Restringing furnace heating elements
#1
10-14-05, 07:02 PM
Restringing furnace heating elements
I have about a 30-year-old Carrier electric resistance furnace (model 40EB025300). It has been reasonably economical the 11 years I've lived in this house.
Three of the five 5-kilowatt elements are burned out. One of those has been burned out since I've lived here. The HVAC company that has been servicing it has told me repeatedly that the elements could be restrung. Today a repairman came to do that, but he was surprised to find the existing coils were 7/16 of an inch O.D., rather than the 5/16 of his "universal" restring kit. He also was concerned that the ends of the existing elements had 4.5 inches of straight wire to the insulators.
I asked why he couldn't just straighten out the wire at the ends (apparently, the wire will get too hot if it's coiled in a dead airspace near the insulators), but I got a vague answer.
He called Carrier parts. They said the model was "obsoleted."
He said he'd call around on Monday, but I have a feeling he's not too confident.
I checked on restring kits on the Web. Many have the same number (DH500). I found one site that purported to have OEM parts. But a kit was $188.32. I also noted that pretty much any number I entered would produce an exact match that cost the same.
My question is, if the element kit is the same wattage at the same voltage as the original, does it matter how big the coil diameter is? And can the ends just be straightened out so they are the same length as the original?
Three of the five 5-kilowatt elements are burned out. One of those has been burned out since I've lived here. The HVAC company that has been servicing it has told me repeatedly that the elements could be restrung. Today a repairman came to do that, but he was surprised to find the existing coils were 7/16 of an inch O.D., rather than the 5/16 of his "universal" restring kit. He also was concerned that the ends of the existing elements had 4.5 inches of straight wire to the insulators.
I asked why he couldn't just straighten out the wire at the ends (apparently, the wire will get too hot if it's coiled in a dead airspace near the insulators), but I got a vague answer.
He called Carrier parts. They said the model was "obsoleted."
He said he'd call around on Monday, but I have a feeling he's not too confident.
I checked on restring kits on the Web. Many have the same number (DH500). I found one site that purported to have OEM parts. But a kit was $188.32. I also noted that pretty much any number I entered would produce an exact match that cost the same.
My question is, if the element kit is the same wattage at the same voltage as the original, does it matter how big the coil diameter is? And can the ends just be straightened out so they are the same length as the original?
#2
10-17-05, 07:56 PM
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heating
id make a call to Carrier main office and ask a tect there if they have a kit you can use to go with that unit you cant just use other heat elements the volts change amps and more .
#3
10-18-05, 10:10 AM
Not sure if this will help but. Like with lennox electric heaters and you had to put a new wire in.They all had the same wire in them and came just like a door spring. You had to pull them out to a given length for a given BTU for that unit. The longer you make it the less heat it will put out. I have pulled one out all the way put it on 110V and cut foam and polystyrene with it. It dont get to hot or red like. When its not coiled up.
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