I have to "Fonzie" my oil furnace!

smiller

I have a Williamson oil furnace about 15 years old. From the website, it looks like a Centennial High Boy. When called for heat, it's not firing. The Nest thermostats are working, and the control panel is functioning as well.

When this issue occurs - which is intermittent - there is no smell, heat or other indicator. It just doesn't turn on. Initially, I would remedy the situation simply by turning the power off and on - it would immediately fire. This is the power switch on the furnace, itself - not the emergency shut off at the top of the stairs.

The other day, instead of cycling the power, I went to open the unit up to press the reset button or see if I could tell if anything else was amiss. I never got to that point - the act of removing the cover caused the furnace to fire.

This morning, I went downstairs, and all I did was "Fonzie" it - I hit the side of the furnace with my fist and the furnace fired immediately.

I should also note that once the furnace fires, it does not turn off unexpectedly.

Any suggestions on what might be causing this issue?

Thanks!

STEVEusaPA

Sounds like a simple wiring/connection issue. Simple to repair, once found. I wouldn't let this go on for too long

Steamhead

smiller said:

..... all I did was "Fonzie" it - I hit the side of the furnace with my fist and the furnace fired immediately.

I was wondering which of Fonzie's methods you were referring to......

STEVEusaPA

Steamhead said:

I was wondering which of Fonzie's methods you were referring to......

I'm guessing the banging on the jukebox method

Big Ed_4

as Steve had mentioned it could be a loose wire or maybe an control ..The way it is acting I would lean to one of two controls .. Yes go over the connections , ...Thinking your unit has the helix type fan and limit with the button or lever that turns on the fan ? With the switch on and off to get it running , I am thinking primary control with the reset ... But only an voltage meter will give us the correct answer

HVACNUT

Inside the furnace cabinet, on the right side, is there a fan center control relay? It's where the thermostat wires connect. If so, on top of that there should be a little black relay with 2 wires going to TT on the burner primary. That black relay, if its there is one, is a common spot for failure of N.O. contacts. The "Fonzie effect" usually closes the contacts.
Have Pinkie Tuscidero come over and take a look.

newagedawn

if its oil fired, its the burner motor, happens alot with burner motors, stumps the inexperienced, got me,..lol, especially if you had to fonzi it, i had 2 this winter same thing, actually fonzied it right in front of the customer,lol

ChrisJ

Sounds like the furnace may have jumped the shark.

HVACNUT

> @newagedawn said:
> if its oil fired, its the burner motor, happens alot with burner motors, stumps the inexperienced, got me,..lol, especially if you had to fonzi it, i had 2 this winter same thing, actually fonzied it right in front of the customer,lol

>>he said he just turned off and on the service switch before he Fonzied it. He didn't hit the reset which would trip if the OB motor was bad.

smiller

You guys are cracking me up. I'm going to check it out this weekend, and I'll report back. Thanks all!

Zman

The Fonzi move is quite impressive. Chicks dig it!
Had a chance to pull one off last summer on a commercial switch gear that would not turn on.
I bet in your case it is a loose connection or a contactor going bad.
The motor is likely as well.

Aaay!

smiller

UPDATE: Had the contractor over and he suggested it was a bad relay. Sounds about right to me. Tested, and so far no problems. Now I need to find something else to "Fonzie" to demonstrate my masculinity.

smiller

ANOTHER UPDATE: It wasn't the relay. There was a loose wire in the gray Honeywell box (the one with the red reset button). It's "great" that we still need the heat in late May here in the northeast.

BobC

The old loose wire trick will get you every time.

I live a block away from the bay just south of Boston and that NE breeze was making my tomato plants shiver!

Bob

Zman

smiller said:

UPDATE: Had the contractor over and he suggested it was a bad relay. Sounds about right to me. Tested, and so far no problems. Now I need to find something else to "Fonzie" to demonstrate my masculinity.

Electric Motors are often good candidates for the "Fonzie" move.
A loose car battery terminal is an easy one as well....

flat_twin

Correctomundo!

ChrisJ

Zman said:

smiller said:

UPDATE: Had the contractor over and he suggested it was a bad relay. Sounds about right to me. Tested, and so far no problems. Now I need to find something else to "Fonzie" to demonstrate my masculinity.

Electric Motors are often good candidates for the "Fonzie" move.
A loose car battery terminal is an easy one as well....

Often you can get a bad starter or fuel pump to run by "fonzying" it with a mallet.