I put a new blower motor on my 30 year old Carrier furnace about 2 years ago, it came with one of those caps where you put a jumper wire on it to select the capacitance you want. The cap lasted 2 years. I replaced it with a single 10 MFD cap. Those selectable caps are shit, IMHO.
I'll relay my odd story. My package unit(outside) decided to crap the bed earlier this year. It happened during an extreme cold snap. Heating was cycling on and off until it reset. I then had to power down the system and power it back on only to continue the same thing. I pulled the flame sensor, cleaned it multiple times. Same problem. Now my specific issue was it would light the burners for approx 8-10 seconds before shutting off then immediately recycling. Inducer, burner light followed by shut off and then Inducer immediately starting the cycle over again. Turns out in my case the flame sensor tip was not the issue but the flame sensor mount bracket itself. Somehow the mount bracket(although it is isolated) seems to have lost bonding with the unit frame. Once I sanded/wire brushed the flame sensor bracket as well as the location where it attached to the unit frame it began working normally again. I did replace the flame sensor with a new one just in case but had to wait several days for it to arrive.
Thanks so much for the information! The fact that you tell us that it is rare that you have to replace one of these- just clean it over and over- is so valuable.
had hvac business when theses first came into use...didn't watch the whole video but after cleaning don't grab the metal... the oil from fingers will "charr" and coat the sensor making neccasary to clean again...some of the first ones you had to remove the manifold in order to remove the sensor...some had to one on each side of the manifold
I've been doing this for years fixed my furnace in the dead of the winter with a 0 wool sponge. I also do the same with the hot water tank it has the same sensor. No hot water do this as well and it fixed it, going strong for 3 years
I used to use a dollar bill but now I use a Mr Clean dry eraser. I do this every fall to avoid the problems. Only needed to replace once, which was just a short trip to Home Depot.
Dave I'm doing my second aciq swap out. helping a good friend. You tips have been invaluable. And dual fuel is the way to go. Cheers Definitely have the basic spare parts. Or heck for a few hundred swap a few of them out. igniter, flame sensor, caps on both devices. put in a large air filter rack. not the usual 1" I'll improve comfort, filtering and flow. all good. oh and if you want to do you own. get your 608 license. or follow the rules. no one has ever asked for it. Have taken the old outdoor units, with gas still inside. for a $25 dollar drop off fee. and 1k$ worth of good tools. don't' go dirt cheap. Go through you ducts and check for leaks. Seal the heck out of it. Flow, supply and return need to be good both ways.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge, I got a 22 yr old Trane xr90, works ok but had a hickup last winter, tech came out and cleaned that same sensor, didn't fix it, said " there was a pressure variance" and unhooked a small black hose. Worked fine ever since. I spotted the same model forced air furnace for sale locally used but only for a short while, thinking on buying it and ripping the old one out and putting this one in for hopefully another 20 yrs of heat..
You probably just have a clogged condensate trap, hose, etc. that will not allow the pressure switch to close. Clean it with soapy water with bleach, flush it out and try again.
Great information! Nice thing about these flame sensor if you want to buy a spare some are very cheap, I bought a brand new one for my Carrier furnace so I have a spare and it was about $10. I also bought some extra temp sensors and a flame rollback sensor (my Carrier uses 3 sensors) and each was about $10-15 so now I have spares and these sensors do go bad with years of use.
As always thanks for the great video. A few years back I had a very similar issue and everything I found online said it was flame sensor, I cleaned it and that didn't fix the issue. My issue was actually my condensate line was plugged and water was sitting in the bottom of the furnace inducer. This was on a Goodman furnace so keep this in mind if you hear a splashing sound and have similar symptoms.
Hey thank you for the videos! You have actually saved me a lot of money. One thing that plagued me forever you might do a video on his cleaning out those condensate drain tubes and catch traps inside there. Those have plagued me forever until I learned about them.
