I went to a no heat call last week for an older couple on a fixed income. Another HVAC company quoted them $2900 for a new furnace, I knew from their description on the phone that it was just a flame sensor issue. A ten minute fix for me and I showed them the problem. Given the situation and the easy fix I didn't charge them, and they were so grateful.
What a guy. The world needs more people like you 👊🏼 make sure and subscribe to our channel and leave a comment on our videos! We would love to have your expert advice in our little community :) cheers
I retired 6 years ago after being a service tech and instructor for 45 years. I used to show my students what happens when a flame sensor is cleaned with sand cloth, wire brush, or any other abrasive material...under magnification you will find small scratches in the rod that will collect dust particles and cause the flame signal to fail again prematurely . You mentioned using a dollar bill and this is actually preferred over those other methods. Simple but affective. Otherwise nice video for DIY homeowners.
Another great video. You should also remind folks with gas fireplaces that you need to keep the same thing clean to keep your gas fireplace working well.
Every few years I pay someone to come out and fix this exact issue because I'm afraid to work on anything gas related but this video made me realize just how simple a fix this is. Appreciate it!
What an excellent video! Thank You So Much! 9 years ago, we bought a Heil furnace to replace our aging Lennox furnace. I used to maintain and repair the Lennox but I'm getting older, I'm 67 now. No high tech circuit boards in the Lennox and I did all of the repairs myself. The Heil is a lot smaller and high tech so I call my installer to do a yearly maintenance inspection and he told me about this sensor. He's a great guy. Once the furnace goes out of warranty, I will probably try to do the maintenance myself so I really want to say Thank You for your excellent explanation on this topic! I appreciate that you explained things like the inducer motor. I hear it come on, but I never really knew what it did or what it is called so I really appreciate your efforts! . . . . . . Merry Christmas!
Thank you for the videos that you are making. I know little about HVAC and Furnaces and love doing stuff on my own, I know that it'll get done right and I learn and save money. So thank you very much for posting DIY videos.
Thank you for your videos. I have bought flame sensor and ignitor for spares, the 1000 w inverter for temp backup and opened up my furnace to look and see how it works. Knowledge is power. Thanks again.
Thanks for the great videos! I remember replacing the flame sensor at our previous house many years ago. The past couple of days I’ve had the exact problem discussed in this video. I cleaned up the flame sensor with some steel wool and the problem is fixed! Thanks again!
My friend almost got ripped off by a crook to replace the whole unit. Thank you for your generosity to share the knowledge. Btw, I can't find the flame sensor for a 5 years old Lennox furnace.
Good video👍🏻. I did this to my furnace last night. Burners would come on for a few seconds then shut off. Pulled the sensor out , cleaned with a scotch brite pad , reinstalled and it’s running like a champ again.
I worked in the HVAC field for 20 years and you brought to mind something that used to really piss me off. Crooked heating contractors ripping customers off. You can make a decent living in residential heating and cooling and your customer base grows over time by referrals if you treat people right. There was one such company that ripped people off in my city. A customer would call these people cold from the phone book and a tech would go to the "no heat call" in the middle of Winter and tell the customer they needed a gas valve but they can't install it because you have a cracked heat exchanger and it's likely you'll die from carbon monoxide as you sleep. Then they would say they are calling the gas company to lock out the gas meter so if the furnace is started you won't die. Then after scaring the hell out of the homeowner with freezing to death they offer to replace the bad furnace with a new one they have on the truck. They demand payment up front..This company offers the customer a "second opinion" and would have a guy from the same company show up with magnetic signs showing a different name. BTW they all had mag signs for the trucks to be " a second opinion" contractors. They even got caught selling repainted old furnaces removed in working condition from another home that they " condemned" to sell as new. When the owner of the company got caught with fraud he'd get a high power lawyer to get him off with barely any consequences. All this occurred in the 80's into the 90's. I retired in the late 90's and moved away so I have no idea what eventually happened to the company. When I went on a call of no heat and it was a simple no parts required fix I'd check everything out and if I had a new furnace filter that size would replace it no charge and tell them to keep new filters on hand.
Wow, this doesn’t surprise me somehow. People are so greedy these days. I try to do right by all my customers and everyone is happy that way. Thanks for the comment. Make sure and subscribe to our channel for more hvac tips and tricks! Cheers
@Rick Daystar, what a story! The guys behind all that probably got a slap on the wrist, and are now serving as LEOs, judges and politicians!🤷🏼♂️🤔 🇺🇸 Thanks for being one of the honest guys.
@@lylecoglianese1645 Thanks Lyle, I don't know how exactly he stayed out of jail but he probably settled with customers that sued. He drove a green Rolls Royce not afraid to hide his wealth. The guys would see some of his " techs" when we would stop in the HVAC supply and made it known they didn't like what they were doing. The good guys are in the majority.
@@rickdaystar477, that dishonest guy will eventually pay for his misdeeds one way or another. I think most people in any business are honest & fair people. But, it is always the bad ones that get the publicity eventually and give groups a bad name. That is the media though, they think that only bad news sells. Have a great day 🇺🇸 !!
Sadly, it is a crooked industry. Manufacturers except Goodman, won't sell direct to consumers, HVAC parts stores won't sell parts to non-contractors and repairmen have a bag of tricks to use to sell you a whole new unit when you might only need a capacitor or other $10 part. And, of course, when it is zero degrees out and your pipes are freezing, they know they have you over a barrel. I applaud the guys who provide honest DIY advice to help out competent people to do simple repairs via RUclips videos. Word of Advice is a favorite channel of mine.
