furnace question
#4
ok some info upfront, I heat my shop with a 30+ year old furnace.  Lennox Furnace Model G16Q3/4 100-3.  I got it used from a furnace guy for $200, paid him to put it in.  Good guy, been honest with me on some other work and he said it was in good condition when he put in 9-10 years ago.  I keep the shop temp at 50 and it didn't seem to affect my gas price much.  He doesn't do that work anymore. It has run great, no problems since I got it.

This year two problems occurred, at or about the same time.  It would click but not ignite the pilot light.  I unplug and replug and it would work for a day or two.  Once the ignitor started the furnace kicked right in.  So I figure it is the ignitor and not the sensor since it is sensing the pilot light.  That is something minor and I would be willing to fix it.

The other problem started about the same time.  When it would run, it would heat the shop, leave heating mode and run the fan for awhile.  The final temp would end around 51-52.  Then it started to creep up to about 55-56 for the final temp. 

Both went on for about three weeks or so.  I lit it manually a couple of times towards the end.  Then all of a sudden it started working like before.  I also noticed the temp went back to normal, 51-52.  It has worked fine for the last month and half or so no problems at all.  This is has been with both colder weather and moderate weather.

So, any ideas on the problem?  Fix it or replace it?  If it were for my house I'd just replace it given it's age for the reliability.  Since it is the shop I'm not as concerned.  Even though a new furnace would be a lot more efficient I figure the price would cover quite a few years of gas for a shop with a temp set at 50.
mark
Ignorance is bliss -- I'm very, very happy
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#5
Those furnaces have a tendency for the heat exchangers to fail at about 20 years old. There are few left in this area. I would recommend that you have it inspected by a qualified tech and if sound, he can trouble shoot the ignition and safety circuits.
Blackhat

Bad experiences come from poor decisions. So do good stories. 


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#6
ok, thanks, I was hoping you would see the thread. It is the furnace I have mentioned in the past it sits in the garage not the shop and the temp is usually around 40-45 for it's area. It feeds both the shop and the garage although the garage is kind of waste right now. The concrete blocks really seem to let in the cold. The garage doors are ancient and I'm pretty sure do little to stop the heat from leaking out.
mark
Ignorance is bliss -- I'm very, very happy
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