Thanks for sharing this little ditty sir. I learned this a while back but many just learned it too. I clean with a buck usually but i have also purchased a new one i keep in bag in the closet with my furnace just in case it does crap out. Still cranking out great content and still here to support this channel 👏
A flame sensor is not very expensive to buy and have on hand as a back up. If you are going to pull one out why not just replace it? I am sure if you had a contractor come out and "just clean it" then in a month it fails again you wouldn't be very happy with the "scam" they pulled. But if you had a new one installed it would be covered on a warranty. I do facilities maintenance and I always replace them not just clean them. Seems that they fail quicker after cleaning than after replacement.
Thank you for addressing this. I mentioned it in last week's video comments and appreciate you getting "on it"! Off to the attic to clean the sensor... You're vids have allowed me to work more confidently on our 10 year old Goodman system here in Vegas. I have added the soft starter, replaced my dual run capacitor, contactor and cleaned the coils. I'm currently working on reducing the vibration in the condensor fan. Do you think a compressor sound blanket is a viable option here in the Vegas heat? (I'll search thru your vids...) Thanks again!
He just made the most common mistake that young techs make with furnaces. Yes it worked when he was done but it still is a mistake and will come back as either a lost customer or callback. The real fix for that, that lasts, is also super simple. Dont know how to get this to him though. Just an old tech with many years experience here.
i have a question I am getting a lot of flame around the outside of the heat exchanger it's not roll out its like I am getting to much gas from the manifold I set the gas valve with a monometer to 4 inches water col. which is what the furnace calls for when i turned the gas valve way down it seems to work perfect is it possible that the manifold orifices are opened up from years of use making the holes to large I cleaned the fan and all the tubes . I'm just getting to much gas thru the manifold ????
Since he hasn't replied to you i will. Setting gas pressure can also depend on the altitude where you are. Factory specs may list 4' WC but that is usually based more on sea level. Also the factory orifices may need to be changed depending on the same altitude.
@@robertwood9628 I DECIDED TO CHANGE OUT THE JETS ON THE MANIFOLD AND THINGS GOT MUCH BETTER I'M ALSO GOING TO CUT THE GAS PRESSURE DOWN A BIT AND THAT SHOULD FIX THE REMAINING EXCESSIVE GAS.
Had my HVAC cleaned this past Aug. Service man said he replaced the flame sensor and then went on to clean/service the A/C. When all done he said the only part needed was the sensor and that came to $58. I said I can buy it on Amazon for $7. He said they are regularly $103.00 and gave me a discount. I said I can by 8 of them for what he was charging. I told him to go ahead and reinstall the old one, since it was working fine. He removed the charge and left, not happy at all....
Oh does that sound familiar! Neighbor had A/C problem in the early spring. Called tech, he arrived, said wire burned into. Gave her a bill for $132.00. She called me over, I challenged the tech, he tore up the bill. 3 days later same problem. She called, I went, found same wire burned. Problem? Bad contactor. I had a spare that I paid $17.00 for and I made up a wire. My brother used to work for Scroll and told me to always keep spare contactor and capacitor on hand, which I do. I hate to think what they would have charged her if they came back, put on new wire and contactor. I wonder how these guys even sleep at night.
I went to clean my L-shaped flame sensor and lightly just touched it and it broke in 2. It was so brittle and the unit is only 10 years old. Had to buy new one and was without furnace for several days while waiting for delivery of the replacement flame sensor ($20 on Amazon)
Mine has this same problem. I’ve tried cleaning the sensor. But it’s still did the same thing. So I ordered a new one and it’s still not working. Any ideas.
Sorry but this is NOT good advice. Using scotch brite, sandcloth. etc will actually put microscopic scratches in the rod which will attract and hold dust particles resulting in premature failures. A dollar bill, as you noted, is much more acceptable. I have been in the HVAC business for 45 years and was an instructor for over 20 of those. I used to show my classes that under a microscope each of those damaged even new flame rods. It is a very inexpensive part that should be replaced as preventive maintenance at the beginning of each heating system, and leaving the previous rod on the job as an emergency spare. I'm not trying to be critical of you or your vlog, just want to be more informative. I posted this once before and apparently you deleted it. Shameful.
