primitive discusses furnace problem

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=287x8012

Oh my.

Paper Roses  (208 posts)      Sun Oct-18-09 01:27 PM
Original message
 
Any idea why this is happening? It is now cold enough that the furnace should be triggering on but it is not doing so consistently. I have a 2 year old furnace and thermostat and fuel tanks. Oil heat. The furnace was cleaned last November and I really can't do it this year. It costs over $100.00 for the fuel guys to come in, vacuum it out and replace the fuel filters, nozzles etc. I have to pass this time.

Sometimes I hear the furnace going on but frequently it gets cold and I wonder....go to check as I did just now. The thermostat is set at 64, it is 59 degrees in the room where it is. Why won't it trigger on as the temp lowers?

Any do-it-yourself thoughts?

Now, that there's more brazen bare-faced primitive hypocrisy.

The primitives allege to be on the side of working people, union people, and here the above primitive's not willing to hire a union-card-carrying repairman to deal with her problem.

Damn, the primitives can be such hypocrites.

eleny  (1000+ posts)      Sun Oct-18-09 02:07 PM
Response to Original message
 
1. How old is the thermostat?

Paper Roses  (208 posts)      Sun Oct-18-09 02:44 PM
Response to Reply #1
 
2. It was new 2 years ago when the furnace was installed. 

Do they get dusty inside? I have hesitated to try to vacuum the inside, never did that with my old thermostat because I don't know how sensitive they are. It would be just like me to make things worse.

eleny  (1000+ posts)      Sun Oct-18-09 03:03 PM
Response to Reply #2
 
3. I've never looked way inside our thermostat so I don't know about vacuuming it out

We just open the flap on ours to change the batteries or change the settings. It does seem pretty new as is your furnace. I'm sure someone with more knowledge will have better advice. But cleaning around the furnace is important to do every year. I know ours gets pretty dusty.

Wash. state Desk Jet  (1000+ posts)      Sun Oct-18-09 04:21 PM
Response to Reply #3

4. do you know how to change the filters ?

You might try raising the temperature to 85 or so to get the furnace to kick in full bore. Run it for a bit and when the temperature reaches 85 or there about reduce it to yer desired temp. You don't have to wait until the whole house reaches 85 degrees, the object is to get the furnace to kick in full bore.Sometimes furnace guys hot wire the thermostat so that the furnace runs full bore while the furnace is being tested out. That way yer running fuel through the system and everything about the system becomes synchronized.

Turn it up, see how it goes.

Paper Roses  (208 posts)      Sun Oct-18-09 06:45 PM
Response to Reply #4
 
5. Hi, I will try your 85 degree procedure. As to the filters, I didn't know that oil furnaces had filters. Somehow I missed learning about this furnace. If I remember correctly from the bill last year, the crew replaced some fuel filter and nozzle. Whatever it is that they do, it is not obvious. I have no idea what they meant.
If there is a filter, is it something that I could take care of?

Wash. state Desk Jet  (1000+ posts)      Sun Oct-18-09 07:06 PM
Response to Reply #5
 
6. Alright !

I have a little homework assignment for you. Get the make and manufacturer off the furnace itself. The model and serial number. Info. may be with the paper work you got when the furnace was installed.

When you have that information in hand , look up the manufacturer's web site. They all have one these days. Get on the site and search information on your unit home maintenances. Look for a 1-800 number ,you may be able to call and speak to a tec rep. Also look over your service guaranty. You furnace is fairly new. Use their email to discribe the problem tell the the age of the unit in service. And if you find a 800 number call the manufacturer monday morning and ask for tec. assistance.

Now cycling your furnace may straighten it out. But you still need to know all about what you can do in so far as home, homeowner maintenance. If it has filters ,you can change those. I am not talking about fuel filters.

If you have any problems with the manufacturer web site, post the make and model of your furnace and I will take a look at the specs. on the manufacturer web site. Including trouble shooting.

Paper Roses  (208 posts)      Sun Oct-18-09 07:09 PM
Response to Reply #6
 
7. I'll get the info in the AM and let you know how it goes. Thanks!

Paper Roses  (208 posts)      Tue Oct-20-09 07:52 AM
Response to Reply #6
 
8. Good Morning. I'm waiting for a reply to my e-mail to the makers of the furnace. In the literature about the furnace, It ways there are no consumer serviceable parts.

It seems to be triggering on now. I did try and up the degrees on the thermostat. Seems to have done the job encouraging the unit to start.

I'll let you know what the manufacturer says. It is a Peerless boiler WBV-03-WPCL with a Reillo Burner 40-F3
65X60W
External expansion tank
Oil fired hot water.