When my new furnace was installed ten years ago the service manager from the hvac company actually told me to clean this once every five years. The first time I cleaned it I used wet/dry fine sandpaper and then metal polish to clean it. I didn’t want any scratches in it. Five years later it still looks like new but I did it again anyway. Some companies actually have decent people working for them.
Great video! I was on a 2 week waiting list to have my furnace repaired; which is not very fun during Winter. Your tip saved me time, money and from freezing... lol. Thanks!
Awesome! Yea people say “call a professional” I got news buddy, the professionals are two weeks out. What do you do then? Freeze to death? Thanks for your comment. Much appreciated! Make sure and subscribe to our channel for more hvac related content! Cheers
Awesome! Yea people say “call a professional” I got news buddy, the professionals are two weeks out. What do you do then? Freeze to death? Thanks for your comment. Much appreciated! Make sure and subscribe to our channel for more hvac related content! Cheers
The DIY HVAC Guy thank you for helping us, can't wait for you to upload the video on how long that 1000 inverter and car battery run your furnace...Peace
Thanks for watching! This repair is done so so often and it’s so easy. I feel bad charging for it but I have to make a living. If only they would watch my videos haha
Thanks for sharing this video. Just a DIY person, but I normally do basic maintenance like this on my two gas furnaces. Flame sensor cleaning with a green Scotch bright pad, remove in shot burners every few years and then clean with wire brush and check capacitors as needed.
Cleaning the flame sensor usually does not work. It may work for a week or two. But, it really needs to be replaced. As a Contractor and Tech for over 28yrs and as a Trane technician, this is not the solution. Someone is going to get hurt. Shame on you.
@@tgriebe I apologize Tom. If that is what you need to do for your customers, that is fine. If that works,great. But, I would not recommend it. Giving the info to laymen does mean that they could get hurt. Best solutions. - Always turn the power off to the equipment that you are working on. - God forbid that you don't discharge an outdoor unit capacitor. - Hire an Hvac contractor if you have any issues. - 230vac can kill you. - check for birds in your inducer motor. Have a great holiday season Tom. Best wishes!🎁😎
Good video! I’ve had this issue with my furnace a time or two. Tried cleaning the sensor with no luck. What I have found to be very effective,is cut the very tip of the sensor with wire cutters. Usually lasts around 3 years,or better.
When I was a teenager my folks bought a brand new furnace. That flame sensor failed every year within the 5 year warranty. On the 6th year, they charged my folks $370 to come fix it. The 7th year it went again and I fixed it this way. Light rub with a scotch-brite pad and never had the issue for the rest of the time we lived in that house.
Very educational, thank you! I have an old Lennox unit in my house and just recently I started having spark ignition problem. It is weird because everything works fine for several hours or a few days and then it stops igniting, my furnace has a spark igniter. I replaced pressure switch, but it did not help. When manually furnace is lit, everything works good too. As I mentioned above it just stops iginiting several times a week. Is it the control board or spark igniter problem? I am guessing that if it was the spark igniter, then the igniter would never work. I appreciate your thoughts on that!
Got an older Carrier furnace. Things i notice that need attention are vacuum leaks on smaller hoses(they usually crack where they are attached) dirty flame sensor and clogged condensate trap. Had to get the heat exchanger replaced(got the professionals to do that). That was pricey.
My wife had a sister that had a lot of money. About every 3 years when we would go to visit, she would have her Bryant furnace sitting outside of the garage and someone had put another new one in. I think the furnaces that would be traded out only needed the sensor cleaned. Oh well, I ended up with some nice blower units from the old ones.
You bet! If you need immediate help with anything HVAC related, make sure and check out our Patreon. It’s patreon.com/diyhvacguy. For a small fee of $25 per month you can be walked through technical support as well as sizing equipment and procedures on replacing equipment. Cheers, Dave.
On mine (95% efficient) the air pipe inlet was clogged -- TWICE. Furnace would run for a hour, 6 hrs, 3 days maybe. Something was shutting off the gas randomly. The inducer, main fan all worked. We could get it going again by flipping the breaker off/on. Tech stopped by and pulled out a popped balloon from the inlet outside. Two weeks earlier there was a Christmas street parade. $200 visit, but it stayed running. A few weeks later furnace again won't stay running. He pulled off the air inlet pipe at the furnace; it had sucked in debris from outside (the pipe is low to the ground outside.) No charge that time. Said leave it off, you don't need it. I installed a PVC screen cap outside so that mice can't get in. Update: I cleaned both the igniter and the flame sensor tonight. The igniter was fair but the flame sensor didn't look too great. Cleaned it with a $1 bill and got it looking better. Have no idea if it made a difference on my furnace shutting down a few times today but it's working at the moment. If nothing else I was able to reinstall I suppose.
They don't recommend sandpaper on the flame sensor from what I was told. Also you might want to correct that gas line on the hot water tank, no drip leg.
Nice video and i lern a lot from what you are doing, but I have a question, do they also have LPG gas furnace? Or only LNG?. I ask because I built a kitchen outside of my house like in the Caribbean have, and I would like to install one myself, after the LPG installation is done from a qualified gas installer has done his job. Thanks in advance for your patience and information. GREETINGS FROM CANADA.
Yes all gas furnaces will have a flame sensor that will get dirty after so long. It’s advised to have a tune up done once a year to prevent it from stopping in the middle of winter 👍🏽 cheers
Flame sensors are plated with a metal that prevents corosion use care when cleaning them to not use such a strong abrasive that you remove that plating on the flame sensor rod ,, 3m Scotch brite pad's work well a rusted dirty burrner will also prevent flame detection as it causes high resistance to back to ground cleaning and inspecting burners are a part of furnace mantanice for safe operation .. Allways observe the flame entering each port on the heat exchanger for any signs of agitation when the main blower comes on ,, if you see any you must have a heating technition inspect the heat exchanger for leaks , gas appliences should be checked by a technician tech for proper gas preasure and at the inlet and outlet of the gas valve as well as proper combustion as a part of yearly mantanince cycle.. allways have a working Co detectors in your house.