I didn’t delete any of your comments. But I don’t really agree. Just because you instructed for 20 years doesn’t mean you have all the answers. For example, all the instructors up until recently (you may very well have been one of them) were not teaching to do a nitrogen flow while brazing. Does that make them wrong? Did it work for 40+ years? I’ve talked to countless techs and hvac business owners and none of them say they replace these during pm’s or not to use stuff because it’s too abrasive. If you are replacing them, then you are probably charging them a good amount, and replacing stuff unnecessarily. Exactly what I’m helping people to avoid ✌🏼
Cleaning the flame sensor and changing a dual capacitor are 2 of the most common problems and most easily fixed HVAC problems!
I put a new blower motor on my 30 year old Carrier furnace about 2 years ago, it came with one of those caps where you put a jumper wire on it to select the capacitance you want. The cap lasted 2 years. I replaced it with a single 10 MFD cap. Those selectable caps are shit, IMHO.
Our 2 local HVAC small businesses went into competition to see who could raise there rates the highest.
Such sound advice...David should be given an award for his videos showing everyone how to take care of their own property
You are a good guy....I can tell all the way from Kansas
I'll relay my odd story. My package unit(outside) decided to crap the bed earlier this year. It happened during an extreme cold snap. Heating was cycling on and off until it reset. I then had to power down the system and power it back on only to continue the same thing. I pulled the flame sensor, cleaned it multiple times. Same problem. Now my specific issue was it would light the burners for approx 8-10 seconds before shutting off then immediately recycling. Inducer, burner light followed by shut off and then Inducer immediately starting the cycle over again.
Turns out in my case the flame sensor tip was not the issue but the flame sensor mount bracket itself. Somehow the mount bracket(although it is isolated) seems to have lost bonding with the unit frame. Once I sanded/wire brushed the flame sensor bracket as well as the location where it attached to the unit frame it began working normally again.
I did replace the flame sensor with a new one just in case but had to wait several days for it to arrive.
Thanks so much for the information! The fact that you tell us that it is rare that you have to replace one of these- just clean it over and over- is so valuable.
had hvac business when theses first came into use...didn't watch the whole video but after cleaning don't grab the metal... the oil from fingers will "charr" and coat the sensor making neccasary to clean again...some of the first ones you had to remove the manifold in order to remove the sensor...some had to one on each side of the manifold
I've been doing this for years fixed my furnace in the dead of the winter with a 0 wool sponge. I also do the same with the hot water tank it has the same sensor. No hot water do this as well and it fixed it, going strong for 3 years
Either that or order a spare. For January when it's -20 deg F in a blizzard. Get a spare ignitor also!
I'd mention that the ceramic portion of the flame sensor is brittle - make sure you dont drop, bend or torque it.
Always good tips for us do-it-yourselfers thanks so much for your help!
I used to use a dollar bill but now I use a Mr Clean dry eraser. I do this every fall to avoid the problems. Only needed to replace once, which was just a short trip to Home Depot.
Wishing you all things good, why, because you're a good person. Thanks for the tips and be well.
I watched this done here in the house saved me 350 bucks x3 learning how to clean with steel wooll
. Thanks for this video
Dave I'm doing my second aciq swap out. helping a good friend. You tips have been invaluable. And dual fuel is the way to go. Cheers
Definitely have the basic spare parts. Or heck for a few hundred swap a few of them out. igniter, flame sensor, caps on both devices. put in a large air filter rack. not the usual 1" I'll improve comfort, filtering and flow. all good.
oh and if you want to do you own. get your 608 license. or follow the rules. no one has ever asked for it. Have taken the old outdoor units, with gas still inside. for a $25 dollar drop off fee. and 1k$ worth of good tools. don't' go dirt cheap.
