HVAC

[Spinalguy]

HVAC!!!!
Any of my internet friends in Calgary fix furnaces?
Intermittent heating for 1 week.
Pilot light works but burners may/may not fire up.
Thermostat has new batteries and furnace had a 30 sec re set.
Did not solve problem.
When burners burn, nice blue flame.
When burners do not light, continuous 'clicking' noise.
Bows nice cold air.
Lennox Whisper Heat
model # G20Q3E-75H(maybe4?)-2
i will pay cash to come fix. i did buy a thermocoupler in case and some emory cloth as a "expert" in USA suggested the heat sensor needs to be cleaned. This entails taking 2 doors/flaps off and it is beyond my comfort level.

Thanks!!!!
Not tonight but Fri after work? Sat? etc?

[morerpmfred]

Just did mine tonight. Doing the same thing.  Not an hvac guy. Lennox is crap.
Six bolts on my furnace. All 5/16 socket.  Got ta fiddle with it to pull it out. Ths shiney  one on the left is what it should look like. Have an emory block/erasor. If you really take your time maybe an hour max. Tom this is easy. You can do it.

[Animal]

Kinda sounds like a control board or a gas valve
 
First thing to look at is the flame sencer ( like in the pic) replace it or clean if with sand paper I
Can help you with this if u like

[morerpmfred]

Just talked to hvac service guy. Flame sensor can only be cleaned so many times. Part from lennox is big $.  Part from sinclairs is like $20.

[Spinalguy]

Thanks guys. Flame sensor has never been cleaned since i lived here (10 years). Do not know prior history.
i will buy one anyway and google that place Andy.
Human bodies i can troubleshoot, diagnose and fix but mechanical things i really am quite pathetic. What is easy for you, not so much for me. ha.
Animal, i will keep you updated as someone else said they would help. Thank you for the offer.

[Animal]

All good if your replacing the flame sencer you should do the ignightor at the same time

[Spinalguy]

All good if your replacing the flame sencer you should do the ignightor at the same time

Yes. It turns out that based on my exact problem, the clicking indicates that it is indeed the ignitor (or in this case the entire Robertshaw control board).
If it was the flame sensor, symptoms would be the furnace would fire up and then completely quit within 10 secs. Blowers would not continue to blow.
i bought the new improved Honeywell board and it comes with a new flame sensor.
Thanks all, i have someone helping tonight.

[Immortal]

Flame sensor can only be cleaned so many times. Part from lennox is big $.  Part from sinclairs is like $20.

Price is depending on who you know.....
It's a piece of metal.... No magic involved. Clean it as many times as you can. They will stop working eventually, but that is usually due to a crack in the porcelain, and the rod grounding out.
Keep it OEM. It will be a tad more $$, but it will fit, and work. What you save on  the part gets burned up on retrofitting/modding a non-OEM part. That $20 part is going to cost you an extra hour in labour. And  at $100ish/hour.....
Sounds like you got a retrofit board, Tom. If it is from the furnace manufacturer then it will be the "updated, better" part. Should work out nicely for you.
T

[w squared]

Pretty smart for a plumber.

[Spinalguy]

Price is depending on who you know.....
It's a piece of metal.... No magic involved. Clean it as many times as you can. They will stop working eventually, but that is usually due to a crack in the porcelain, and the rod grounding out.
Keep it OEM. It will be a tad more $$, but it will fit, and work. What you save on  the part gets burned up on retrofitting/modding a non-OEM part. That $20 part is going to cost you an extra hour in labour. And  at $100ish/hour.....
Sounds like you got a retrofit board, Tom. If it is from the furnace manufacturer then it will be the "updated, better" part. Should work out nicely for you.
T

Robertshaw boards are out of business so this is the replacement part. Let me also say the whoever designed the location of the flame sensor was an arse. Grrrr.
The damper door and assembly as well as another panel had to be removed to get to it. Why could it not be a couple bolts like everyone else assumed it was. Ha.
Got heat and am happy.
Thanks Trevor.

[Immortal]

Yeah.... That furnace is frickin dumb.... And about 15 years old. Old school design. Start budgeting for a replacement furnace. They're engineered for about 20 years.
Be aware the the door switches for that damper do fail.... $30 part and 2 hrs labour. Dumb.

Glad to hear it all worked out buddy.

[Dingleberry]

Human bodies i can troubleshoot...

Lime and shovel, what more?