Need Emergency HVAC guy for heat out

3rdRcn · Nov 24, 2013

Have gas heat, RUUD system. It looks like the igniters are not functioning as I can light the burners manually and the heat operates fine. I have a home warranty company but would rather not wait until tomorrow because that means I have to stay up all night lighting this thing so the pipes don't freeze.

PM me if you need some extra cash for what should be an easy fix for an experienced guy.

MikeTF · Nov 24, 2013

You may only need to clean the thermocoupler. When you light the pilot light look at the color of the flame. I should be a dark blue. If it is yellow and long, you probably only need to clean your thermocouple. Here's what a functioning one looks like:

Here's how to remove/replace it:

Here's how to clean it (note it is a different model than the ones above, but the concept is the same:

Mark75H · Nov 24, 2013

MikeTF said:
You may only need to clean the thermocoupler. When you light the pilot light look at the color of the flame. I should be a dark blue. If it is yellow and long, you probably only need to clean your thermocouple. Here's ...

Not that likely ... thermocouple is a 100% kill; also, does not affect flame color

Clean the pilot orifice? Still would not light from a lighter without burning your hand or the lighter itself before the thermocouple generated latch-in voltage

3rdRcn · Nov 24, 2013

Nice blue flame and I'm not seeing anything that looks like the thermocoupler. No pilot light lit though that I can see either. Looks like the ignition is electronic to me.

MikeTF · Nov 24, 2013

Mark75H said:
Not that likely ... thermocouple is a 100% kill; also, does not affect flame color

Clean the pilot orifice? Still would not light from a lighter without burning your hand or the lighter itself before the thermocouple generated latch-in voltage

I have a 25 year old furnace under warranty since I'm selling my home in MD. The tech referred to it as the thermocouple (perhaps incorrectly). I watched the service technician clean it. I saw the yellow flame before and the blue flame afterwards. I had the same problem as 3rdrecon: pilot would not stay lit.

Needless to say, since the furnace is 25 years old, I'm replacing it to help sell the house. We were under contract and one of the sticking points were the furnace and AC systems. It's cheaper for me to replace both than give the buyer the outrageous 'credit' that they wanted at settlement.

MikeTF · Nov 24, 2013

3rdRcn said:
Nice blue flame and I'm not seeing anything that looks like the thermocoupler. No pilot light lit though that I can see either. Looks like the ignition is electronic to me.

It sounds like you have an electronic ignition. I'm sorry this didn't help.

PJDiesel · Nov 24, 2013

Are you sure you are getting a "go" signal from the tstat?

Mark75H · Nov 24, 2013

PJDiesel said:
Are you sure you are getting a "go" signal from the tstat?

Wouldn't be going into main flame with lighter ignition if there wasn't

PJDiesel · Nov 24, 2013

Mark75H said:
Wouldn't be going into main flame with lighter ignition if there wasn't

I was thinking low voltage issues....

Mark75H · Nov 24, 2013

PJDiesel said:
I was thinking low voltage issues....

Huh?

3rdRcn · Nov 24, 2013

Yes to the thermostat sending signal. Turn thermostat up and system tries to come on, no burner ignition but I can manually light the burners when I hear it switch the gas on but I don't hear that clicking of the igniter. Gonna be a long night having to wake up every couple of hours to light this thing. Go figure it's gonna be one of the coldest nights of the year so far.

Harldavi · Nov 24, 2013

If it is electronic ignition like I suspect and it is not lighting on its own you likely have an bad part in the spark ignition circuit (Bad board, electrode, transformer, etc.). Unfortunately there is a low likelihood that any tech would have the exact part you need on their truck so you will probably have to wait until tomorrow to get the part you need to repair the problem either way. Hate to be the bearer of bad news but I don't want you to spend money to bring a tech out on overtime today only to be without until tomorrow anyway.

LONGSHOT · Nov 24, 2013

LONGSHOT · Nov 24, 2013

i have a rudd 90 plus and about every two years the igniter goes up and has to be replacedpull the igniter out be careful not to brake off the carbon tip.if missing the tip bad igniter.

jaybee · Nov 24, 2013

I used to keep a spare igniter - every year or 2, I had to replace it

took about ten minutes - I used a igniter from graingers

they usually fail at night and most time I never even see a crack or anything

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313&_nkw=rudd+igniter&_sacat=0&_from=R40

Mark75H · Nov 24, 2013

In newer gas furnaces there are 2 electronic ignition types:

Spark

Hot Surface

If a hot surface ignitor is repeatedly going bad its likely incorrectly mounted or being mishandled while being installed. The HSI's made in the past 5 years are dramatically more rugged than the original version.

PJDiesel · Nov 24, 2013

Mark75H said:
Huh?

24volt stat? "low" voltage......?

Mark75H · Nov 24, 2013

jaybee said:
I used to keep a spare igniter - every year or 2, I had to replace it

took about ten minutes - I used a igniter from graingers

they usually fail at night and most time I never even see a crack or anything

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313&_nkw=rudd+igniter&_sacat=0&_from=R40

As Harldavi says and jaybee's eBay search shows, there more than one HSI just for Ruud. The chances of someone showing up with one that fits is slim ... even if this is a HSI furnace and not a spark ignition furnace

Mark75H · Nov 24, 2013

PJDiesel said:
24volt stat? "low" voltage......?

Was eliminated as a possibility by the info in the OP

smdub · Nov 24, 2013

I don't think you'll have to stay up all night. We once lived in an OLD house w oil heat (and an ancient firebox/furnace). The ignition transformer went dead. We got by for a couple days until the replacement came in by setting the t-stat to the upper 70s and lighting it once before going to bed. By morning the house would be in the 50s but FAR from freezing pipes. We'd repeat it in the morning before heading off to work. We'd set the t-stat to a more reasonable temp once we got home and lit it a couple times until it was time to crank it back up and go to bed.

Need Emergency HVAC guy for heat out

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