Furnace replacement, what would you do?

[cabmandone]

Just sent you a PM. Give me a call if you would like to chat.... and I promise, I'm not a crazy stalker.... Unless you decide your in the market for a toolcat

[MBAtarga]

When 1 of our AC/Furnace units (we have 3 identical systems) started acting up last summer, it cycled continuously trying to turn on the AC and after a few seconds would turn off. I found replacement OEM boards on ebay for about $100 (it was about $500 through the normal service channels.) I bought both of the remaining boards from the vendor and installed one of them on the unit acting up. Fixed the problem entirely - and I still have the 2nd replacement board as a spare.

[mattdavis11]

I can't believe a professional said that you have to swap out the whole system. They are integrated, but separate, unless it's a heat pump, and yours obviously is not.

The refrigeration scam, is just that. Same tactic as R-12 to R-134a in cars, or the new HFO 1234YF. HFO 1234YF, Holy Fuch Obummer! 1234, You're Fuched. No I'm not.

New board.

[wdfifteen]

I didn't want to get into this. I have other things to do, but I'm in it now so rolling up my sleeves.

The board is a White Rogers model 50AG1-605. The code the red light is flashing is 3.

Going to Google this info and see what I can find.

[Rick Lee]

I don't know what your monthly heat or a/c bills are like, but upgrading my whole system three years ago saved me more money than going solar did. My old HVAC was original to the house - 1996. I kept band-aiding it until it finally gave up the ghost and I had budgeted for the $7000 replacement. Man the new stuff they use is light years more efficient than the old stuff.

[KFC911]

Good point Rick....my old Trane was '91....new Rheem is much more effecient ..particularly in the summer. Should have replaced it sooner....in hindsight.

[wilnj]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

I didn't want to get into this. I have other things to do, but I'm in it now so rolling up my sleeves.



The board is a White Rogers model 50AG1-605. The code the red light is flashing is 3.



Going to Google this info and see what I can find.

Just did this about 3 weeks ago. Had the same error code. Replaced pressure switch first, no joy. Replaced vacuum lines, no joy. Replaced control board and have had no issues since.

An HVAC tech told me the same, that I would need to swap out a bunch of components which evidently is based on Trane’s part number, and that might be the ‘right’ way to do it but I was able to source the same control board and just swapped wires, like for like and had no issues.

Search for the part no. on the board, not the furnace.



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[biosurfer1]

I just went through all this too. First the control relay for the AC fan went out so the HVAC guy wired one in just to get me through the summer, then the heat fan relay went out.

Started checking eBay and got a tested used unit for $40. Pulled the old one and plugged in the new, everything back to working normally.

Looks like your board is still available new on eBay, ~$250. Might be worth it. You should also check that some of the other boards that show up when you search your model number aren't compatible alternatives, they seem to be cheaper.

[bob deluke]

Check your owners manual, should tell you what the blinking lights on the board mean. Board can be replaced, but what caused it to go in the first place? If you get another board, be careful handling it, ESD could damage it. Otherwise, I’m with cabmando. Install a new hi efficiency furnace, leave the hvac system alone. Any good service tech can adapt the existing supply air and return air plenums to the new furnace without changing the R22 system. Get other quotes from a reputable company. Make sure to have a proper heat load calculation done on the house to determine the correct size furnace. I’ve seen too many furnaces way oversized for the size of the house. Good luck!

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by javadog

Take a look at the burners and other parts and see if they would likely last for a few more years.

Ummm, no. As a matter of fact, when we moved in I had the furnaces inspected. The tech showed me that the heat exchanger in this one is rusty. The tech used a sniffer to see if it was leaking and said it's were OK for now. That was last winter.
In all the hubbub I totally forgot about that.
From my research rust on the heat exchangers = venting problem. Maybe the issue is in the vent pipes.
The three code = inducer error or pressure switch error. Or obstructed vent pipes?
Or maybe yet another reason for a new furnace.

