heater questions... - Sportbike Addicts

ronin_01r1 · 10-28-2008, 06:25 PM

My gas heater is not working properly. I have a digital thermostat for my AC/Heater. The heater was working perfectly last winter, AC worked perfect all summer long. I haven't touched anything. Filter is clean. Now that I want to turn the heat back on, it's giving me issues.

The heater has a test/re-set button. When I re-set it, it sounds like it's going through it's usual process. I can see a light inside and some clicking (the heater doesn't have a pilot; it has an automatic ignitor). Then I hear a fan turn on and I can hear air moving through the heater. But I can tell it's not the same sound the heater makes when it's *really* on...meaning it's blowing out warm air. It does this for about 5 minutes. In the room, I can feel air coming out of the vent, but it's cool air. When I set the thermostat to "cool" and hurt it down, the AC activates and works right away. Just the heat doesn't work.

I have no clue what I should be checking for before I make the call to my local heater repair guy.

If you have any tips, advice or suggestions for me to try...please help! Thanks!!

breeze · 10-28-2008, 06:31 PM

that happened to me last year basically the pilot wasnt really lighting.. and i have an auto. too so i had no way to do it manually... i had to call the heater guy and it turned out to be a sensor that was 70.00 the whole job came to about 140.00 but i also stood right next to him while he worked on it...

ffejtable · 10-28-2008, 07:58 PM

I had a similiar problem a year or two ago and it turned out to be the fan control sensor, or something along those lines. I am not sure exactly how I diagnosed the problem, but I am sure it was from searching the net on some common problems and troubleshooting techniques... The part was cheap and easy to replace.

I vaguely remember just bypassing the sensor to see if that would get the igniter to kick on.

I believe the way most gas heaters work is that they will turn the blower motor on first for a few seconds to make sure any (or as much as possible) gas in the unit is cleared out before it turns on. Dont want the thing blowing up afterall, right? After a few seconds you should then hear the igniter clicking, etc...

You should be able to run the unit with the access panels off just to see if you are getting a flame or not. Of course dont do this if you smell gas, dont do it unattended, and use common sense. If you do hear the igniter but see no flame, that might be your issue.

Also, any chance you turned off the gas supply to the unit after last winter?

ronin_01r1 · 10-28-2008, 08:18 PM

gas supply is on. never touched it. i double checked too.

also, it was working off and on the last few days...with warm air blowing out...but it just wouldn't stay on for long. like last night before i went to sleep, it was working fine. when i woke up this morning, the thermostat showed 68, although it was set to 72.

this heater is a pain in the ass. the one in the basement has worked w/o any problems whatsoever. i tried taking the panel off; i can see where the gas line leads into the burners. i haven't tried turning it on with the panel off. i'll give that a try. hopefully i don't burn the roof down!

RCM78 · 10-28-2008, 08:23 PM

What make and model heater is it? Most do not have a test reset button unless it's oil fired. But you did say it was gas.

It's going to get cold tonight. I suggest you call someone to repair it safely.

RCM78 · 10-28-2008, 08:24 PM

Just read your final post.

Most likely the problem is the flame sensor. It can be cleaned but without knowing what model it is I cant help you.

ronin_01r1 · 10-28-2008, 08:40 PM

It's a Rheem Corsaire series.

I tried to turn it on with the cover off. Fan turns on as usual. Then a bunch of clicking, the ignitor turns bright, then it lights the gas. Then it keeps clicking, like it's trying to turn something on..I'm guessing the main blowers. After a little while of this, it shuts itself off..

I'll go up and snap a picture.

breeze · 10-28-2008, 08:48 PM

i dug out my old reciept my problem was the flame sensor and it sounds exactly what i had from your explanation..

ronin_01r1 · 10-28-2008, 09:10 PM

ignitor turns on, clicks a bunch of times, the fan is going... then...

gas lights, fan is still going...then some more clicking...(clicking is from that gray box with the little black knob on top)...it does this for a few minutes, then the flames go out, the fan continues for a few minutes, and then it shuts off.. then a few minutes later is restarts the process.

i looked up rheem flame sensor. $60 at an online store. on ebay for only $9. 97 of them available... but, i don't see where this is supposed to go...

Item number: 110294724707

RCM78 · 10-28-2008, 10:06 PM

The ignitor is on the right of the burner box. All the way to the left of the burner box underneath the burner you'll fine a single wire(Usually orange) leading to a ceramic. The ceramic will be held in with one phillips head screw.
Remove the screw and GENTLY pull the sensor out using the wire. Clean the stainless steel rod with steel wool till it's shiny. If you dont have steel wool a dollar bill will work. Trust me the dollar bill will work.

Do not use sandpaper to clean the sensor. You'll score the rod and it will need to be cleaned much more often.

Reinstall the sensor and start the heater. The flames should stay on the entire time the T/stat calls for heat...

RCM78 · 10-28-2008, 10:09 PM

The gas valve(gray box with black knob) should not be clicking. Make sure the wires are connected tight.

If you clean the sensor and the valve continues to click call a service tech...

**John712** · 10-28-2008, 11:04 PM

dont get me started!

but good luck, hope you get it working.

ronin_01r1 · 10-29-2008, 11:50 AM

Thanks, I'll give it a try!! I have the heater guy coming later this afternoon if that doesn't work.

ronin_01r1 · 10-29-2008, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCM78

The gas valve(gray box with black knob) should not be clicking. Make sure the wires are connected tight.

If you clean the sensor and the valve continues to click call a service tech...

Thank you for the advice.

I tried cleaning the flame sensor with a dollar bill. That sensor is a lot smaller than I previously thought based on the picture. Anyways, no luck with that.

Tom, my heater guy came by. He thinks the gas valve is bad. He's going to order me another. It's covered under warranty. I just need to pay for labor.

Tom was telling me that the heater (oil) in his house is 50 years old...omfg...rub it in why don't ya. I guess they don't make them like they used to!

RCM78 · 10-29-2008, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronin_01r1

Thank you for the advice.

I tried cleaning the flame sensor with a dollar bill. That sensor is a lot smaller than I previously thought based on the picture. Anyways, no luck with that.

Tom, my heater guy came by. He thinks the gas valve is bad. He's going to order me another. It's covered under warranty. I just need to pay for labor.

He "thinks" the gas valve is bad? It's either good or bad. Not hard to troubleshoot. Also, I'm surprised he didnt have one on his truck. Pretty common part.