Nordyne gas pack question

[dexman]

I just installed a hot surface igniter on a nordyne unit. I couldnt find the exact one and all the numbers are washed off. so I retrofitted one that was close to that one. When I started the unit, the igniter glowed, then began to sizzle, caught on fire, and fell to pieces. Does nordyne use a special igniter, different voltages, or could it have just been a defective part? Any help appreciated.

[curry]

I could not determine from your post whether you are an HO or tech.

[dexman]

Tech. First nordyne.

[curry]

Which brand of Nordyne?

[dexman]

??? just a nordyne gas pack. Thats all I got except a model number off a parts list i found in bottom of unit. it is R2GA.

[dexman]

I can tell you that it has an odd service door on the right side of the unit. It goes together with the corner of the unit using two 45 degree angles.

[curry]

I do Westinghouse. Get the orignal hsi. You cant retrofit that stuff. And as a tech you should know better.
I can't confirm if you really are a tech or not but you practice making a part fit seems suspicious to me.

Nice way to blow something up.

[dexman]

Retrofitted several as long as you get them mounted securely and in the right place they work just fine. Sometimes when your under the gun and people dont have heat, and the parts store is closed, you have improvise. Safely of course! If you have never been in that situation, I seriously doubt that you're a tech. I just wandered if anybody ever seen this happen before. BTW, If you dont have a answer, dont waste peoples time with pointless questions!!

[curry]

AIN'T NO SUCH THING AS A SAFE RETROFIT UNLES IT'S FACTORY APPROVED.

What you did is jury-riging. Being a dealer for the brand I can speak with authority.

Some hsi have diff. warm up times others are made for special application.

I won't use hsi that does not have the same mounts. I have seen hsi's that were supposed to be "secured" and then thru expansion and contraction fall off the mount and hang by the wire under the burner.
Call for heat fills the entire vestibule with gas and is set off by the dangling hsi and blows out the side of th the unit.

Call nordyne tech line and see if i'm not serious.

[Edited by curry on 10-25-2005 at 07:23 PM]

[dexman]

So what do you do when you have no model, serial, or part numbers. You call your distributor and they're no help. And whoever was there before you cut the plug off and wirenutted a different igniter on. So you have nothing to go on, no nordyne dealers in town, and a little old lady shivering and praying you get her some heat.? You get on HVAC Talk and talk to a Nordyne dealer, give him what numbers you do have, a description of the unit, and thusfar still have no answers, no heat for lady, wasted an hour, no helpful #'s to call, nothing. I appreciate the "don't do that again" speech but it dosn't solve my problem.

[coolmen]

sounds like the unit should be replaced

[dexman]

I agree but I seriously doubt she has the money.

[dexman]

BTW curry, these two mounted the exact same, the retro was 1/4" shorter but still long enough to ignite gas.

[curry]

Look, here is the tech number to Nordyne 800 XXX XXXX.
Give them the number you found inside they wil help you.

I just don't want you to hurt your self. Exuse me if I sound too fatherly but i love this biz and get a little protective over non OEM parts.

>>> Edited tech number due to open forum.


[Edited by jultzya on 10-28-2005 at 12:12 AM]

[dexman]

Understood, and thanks. I dont make stuff like this a habit, but I find it hard to believe that everyone who has been in this business for years has not tried temporary fixes to get someone by till the right part comes in. Which I go back and change "if" I can get the part. Thanks for #.

[curry]

LOL Thats WHY I don't make them anymore. Made my share of mistakes too damn stupid to mention.

Luck fella.

[dexman]

Thanks for the number curry. Lots of help. Turns out the igniter I put on would have worked but someone before me retro-replaced the board with one that does not step the voltage down to 120 for the igniter. When I ordered the "right" igniter, they sent one like the one I blew up. Tech support was great and figured it out by my description of board. 220 volt igniter with bracket on the way. Thanks.

P.S. sorry for the sarcasm. were having our first week of cold weather here and 20000 people have waited till now to test their heat. things are a little crazy this week in NC.

[smiley8003]

You should have checked voltage to igniter as soon as u saw it burn up the igniter and that would have told you that you had 220 there instead of 110.

[dexman]

you dont say.!