Gas and Oil Home Heating Furnaces - Convert pilot lights to electronic ignition

Hello,
You guys wouldn't believe the beast of a furnace in my house. I'm guessing it's original from the 1930's and made by Bryant. However it still works great, can heat the whole house to 75F no matter how cold outside, and my carbon monoxide detectors are staying silent. It has 3 burners w/ a huge pilot light for each, and I mean HUGE. My question is would it be worthwhile & cost effective to convert this to electronic ignition to eliminate the pilots? I know I need a new furnace but need to wait a year or so before dropping $2K. I can actually see my gas meter dial moving from just these pilot lights. I bet they use up 1 therm per day..LOL! I can take some pics of the beast tonight if you want a good laugh. Just let me know if this sounds ridiculous. Thanks!!

Yes, I'd love to see a picture of this..

If you are going to change this out in a year. Just turn off the pilot this summer when you're done heating.. You may get your money back on it. but with something that old, may need too many changes to make it work on something that old, then it will not be worth while doing.

Thanks for the reply Jay. Sounds like it might be a waste of time & money. My gas usage last month was avg 5.3 therms per day. Average outside temp was 38F. Does this sound normal for a 2900 sq ft. house with gas heat, water, and stove? I read somewhere the avg usage is 2 therms/day but my furnace's efficiency is probably 60% or less.Thanks!

Out of the box here. Just how big is the furnace and does it just run a very short time to heat the home when it does come on? Could be the furnace is over size. As they did years ago. Take and plug off like one burner in the furnace at its orifice to that burner. this way the furnace runs longer at a time but will use less gas in the long run. Clean filter, is the blower clean in the wheel the blade cups there clean flame set right on the burners blue soft not hard. can you kick up the blower speed some ?
2900sq ft you cant say what the heat bill will be? Old home air leaks what insulation and where. What glass and how much. You see its a lot of ifs ifs to say what the cost should be.

ED ;)

I'd guess each time it runs it might be for 15-20min and 4-5 of those minutes is the heat exchanger heating up. It has dual filters which I replace and the flames are nice blue color, no yellow. I haven't been able to find a BTU size on it anywhere or a model #. I have plenty of attic insulation but as far as I know none in the walls. House has the original dual pane windows that surprisingly don't leak that bad once I was able to scrape away years of paint so they'd shut all the way. I know the ducts need to be cleaned cuz it's never been done and I tried to clean the squirrel cage blower best I could but it's buried deep so I couldn't get good access with my vacuum. Another funny part is it's so old it uses a fan belt to turn the blower. I know the belt needs to be tightened cuz I can see it flapping when running thru the sight hole but there's no adjustment to do so.

Unless you're a real old timer, I doubt you've seen a one of these babies. The heat exchanger housing is a cube shape with each side about 5 ft. The blower housing is a 4.5 ft cube connected right behind the heat exchanger housing. The whole furnace takes up a room about 11ft by 7ft.

Have to say yes I know them. Took out big cast iron or steel hand fired furnaces to put them in. Now here you have to get on that blower and get it working right. Most that blower will slip out of there. Yes you have to clean the whole blower wheel. the motor should move up and down like to tighten up on the belt. yes you need a new belt for sure. Now on the motor pulley it should be a variable pitch. By opening it up or closeing it you Can make the blower blow a lot more air. This will cut dont on flue loss

I know the belt needs to be tightened cuz I can see it flapping when running thru the sight hole but there's no adjustment to do so.
Work on this first and fix it. Ill bet that this is why your heat bills are so high.

ED :eek:

I would not try and convert to electronic ign on this unit. I believe it is equipped with 3 safeties. Very costly to convert because you still need 3 pilots in that model. Sounds like an old Western furnace

The blower motor doesn't look original, it just bolts to the track and can't slide any plus the sticker showing the repair history lists new motor in 1983. Know where I can get a new motor mount so I can slide it to adjust belt tension?? The motor sort of just sits behind the internal fan housing and the belt is just the right length to have some tension. Can I use a automotive fan belt? My local store has tons of belts on the wall and I've seen they have the gauge to measure belt sizes. Funny you mention the belt, I wanted to replace it cuz I know it'll break at 11pm on a snowy 20 degree sunday night when everyone is closed. mbk3 if by safeties do you mean little boxes made by Baso with the red button you hold to get the pilot going? Yes each burner has one of these. Thanks for the suggestion to tighten the belt I bet that will help me big-time just have to figure out how. The farthest vent could use some more air flow. Can't appreciate the info enough thanks guys.

Yes, Those are the safeties

Not sure here?????? But the motor on a belt drive blower dont slide like. I think what you think as a slide looks like it. But like the front of the motor base is bolted to it. On the back of the motor base should be like just one long bolt. As you screw this down that should like rock the motor higher and this will tighten the belt. I hope this is what you have. Belt get new one for sure look on it ,it should have the size on it. Dont forget to check the pulley for a variable pitch kind. You can make the blower blow harder. dont make the new belt to tight . should push in 1/4"

ED

Finally took a couple pics and got a few questions. I might be able to post a pic of the fan motor assembly would that help because I can't find anyway it'll increase belt tension? Thanks.

Below is the control valve & associated pieces. Once spring-time comes and it's not real cold outside but still need heat, can I turn off one burner to save gas and say it's a dual-stage? :) lol
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~951/DSC02396.JPG">

Next is a shot looking down inside one of the burners. The pilot is lit but it didn't show in the pic. To clean the burners, do I just brush off the tips or must I clean down inside each little port?
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~951/DSC02398.JPG">

The beast, pictured below believe it or not still works...oh and I think my guess on measurement were high but it's real big compared to my friend's modern furnace. Thanks again.
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~951/DSC02401.JPG">

Ok I figured out the bolts to raise and lower the motor to increase belt tension...but with it tensioned right it started rattling like crazy somewhere so I loosened it but I think it's a little tighter than before. Blower blades are dirty so I definitely need to find some vacuum attachments. I see where you change the drive pully width (has a hex locking screw so I'll Loctite) which way increases blower speed, moving the pulley surfaces closer or farther apart? I'm gonna get a new belt that's a little shorter and see if it rattles. Belt was Remco 4L555 recognize this #? Thank you.

No you can't turn off one pilot. They are wired in series and the safety would open To clean burner you may have to clean the ports. Try brushing first. Knowledge of burner flames comes into play here. Be careful with your blower belt adjust. To much tension may mess up pillow blocks or motor.

Move the pulley together will make it go faster. Check bearings on blower and the shaft also that could be the rattling. make sure you clean ever one of the blades in the wheel dont miss any or it will rattle.

ED ;)