Odd thing is I never had to replace any pilot ignition parts on my Lenox G11-e conservtor furnace I brought home from work in 2003 when they replaced it with a new furnace, I had it in use until last winter, only part I ever had to replace was the Johnson control for the spark, all I EVER did was change filters and vacuum the cabinet out
My furnace's inducer fan would come on, ignitor would glow and about 30 seconds later flame would come on and go out. Furnace would shut down. Sounds like flame sensor, right? I took it out and cleaned it. It would work for a few days and quit again. Purchased 2 brand new one's. Same thing. Put in and work a few days. After looking at almost every video on RUclips, I changed out the 2 stage pressure switch. Guess what? Furnace works like it's new. Don't ask me why the pressure switch had anything to do with the flame sensor or if it was even the flame sensor, but the 2 stage pressure switch was the culprit.
Interesting. Thank you for sharing! Typically when a pressure switch is going the flames will kind of flutter, but sometimes not, glad you got it figured out!! Make sure and subscribe to our channel for more helpful hvac content! Cheers
@@diyhvacguy Thank you! You have a new subscriber! Keep the awesome videos coming. I have a Lennox furnace. It came with the pressure switch that was made in Costa Rico. I saw a video where a HVAC guy said that they are junk. That's what made me change it out. I was going to change out the board, but that was a lot more money. Glad I went with the pressure switch!!
I think you missed a very important first step. I believe the first thing to happen is the furnace controller checks to see if the inducer vacuum switch is open indicating the switch is not stuck closed.
I think I mentioned that. The pressure switch basically says ok we are good to proceed. I need to dumb things down a bit because I take for granted that people know what a pressure switch even is or does. I need to take more time to discuss things in more detail. Noted. Thank you sir
@@diyhvacguy -- Overall a Great video. I just wanted to let folks know that the controller does a quick check on the pressure switch to make sure it's open before it turns on the inducer fan. If you don't verify that, the pressure switch could be shorted giving a false indication that the inducer fan was working when it may not be.
Question? How would I test the flame sensor before restoring it to the furnace? And what is the theory behind its operation? Thermocouple, bimetallic, other? Thanks!
You wouldn't test it after cleaning unless you have a multimeter that reads milliamps. It's purpose is to confirm that the gas is being burned so the gas valve won't allow gas to flow without it being burned and potentially explode and blow your house into little pieces.
It operates by sensing small current changes in flame/no flame, and sends a signal to the circuit board to keep the main gas valve open when a flame is detected. It’s not a T/C or bi-metallic, but kind of it’s own animal, designed using electrical engineering principles...
Hi Dave , My furnace thermostat is off but still running with cold air coming out and flashing 4 red light . I replaced limit switch and roll out switches but still happening . Can you help this issue ? Thank you
If you need help diagnosing issues, hop over to Patreon.com/diyhvacguy and you can get access to one on one support within the hour to quickly diagnose the problem. It’s nearly impossible for me to help via RUclips comments. Thanks, Dave
If you live anywhere humid and have central air, the sensor tends to get rust build up in addition to the carbon on it from the previous winter. That was my experience in Michigan and would wind up doing it about every other year. Luckily my cousin used to work in HVAC so he showed me this trick as well as how to replace the ignitor and gave me a handful he scavenged out of old units they were junking that were still in good shape.
Thank you for the awesome videos. I am having an issue with my furnace, it will run a one cycle or even two then will not turn on again until I reset the system. I pulled the pressure switch tube off and also pulled the capacitor off the blower wheel and tested it and when I put it back it ran great for 3 days now it’s repeating the same issue again. The capacitor is 7.5uf and it tested 6.35uf which is still in spec. but I’m wondering if it’s something to do with the capacitor or the something on the tube of the pressure switch since that’s the only two things I messed with. It’s also showing a code 33. Any advice would be awesome.
I believe code 33 is for a limit switch. When the furnace gets too hot it will throw this code. Is the filter new? That’s the first thing I’d do is pop a new filter in. On the pressure switch where the tube connects to the inducer fan assembly sometimes that nipple will get junk built up so you can take a toothpick or a pin and make sure it’s clear.
I had almost the same issue that your furnace is having. I changed flame sensor twice and even cleaned. Would run a few cycles and turn off again. Took out flame sensor and cleaned. Again, would work for a few cycles, maybe even a day. Finally, I changed out the pressure switch and guess what?? No more problems. I wouldn't have thought it was the pressure switch, but it was. If that didn't work, my next move was the board. Didn't want to do that, since they are so expensive.
Lol some old furnaces came with a 2 wire flame switch. Well lol lots of eyelashes lost. The damn thing always breaks in on position. So instead of pilot and then burners ignite, you hear gas pssssss and click click click booom! Anytime I see one Retro fit kit!
What did you charge your customers, and how can we find a reputable repair man that’s not gonna charge us $5000 to fix that super easy problem? Thank you so much.
I have a Bryant furnace like that Sometimes when it ignites the burns in the tube in front of the orifice The furnace is propane What could be the problem Thanks
Hmm try cleaning the orifices first. Then I’d make sure your exhaust vent doesn’t have any obstructions because that can cause flame rollout like what you are talking about.
