Ruud Silhouette II won't stay lit


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Old 03-30-10, 04:49 AM
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Question Ruud Silhouette II won't stay lit

I've read through the other threads about this model furnace and it seems that no one has the exact problem that I am having. My Ruud Silhouette II has an electronic ignition that is functioning. Normally the inducer fan starts for approx. 30 seconds followed by the electronic ignition firing and the element lighting and then the blower fan coming on approx. 30 seconds later (maybe less). Currently all that still happens except for the elements only stay lit for about 3-4 seconds and then shut off. It will cycle like this 4 times and then go in to lockout mode. I can reset the unit at the thermostat and it will repeat this cycle.

I had this same problem approximately 2 months ago and I had read that it could be the filter. I changed the filter to a less restrictive one and it cured the problem, but before then I had always used a more restrictive filter, which I changed every 3 months, with no problems. Having known that this time I have tried to operate the furnace without a filter just to see if it would stay lit and it won't. I can't buy into the filter argument, which may be a contributing factor, but not the underlying cause of my problem. Any help is appreciated!!
 
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Old 03-30-10, 06:58 AM
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Actually a lot of posts and threads have been started on your symptom for many types of furnaces.

Invariably it is simply the flame sensor that has to be removed, and the rod that is subject to the flame has to be polished up with something like a scotchbrite pad, fine sandpaper, or steel wool, to remove oxides off it, which prevent a required proper microamp current from getting to the ignition control.

The flame sensor has a single wire that goes between your ignition control and into the burner, usually the right side, and can easily be removed by undoing one screw that holds it in.

Very DIY-able job.

The filter business simply sounds like a coincidence. The filter could not possibly affect this in 3-4 seconds, even if totally plugged.
 
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Old 03-30-10, 04:16 PM
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Originally Posted by ecman51`
Actually a lot of posts and threads have been started on your symptom for many types of furnaces.

Invariably it is simply the flame sensor that has to be removed, and the rod that is subject to the flame has to be polished up with something like a scotchbrite pad, fine sandpaper, or steel wool, to remove oxides off it, which prevent a required proper microamp current from getting to the ignition control.

The flame sensor has a single wire that goes between your ignition control and into the burner, usually the right side, and can easily be removed by undoing one screw that holds it in.

Very DIY-able job.

The filter business simply sounds like a coincidence. The filter could not possibly affect this in 3-4 seconds, even if totally plugged.
Thank you for the reply. Cleaned the flame sensor with steel wool and it works like a champ now.
 
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Old 11-28-10, 12:07 PM
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Originally Posted by supturb89
Thank you for the reply. Cleaned the flame sensor with steel wool and it works like a champ now.
I "Googled" my way to this page and also corrected my issue. My Ruud NG furnace wasn't staying lit. I had a steady green light and a steady yellow light on the circuit board, the flame would come on for just a few seconds, then the yellow light would get erratic before finally going out just as the flame went out. I then pulled the flame sensor and polished it with "00" steel wool. Works great now
 
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Old 12-18-10, 03:24 AM
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Problem returns...

After having this issue last March I cleaned the flame sensor with steel wool and the problem went away. The problem has now returned, although intermittently, and cleaning the sensor doesn't seem to be helping at this point. It seems to happen after the furnace has not run for a prolonged period, say, first thing in the morning or after work in the evening. In the morning it does the usual of trying to light 4 times and then going in to lockout mode. I can reset the unit and eventually get it to light correctly for now. Could the flame sensor itself be bad? Any other suggestions? Thank you.
 
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Old 12-18-10, 08:28 AM
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Please don't revive old threads. It rapidly becomes confusing.


And please don't presume you have the same problem as someone else. USUALLY that's not the case.

To maximize the odds you can get effective help, t6ake the cover off the furnace and carefully observe and report the sequence of events you see happen when you turn up the thermostat on a new thread.

Also, post the make and model of your furnace from the rating plate in the burner compartment.
 
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Old 12-19-10, 06:00 AM
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Since I was the OP of this thread I thought it appropriate to revive the thread since the problem has returned. If you read the OP you will see the sequence of events and since I titled my second post "Problem returns" I "presumed" that it would be understood that I was having the same problem as in the OP. As for the make and model, it is a Ruud Silhouette II model # UGLH-10EAMER. Thank you.

Aaron
 
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Old 12-19-10, 08:38 AM
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All right---


I presume the HSI is heating up, the main burner gas is lighting and the main burner gas shuts off after 3-5 seconds or so, is that right?
 
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Old 12-19-10, 04:36 PM
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Yes. The main burner lights and shuts off almost immediately. It does this 4 times and then goes into lockout mode. I have to reset it at the thermostat and usually it will work on the second or third time, but I'm not counting on that going forward.

Aaron
 
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Old 12-19-10, 05:11 PM
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The thing to do is to determine if the circuit board is bad.

The first test is to disconnect the wire going to the flame sensor and measure the AC voltage that should appear on the wire while the HSI is warming up.

Depending on the circuit board you might get 24 VAC or 120 VAC. If the circuit board is bad you'd get 0 VAC.

You want to measure between chassis ground or the C terminal and the flame sensor wire.
 
 

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