Kitchen Gas Appliances - gas furnace
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01-03-02, 03:12 AM
Here's my problem:
Furance=Carrier weather maker 3000
thermostat=Honeywell Electronic Standard Programmable Thermostat
last year about this time my gas furnace wouldn't keep the house warm. I called Sears and they sent a guy who found out my flame sensor was not working properly. He said I could either replace it or it might work to clean it with sand paper, which he did, and then it worked from there on out. The furnace this winter again would run but would never hold it's scheduled temperature. I have a thermostat which you can schedule a temp to be specific degree durning a portion of the day.
So I ordered this part from sears (cost 20 bucks) and replaced the flame sensor last night. The temp did get to the scheduled temp(which was 73) but again last night when we woke up the temp in our house was 66 degrees. In Minneapolis, it can get pretty cold and that's really not that good.
If I turn the heat off on the thermostat and turn it back on the temp will usually get to the specific scheduled temperature, however it doesn't seem to keep the temperature. It seems to me, the Thermostat will try to communicate to the furance that it should be heating the house but the furnace is on it's own program. The thermostat says that the unit, thefurnace, is working when it really isn't. There is a switch on my furance when I shut it off and power it back on, it seems to understand that the thermostat it trying to heat the house and it gets to the specific temperature.
My question is this: Should I just have a service guy come out and look at my furance? or do you think there is a cheaper way to fix it?
the problem seems to lie in the fact that the thermostat is not commicating correctly with the furance. The thermostat is new, it has new batteries and it's not the problem. It's like the line between the furnace and the thermostat gets jumbled and the thermostat is on....but the furance doesn't get the message and just sits there.
please help.....lobsterboy
Furance=Carrier weather maker 3000
thermostat=Honeywell Electronic Standard Programmable Thermostat
last year about this time my gas furnace wouldn't keep the house warm. I called Sears and they sent a guy who found out my flame sensor was not working properly. He said I could either replace it or it might work to clean it with sand paper, which he did, and then it worked from there on out. The furnace this winter again would run but would never hold it's scheduled temperature. I have a thermostat which you can schedule a temp to be specific degree durning a portion of the day.
So I ordered this part from sears (cost 20 bucks) and replaced the flame sensor last night. The temp did get to the scheduled temp(which was 73) but again last night when we woke up the temp in our house was 66 degrees. In Minneapolis, it can get pretty cold and that's really not that good.
If I turn the heat off on the thermostat and turn it back on the temp will usually get to the specific scheduled temperature, however it doesn't seem to keep the temperature. It seems to me, the Thermostat will try to communicate to the furance that it should be heating the house but the furnace is on it's own program. The thermostat says that the unit, thefurnace, is working when it really isn't. There is a switch on my furance when I shut it off and power it back on, it seems to understand that the thermostat it trying to heat the house and it gets to the specific temperature.
My question is this: Should I just have a service guy come out and look at my furance? or do you think there is a cheaper way to fix it?
the problem seems to lie in the fact that the thermostat is not commicating correctly with the furance. The thermostat is new, it has new batteries and it's not the problem. It's like the line between the furnace and the thermostat gets jumbled and the thermostat is on....but the furance doesn't get the message and just sits there.
please help.....lobsterboy
Sharp Advice
01-03-02, 02:28 PM
Hello: Lobsterboy
Based upon the information provided and the intermitten occurence of the problem, the cause could be rather difficult to diagnose without the proper diagnostic equipment.
What you need to determine are several items.
When the thermostat calls for heat, does the furnace responed?
If not, a safety device may be keeping it off or shutting it down.
If the ignition system lites a pilot but the burners never fireup, the pilot flame sensor may need to be replaced. If there is no igniton at all, the main circuit board could be the problem.
When you turn off that switch you mentioned, the loss of power resets the main computer board until the cause of the problem resurfaces.
Since the furnace is providing some heat but not the setting temp on the thermostat, could be the thermostats is really defective. If you have time to watch all the steps and the furnace lites up, could be a restricted air flow into the heater or out of the heater.
Fan speed too low, fan switch and or high limit shutting off the heater or the part may be defective....etc.
Suggestions:
Read the manufacturers online web site for product information, problem possibilities, causes and solving methods, part locations, disassembly, reassembly methods, repair proceedures and instructions, pictorials and schematics, which may be available online.
Read the RECENT postings & ARCHIVES, within this forum, for other postings on this topic and the replies offered.
Regards & Good Luck
TCB4U2B2B Company Enterprises.