[Steve Carlton]

How much is a whole new furnace? How much would your gas bill go down?

[wdfifteen]

I seem to have solved the immediate problem for now. I went out and cleared mud dauber nests from the intake pipe. It was maybe 30% clogged. The nests were about a foot deep into the pipe and I couldn't get the last of the crumbs, but they aren't obstructing much. I also took the front off of the combustion chamber and looked up the intake pipe. The screen had a few dead bees and a decent sized paper wasp nest obstructing it, which I cleaned out. I checked the pressure switches and they seem to be working. The insides of the burners are completely covered in rust. I couldn't see any bare metal. I think it's time to replace this furnace, and when it's out the vent system needs to be fixed too.
This blew my entire morning. MrsWD keeps saying, "relax, let someone else take care of things," but I can't leave it alone. I need to learn how this retirement thing is supposed to work.



A piece of the paper wasp nest that I dug out of the intake pipe.

[cabmandone]

That'll do it. Inducer motor shouldn't have been running continuously though. Once a fault occurs like the negative pressure switch not closing, it should throw a code, try to relight two or three times typically and then lock out. When you turn the breaker off and on you reset the cycle and it tries again.

[MBAtarga]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

I didn't want to get into this. I have other things to do, but I'm in it now so rolling up my sleeves.

The board is a White Rogers model 50AG1-605. The code the red light is flashing is 3.

Going to Google this info and see what I can find.

That part number is a 50A61-605.

Here's one on ebay:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/White-Rodgers-50A61-605-02-Circuit-Board-Trane-CNT02536-C341033P01-HVAC-Heater/302981730894?epid=548187883&hash=item468b1e524e:g:nUkAAOSw3BJcBMBj

[cabmandone]

One other thing, depending on the type of vent termination (concentric one pipe out, or two pipe) You can cut the pipe, clean it, and replace with those rubber fernco couplings rather than a glue coupler.

[billybek]

Your code diagnostics will be listed on the fan or combustion section panel with the wiring diagram.
I canned my two stage Trane as the board changeout required changing the vsd combustion blower. It was a no brainer to move to a York h/e with a ten year warranty for not much more money than the board replacement with me doing the work and rewire.
The furnaces are smaller but you can buy a sheet metal box for them to sit on to raise them to the same height.
Benefit to having the box under the fan plenum is better airflow through the unit.
If the ac works, run it until it fails and worry about it then.

[HardDrive]

I have a 15 year old furnace. I've dumped some money into it, but I'm doing the entire system this spring.

[flipper35]

We had issues with our furnace and went geothermal. It paid for itself in less than 7 years (the extra cost vs new traditional furnace and A/C). No refrigerant to worry about and no noise outside in the summer time.

[Cajundaddy]

Sounds like you may have fixed it if things are running normally now. Rust in the burners is pretty normal and may be there for a long time before it becomes a problem. If the whole unit looks like the floorpan of a 914 you will want to budget for a new furnace soon. My current furnace was installed in 1985 and it is ugly and inefficient but still runs fine. In SoCal we don't put a lot of mileage on them in winter.

Your current HVAC guy sounds like he wants to put his kids thru college on your dime so I would get 3 estimates before moving forward with a $10k overhaul.

[74-911]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I don't know what your monthly heat or a/c bills are like, but upgrading my whole system three years ago saved me more money than going solar did. My old HVAC was original to the house - 1996. I kept band-aiding it until it finally gave up the ghost and I had budgeted for the $7000 replacement. Man the new stuff they use is light years more efficient than the old stuff.

I replaced one of my AC units early last spring and had similar experience. It was 15+ YO and I knew it was just a matter of time given the pounding AC units get during the summer in this area. From past experience I knew it would most likely die on a Saturday night in late July or early August and only choice would be to throw more money at an old R-22 (priced R-22 lately?) or be told it would be 6 or 7 days before they could get to me to do a change out and they don't really do deals during those times.