Furnace (electric) guy question....
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Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Furnace (electric) guy question....
If the central electric furnace works fine (heat and fan on) when the wall thermostat is set to 'on' but doesn't work on 'auto' (neither heat or fan on), is their anything that is likely to be wrong with the furnace itself, versus just the thermostat (or thermostat wiring)...?
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Chuck 100 yd
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Re: Furnace (electric) guy question....
Pop the cover off the thermostat and check the mercury switch inside. Mine and I believe all have a mercury switch that is operated by a bymetal spring/coil. It may just be broken. Easily replaced by a homeowner. I installed the furnace in my shop. Nothing major involved.
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Old Ironsights
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Re: Furnace (electric) guy question....
On most modern "programmable" thermostats, "Auto" and "ON" refer ONLY to the household blower-fan, not the heater/chiller.
On "ON" the blower (should) run continuously, whether the thermostat is set to "Heat" or "Cool".
On "Auto", the Blower will not come on until the Heating System is activated (low temp condition).
If your house has only an old style 2 wire system (gas), the only control you have is "low temp activate", after which the blower comes on to move air past the heat exchanger.
In my current house, I have no control over the blower. It only comes on when the heat exchanger is primed (Auto).
But in my last house, we set the blower to "on" to continuously circulate the air whether the furnace/chiller was on or not.
On "ON" the blower (should) run continuously, whether the thermostat is set to "Heat" or "Cool".
On "Auto", the Blower will not come on until the Heating System is activated (low temp condition).
If your house has only an old style 2 wire system (gas), the only control you have is "low temp activate", after which the blower comes on to move air past the heat exchanger.
In my current house, I have no control over the blower. It only comes on when the heat exchanger is primed (Auto).
But in my last house, we set the blower to "on" to continuously circulate the air whether the furnace/chiller was on or not.
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2ndovc
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Re: Furnace (electric) guy question....
Doc,
It sounds like the thermostat has gone bad. a new digital one is fairly cheap, and it you have a voltage meter you make sure the unit is getting power too. Those LV wires can break pretty easily.
Start there, quick easy fixes if that's the problem. From there, there should be a transformer on or near the furnace that the LV wire is connected to. Those like to up and die for no reason. Check the power coming and going there if everything checks out at the thermostat. If there's power to and from the transformer, then it's a bigger problem that may require a real HVAC guy.
jb
It sounds like the thermostat has gone bad. a new digital one is fairly cheap, and it you have a voltage meter you make sure the unit is getting power too. Those LV wires can break pretty easily.
Start there, quick easy fixes if that's the problem. From there, there should be a transformer on or near the furnace that the LV wire is connected to. Those like to up and die for no reason. Check the power coming and going there if everything checks out at the thermostat. If there's power to and from the transformer, then it's a bigger problem that may require a real HVAC guy.
jb
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Re: Furnace (electric) guy question....
.
I have a digital thermostat, and the first thing I check/change when things get funky is it's battery.............
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I have a digital thermostat, and the first thing I check/change when things get funky is it's battery.............
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Catshooter
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Re: Furnace (electric) guy question....
Doc,
If your furnace is new enough to have a chip or two then the problem could be either it or the 'stat.
Sorry.
Cat
If your furnace is new enough to have a chip or two then the problem could be either it or the 'stat.
Sorry.
Cat