Tom_Bart...Fast, Fair, Friendly & Highly Efficient.....:)
Gas Appliances Forum Moderator
Energy Conservation Consultant & Natural Gas Appliance Problem Diagnostics Technician.
Quote:
In the workplace, you always count. Management will count you IN on finding a solution or count OUT as part of the problem...:)
Based upon the information provided and the intermitten occurence of the problem, the cause could be rather difficult to diagnose without the proper diagnostic equipment.
What you need to determine are several items.
When the thermostat calls for heat, does the furnace responed?
If not, a safety device may be keeping it off or shutting it down.
If the ignition system lites a pilot but the burners never fireup, the pilot flame sensor may need to be replaced. If there is no igniton at all, the main circuit board could be the problem.
When you turn off that switch you mentioned, the loss of power resets the main computer board until the cause of the problem resurfaces.
Since the furnace is providing some heat but not the setting temp on the thermostat, could be the thermostats is really defective. If you have time to watch all the steps and the furnace lites up, could be a restricted air flow into the heater or out of the heater.
Fan speed too low, fan switch and or high limit shutting off the heater or the part may be defective....etc.
Suggestions:
Read the manufacturers online web site for product information, problem possibilities, causes and solving methods, part locations, disassembly, reassembly methods, repair proceedures and instructions, pictorials and schematics, which may be available online.
Read the RECENT postings & ARCHIVES, within this forum, for other postings on this topic and the replies offered.
Regards & Good Luck
TCB4U2B2B Company Enterprises.
Tom_Bart...Fast, Fair, Friendly & Highly Efficient.....:)
Gas Appliances Forum Moderator
Energy Conservation Consultant & Natural Gas Appliance Problem Diagnostics Technician.
Quote:
In the workplace, you always count. Management will count you IN on finding a solution or count OUT as part of the problem...:)
01-04-02, 02:24 AM
tom,
thank you for a reply I think all you are correct in many of your assumptions. I have had a chance to watch the how process and indeed it isn't the flame sensor(it's new), it's not the ignitor because the it does light up and the burners go. I am going to buy a new thermostat tonight and replace the old one, if it works then of course it was the problem if not I have another question for you.
You mentioned something about blocking the air flow. I recently had my roof reshingled. Is it possible that a vent might be blocking the airpassage out or in to create this type of problem? Your right it's some type of saftey trigger that is locking in the mother board of the furance.
lobsterboy
thank you for a reply I think all you are correct in many of your assumptions. I have had a chance to watch the how process and indeed it isn't the flame sensor(it's new), it's not the ignitor because the it does light up and the burners go. I am going to buy a new thermostat tonight and replace the old one, if it works then of course it was the problem if not I have another question for you.
You mentioned something about blocking the air flow. I recently had my roof reshingled. Is it possible that a vent might be blocking the airpassage out or in to create this type of problem? Your right it's some type of saftey trigger that is locking in the mother board of the furance.
lobsterboy
Sharp Advice
01-04-02, 02:05 PM
Hello: lobsterboy
NEW ROOF? YES! By all means check the vent cap on the roof.
Many times the cap and or the entire vent gets removed during a roof job.
The %$#$$ workers reinstall the pipe vent and slam the cap on which forces it down too low in the exposed pipe. Fumes then have a difficult time escaping out and in some cases the vent becomes blocked entirely.
Which may explain why the furnace is shutting down. Also check the entire venting system within the attic, etc. Never know what in the $#@#%^ you'll find but now that you mentioned the majic word ROOF, the vent cap could be the problem...:)
Good Luck,
Tom_B....TCB4U2B2B Enterprises
NEW ROOF? YES! By all means check the vent cap on the roof.
Many times the cap and or the entire vent gets removed during a roof job.
The %$#$$ workers reinstall the pipe vent and slam the cap on which forces it down too low in the exposed pipe. Fumes then have a difficult time escaping out and in some cases the vent becomes blocked entirely.
Which may explain why the furnace is shutting down. Also check the entire venting system within the attic, etc. Never know what in the $#@#%^ you'll find but now that you mentioned the majic word ROOF, the vent cap could be the problem...:)
Good Luck,
Tom_B....TCB4U2B2B Enterprises
01-08-02, 02:17 AM
well, I think it was the thremostat. I replaced the theremostat and when it calls for the furance to come on it does. I can't belive this honeywell thermostat only lasted one year but hey the problm seems to be fixed. The only thing that would lead me to believe that it could be different is the fact that it's been really warm here in minnesota. The true test will come when the col comes back.
thanks for your help.....
lobster
thanks for your help.....
lobster