Gas and Oil Home Heating Furnaces - Furnace not kicking on

Help! :confused:

I have a Gas Furnace that has started coming on when it wants to, and it doesn't want to very often. The thermostat would reach a lower temperature, and the furnace should comeonbut doesn't. If I override the system and turn the thermostat off and back on again,it works...but intermittently. It will come on for about three minutes and turn off...back on immediately for three or four minutes and back off...then on for several minutes and back off...never to come on again...unless the temp gets extremely low. It was 58 degrees in my house this morning when I woke up. The furnace kicked on and off all night, but must have went back into remission. I have replaced the thermostat with a new one but am at a loss as to what to do next. Any help is appreciated!

Thanks! :)

Rodney

Well, we first have to determine if the thermostat or the furnace is to blame. Disconnect the wires from the thermostat (please make a diagram and don't rely on memory). Connect the red and white wires together. Does the furnace operate normally? If so, your stat is bad. If not, your furnace is to blame. Post back and someone here will give further advice.

Jim,

Thanks for the quick response.! The layout of the thermostat wiring is one "W" and one "RH" and an "RH to "RC" connecting wire. All are black, none are colored. Any suggestions?

What do you get if you jump RH to that W Or you say 2 wires??? If you put them together does it come on. How old is the furmace or what is it.

I haven't tried to switch any of the wiring at the thermostat. The RH to RC wire is one wire that came with the thermostat. It was the same on the thermostat I replaced. There are two other wires coming from the wall, W and RH. I hope that makes sense. The furnace is 8 or 9 years old and had the computer board replaced about 4 years ago.

Just yesterday, Jan. 24, I had to have the ignighter replaced in my natural gas furnace. It wouldn't come on. Then the guy said after he was finished - The gas connector was loose and all four burners weren't coming on. I jiggled it a little and it's working now. Whoa............ I said, You think it might do it again? He said, I don't know; it might. It should last a while, though. OK.........................................
That sure put my mind at ease - as I am a widow and have to rely on the "experts". OK, now what do I do? Pray? Yea, I do that first.
Maybe your gas connection in the furnace is loose - or maybe your ignighter is bad. My furnace is 9 years old. Who knows? I may have just spent $230 for a $25 job. Now I sit and wait to see if the gas connection will stop working again. ?? Oh well. Emilie in NC

Two wires from the wall????? If you put them together does the furnace come on??????

Is that safe? Will be electrocuted and this be my last posting? :o

REslinger, thermostat wires are at 24 volts. No risk of shock.


Emilie, I think your repair guy meant to say a loose wire or connection. He should have been able to fix it or at least track it down. Let us know the make and model number of the furnace. Perhaps myself or someone else can help further.

Hi Jim Conner, Thanks. This furnace has a metal label inside that says Consolidated Industries. Model # is 97 111 7212.
Several labels on the wiring diagram says
Honeywell. I read online that this company
(Consolidated) has declared bankruptcy. The furnace installer said, I think, it was a loose the gas connector, I think.
Anyway I was wondering if the gas company
(PSNC) would check it out without charging me a lot. Thanks for any ideas. Emilie in NC

See if you can find the model number of the gas valve. If it's a "smartvalve", they are frequently a source of trouble. Sometimes moving the connections will get it to work for a while.

Hey thanks. Would it be ON the valve? Now to find the valve. Ha. EL