Go through you ducts and check for leaks. Seal the heck out of it. Flow, supply and return need to be good both ways.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge, I got a 22 yr old Trane xr90, works ok but had a hickup last winter, tech came out and cleaned that same sensor, didn't fix it, said " there was a pressure variance" and unhooked a small black hose. Worked fine ever since. I spotted the same model forced air furnace for sale locally used but only for a short while, thinking on buying it and ripping the old one out and putting this one in for hopefully another 20 yrs of heat..
You probably just have a clogged condensate trap, hose, etc. that will not allow the pressure switch to close. Clean it with soapy water with bleach, flush it out and try again.
Great information! Nice thing about these flame sensor if you want to buy a spare some are very cheap, I bought a brand new one for my Carrier furnace so I have a spare and it was about $10. I also bought some extra temp sensors and a flame rollback sensor (my Carrier uses 3 sensors) and each was about $10-15 so now I have spares and these sensors do go bad with years of use.
As always thanks for the great video. A few years back I had a very similar issue and everything I found online said it was flame sensor, I cleaned it and that didn't fix the issue. My issue was actually my condensate line was plugged and water was sitting in the bottom of the furnace inducer. This was on a Goodman furnace so keep this in mind if you hear a splashing sound and have similar symptoms.
Hey thank you for the videos! You have actually saved me a lot of money. One thing that plagued me forever you might do a video on his cleaning out those condensate drain tubes and catch traps inside there. Those have plagued me forever until I learned about them.
Great tips Dave!!!👍👍
I actually bought one for $7 and have it in a ziplock bag taped to my furnace just in case but clean mine every year at startup
That is a good idea...smart
Great video! I wish everyone’s unit looked as clean as your’s!
Good advice as usual--thanks😀
Thanks for sharing this little ditty sir. I learned this a while back but many just learned it too. I clean with a buck usually but i have also purchased a new one i keep in bag in the closet with my furnace just in case it does crap out. Still cranking out great content and still here to support this channel 👏
Thanks brother!!! Your support means so much more than you realize! Cheers
Thank you very much!
Also clean the condensate trap. Clean the blower fan, and don't touch the igniter
A flame sensor is not very expensive to buy and have on hand as a back up. If you are going to pull one out why not just replace it? I am sure if you had a contractor come out and "just clean it" then in a month it fails again you wouldn't be very happy with the "scam" they pulled. But if you had a new one installed it would be covered on a warranty.
I do facilities maintenance and I always replace them not just clean them. Seems that they fail quicker after cleaning than after replacement.
Thanks man great information!
I'd say use alcohol and scotch brite to clean the flame sensor rod.
Thank you for addressing this. I mentioned it in last week's video comments and appreciate you getting "on it"! Off to the attic to clean the sensor...
You're vids have allowed me to work more confidently on our 10 year old Goodman system here in Vegas. I have added the soft starter, replaced my dual run capacitor, contactor and cleaned the coils. I'm currently working on reducing the vibration in the condensor fan.
Do you think a compressor sound blanket is a viable option here in the Vegas heat? (I'll search thru your vids...)
Thanks again!
Hi Enjoy your video. Could the same be done with oil fired burners? Nick
Great content!!! Do you have any videos on uv lights? Thanks
What's the other tool you used to get the flame sensor screw out that was in the tight space? Thanks in advance.
What about the ignitor? How often do they fail?
Am I able to have an up flow furnace like this one you are showing…placed in a “brand new”Manufactured Home?
Do you have a discount code for Alpine’s website?
He just made the most common mistake that young techs make with furnaces. Yes it worked when he was done but it still is a mistake and will come back as either a lost customer or callback. The real fix for that, that lasts, is also super simple. Dont know how to get this to him though. Just an old tech with many years experience here.