Your gas valve pressure regulator may need adjustment (the one in the furnace). Also it could be the 2nd stage LP pressure regulator just outside the home. This drops the pressure from the 1st stage regulator on the tank. That one is typically set to 5-10PSI. The second stage is typically set to 0.4PSI, or 11 inches of H2O manometer pressure. The gas valve in the furnace has another regulator that is adjusted per the installation manual for your furnace. You may want to down load the manual. You can get an analog or digital manometer off ebay or amazon. The furnace gas valve typically has an input and output port, that may be a 1/8" pipe thread plug, or a screw in a cast port that the hose can fit directly onto (no need to remove that screw as enough gas will leak around the threads when it's screwed out 1 turn). If the valve uses the 1/8" pipe thread plug, that's removed and a fitting is screwed in, with a small barb hose fitting that the test hose is slid onto is used. Just look for other youtube videos on adjusting this. You do want to check that pressure going into your gas valve from your 2nd stage tank regulator. I say all this as your original installer may not have done these adjustments or checks. Or your 2nd stage regulator is getting old and the rubber diaphram has lost some flexibility (you may want to look at replacing this if 20+ years old). I just moved the furnace I had in the house out to the garage where I installed a 2nd stage regulator and the furnace would not detect flame. I found I had to adjust the regulator in the gas valve as it was too low with the different 2nd stage regulator pressure.
After I clean the flame sensor I rub my 14 k wedding ring on it until I see a slight goldish color all over where it was cleaned, then it seems to last a year or two longer than a new one.
@@diyhvacguy As I understand, the flame “sensor” is not a pile, like my gas fire place, the flame itself conducts some electricity, and as contacts on computer connections (memory, cpu), iPhone lightning connections are (electro-coated) gold plated for better connection along with silver solder on the boards. I just made the wild leap in logic, but that’s my best guess. Probably not relevant but,I do know that silver contacts on memory when plugged into gold slots had microscopic corrosion causing failures.
@@diyhvacguy Also platinum spark plugs come to mind with prolonged exposure to flame, as well as precious metals in catalytic converters with carbon and heat exposure.
I usually use Amazon for my parts, but if I have no heat and the temperature is starting to drop how do I find companies that sell directly to homeowners? I'll need to be proactive about this, especially in the winter.
Repairclinic.com is good and possibly Amazon. Things I’d have on hand is a flame sensor, and probably an inducer fan assembly. As far as getting parts like on the spot, you can find a local Johnstone supply and go in and ask if they will sell you a part. Sometimes they will do it even though they’re not supposed to sell to the public. I was just in Johnstone the other day and there was a guy who didn’t have an account and they sold him a part anyways. Hope this helps! Cheers
I think if you're trying to buy stuff from Johnstone that doesn't require a license (like refrigerant) you might luck out and find they will sell to you.
Why are you confused? This is super easy and saves you a ton of money. And it ALWAYS dies on a holiday! Hello emergency service charges! Luckily my cousin was an HVAC tech so he did it for free the first time and showed me what to do in the future.
May I ask for your email ? I would like to call you when I have a furnace problem and will pay you $50.00 just for the FaceTime call so you can walk me through and make sure I don’t get taken by heating company. They have ripped me off for years saying I need to replace furnace or mother board. Now I know it was just my flame sensor and glow plug all the time nothing more
All my favorite HVAC tool can be found here: www.amazon.com/shop/thediyhvacguy?ref=ac_inf_tb_vh
Good luck telling a customer to clean the flame sensor in a lennox G71. For $300 they'd probably still want you to do it
I went to a no heat call last week for an older couple on a fixed income. Another HVAC company quoted them $2900 for a new furnace, I knew from their description on the phone that it was just a flame sensor issue. A ten minute fix for me and I showed them the problem. Given the situation and the easy fix I didn't charge them, and they were so grateful.
What a guy. The world needs more people like you 👊🏼 make sure and subscribe to our channel and leave a comment on our videos! We would love to have your expert advice in our little community :) cheers
I am not a religious person, but I want to say Bless You.
It is not necessary to savage the old people, just to earn a dollar.
You are a kind soul!
I retired 6 years ago after being a service tech and instructor for 45 years. I used to show my students what happens when a flame sensor is cleaned with sand cloth, wire brush, or any other abrasive material...under magnification you will find small scratches in the rod that will collect dust particles and cause the flame signal to fail again prematurely . You mentioned using a dollar bill and this is actually preferred over those other methods. Simple but affective. Otherwise nice video for DIY homeowners.
Good to know. I just cleaned my flame sensor and used a green brillo type pad. I'll use a dollar bill next time. My sensor wasn't dirty.
Can we use the back of sand paper to clean flame sensor?
Another great video. You should also remind folks with gas fireplaces that you need to keep the same thing clean to keep your gas fireplace working well.
Thanks for being such a great person and putting these videos out. I sincerely appreciate that you help people like you do.
Of course! Thanks so much for your support! Make sure and subscribe to our channel for more helpful hvac videos uploaded weekly :) cheers
Every few years I pay someone to come out and fix this exact issue because I'm afraid to work on anything gas related but this video made me realize just how simple a fix this is. Appreciate it!
Of course! Make sure and subscribe to the channel for more hvac tips and tricks! Cheers
What an excellent video! Thank You So Much! 9 years ago, we bought a Heil furnace to replace our aging Lennox furnace. I used to maintain and repair the Lennox but I'm getting older, I'm 67 now. No high tech circuit boards in the Lennox and I did all of the repairs myself. The Heil is a lot smaller and high tech so I call my installer to do a yearly maintenance inspection and he told me about this sensor. He's a great guy. Once the furnace goes out of warranty, I will probably try to do the maintenance myself so I really want to say Thank You for your excellent explanation on this topic! I appreciate that you explained things like the inducer motor. I hear it come on, but I never really knew what it did or what it is called so I really appreciate your efforts! . . . . . . Merry Christmas!
