Hey guys/gals seeing if you can point me in the right direction on this. My wife and I just moved into a new to us house back in October. We've been having issues with the pilot light on this furnace. Bear in mind the inside handler was installed in 1988. Since we've moved in we've had to replace the blower motor (inside) and capacitor (inside) (did it myself). Well we've had issues with the pilot light since day 1 meaning it goes out all the time and does not stay lit when I try to relight it. There is flame but as soon as I let off of the pilot to turn the switch to the on position the flame goes out. I have replace the thermocouple 4 times since October and they all exhibit the same issue, within a month I'm back at square one. I've tried cleaning the pilot light orifice and that helped the flame size dramatically, however, I'm at my wits end as I do not want to keep buying a new thermocouple every month. I've tried cleaning the old ones with steel wool and sand paper with no luck. I am very good when it comes to diy btw. My handler is a Janitrol unit. From my understanding the thermocouple puts out amperage as it is heated up and in doing so opens a valve allowing gas to pass to the pilot light. Should I be looking at the gas valve next and if so what do I need to meter?
Gas Furnace Pilot Light Out
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Did the home inspector find any problems with the HVAC system?
It's a 25 year old furnace from your description. It might need a good servicing, at a minimum. I'd also have the heat exchanger inspected for cracks.
The gas valve can be bad too. It sounds like you may have damaged the orifice.
No offense, stop trying to DIY this. You've invested a lot of time and money into an old furnace. Get it professionally inspected/repaired. They don't last forever and you might find a new one saves you some money.
It's a 25 year old furnace from your description. It might need a good servicing, at a minimum. I'd also have the heat exchanger inspected for cracks.
The gas valve can be bad too. It sounds like you may have damaged the orifice.
No offense, stop trying to DIY this. You've invested a lot of time and money into an old furnace. Get it professionally inspected/repaired. They don't last forever and you might find a new one saves you some money.
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I agree and that is definitely the plan. I have a home warranty I'm thinking about just forking out the $100 for the service call on it...Unfortunately this company like others likes to bandaid things until you're warranty's up
. I've had them out before and was not impressed at all with the hvac tech that came out. My dad and I will be upgrading the unit (he was an hvac tech round about 30 years ago but moved onto teaching and is now retired) within the next year or two, however, I just don't have a few grand at this point to fork out
Around here you would save the money spent on a 25 year old furnace pretty quickly, in FL I'm not so sure. I guess I would consider a new gas valve but I'd also consider a diy'ing a goodman furnace as well. Don't get me wrong A/C is a difficult task but you can probably diy the furnace for 6-800 bucks. Or consider having a pro install a heat pump and don't use a gas furnace.
If the flame is too big (too far of the projection), then it's quite likely that that's the cause of your pilot light goes out. Afterall: it needs a proper pilot light flame size to keep the thermocouple tip hot (to generate the millivolt signal).
Try getting a replacement set of pilot light burner assembly (my favourite site such as PEXSupply, etc. carries them) and see if the flame size would come down and keep the thermocouple properly heated.
If not, next order of biz should be your gas control valve. You'll have to get an HVAC licensed guy to do this job.
Lastly: I would not discount the possibility of a higher-than-normal outside gas pressure feed.
Q.
Try getting a replacement set of pilot light burner assembly (my favourite site such as PEXSupply, etc. carries them) and see if the flame size would come down and keep the thermocouple properly heated.
If not, next order of biz should be your gas control valve. You'll have to get an HVAC licensed guy to do this job.
Lastly: I would not discount the possibility of a higher-than-normal outside gas pressure feed.
Q.
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Thermocouple just needs replaced, $10 and 5 minutes of your time. If you are handy at all, (which just being on this site I am guessing you are) it will be a simple repair.
+1
Thermocouple just needs replaced, $10 and 5 minutes of your time. If you are handy at all, (which just being on this site I am guessing you are) it will be a simple repair.
+1
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Hey quest by pilot assembly do you mean pilot orifice by chance?
EDIT: Something like this http://www.northamericahvac.com/servlet/the-5952/Universal-Hwell-Furnace-Pilot/Detail maybe?
EDIT: Something like this http://www.northamericahvac.com/servlet/the-5952/Universal-Hwell-Furnace-Pilot/Detail maybe?
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When I say pilot burner I mean this assembly.
http://www.hvacpartsshop.com/18g90--electronicpilotignitor.aspx
Yours would probably be less the ignitor. This is just one example of the many types of burners I buy.
http://www.hvacpartsshop.com/18g90--electronicpilotignitor.aspx
Yours would probably be less the ignitor. This is just one example of the many types of burners I buy.
Originally Posted By: DBMaster
When I say pilot burner I mean this assembly.
http://www.hvacpartsshop.com/18g90--electronicpilotignitor.aspx
Yours would probably be less the ignitor. This is just one example of the many types of burners I buy.
Since you're the pro I'll defer to you, but I have cleaned the burner assembly before by hitting it repeatedly with a screwdriver. You can see the color of the flame change and be a lot stronger after you get the carbon off. Sometimes the flame isn't hot enough for the thermocouple to sense.
When I say pilot burner I mean this assembly.
http://www.hvacpartsshop.com/18g90--electronicpilotignitor.aspx
Yours would probably be less the ignitor. This is just one example of the many types of burners I buy.
Since you're the pro I'll defer to you, but I have cleaned the burner assembly before by hitting it repeatedly with a screwdriver. You can see the color of the flame change and be a lot stronger after you get the carbon off. Sometimes the flame isn't hot enough for the thermocouple to sense.
Is your pilot burning out your thermocouplers?
The tip should be in the flame only about 1/4inch.
It also sounds like you have a pretty big flame. I'd probably bring that down a bit somehow. You sure you were adjusting the pilot burner screw?
The tip should be in the flame only about 1/4inch.
It also sounds like you have a pretty big flame. I'd probably bring that down a bit somehow. You sure you were adjusting the pilot burner screw?
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