Explosion Type Ignition (YORK Diamond 90 furnace)

[aco2451]

I'm just a home owner trying to find some answers.

bought the house in October 2012 so don't know much history on except it was installed in 1995.

1/30/13- came home to a cold house. determined that the furnace wasn't igniting so was just blowing cold air.

1/31/13 - Called HVAC company. they sent a Service Tech out. He replaced the ignitor.

1/31/13 Evening- Got home from work, had heat in the house. New problem, when the Furnace kicks on sounds like something exploding in the furnace.

2/1/13 - called tech, told him that it sounded like the furnace there is and explosion whenever it kicks one, He told me that some ignitors have a break in period. said to call off on monday if it doesn't bet better

2/4/13 - called office back, said they would send a tech out.

Different tech came out.
replaced the ignitor with a different one (thinking the one just installed was bad) = same problem.

Adjusted gas pressure = same problem

Cleaned intake pipe = same problem

cut intake pipe to bring air in from basement = igniton got better.

was still confused and knew that he can't leave the pipe open in the basement due to code. was going to call and talk to YORK.

2/5/13 - wasn't able to get ahold of YORK but called and asked if everything was still ok.

2/6/13 - came back and determined that the inducer fan/motor was weak and not drawing in enough air.

2/11/13 - came back this morning and replaced the inducer fan/motor hooked the pipe back up = same explosion type ignition. said he was going to order a OEM ignitor from YORK.


would anyone have any idea on what could be causing this. it never happened from the time we turned the furnace on in late November to the time the ignitor went out.

Thanks,
Adam

[ga-hvac-tech]

Sounds like the piping for intake and exhaust is not right...

Call YORK and get someone YORK qualified to check the piping.

[aco2451]

Well I called what I though was the YORK dealer in my town but found out that he sold to another company which I have found out is a bryant and trane dealer.

the nearest YORK dealer is over an hour from my location.

I guess how would we just now be having the issue when it was running perfectly fine until the replacement of the ignitor (which I understand is a wear part) and is often replaced. its not like the pipes have moved or anything.

[gravity]

either the ignitor is in the wrong location(needs to be adjusted) or the secondary is clogged

very easy to diagnose

have them send a more experienced or combustion certified technician

[aco2451]

well, the tech did make a comment to me that the gas comes in on the right and the ignitor is all the way on burner #4 on the left side.

but thats how it was made from YORK

[ga-hvac-tech]

Then there is this little gadget called a pressure switch... may or may not be bad... or may be intermittant... along with a few other issues.

It is not as simple as a sound byte answer... this is why us PRO's in this business take years to learn... and not everyone really does learn enough to diagnose difficult answers. And lets not forget: We really never stop learning until we are retired or dead...

Best to get someone out that has some smarts. Find the York folks and call them... Or get someone that is willing to really FIX your issue... and expect to pay some $$$ for the repair... the cheap guys usually do not know that much...

[beenthere]

Do you have natural gas, or are you burning propane.

As Gravity said, could be clogging secondary heat exchanger.

[martyinlincoln]

Good chance a BOOM is what broke the ignitor. At 18 years old I wouldn't stick much money in it.

[aco2451]

It is a natural gas furnace.

The boom never happened before the ignitor was replaced.... the tech talked to a York service tech who stated that the Diamond 90 furnace requires use of a OEM ignitor... so he ordered one directly from York and should be fixed sometime tomorrow

[NCHeat]

well, the tech did make a comment to me that the gas comes in on the right and the ignitor is all the way on burner #4 on the left side.

but thats how it was made from YORK

I have been a YORK dealer for a long time and I don't ever remember a unit that gas enters on right and igniter is on the left. This could be causing your problem.

[duckman06]

I just wonder if it is the right igniter? I ran across a Trane system one time that was still under warranty. Igniter was bad replaced with a universal one worked fine. Ordered the OEM using the model and serial number installed the new one and within two days customer calls and says they have no heat again.

I returned to check the system and found igniter had gone bad again. Checked everything and nothing that I could find was showing me why new Igniter was not working and or failed. Reinstalled the universal one fired and ran like a champ. So I scratched my head and then took a closer look at the board. The board appeared to be newer then the furnace.

So then I started to do some research and found that when another company had installed a new board back during the summer. Guess what the new board had a diffrent ignitior that was suppose to have been changed. Since I called Trane and ordered off the model & serial number they had sent me the org. Ignitior for the furnace which was not right for the new board. Got thy corrected and she fired and ran like a champ.

While I have never had one make the noise you stated you still might have the tech review over the system and see if any parts have been changed that could be causing this. Just a thought on something that could be causing the problem but normally when this happens ignitior just fails not the problem you have described but might be worth looking into.

[wahoo]

I'm betting the tech has not installed ignitor correctly (too far from flames).

[ga-hvac-tech]

What the HO thinks is the ignitor at the opposite end of the burners may be the flame sensor...

Really need a pro out there...

Problem is... not everyone in the phone book is a pro. Best thing to do is get referrals from your friends/family.