Kool in Kansas


  #1  
Old 02-15-09, 08:03 AM
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Kool in Kansas

I live in a small house in Kansas.
I have a York Diamond 80 Gas Furnace- I don't know how old it is. Just old I think.
I have a Hunter Programmable Digital Thermostat I installed last summer.
Last night the furnace started acting up. My neighbor said he doesn't know much about furnaces but told me what he does: He leaves the door open because he said it wasn't getting enough air.
I took 2 pictures but now my computer can't seem to detect my camera *sigh*
There is a little glowing rod which I've never noticed glowing before (I never had a reason to notice it). I think this is the ignitor(?)
Ok, it glows. The furnace starts up but shuts off without blowing out any heat.
So I took a look. There are 4 flame throwers (I don't know what they are called). When I turn the thermostat on they flame up for a bit then go off.
Last night before I went to bed I turned the thermostat off and left the door open. This morning I flipped the main furnace breaker off, waiting 30 seconds and switched it back on. I turned the thermostat on and the furnace kicked on like it should, heated the house to the temp I have the thermostat set to then the furnace turned off.
I put in a new filter- the other one was pretty dirty.
Now it flames up but then goes off without heating the house.
I have the bottom door to the furnace attached as there is a push button that I think it needs to connect to before it will heat.
I also replaced the batteries in the thermostat, but I don't think that's the problem because it clicks and comes on.
Help is greatly appreciated. Thank you
 

Last edited by Dawter; 02-15-09 at 08:11 AM. Reason: spelling
  #2  
Old 02-15-09, 11:19 AM
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Push Button

That push button is a safety device to prevent the furnace from running if the blower door is off. Running the furnace with the blower door off creates a hazzardous situation where you can (probably would) pull exhaust into the house.

You are correct in your presumption that the glowing rod is the ignitor. On the opposite end of the burner rack from the ignitor should be another rod, much smaller than the ignitor, which sticks in front of the last burner. This is a flame sensor & usually held in place by one or two small screws. Remove the flame sensor rod & clean the metal part which sticks into the flame by scrubbing with a piece of Scotch Brite. Re-install the flame rod & let us know if that helps.
 
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Old 02-15-09, 11:35 AM
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OMG! I'm not a maintenance man...LOL. I'll take a look and see how to do this. Thank you! Be right back.
The ignitor rod glows continually. I found out that if I turn the thermostat off, flip the breaker switch off and wait until the rod isn't glowing then turn it all back on it will work until the temperature reaches what I have the thermostat set on. Then it shuts off and the rod stays glowing.
 
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Old 02-15-09, 11:54 AM
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Rod Stays Glowing?

If the ignitor stays glowing even after the thermostat is satisfied, it sounds like you have a bad ignition control. The ignitor should glow only until the burner lights plus maybe a few seconds.
 
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Old 02-15-09, 11:58 AM
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The ignitor stays glowing until I flip the breaker off. I just cleaned that part you said to clean but I haven't done anything else yet.
Ignition control?
 
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Old 02-15-09, 12:09 PM
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Ignition Control

An ignition control often looks something like this:
http://www.white-rodgers.com/wrdhom/..._06_pg0069.pdf

Integrated furnace controls which control the ignition & fan look similar but have more terminals.
 
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Old 02-15-09, 12:13 PM
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Where is that located? I'll need to call a repairman tomorrow.
 
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Old 02-15-09, 12:22 PM
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Location

The location can vary but often in the blower compartment, in front of the blower.
 
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Old 02-15-09, 12:52 PM
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Thank you for your help!
 
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Old 05-02-09, 06:36 PM
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Smile

In case anyone wants to know...
I found a heating/cooling man and he replaced the Heat/Cool Circuit board. Parts and installation was $335.
 
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Old 05-03-09, 05:12 PM
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Circuit Board

Thanks for coming back & letting us know exactly what the problem was. I can't comment on the price since I don't know how much the board would normally cost but York parts do tend to be pricey.
 
 

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