Thanks so mud for the support! Cheers
Thank you for the videos that you are making. I know little about HVAC and Furnaces and love doing stuff on my own, I know that it'll get done right and I learn and save money. So thank you very much for posting DIY videos.
Of course! Thanks so much for the comment! Cheers
Thank you for your videos. I have bought flame sensor and ignitor for spares, the 1000 w inverter for temp backup and opened up my furnace to look and see how it works. Knowledge is power. Thanks again.
Glad I could help. Thanks for your support! Cheers
Thanks for the great videos! I remember replacing the flame sensor at our previous house many years ago. The past couple of days I’ve had the exact problem discussed in this video. I cleaned up the flame sensor with some steel wool and the problem is fixed! Thanks again!
My friend almost got ripped off by a crook to replace the whole unit. Thank you for your generosity to share the knowledge. Btw, I can't find the flame sensor for a 5 years old Lennox furnace.
Good video👍🏻. I did this to my furnace last night. Burners would come on for a few seconds then shut off. Pulled the sensor out , cleaned with a scotch brite pad , reinstalled and it’s running like a champ again.
Amazing. So happy this helped you out in a time of need. Cheers my friend
@@diyhvacguy
This video would have saved me 7000 $ on a replacement furnace... pretty sure this is the exact problem I have with old furnace...
I worked in the HVAC field for 20 years and you brought to mind something that used to really piss me off. Crooked heating contractors ripping customers off. You can make a decent living in residential heating and cooling and your customer base grows over time by referrals if you treat people right. There was one such company that ripped people off in my city. A customer would call these people cold from the phone book and a tech would go to the "no heat call" in the middle of Winter and tell the customer they needed a gas valve but they can't install it because you have a cracked heat exchanger and it's likely you'll die from carbon monoxide as you sleep. Then they would say they are calling the gas company to lock out the gas meter so if the furnace is started you won't die. Then after scaring the hell out of the homeowner with freezing to death they offer to replace the bad furnace with a new one they have on the truck. They demand payment up front..This company offers the customer a "second opinion" and would have a guy from the same company show up with magnetic signs showing a different name. BTW they all had mag signs for the trucks to be " a second opinion" contractors. They even got caught selling repainted old furnaces removed in working condition from another home that they " condemned" to sell as new. When the owner of the company got caught with fraud he'd get a high power lawyer to get him off with barely any consequences. All this occurred in the 80's into the 90's. I retired in the late 90's and moved away so I have no idea what eventually happened to the company. When I went on a call of no heat and it was a simple no parts required fix I'd check everything out and if I had a new furnace filter that size would replace it no charge and tell them to keep new filters on hand.
Wow, this doesn’t surprise me somehow. People are so greedy these days. I try to do right by all my customers and everyone is happy that way. Thanks for the comment. Make sure and subscribe to our channel for more hvac tips and tricks! Cheers
@Rick Daystar, what a story! The guys behind all that probably got a slap on the wrist, and are now serving as LEOs, judges and politicians!🤷🏼♂️🤔 🇺🇸 Thanks for being one of the honest guys.
@@lylecoglianese1645 Thanks Lyle, I don't know how exactly he stayed out of jail but he probably settled with customers that sued. He drove a green Rolls Royce not afraid to hide his wealth. The guys would see some of his " techs" when we would stop in the HVAC supply and made it known they didn't like what they were doing. The good guys are in the majority.
@@rickdaystar477, that dishonest guy will eventually pay for his misdeeds one way or another. I think most people in any business are honest & fair people. But, it is always the bad ones that get the publicity eventually and give groups a bad name. That is the media though, they think that only bad news sells. Have a great day 🇺🇸 !!
Sadly, it is a crooked industry. Manufacturers except Goodman, won't sell direct to consumers, HVAC parts stores won't sell parts to non-contractors and repairmen have a bag of tricks to use to sell you a whole new unit when you might only need a capacitor or other $10 part. And, of course, when it is zero degrees out and your pipes are freezing, they know they have you over a barrel. I applaud the guys who provide honest DIY advice to help out competent people to do simple repairs via RUclips videos. Word of Advice is a favorite channel of mine.
When my new furnace was installed ten years ago the service manager from the hvac company actually told me to clean this once every five years. The first time I cleaned it I used wet/dry fine sandpaper and then metal polish to clean it. I didn’t want any scratches in it. Five years later it still looks like new but I did it again anyway. Some companies actually have decent people working for them.
If you have one of those multi-bit screw drivers, the tube that holds the bits is 1/4” on one end and 5/16” on the other.
Great video! I was on a 2 week waiting list to have my furnace repaired; which is not very fun during Winter. Your tip saved me time, money and from freezing... lol. Thanks!
Awesome! Yea people say “call a professional” I got news buddy, the professionals are two weeks out. What do you do then? Freeze to death? Thanks for your comment. Much appreciated! Make sure and subscribe to our channel for more hvac related content! Cheers
Awesome! Yea people say “call a professional” I got news buddy, the professionals are two weeks out. What do you do then? Freeze to death? Thanks for your comment. Much appreciated! Make sure and subscribe to our channel for more hvac related content! Cheers
Thanks for sharing your knowledge, appreciate it.
The DIY HVAC Guy thank you for helping us, can't wait for you to upload the video on how long that 1000 inverter and car battery run your furnace...Peace
Yes it will be out soon! Thanks for watching
Awesome details. Thanks for sharing your skills.
Thanks for watching! This repair is done so so often and it’s so easy. I feel bad charging for it but I have to make a living. If only they would watch my videos haha
Thanks for sharing this video. Just a DIY person, but I normally do basic maintenance like this on my two gas furnaces. Flame sensor cleaning with a green Scotch bright pad, remove in shot burners every few years and then clean with wire brush and check capacitors as needed.