Wash. state Desk Jet  (1000+ posts)      Tue Oct-20-09 04:06 PM
Response to Reply #8
 
10. Put a thermometer next to the thermostat ,find out what the variables are for that particular thermostat.Remember the temperature at the thermostat will determine when your furnace kicks on or off.No other part of the room or house will effect that.To find the variables you may have to look at the name,manufacturer of the thermostat. And get the specs on it. In other words the thermostat may have been manufactured by a different company. I may be talking about a 5 degree variance.

Down the line you may want to upgrade your thermostat to a higher quality,or that may not be necessary.I assume your thermostat is 12 volt. And did you run the furnace for several hour at a higher temp, or did you just notice it kicked on than turned it back down ?

I see the furnace type is in your post, I'll take a look at their web site.

Try running your furnace at a rounded number for a few days, say 65 degrees and see if that helps.

conscious evolution  (1000+ posts)      Tue Oct-20-09 01:27 PM
Response to Original message

9. Chinese made thermostat?

Seeing how every thing else from there is shit it would not surprise me if the thermostat is shit also.

Uh, it's not cool for a primitive to be denigrating one of the socialist paradises of the workers and peasants with free medical care for all.

[NHSparky]

I see a house fire in the very near future, and the DUmmies lamenting their new found homelessness coupled with a hatred of their "fundie Rethuglican family" who won't put up with their shit ad infinitum.

[The Village Idiot]

I don't think I've ever seen an oil-fired furnace. We don't need them in Texas.

[zeitgeist]

I see a house fire in the very near future, and the DUmmies lamenting their new found homelessness coupled with a hatred of their "fundie Rethuglican family" who won't put up with their shit ad infinitum.

You may like this one Sparky, I ran a cross an add for a DIY disk brake upgrade kit ( my 'Cuda has 4 drums ) which said something similar to; "If you are the type who sets the garage on fire changing the oil, this upgrade is not for you."   

I have the furnace tuned every year.  My twenty year old steam system usually runs at 83-89% effieiency.  A couple years ago they even started doing a tank "UT"  to keep an eye on wall thickness.  A nozzel and fuel filters are way cheaper than a service call in the dead of night or on a weekend ( for some reason the only time the furnaces fails).

[NHSparky]

Amen.  $100 a year is a very small price to pay for peace of mind and a dependable furnace, especially when that -20 cold snap with the -40 wind chill hits.

Now if I had just been able to do a prebuy for my oil.  My regular company isn't doing it anymore and Eastern wants $2.59/gal and a 500-gallon minimum. 

I'm thinking that since I have a (mostly) full tank right now, it's gonna get filled once (twice at most), then wait until next summer when the oil prices go back down after heating season.

[IassaFTots]

I don't think I've ever seen an oil-fired furnace. We don't need them in Texas.

What is an oil-fired furnace???

[The Village Idiot]

What is an oil-fired furnace???

coal, oil, kerosene, liberals... whatever those things use for fuel in OuterLiberaland

[Homecreek]

But I thought we won't need a furnace because The Wooden Al said we wouldn't.  And even if we did, the O is going to give some dough from his stash to help pay for it! 

[LC EFA]

Paper Roses  (208 posts)      Sun Oct-18-09 01:27 PM
Original message
 
...
Oil heat.
...

What about the enviwomenths that The Holy Prophet Goreâ„¢ is always harping on about ?

Doesn't activism start at home anymore ?

[JohnnyReb]

What is an oil-fired furnace???

It means #2 diesel fuel at my house.

Back 40 years ago when diesel fuel delivered to the house was 15.9 cent a gallon, it was cheap heat...and I didn't mind burning 400 to 500 gallons a winter to keep it toasty inside. Since then I've added insulation etc. and keep it cooler inside and only burn around a 150 gallons a winter now....the cost last week when they filled up my tank (4 gallons  ) was $2.29/9. They filled the tank at the end of the heating season last spring I guess to get the last dollar they could..... and forgot they had filled it by this fall/winter. 

[IassaFTots]

It means #2 diesel fuel at my house.

Back 40 years ago when diesel fuel delivered to the house was 15.9 cent a gallon, it was cheap heat...and I didn't mind burning 400 to 500 gallons a winter to keep it toasty inside. Since then I've added insulation etc. and keep it cooler inside and only burn around a 150 gallons a winter now....the cost last week when they filled up my tank (4 gallons  ) was $2.29/9. They filled the tank at the end of the heating season last spring I guess to get the last dollar they could..... and forgot they had filled it by this fall/winter. 

Good on ya!  I am sure I have been somewhere before that has a furnace, but all I seem to remember are natural gas heaters.  Your post reminded me.  Thanksgiving plans=adding insulation to my attic.  Fun times.