Thanks for the info. I was told that if you use something like steel wool, you can create burrs that will cause the flame sensor to collect dirt faster. Some people recommend using a dollar bill to clean the flame sensor.
You just saved me on the coldest day of the year (-6)! Heater would ignite but not stay on. After following your instructions, bingo, we have heat. Can’t thank you enough!
No heat or steel wool (which i hate) i followed this and yeah i sort of scraped the damn thing with a screw driver. It freaking worked....lol I assume most if you all guy's here idk. I have all son's and would get a side eye if they watched. I'll get my guy here to service it, but i have heat heat in this Thanksgiving eve. Btw... I'm 65 and I can rig it!!! 😂 God bless all of you!
The flame sensor has a chassis ground so to measure amperage, you'd measure from the quick-connect terminal on the wire to the sensor and the metal frame it's bolted to.
I just got home with my house in the mid 50 degree This ended up being the problem and was able to get it going within a few minutes of seeing the video. And to think this would’ve been a couple hundred bucks to call someone out here for it
Everyone has their favorite to clean flame sensors, mine is green Scotch Brite. I’ve also heard that using a dollar bill cleans it just fine. Some have taken it a step farther saying that the larger the denomination of the bill, the cleaner the sensor comes out.😂😂
Fun fact. Recipes, the procedure specifically, aren't copywritable in the US! The way it's written and any other content like stories, images, etc are though!
Use stainless steel wool scrub pads to clean the stainless steel flame sensor rod. Using regular steel wool will impregnate non stainless steel into the rod making it rust and corrode faster. It emits electrons through the fire into the grounded furnace body. Corroded rods don't emit as much as the board is looking for so it's best to keep it clean as new. Check your ground connection if problems persist.
I can’t thank you enough. The temperature had dropped to 50 degrees in our house overnight and the furnace was blowing cold air. Your instructions were so simple I had to at least try it-and it worked! I am so pleased.
Thank you for your post! It’s exactly what I needed to do for my furnace that kept shutting off after a few seconds of flame turning on. I would add I used a #0 steel of wool from Home Depot which was one step coarseness above the one that is mostly for polishing metals.
I just told my husband that this had to be done, he does furnace and duct cleaning, but never knew about this. I did, because before we got together my furnace has had to have this done, and also being a plumber/gasfitters daughter I know a few things, worked for my dad too. This video was great, off he went, and for a few moments of no heat and freezing as it's -30C out, he got to it, but it was me that had to get in at it, my hands were smaller!! We got it done with teamwork and are warming up. Now hoping it will stop cycling off and on so often!
You may have just saved me a repair visit. Furnace stayed on first try after cleaning the flame sensor. 👍🏻 Hopefully, that was my only problem. I didn't have steel wool though, so I used 1000 grit sandpaper, and then plain paper and clean air blower to clean it off afterwards. May I ask what the reason is for steel wool specifically? Is it a long term corrosion risk by contaminating the sensor?
Steel wool is very fine grained. It should have enough "coarseness" to remove the soot buildup on the sensor (unless you have a really dirty sensor, then its scrapping time). Steel wool is easily molded to the shape of the sensor, and it is walmart cheap. Your choice of 1000 (fine) grit sand paper will work just great as you have found out. There is no contamination issues with rubbing off the soot. it is actually better then when your started (unless you have gouged or removed too much surface area). Also the "sensor" is the heat transferred from the end of the rod to the wire hookup. Once the rod gets to a certain temp, the wire "senses" this and the circuit will close allowing the system to run properly. The soot on the rod was preventing the proper heat transfer to complete the circuit. All that to say you did it correctly and saved a yourself a $300 service call. Cheers.
Well shit.....just got done lightly sanding the flame ignitor AND flame sensor both and it's staying on and heating again.....hopefully continues staying on from now on 🤞🤞
how can you test the flame sensor when the power is off and the door is off... make sure you explain to people who have no buisiness doing this that they need to a) have a multi meter. b) turn power on. c) depress the door safety switch momentarily to allow furnace to start up.
