Help! Trane Furnace Intermittent Start

[bgw64]

I have a Trane furnace that usually will not start on the first cycle. I live in Florida so the furnace is not used that often. The system is about six years old and is an 80% efficiency system. Here is what happens.

When the thermostat demands heat the internal exhaust fan turns on, then the igniter heats up and glows. I hear the gas valve click but it doesn't ignite. The igniter turns off and then a few seconds later the system starts over. Sometimes it will light on its second try and sometimes it doesn't. If it doesn't light on the second try then I will reset power and let it start the cycle over. It will usually light on the second series of ignition cycles. Is the gas valve bad? Do I have a sensor that is bad? HELP? Thank you in advance...:confused:

[duxinaroe]

Sounds like air in the line. if not used very often this happens. line has to purge itself a couple of times.

[Mr Bill]

Sounds like air in the line.


OMG! http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l286/mrbillpro/1.gif

[duxinaroe]

Yes Bill, air in the line. assuming he just started using it for the first time. furnace in florida probably never uses it. gas valve could be sticking too.

[coolguysfl]

It's talking to you. Are you listening? It needs professional service - it is going out on a SAFETY for reason.

Pls call your local professional, it could be as simple as a clean & adj.

[Mr Bill]

I live in Florida so the furnace is not used that often. The system is about six years old and is an 80% efficiency system.


Here's what I got out of that, the furnace is 6 years old and yes I use it enough to keep the air out of the lines but in Florida we really don't use our furnace that much, but we do use it.
Sorry duxinaroe, maybe I just read it differently than you did was not trying to give you a hard time. :D

[bgw64]

First, Thank you all for replying...we use the furnace about five to ten days a month from Nov to Feb with the exception of Jan. In Jan it's about 20 days.

DUX said it could be a sticking valve...let me add some additional symtoms. I hear the solinoid actuate, then I hear what sounds like an internal valve move, but the furnace won't always light. When it does light it seems to take just as long between the sounds from the solinoid actuating and the valve moving. There could be a fraction of a second difference and this could make the difference with it not lighting.

I guess if the valve was sticking I could have someone watch the gas meter to see if it moves:cool:

Let me add that we also have a gas water heater so air should not be in the line...and it has been in service for six years.

This problem has been going on for two years now, it get no better or no worse. The only thing that has changed is that we had a pool built with a gas heater added. The gas company added a "T" in the line right after the meter, so the new heater is on its own line. Let me note that the pool heater is not running when this is happening.

Ideas?

Thanks!

BW

[bgw64]

Again, thanks for all of your excellent advice and sharing your knowledge and experience. I don't plan to do this work myself becuase I really don't want to hurt or kill myself or my familiy due to a gas leak...

I just want to have a pretty good idea of what may be the problem when I do call someone to fix it. With all due respect to all of you professionals, I have not always been that impressed or trusting of service contrators here in Florida. If any of you are here in Florida you know there are good and bad and I am not trying to offend you. It's the dishonest ones that ruin it for the many honest people.

OK, I'm off of my soapbox now...I just wanted to explain myself...

Please continue posting your welcome thoughts!

BW

[coolguysfl]

Interesting, so where you're from - they only have honest contractors? That's painting with broad brush isn't it.

Anybody else from OZ?

[Mr Bill]

I have not always been that impressed or trusting of service contrators here in Florida. If any of you are here in Florida you know there are good and bad and I am not trying to offend you. It's the dishonest ones that ruin it for the many honest people.
BW


I totally understand were your coming from here, this is how we get most of our business from the crooks, but this is how we keep them because my Business is built on Honesty and Integrity. The only customers we have ever lost have either moved or passed away, you should try and look at contractors like you would people, there are bad folks and good folks but the bad one's should not make you look at the good ones like there all bad. There are still some very honest contractors out there, not as many as there use to be when business were all smaller because there is a of of demand for service techs to sell when they work for "some" not all of the larger company's trust me I used to work for one long, long, ago and that is what forced me to go to work for myself.

[bgw64]

Bill, I agree that honest service companies exhist...I found an A/C guy last year via word of mouth. He is a small company with a few employees and they were great! They stood behind the work and I will call him about this problem.

Does anyone have any new ideas about this problem?

[HeyBob]

Due to our forum rules we are not allowed to give DIY help. Please contact a professional HVAC contractor in you area for service. Please click on the forum rules in my sig line before further posting.

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