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Shop furnance issue - John Mihich - 12-15-2017

I did my yearly maintenance on my furnace - mainly because the pilot light would not stay on.  I replace the thermal coupler and cleaned the burners and area.  

Here's the problem.  The furnace works great for a couple of days then the pilot light goes out.  It will relight quickly.  When it does relight it has great flame.  I watch the burners when they are lite - nice blue light.  I have had this furnace for 17 years and do yearly maintenance.  It has worked jus fine all those years.  

Since I replaced the TC is there an adjustment to the flame?  It looks like it is right at the tip of the flame. Or could the TC be bad?  

I am in the shop everyday and it is well insolated so I'm not concerned about it freezing.  So this is more of a nuisance fix.

TIA


RE: Shop furnance issue - Stwood_ - 12-15-2017

Maybe bend the little thingie maggie into the flame a bit more.
I have an unvented LP stove in the house as a backup, and had to do that last year to get the pilot to stay lit.
Any little breeze (door opening/closing) blew it out.


RE: Shop furnance issue - John Mihich - 12-15-2017

(12-15-2017, 08:37 PM)Stwood_ Wrote: Maybe bend the little thingie maggie into the flame a bit more.
I have an unvented LP stove in the house as a backup, and had to do that last year to get the pilot to stay lit.
Any little breeze (door opening/closing) blew it out.

I'll give that a shot.  I don't think I bent it but that doesn't mean I didn't.


RE: Shop furnance issue - blackhat - 12-16-2017

Can you post a pic of the pilot assembly when it's burning but no main flame on?  The top 1/4 to 3/8 inch of the thermocouple should be nearly red hot.


RE: Shop furnance issue - blackhat - 12-16-2017

There normally is a means to adjust the pilot flame. It's seldom needed, most frequently a thorough cleaning of the pilot burner is needed.


RE: Shop furnance issue - daddo - 12-16-2017

I agree- A pic would answer a lot of questions.

The thermocouple puts out maximum voltage when the pilot flame hits the top 1/4"- 3/8". If it only touches toward the top end it is not heating it properly. This can also happen when the burners come on. On one particular Trane furnace years ago, the burners would actually blow the pilot out when the burners first came on.
You could also have air blowing on the pilot as the blower starts up- a possible problem that needs serious attention.

You could also have combustion air problems among other things.

I wasn't aware there were standing pilots and natural draft furnaces that young.


RE: Shop furnance issue - John Mihich - 12-30-2017

I fixed it.  I raised the TC a bit and moved the pilot light closer.  Now the TC is in the flame.  Didn't understand way it would work a couple days and then stop.  Now it's been a while so I think I fixed it.

I should add that I've owned this for 17 years - it was new but old stock.  I found the year made - 1988.


RE: Shop furnance issue - Stwood_ - 12-31-2017

Sounds great