Excellent video. It seems like cleaning this flame sensor yearly would be a good DIY preventative maintenance.
100% a must with yearly maintenance. I see SOOO SO many of these every winter season and feel bad charging $150 for that but I have to make a living.
Cleaning the flame sensor usually does not work. It may work for a week or two. But, it really needs to be replaced.
As a Contractor and Tech for over 28yrs and as a Trane technician, this is not the solution.
Someone is going to get hurt.
Shame on you.
@@russgudz4220 Yea, shame on people for not paying $300 to make a simple repair that a trained chimpanzee could do.
@@tgriebe I apologize Tom. If that is what you need to do for your customers, that is fine. If that works,great. But, I would not recommend it. Giving the info to laymen does mean that they could get hurt.
Best solutions.
- Always turn the power off to the equipment that you are working on.
- God forbid that you don't discharge an outdoor unit capacitor.
- Hire an Hvac contractor if you have any issues.
- 230vac can kill you.
- check for birds in your inducer motor.
Have a great holiday season Tom.
Best wishes!🎁😎
@@russgudz4220
Why does a flame sensor need to be replaced? Isn't it just a piece of metal with soot on it? Just asking for a friend. Thanks.
Good video! I’ve had this issue with my furnace a time or two. Tried cleaning the sensor with no luck. What I have found to be very effective,is cut the very tip of the sensor with wire cutters. Usually lasts around 3 years,or better.
Wow, that’s super interesting! Glad you found a way to get it going! That’s good knowledge to have in a pinch. Thanks for sharing.
When I was a teenager my folks bought a brand new furnace. That flame sensor failed every year within the 5 year warranty. On the 6th year, they charged my folks $370 to come fix it. The 7th year it went again and I fixed it this way. Light rub with a scotch-brite pad and never had the issue for the rest of the time we lived in that house.
Thanks for the info. Very helpful.
Cut a piece of the green 3M scotchpad to clean the flame sensor then keep your fingers of the business hook end when reinstalling.
Thank you.
Yep! They got me on that one 2 years ago.
How many bones? 💰
@@diyhvacguy I reluctantly admit 300 bucks and (I swear) the one he put back in looked no better.
Very educational, thank you!
I have an old Lennox unit in my house and just recently I started having spark ignition problem. It is weird because everything works fine for several hours or a few days and then it stops igniting, my furnace has a spark igniter. I replaced pressure switch, but it did not help. When manually furnace is lit, everything works good too. As I mentioned above it just stops iginiting several times a week. Is it the control board or spark igniter problem? I am guessing that if it was the spark igniter, then the igniter would never work. I appreciate your thoughts on that!
Got an older Carrier furnace. Things i notice that need attention are vacuum leaks on smaller hoses(they usually crack where they are attached) dirty flame sensor and clogged condensate trap. Had to get the heat exchanger replaced(got the professionals to do that). That was pricey.
Yea it’s not a cheap repair but glad you got it back up and running!
@@diyhvacguy $2100. Hopefully it lasts. Also installed a carbon monoxide detector. Was lucky the flame roll out switch did it's job!
My wife had a sister that had a lot of money. About every 3 years when we would go to visit, she would have her Bryant furnace sitting outside of the garage and someone had put another new one in. I think the furnaces that would be traded out only needed the sensor cleaned. Oh well, I ended up with some nice blower units from the old ones.
Wow. That’s crazy!
Worked out good for you though haha
Thanks for the Vids! It's awesome to have you just a click away on U-tube!👍
You bet! If you need immediate help with anything HVAC related, make sure and check out our Patreon. It’s patreon.com/diyhvacguy. For a small fee of $25 per month you can be walked through technical support as well as sizing equipment and procedures on replacing equipment. Cheers, Dave.
@@diyhvacguy Wow, awesome. I will keep your info around!👍
On mine (95% efficient) the air pipe inlet was clogged -- TWICE. Furnace would run for a hour, 6 hrs, 3 days maybe. Something was shutting off the gas randomly. The inducer, main fan all worked. We could get it going again by flipping the breaker off/on.
Tech stopped by and pulled out a popped balloon from the inlet outside. Two weeks earlier there was a Christmas street parade. $200 visit, but it stayed running. A few weeks later furnace again won't stay running. He pulled off the air inlet pipe at the furnace; it had sucked in debris from outside (the pipe is low to the ground outside.) No charge that time. Said leave it off, you don't need it. I installed a PVC screen cap outside so that mice can't get in.
Update: I cleaned both the igniter and the flame sensor tonight. The igniter was fair but the flame sensor didn't look too great. Cleaned it with a $1 bill and got it looking better. Have no idea if it made a difference on my furnace shutting down a few times today but it's working at the moment. If nothing else I was able to reinstall I suppose.
They don't recommend sandpaper on the flame sensor from what I was told. Also you might want to correct that gas line on the hot water tank, no drip leg.
Nice video and i lern a lot from what you are doing, but I have a question, do they also have LPG gas furnace? Or only LNG?. I ask because I built a kitchen outside of my house like in the Caribbean have, and I would like to install one myself, after the LPG installation is done from a qualified gas installer has done his job. Thanks in advance for your patience and information. GREETINGS FROM CANADA.
