Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Need help finding a compatible gas valve

Options
Endro22
Endro22 Member Posts: 4
in Gas Heating
My furnace, older Weil-McLain natural gas(model CG-4-P1), has not been working properly. I had a guy come check it out and he knocked on the gas valve (White Rodgers 36C84 type 235) and it lit right up. He told me I needed a new gas valve with a part cost of $600 and a labor cost of $200. I went to work and when I arrived the heat was broken in my office. The HVAC guy asked me for help and wouldn't ya know it was the same exact problem and he needed to change out the gas valve. We did it together and it took ten minutes. I don't want to pay $800 when I just got a free lesson on installation and see parts on line for $100-200. My real question is for my inability to find that EXACT part number for the valve, White Rodgers 36C84 type 235. Does anybody know a compatible gas valve?

Comments

  • Tim McElwain
    Tim McElwain Member Posts: 4,621
    Options
    The replacement is

    36C84-923, 24 volts Nat Gas, 3/4" x 3/4", fast open with 3.5" W.C. outlet pressure.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Options
    honeywell

    I use the Honeywell Y8610U6006 reofit kit to get away from that problematic WR valve/ merucry switch set up
  • Endro22
    Endro22 Member Posts: 4
    Options
    Is the honeywell part a thermocouple?

    Is that honeywell part a different type of thermocouple (retrofit, conversion)?? Sorry I'm pretty new to all this but from what I've gathered, the mercury type I have is older and can be finicky. Theoretically though I should be fine (at least for now) if I swap out the old valve for the new 36C84-923 valve Tim listed above, right? I will just have to connect my old mercury thermocouple to the new valve. As of now my pilot has never failed to light. The valve seems to be getting stuck and if you give it a light tap with a hammer everything works fine for a few days. Thanks to both of you
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Options
    whole

    Whole thing comes with spark ing, control, etc.. I use the exisiting pilot set up with minor modficaton..
  • JStar
    JStar Member Posts: 2,752
    Options
    Valve

    You pay more for knowledge than you do for parts. I hope somebody is performing a combustion test after all of these valve replacements. Otherwise, how do you know if the valve and system are operating safely? The answer is...you don't.
  • Endro22
    Endro22 Member Posts: 4
    Options
    Thats why I'm here

    That's exactly why I am on this site, to learn. From what my friend showed me (HVAC pro for 40+ years) on a different but similar furnace was.. 1. Turn off power to the furnace. 2. Turning off the gas flow. 3. remove electrical components going to the valve. 4. Remove (untwist) the old valve and replace with new valve using pipe sealant. 5. Reconnect electrical components, turn on furnace and gas.

    If there are many things I'm missing here then I will pay to have a pro come out. My friend is swamped and lives far away, he just happened to by my workplace a few days ago. I'm just a guy who's pretty handy that likes to save money when possible. Thanks for all the help so far everyone.
  • JStar
    JStar Member Posts: 2,752
    Options
    Valve

    I am not doubting your ability to change the valve, or any part. But, do you have the tools or knowledge to properly test the system after the changes have been made? How has the new valve affected the system? Is it producing more or less CO? There's no way to know without having the tools to test it.
  • Tim McElwain
    Tim McElwain Member Posts: 4,621
    Options
    Endro 22 in re reading you post

    and seeing that tapping the vale it came on is not with the system you have necessarily the valve. It could simply be you need to clean the pilot to get the pilot flame a little sharper so you can boil the mercury in the censor (that is not a thermocouple by the way), that will cause the SPDT switch attached to the end of the capillary to walk over and complete the 24 volts to the gas valve. So before you run out and buy a gas valve or even an Intermittent Ignition Honeywell Y8610U ( big bucks + labor to install) see if that works, if not then the next step is a new mercury pilot plug in. After that if it is not working it is your choice what you do.



    You do however need formal training on gas systems before you tackle any of this and Heatinghelp is not the place to learn everything you need to know. What you receive here from all of us including myself is "band-aid" training and that can be dangerous.



    And finally these Mercury Pilot systems are really sometimes not very reliable especially as they get older and also some parts may not be available.



    I also would advise against you installing the retrofit without some professional help assisting you in carrying that out.



    Feel free to contact me at 401-437-0557 for further assistance.
  • Endro22
    Endro22 Member Posts: 4
    Options
    Thanks

    Thanks for the help everyone. I'm going to call a different company to get a second opinion and make sure it's done right. Glad I found this site, you guys seem very knowledgeable...more so then my local Heating guys haha.

Categories