@@scott5654 is that how you measure the microamps the flame sensor puts out? Disconnect the wire & put the meter between the male lead on the flame sensor & the female end of the wire that connects to it?
That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard and I shit on certain brands all day, every day. It’s a flame rod. They all work the same. The “dirt” that’s on them is from whatever is in the combustion air. 🤡
I use sandpaper because idgaf. Also I know how to wipe it off when I’m done. I’ve never ever had a callback for it. Before the resi clowns come rushing in and try to shame me, I have pulled flame rods out of commercial equipment that were full of tiny holes and warped from heat. They still work fine. They just need to be clean and in the flame. It’s not rocket surgery.
Your guy just quoted me 7.5k and this is all that needed to be done to get it running 😢
Thanks for the info. I was told that if you use something like steel wool, you can create burrs that will cause the flame sensor to collect dirt faster. Some people recommend using a dollar bill to clean the flame sensor.
And here I am, 15 years later, still using sandpaper and never having a callback because of it.
You just saved me on the coldest day of the year (-6)! Heater would ignite but not stay on. After following your instructions, bingo, we have heat. Can’t thank you enough!
That makes us so happy! Glad we can help you
Man I was just lazy and let my house get into the 40s F (~7C) before I decided to spend a few minutes fixing it...
-6? Do you live in Florida?
No heat or steel wool (which i hate) i followed this and yeah i sort of scraped the damn thing with a screw driver. It freaking worked....lol
I assume most if you all guy's here idk.
I have all son's and would get a side eye if they watched.
I'll get my guy here to service it, but i have heat heat in this Thanksgiving eve.
Btw... I'm 65 and I can rig it!!! 😂
God bless all of you!
I especially liked the part where he explained exactly how to test the flame sensor.
You’re funny
The flame sensor has a chassis ground so to measure amperage, you'd measure from the quick-connect terminal on the wire to the sensor and the metal frame it's bolted to.
I just got home with my house in the mid 50 degree This ended up being the problem and was able to get it going within a few minutes of seeing the video. And to think this would’ve been a couple hundred bucks to call someone out here for it
I often find screws that have been stripped out by the guy that uses a power drill on furnace and AC's.
Don't be that guy.
I find that people that can’t operate a variable speed drill, wouldn’t be able to operate any handtools either.
It’s an Amana. The holes were stripped before it was taken out of the box.
@@jman0870😂😂
So do you think homeowners have a multi meter that measures micro amps?
They should
Yeah that doesn't seem unreasonable to me
Most people don't know why the furnace isn't working when the flame sensor is the problem
You da man, thanks.
Everyone has their favorite to clean flame sensors, mine is green Scotch Brite.
I’ve also heard that using a dollar bill cleans it just fine. Some have taken it a step farther saying that the larger the denomination of the bill, the cleaner the sensor comes out.😂😂
Fun fact. Recipes, the procedure specifically, aren't copywritable in the US!
The way it's written and any other content like stories, images, etc are though!
You are the man! I just spent serious coin on this furnace 3 years ago and your tips just saved the day!
Use stainless steel wool scrub pads to clean the stainless steel flame sensor rod. Using regular steel wool will impregnate non stainless steel into the rod making it rust and corrode faster. It emits electrons through the fire into the grounded furnace body. Corroded rods don't emit as much as the board is looking for so it's best to keep it clean as new. Check your ground connection if problems persist.
Where do you get stainless steel wool?
@@tgeliot it's unattainable, you have to make it! lol
@@tgeliotit's a brillo pad. Supermarket item
@@mikemealey3661 LOL I probably have one under my sink.
That is the worst explanation of flame rectification that I’ve seen in a long time 🤣
I can’t thank you enough. The temperature had dropped to 50 degrees in our house overnight and the furnace was blowing cold air. Your instructions were so simple I had to at least try it-and it worked! I am so pleased.
Yay! So glad we can help!