Yes all gas furnaces will have a flame sensor that will get dirty after so long. It’s advised to have a tune up done once a year to prevent it from stopping in the middle of winter 👍🏽 cheers
Flame sensors are plated with a metal that prevents corosion use care when cleaning them to not use such a strong abrasive that you remove that plating on the flame sensor rod ,, 3m Scotch brite pad's work well a rusted dirty burrner will also prevent flame detection as it causes high resistance to back to ground cleaning and inspecting burners are a part of furnace mantanice for safe operation .. Allways observe the flame entering each port on the heat exchanger for any signs of agitation when the main blower comes on ,, if you see any you must have a heating technition inspect the heat exchanger for leaks , gas appliences should be checked by a technician tech for proper gas preasure and at the inlet and outlet of the gas valve as well as proper combustion as a part of yearly mantanince cycle.. allways have a working Co detectors in your house.
Thanks for these tips Brian. Much appreciated! Cheers
I believe my gas furnace as CAD cell flame sensors, three of them I think. Do these fail? Do all three have to work?
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Odd thing is I never had to replace any pilot ignition parts on my Lenox G11-e conservtor furnace I brought home from work in 2003 when they replaced it with a new furnace, I had it in use until last winter, only part I ever had to replace was the Johnson control for the spark, all I EVER did was change filters and vacuum the cabinet out
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My furnace's inducer fan would come on, ignitor would glow and about 30 seconds later flame would come on and go out. Furnace would shut down. Sounds like flame sensor, right? I took it out and cleaned it. It would work for a few days and quit again. Purchased 2 brand new one's. Same thing. Put in and work a few days. After looking at almost every video on RUclips, I changed out the 2 stage pressure switch. Guess what? Furnace works like it's new. Don't ask me why the pressure switch had anything to do with the flame sensor or if it was even the flame sensor, but the 2 stage pressure switch was the culprit.
Interesting. Thank you for sharing! Typically when a pressure switch is going the flames will kind of flutter, but sometimes not, glad you got it figured out!! Make sure and subscribe to our channel for more helpful hvac content! Cheers
@@diyhvacguy Thank you! You have a new subscriber! Keep the awesome videos coming. I have a Lennox furnace. It came with the pressure switch that was made in Costa Rico. I saw a video where a HVAC guy said that they are junk. That's what made me change it out. I was going to change out the board, but that was a lot more money. Glad I went with the pressure switch!!
Can you just clean it with like carburetor or brake parts cleaner and a rag?
I don’t see why not
I think you missed a very important first step. I believe the first thing to happen is the furnace controller checks to see if the inducer vacuum switch is open indicating the switch is not stuck closed.
I think I mentioned that. The pressure switch basically says ok we are good to proceed. I need to dumb things down a bit because I take for granted that people know what a pressure switch even is or does. I need to take more time to discuss things in more detail. Noted. Thank you sir
@@diyhvacguy -- Overall a Great video. I just wanted to let folks know that the controller does a quick check on the pressure switch to make sure it's open before it turns on the inducer fan. If you don't verify that, the pressure switch could be shorted giving a false indication that the inducer fan was working when it may not be.
Can you read a resistance between the tip and the connector?
Yes, if it’s open it has failed, which is very uncommon.
Can you do a video on installing a UV light in your hvac system?
I have one out already, but the next UV light I install I will 100% make a video. Thanks for watching! Cheers
Question? How would I test the flame sensor before restoring it to the furnace? And what is the theory behind its operation? Thermocouple, bimetallic, other? Thanks!
You wouldn't test it after cleaning unless you have a multimeter that reads milliamps. It's purpose is to confirm that the gas is being burned so the gas valve won't allow gas to flow without it being burned and potentially explode and blow your house into little pieces.
It operates by sensing small current changes in flame/no flame, and sends a signal to the circuit board to keep the main gas valve open when a flame is detected. It’s not a T/C or bi-metallic, but kind of it’s own animal, designed using electrical engineering principles...
The theory is called flame rectification. AC Service Tech LLC has a good video on that.
Hi Dave , My furnace thermostat is off but still running with cold air coming out and flashing 4 red light . I replaced limit switch and roll out switches but still happening . Can you help this issue ? Thank you
If you need help diagnosing issues, hop over to Patreon.com/diyhvacguy and you can get access to one on one support within the hour to quickly diagnose the problem. It’s nearly impossible for me to help via RUclips comments. Thanks, Dave
How often do you think it should be clean? Once every year?
Yes that’s what I recommend
If you live anywhere humid and have central air, the sensor tends to get rust build up in addition to the carbon on it from the previous winter. That was my experience in Michigan and would wind up doing it about every other year. Luckily my cousin used to work in HVAC so he showed me this trick as well as how to replace the ignitor and gave me a handful he scavenged out of old units they were junking that were still in good shape.
Thank you for the awesome videos. I am having an issue with my furnace, it will run a one cycle or even two then will not turn on again until I reset the system. I pulled the pressure switch tube off and also pulled the capacitor off the blower wheel and tested it and when I put it back it ran great for 3 days now it’s repeating the same issue again. The capacitor is 7.5uf and it tested 6.35uf which is still in spec. but I’m wondering if it’s something to do with the capacitor or the something on the tube of the pressure switch since that’s the only two things I messed with. It’s also showing a code 33. Any advice would be awesome.
I believe code 33 is for a limit switch. When the furnace gets too hot it will throw this code. Is the filter new? That’s the first thing I’d do is pop a new filter in. On the pressure switch where the tube connects to the inducer fan assembly sometimes that nipple will get junk built up so you can take a toothpick or a pin and make sure it’s clear.
@@diyhvacguy change the capacitor regardless if it says within specs.
I had almost the same issue that your furnace is having. I changed flame sensor twice and even cleaned. Would run a few cycles and turn off again. Took out flame sensor and cleaned. Again, would work for a few cycles, maybe even a day. Finally, I changed out the pressure switch and guess what?? No more problems. I wouldn't have thought it was the pressure switch, but it was. If that didn't work, my next move was the board. Didn't want to do that, since they are so expensive.