Please explain
i have a question I am getting a lot of flame around the outside of the heat exchanger it's not roll out its like I am getting to much gas from the manifold I set the gas valve with a monometer to 4 inches water col. which is what the furnace calls for when i turned the gas valve way down it seems to work perfect is it possible that the manifold orifices are opened up from years of use making the holes to large I cleaned the fan and all the tubes . I'm just getting to much gas thru the manifold ????
Since he hasn't replied to you i will. Setting gas pressure can also depend on the altitude where you are. Factory specs may list 4' WC but that is usually based more on sea level. Also the factory orifices may need to be changed depending on the same altitude.
@@robertwood9628 I DECIDED TO CHANGE OUT THE JETS ON THE MANIFOLD AND THINGS GOT MUCH BETTER I'M ALSO GOING TO CUT THE GAS PRESSURE DOWN A BIT AND THAT SHOULD FIX THE REMAINING EXCESSIVE GAS.
@@robertwood9628 thank you
Fred Flintstone.
Had my HVAC cleaned this past Aug. Service man said he replaced the flame sensor and then went on to clean/service the A/C. When all done he said the only part needed was the sensor and that came to $58. I said I can buy it on Amazon for $7. He said they are regularly $103.00 and gave me a discount. I said I can by 8 of them for what he was charging. I told him to go ahead and reinstall the old one, since it was working fine. He removed the charge and left, not happy at all....
Oh does that sound familiar! Neighbor had A/C problem in the early spring. Called tech, he arrived, said wire burned into. Gave her a bill for $132.00. She called me over, I challenged the tech, he tore up the bill. 3 days later same problem. She called, I went, found same wire burned. Problem? Bad contactor. I had a spare that I paid $17.00 for and I made up a wire. My brother used to work for Scroll and told me to always keep spare contactor and capacitor on hand, which I do. I hate to think what they would have charged her if they came back, put on new wire and contactor. I wonder how these guys even sleep at night.
Mine does that but always starts on the 2nd attempt
I went to clean my L-shaped flame sensor and lightly just touched it and it broke in 2. It was so brittle and the unit is only 10 years old. Had to buy new one and was without furnace for several days while waiting for delivery of the replacement flame sensor ($20 on Amazon)
Sounds like you broke the ignitor.
What is the name of your business in Salt Lake
Anybody else notice the refrigerator from the 50's still working, next to the furnace? We are going backwards, people. Waaaaay backwards.
Agreed. That fridge is amazing
Mine has this same problem. I’ve tried cleaning the sensor. But it’s still did the same thing. So I ordered a new one and it’s still not working. Any ideas.
Make sure the flame rod is actually making contact with the flame, sometimes just moving it slightly can help.
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🇺🇲🇺🇲🗽
Better yet throw your furnace away and get a heat pump.
Good idea. They are only $10k to $15k installed. Much more practical and cost effective than cleaning or replacing a $20 sensor.
Sorry but this is NOT good advice. Using scotch brite, sandcloth. etc will actually put microscopic scratches in the rod which will attract and hold dust particles resulting in premature failures. A dollar bill, as you noted, is much more acceptable. I have been in the HVAC business for 45 years and was an instructor for over 20 of those. I used to show my classes that under a microscope each of those damaged even new flame rods. It is a very inexpensive part that should be replaced as preventive maintenance at the beginning of each heating system, and leaving the previous rod on the job as an emergency spare. I'm not trying to be critical of you or your vlog, just want to be more informative. I posted this once before and apparently you deleted it. Shameful.
I didn’t delete any of your comments. But I don’t really agree. Just because you instructed for 20 years doesn’t mean you have all the answers. For example, all the instructors up until recently (you may very well have been one of them) were not teaching to do a nitrogen flow while brazing. Does that make them wrong? Did it work for 40+ years?
I’ve talked to countless techs and hvac business owners and none of them say they replace these during pm’s or not to use stuff because it’s too abrasive. If you are replacing them, then you are probably charging them a good amount, and replacing stuff unnecessarily. Exactly what I’m helping people to avoid ✌🏼