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Gas valve clicks, sometime gas, sometimes none.

RealRob
RealRob Member Posts: 10
edited March 2017 in Gas Heating
I have an Empire DV-40E-4 natural gas heater that sometimes lets gas through other times not.

The inducer motor runs, HSI glows, gas valve clicks, burners light. Other times it will get to the gas valve click, but no ignition.

I know it sure seems as if it's the valve. I'm just hoping for something a little cheaper to be broken lol.

The valve is a R3237 Can someone cross reference this and tell me if there are others out there? I know when I replaced the HSI, there were several available with different names/manufacturers.

Comments

  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,274
    Does the HSI work/glow every time?
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 6,329
    It really should be checked with a voltage meter and a manometer. Make sure there's a good ground. Could be a gas pressure problem. Never heard of Empire furnace but if needed, get an OEM valve.
  • RealRob
    RealRob Member Posts: 10
    HVACNUT said:

    It really should be checked with a voltage meter and a manometer. Make sure there's a good ground. Could be a gas pressure problem. Never heard of Empire furnace but if needed, get an OEM valve.

    Yes, every time.
  • RealRob
    RealRob Member Posts: 10
    HVACNUT said:

    It really should be checked with a voltage meter and a manometer. Make sure there's a good ground. Could be a gas pressure problem. Never heard of Empire furnace but if needed, get an OEM valve.

    I use it in a 20x30 Rec room and it has worked flawlessly for more than a decade. Seems to be a very high quality design and build.

    At the 13 year mark I guess its about time for something to be replaced. I really can't complain... too much :)
  • Tim McElwain
    Tim McElwain Member Posts: 4,642
    Send some pictures so we can identify the unit and also the controls.
  • RealRob
    RealRob Member Posts: 10
    Tim McElwain said:

    Send some pictures so we can identify the unit and also the controls.

    Identified in first post. Link to PDF included. Best I could find.
  • Tim McElwain
    Tim McElwain Member Posts: 4,642
    Do you get any flashes on the diagnostics on the board? When it clicks but does not open is there voltage to the valve? That is a unique valve and I would be careful to replace it with an exact replacement if you can.
  • RealRob
    RealRob Member Posts: 10
    Tim McElwain said:

    Do you get any flashes on the diagnostics on the board? When it clicks but does not open is there voltage to the valve? That is a unique valve and I would be careful to replace it with an exact replacement if you can.

    Yes, the 24v is continuous when it fails.

    It clicks > shows 24v > ignites. Or

    it clicks > shows 24v > does not ignite.

    The coil on the plunger valve is showing 100% resistance.
    Seems to me if it showed 100% resistance it wouldn't work at all. But i'm not well versed in electronics so that resistance may be fine.

    The trouble code covers 5 different items. All items but the gas valve check out fine.
  • Tim McElwain
    Tim McElwain Member Posts: 4,642
    Replace the valve.
  • M Downey_2
    M Downey_2 Member Posts: 21
    Did you happen to take apart the pilot assembly to make sure that the issue isn't due to some kind of blockage in the line. I recall looking at a friends Empire unit years ago and found the orifice plugged up with "dust bunnies". Just a thought...
  • RealRob
    RealRob Member Posts: 10
    M Downey said:

    Did you happen to take apart the pilot assembly to make sure that the issue isn't due to some kind of blockage in the line. I recall looking at a friends Empire unit years ago and found the orifice plugged up with "dust bunnies". Just a thought...

    There is no pilot assembly on this model.

    I ordered the valve yesterday. Here's to hoping the speedy shipping gods are on my side :D
  • RealRob
    RealRob Member Posts: 10
    Tim McElwain said:

    Replace the valve.

    Not only did it take 16 days to get the part shipped. That is not the problem. Nice waste of $100 :(
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,274
    That is not a large amount to eat in this business.
    I am sure that those in the trade/business, myself included, have a shelf or 2 full of much more expensive items that have a similar story behind them.
    "All items but the gas valve check out fine"....your quote.
    That was my own similar quote several times over the decades that has added those items to my shelf.
    Sometimes hiring the pro is less expensive for you, but not always them. :/
  • RealRob
    RealRob Member Posts: 10
    JUGHNE said:

    That is not a large amount to eat in this business.
    I am sure that those in the trade/business, myself included, have a shelf or 2 full of much more expensive items that have a similar story behind them.
    "All items but the gas valve check out fine"....your quote.
    That was my own similar quote several times over the decades that has added those items to my shelf.
    Sometimes hiring the pro is less expensive for you, but not always them. :/

    I agree.

    I do have some newly learned info.
    Before putting the final cover over the burners, I thought what the hell let's run it and see. In doing so I found out that it's still going through the same motions but this time I can actually hear the gas flowing through the orifices. Even if it didn't light.

    The HSI is glowing like a beast and is lined up just as it was from the factory.

    It may sound odd but it acts as if though there are air pockets in the gas line. That's really the best way I can explain what's happening. And I really can't imagine that being the case.
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,274
    If your gas company has done some work you may have air in the lines. They use air pressure to push gas back when doing tapping/welding etc. After that job they usually go and open a valve downstream of the work area.
    Found this out while trying to light a water heater pilot and realized there was no gas, only air. With one phone call they were there blowing off that line.....it was a Sunday morning even. The right amount of air in a gas line will give you an explosive mixture when it lights...big bang not simply a flame. FWIW.
  • RealRob
    RealRob Member Posts: 10
    JUGHNE said:

    If your gas company has done some work you may have air in the lines. They use air pressure to push gas back when doing tapping/welding etc. After that job they usually go and open a valve downstream of the work area.
    Found this out while trying to light a water heater pilot and realized there was no gas, only air. With one phone call they were there blowing off that line.....it was a Sunday morning even. The right amount of air in a gas line will give you an explosive mixture when it lights...big bang not simply a flame. FWIW.

    I was editing my reply when you were apparently writing yours, lol and mine disappeared for some reason.

    Anyway, The gas Co. hasn't been in the area since I can't remember when, and on top of that the main furnace isn't experiencing any similar issues.

    There is a tee immediately at the back of the gas meter, that tee shoots a line over to the rec room and the main goes in the house.

  • newagedawn
    newagedawn Member Posts: 586
    sounds like a gas valve gone to grass,lol or in this case no gas is being passed,lol
    "The bitter taste of a poor install lasts far longer than the JOY of the lowest price"
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,274
    RealRob, do you have a gas regulator ahead of each furnace?
    That is, is your gas supply piping system in PSI instead of ounces?
    This would require a NG reg at each appliance.
  • RealRob
    RealRob Member Posts: 10
    JUGHNE said:

    RealRob, do you have a gas regulator ahead of each furnace?
    That is, is your gas supply piping system in PSI instead of ounces?
    This would require a NG reg at each appliance.

    One regulator for all.

    It actually started working just fine. There had to be air in the system somehow but it's great now.
    JUGHNE

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