Scotch brite or dollar bill works also
I just did mine the same way with xxxx steel wool. Who knew..
My furnace not working no more
Not all flame sensors are that easy to get to either
Yeah mine is kind of in behind the fan blower, pain in the butt to get at! Carrier Furnace.
Furnace broke in the winter, on a Sunday. Thank you for this, it’s running!!
Thank you for your post! It’s exactly what I needed to do for my furnace that kept shutting off after a few seconds of flame turning on. I would add I used a #0 steel of wool from Home Depot which was one step coarseness above the one that is mostly for polishing metals.
I just told my husband that this had to be done, he does furnace and duct cleaning, but never knew about this. I did, because before we got together my furnace has had to have this done, and also being a plumber/gasfitters daughter I know a few things, worked for my dad too. This video was great, off he went, and for a few moments of no heat and freezing as it's -30C out, he got to it, but it was me that had to get in at it, my hands were smaller!! We got it done with teamwork and are warming up. Now hoping it will stop cycling off and on so often!
You may have just saved me a repair visit. Furnace stayed on first try after cleaning the flame sensor. 👍🏻 Hopefully, that was my only problem. I didn't have steel wool though, so I used 1000 grit sandpaper, and then plain paper and clean air blower to clean it off afterwards. May I ask what the reason is for steel wool specifically? Is it a long term corrosion risk by contaminating the sensor?
Steel wool is very fine grained. It should have enough "coarseness" to remove the soot buildup on the sensor (unless you have a really dirty sensor, then its scrapping time). Steel wool is easily molded to the shape of the sensor, and it is walmart cheap. Your choice of 1000 (fine) grit sand paper will work just great as you have found out. There is no contamination issues with rubbing off the soot. it is actually better then when your started (unless you have gouged or removed too much surface area). Also the "sensor" is the heat transferred from the end of the rod to the wire hookup. Once the rod gets to a certain temp, the wire "senses" this and the circuit will close allowing the system to run properly. The soot on the rod was preventing the proper heat transfer to complete the circuit. All that to say you did it correctly and saved a yourself a $300 service call. Cheers.
Do you clean the igniter too
No don't do that
Please do that and tell us all how it works out. I highly recommend touching the black part if it.
Well shit.....just got done lightly sanding the flame ignitor AND flame sensor both and it's staying on and heating again.....hopefully continues staying on from now on 🤞🤞
how can you test the flame sensor when the power is off and the door is off... make sure you explain to people who have no buisiness doing this that they need to a) have a multi meter. b) turn power on. c) depress the door safety switch momentarily to allow furnace to start up.
And put the meter in between the sensor and the circuit board.
@@scott5654 is that how you measure the microamps the flame sensor puts out? Disconnect the wire & put the meter between the male lead on the flame sensor & the female end of the wire that connects to it?
@@D-Mayor read your meter instructions 🤣
@@jman0870 no meter instructions are going to tell you how to test a flame sensor.
@@D-Mayor micro amps DC are hard 🤡
Thanks for saving me money big guy!
Thank you for posting this!
Worked for me. Thanks!
I just tried this, it worked ❤😎
What grade you use the steel wool ?
Thank you ! This helped me out!
It’s not clean
I use a dollar bill
You just saved me some money. Thanks
No problem 👍
Excellent
Good bless you it worked!
Glad it helped
Jesus loves you God bless
And if that’s a York furnace you need to do that yearly 😂
That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard and I shit on certain brands all day, every day. It’s a flame rod. They all work the same. The “dirt” that’s on them is from whatever is in the combustion air. 🤡
Nah...just had to do it for the first time since installed in 2005 🤷🏽♂️
I use sandpaper because idgaf. Also I know how to wipe it off when I’m done. I’ve never ever had a callback for it.
Before the resi clowns come rushing in and try to shame me, I have pulled flame rods out of commercial equipment that were full of tiny holes and warped from heat. They still work fine. They just need to be clean and in the flame. It’s not rocket surgery.
Yea I've seen some with small grooves that still worked fine