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Help. I have an intermittent problem with my gas furnace (forced hot air) that never occurs when the HVAC Technician is here. My furnace is a ArcoAire (Synder-General) GUI series unit (Mfd 1992). Heres the problem: When the thermostat calls for heat, the draft (inducer) fan and igniter will cycle on normally. The gas valve will open, establishing flame. With in a few seconds, however the flame will go out. The furnace will go into the retry mode and relight the burner only to have the flame again go out after a few seconds. After five attempts the furnace will lock out. If I reset the unit by shutting off power to it, the furnace will cycle on, maintaining the burner flame this time, and work normally for 4 hours to 4 days ! The first Tech who looked at it 2 years ago cleaned the flame sensor and cleaned something on the draft inducer circuit according to my wife. The unit ran fine that entire heating season. The problem returned this past January. I’ve had two Technicians look at the unit and said it it was working okay for them. Last week it did it again. I think it’s the flame sensor, cleaning it seems (in my frustrated mind) to help. Any suggestions ? By the way, the control board (computer) was replaced in January 1999 for an unrelated problem, the blower relay burnt up.
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Replies
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We've got the exact same problem with our one year old.(furnace that is) I'm going to replace the flame sensor if it acts up again. I recently checked the connections on the control board as well as the flame sensor connection and the furnace seems to be running OK this weekend. I was hoping to get a scratch and dent sensor deal. Probably could get 20 cents off. I may have to drive an extra 20 miles but, hey, 20 cent savings!! Just kidding, on the S&D statement! Read the Wholesale HVAC post!
*Stinky,Just wanted to update you on my furnace problem. I had the gas company come out to look it over before I went on a parts changing binge. Their man thinks my flame sensor itself is OK, however he did not like the way it was grounded. He ran an extra ground wire from the burners back to the control board. ( He simply spliced into the ground wire coming off the board connector). He also cleaned up the burner assembly (which was pretty clean to begin with). So far so good. I"m keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks for your reply.Steve
*Some years ago when electronic controls and ignation first came out, we had a real problem with a line of Heil-Quacker units acted the same way. After wearing out the area around the furnace, they were package units, we found they would work only on pure propane. Here in the south, we get a mixture of propane and butane. Just wouldn,t work. Hadto give refunds for all of them.
*Check to see that the inducer inlet is clear. 34 nuisance trips, one cat who felt good curled up alongside the inducer but evidently "jumped ship" as soon as the basement door opened. On another one, it was the front page of the operating manual laid next to the fan unit. When the fan started up, the cover would flip up and block flow to the intake. Are you talking "power vent" or actual "draft inducer(Tjernlund?). If there is any backpressure at all, the pressure switch shuts off the gas train, and some of them will try to "reprove" for a specific # of tries until they trip out for manual reset. Has anyone tried taking the backpressure sensor/cutout out of series with the gas valve (ONLY TEMPORARILY!!!!! FOR TROUBLESHOOTING PURPOSES ONLY!!!)?I'm not a furnace man. Just my experience with power-vent water heaters.Good luck.
*Does this heater have its own air intake pipe? If so, check check to see if its clogged with leaves or other stuff. i had a furnace with junk sitting all the way down the pipe on the furnace.
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Help. I have an intermittent problem with my gas furnace (forced hot air) that never occurs when the HVAC Technician is here. My furnace is a ArcoAire (Synder-General) GUI series unit (Mfd 1992). Heres the problem: When the thermostat calls for heat, the draft (inducer) fan and igniter will cycle on normally. The gas valve will open, establishing flame. With in a few seconds, however the flame will go out. The furnace will go into the retry mode and relight the burner only to have the flame again go out after a few seconds. After five attempts the furnace will lock out. If I reset the unit by shutting off power to it, the furnace will cycle on, maintaining the burner flame this time, and work normally for 4 hours to 4 days ! The first Tech who looked at it 2 years ago cleaned the flame sensor and cleaned something on the draft inducer circuit according to my wife. The unit ran fine that entire heating season. The problem returned this past January. I've had two Technicians look at the unit and said it it was working okay for them. Last week it did it again. I think it's the flame sensor, cleaning it seems (in my frustrated mind) to help. Any suggestions ? By the way, the control board (computer) was replaced in January 1999 for an unrelated problem, the blower relay burnt up.