm having a few issues with my high efficiency as well.

Not to say it lightly, but the high-effs are much more sensitive to anything not being perfect.

And I think it may have nothing to do with the furnace at all, I could almost deduct that there are non-combustible pockets of gas in the natural gas line. Which I wouldn't ever suspect, given that its never happened to me in my lifetime in Calgary.

I believe that there was such a prolonged period of non-combustible, that it blew out my pilot (on hot water tank, not furnace)

Yellowish flame also trips the flame sensor if its even slightly dirty, which locks down the furnace. Biotch to track down sometimes.

Also, check for ice clogging the exhaust - a gentle tap with a small rubber mallet can sometimes be the cure

[killramos]

Yea mine is having more issues as well. Gonna monitor it through the day. ( Go nest )

Basically when the repairman showed up he looked at it for 30 seconds saw it light when i told him it always blew out after 3 minutes) decided there was nothing he could do I should have known better than to let him come back after his stunts last time but free is free...

I then went and cleaned off the flame sensor as Rage suggested and that seemed to help the turning off early problem.

Now i noticed the house was getting cold again last night. I open the panel and realize that the glow plug isn't glowing intermittently. Sometimes it does sometimes it doesn't. and the High Voltage source was buzzing WAY louder than usual. wtf.

Caused a lockout last night which i reset. fuck this furnace, next time I get a new place i am doing custom not some bottom bucket builder.

At least its a duplex and I can bum heat from the neighbor while i figure this out

[CapnCrunch]

Originally posted by rage2
Flame sensor.



I've had this same problem 3 times in 15 years, every single time it's the damn flame sensor. 10 mins to clean, or $2 to replace.

+1. Mine gets dirty every 2-3 years. A quick 1 minute cleaning and it's good to go again.

[CanmoreOrLess]

Originally posted by loweg
Doug Morgan
Dkm heating
403-818-4234

Not always the cheapest, but a super honest guy which is whAt is hard to find .

Helped me out a number of Times.

Tell him Nate gave you the number

Just had Doug in this afternoon doing some work on my furnace. He replaced one thing causing intermittent issues and another about to cause bigger issues, on a never serviced, 17 year old furnace. He also fabricated a piece that was missing from the original furnace install. Very honest and explained the entire process in detail. Very decent and fair price I thought. He was on time and he'd be my go-to guy in the furnace and AC areas going forward.