Anybody up for a challenge?

[54regcab]

Here's one I ran into today, 1974 vintage furnace. Previous owner was an engineer and wired it this way, left 4 pages of hand drawn schematics by the furnace.

[Jpaulsmith]

Whats wrong with it?

[54regcab]

Customer called to have a Smartstat installed. Smartstat requires a common to operate properly, her old stat was a battery power digital... Supervisor said not to hook it up since the wiring is nuts. Oddly enough the furnace and A/C works, even with wiring like it is...

[2sac]

It's just wires. If they want to pay for your time. Go ahead and do it.

[54regcab]

It's just wires. If they want to pay for your time. Go ahead and do it.

The thermostat was one of those that our local utility was paying us to put in. Wasn't worth the time to sort through all those wires. If it was up to me I'd start over and put it back factory wiring.

[vstech]

I see nothing wrong with that wiring... what's it all controlling? blower? relight?

[54regcab]

I didn't go through it, but there was 4 from the stat, 2 to humidifier, 5 going into attic for something unknown, 2 to condenser, 5 going to a relay attached to a wall, and 3 more into a wall. Didn't make a bit of sense to me.

[Jpaulsmith]

if you have 2 going to the condenser one has to be a common. Being that the furnace is 1974 has anyone checked the heat exchanger I bet that thing is full of holes.

[mgenius33]

Customer called to have a Smartstat installed. Smartstat requires a common to operate properly, her old stat was a battery power digital... Supervisor said not to hook it up since the wiring is nuts. Oddly enough the furnace and A/C works, even with wiring like it is...

Tell her if she wants a smart stat she needs a smart furnace.

[erc tech]

Looks like a fire hazard to me!

[54regcab]

Even though the call was for a stat, I did check the heat exchanger. No holes/cracks that I could see. Looks like that beast weighs about 300lbs, it's gonna take 2-3 of us when it comes time to retire it.

[mrbean]

it's time for new furnace for surre

[Snapperhead]

Is that Poodleheads house ???? .... he's always adding his own gadgets to make things run better ;)

[hvacvegas]

All that wiring, for a simple furnace. Sad.

[beenthere]

I didn't go through it, but there was 4 from the stat, 2 to humidifier, 5 going into attic for something unknown, 2 to condenser, 5 going to a relay attached to a wall, and 3 more into a wall. Didn't make a bit of sense to me.

Sounds like a home made dual fuel control, with solar assist. :grin2:

[Hernzac]

At least all the wires are not all the same color, lol. How easy is it ro read the schematics?

[John Markl]

Be not afraid. Sort out the wires. Figure out what they do. Seperate yourself from the parts-changers and box-flippers.

If you understand how things work, it's really not that hard.

You should see what I had to do to a 20-ton Carrier RTU with a bad Comfortlink board at a church on Saturday, to keep them cool today......

Anyone can replace the furnace.....but they still have to figure out what the wires do.....maybe some of those wires run a power-vented chimney.....you don't want to replace the furnace without checking that out, do you? :cheers:

[MJG]

Looks like that would've been fun to sort out. I like challenges. Yes I'm slighty disturbed...