@@garyp9906 interesting. Thank you, I will keep that in mind
@@robertwood9628 you are probably right. I ordered one
so how many burned fingers are going to be reported??? Haha another good video.
Lol some old furnaces came with a 2 wire flame switch. Well lol lots of eyelashes lost. The damn thing always breaks in on position. So instead of pilot and then burners ignite, you hear gas pssssss and click click click booom! Anytime I see one Retro fit kit!
Lol thanks for watching.
Come sensor !! by onehqve it on the side .lsve THREE BILLS .. get a compatable ceramic one ..all good
Shouldn't the gas water heater have a sediment trap?
Probably so. This is how it was when I bought the place. I’ll be upgrading to a tankless and high efficiency furnace at some point soon.
What did you charge your customers, and how can we find a reputable repair man that’s not gonna charge us $5000 to fix that super easy problem? Thank you so much.
My minimum is $150 so that’s what I charge for cleaning this sensor.
I have a Bryant furnace like that
Sometimes when it ignites the burns in the tube in front of the orifice
The furnace is propane
What could be the problem
Thanks
Hmm try cleaning the orifices first. Then I’d make sure your exhaust vent doesn’t have any obstructions because that can cause flame rollout like what you are talking about.
Your gas valve pressure regulator may need adjustment (the one in the furnace). Also it could be the 2nd stage LP pressure regulator just outside the home. This drops the pressure from the 1st stage regulator on the tank. That one is typically set to 5-10PSI. The second stage is typically set to 0.4PSI, or 11 inches of H2O manometer pressure. The gas valve in the furnace has another regulator that is adjusted per the installation manual for your furnace. You may want to down load the manual. You can get an analog or digital manometer off ebay or amazon. The furnace gas valve typically has an input and output port, that may be a 1/8" pipe thread plug, or a screw in a cast port that the hose can fit directly onto (no need to remove that screw as enough gas will leak around the threads when it's screwed out 1 turn). If the valve uses the 1/8" pipe thread plug, that's removed and a fitting is screwed in, with a small barb hose fitting that the test hose is slid onto is used. Just look for other youtube videos on adjusting this. You do want to check that pressure going into your gas valve from your 2nd stage tank regulator.
I say all this as your original installer may not have done these adjustments or checks. Or your 2nd stage regulator is getting old and the rubber diaphram has lost some flexibility (you may want to look at replacing this if 20+ years old). I just moved the furnace I had in the house out to the garage where I installed a 2nd stage regulator and the furnace would not detect flame. I found I had to adjust the regulator in the gas valve as it was too low with the different 2nd stage regulator pressure.
After I clean the flame sensor I rub my 14 k wedding ring on it until I see a slight goldish color all over where it was cleaned, then it seems to last a year or two longer than a new one.
Interesting. What is the science behind this?
Does you wife approve of this? Honest. I just took my ring to plate my flame sensor and forgot to put it back on. 😅
@@diyhvacguy As I understand, the flame “sensor” is not a pile, like my gas fire place, the flame itself conducts some electricity, and as contacts on computer connections (memory, cpu), iPhone lightning connections are (electro-coated) gold plated for better connection along with silver solder on the boards. I just made the wild leap in logic, but that’s my best guess. Probably not relevant but,I do know that silver contacts on memory when plugged into gold slots had microscopic corrosion causing failures.
@@diyhvacguy Also platinum spark plugs come to mind with prolonged exposure to flame, as well as precious metals in catalytic converters with carbon and heat exposure.
🙌🙌🙌🙌👍👍👍👍
Why don't you show how to properly run that condensate piping.
Next video haha
I usually use Amazon for my parts, but if I have no heat and the temperature is starting to drop how do I find companies that sell directly to homeowners? I'll need to be proactive about this, especially in the winter.
Repairclinic.com is good and possibly Amazon. Things I’d have on hand is a flame sensor, and probably an inducer fan assembly. As far as getting parts like on the spot, you can find a local Johnstone supply and go in and ask if they will sell you a part. Sometimes they will do it even though they’re not supposed to sell to the public. I was just in Johnstone the other day and there was a guy who didn’t have an account and they sold him a part anyways. Hope this helps! Cheers
@@diyhvacguy thanks so very much!
I think if you're trying to buy stuff from Johnstone that doesn't require a license (like refrigerant) you might luck out and find they will sell to you.
Mine is a 1991 heil I could not find a flame sensor.
All furnaces should have them. Yours may be a bit hidden.
The flame sensor only has 1 wire, that helps narrow it down
Flame sensor is on the opposite side from the hot surface igniter. Thus proofing flame on the last in shot burner tube.
$300 for a pro to clean a flame sensor… they must be using a Ben Franklin instead of a George Washington!
Haha yea
So, I’m confused, you are RECOMMENDING that the average homeowner does this himself?
That’s right.
Why are you confused? This is super easy and saves you a ton of money. And it ALWAYS dies on a holiday! Hello emergency service charges! Luckily my cousin was an HVAC tech so he did it for free the first time and showed me what to do in the future.
May I ask for your email ? I would like to call you when I have a furnace problem and will pay you $50.00 just for the FaceTime call so you can walk me through and make sure I don’t get taken by heating company. They have ripped me off for years saying I need to replace furnace or mother board. Now I know it was just my flame sensor and glow plug all the time nothing more
Hey! Of course. My email is diyhvacguy@gmail.com Email me anytime 👍🏽
Thanks a lot! very clear and well explained.
Glad it was helpful! Make sure and subscribe for more helpful hvac related content! Cheers