Troubleshooting a furnace or air conditioner either it be fired by gas, electricity or oil requires special tools, testing tool and a host of other items. Since most citizen who are mechanically inclined may have some of this tool there is the danger that they will think they can cope the job. To these citizen let us say up front, the author of this record is a Certified general Motors mechanic, but just as the automotive business has added such things as air bags, computers, fuel injection, turbo chargers, superchargers and many other new components, so have the H.V.A.C. Manufacturers. While you may have some of the tool to test a vehicle, chances are you will only get just so far in troubleshooting the newer components.
Then there is the opportunity of getting hurt as in the case of working on an air bag system not to mention damaging high-priced parts from the lack of having the right testing equipment. New furnaces and air conditioners have the same issues. As an example, the latest type of refrigerant out in some air conditioners use R-410A refrigerant which has the possibility of running operating pressures into the 700 pound range. A brand new set of refrigerant gauges and hoses which are meant for the old refrigerants are only rated for about 650 pounds!
Compressor Troubleshooting Guide
All H.V.A.C. Technicians have to buy new gauges and matching hoses not to mention new refrigerant salvage tool as required by the E.P.A. If they don't, person is going to get hurt for sure! We are writing this record only as a guide and strongly propose that you call a reputable H.V.A.C. Service pro to Service your gas, electric or oil furnace and your gas, or electric heat pump or air conditioner. So with all that said we will attempt to write this page with the emphasis on uncomplicated troubleshooting aimed at the mean homeowner. If you are more mechanically inclined than this, please bear with us as we will consist of more technical propose noted as " For developed Troubleshooting ".
Furnaces:
Description: Oil, natural gas, L.P. Gas fired and electric strip heat.
Most older gas furnaces commonly have a pilot which burns all the time. This pilot burns and its flame must touch a sensing expedient called a thermocouple. The thermocouple generates a small amount of electricity within itself.
Note: " For developed Troubleshooting"
There are millivolt systems which use pilot generators, that are totally different than the thermocouples used in accepted 24 volt furnaces. The thermocouple can fail thus providing a protection against the furnace trying to send raw gas to the burners with no pilot present. If your pilot won't stay lit even though you have followed the pilot lighting instructions commonly posted within the furnace burner compartment continue reading here.
These instructions vary from furnace to furnace but commonly amount to turning the gas valve knob to the pilot position, retention down on the gas valve knob ( sometimes a detach knob ) while lighting the pilot with a long match and then persisting retention down for (2) minutes. After this 2 little hold down period release the knob. The pilot should remain lit. If it stays lit, turn the knob to the " On " position. The burners should light if the power is on and the thermostat is calling for heat. If the pilot goes out immediately after you have held the knob down for (2) minutes you probably have a bad thermocouple. This is the amount one call we get on these old furnaces. There are also varied electronic pilots used, especially in older furnaces such as the following, Bryant Lh33Wz512A Spark Ignitor, Carrier Pilot Burner. Be aware however, a bad gas valve or open high climatic characteristic limit operate can sometimes cause similar reactions.
Troubleshooting Furnaces, Heat Pumps and Air Conditioners