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    I have to "Fonzie" my oil furnace!

    smiller
    smiller Member Posts: 4
    edited May 2017 in Oil Heating
    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!

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    Comments

    • STEVEusaPA
      STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,505
      Sounds like a simple wiring/connection issue. Simple to repair, once found. I wouldn't let this go on for too long

      There was an error rendering this rich post.

    • Steamhead
      Steamhead Member Posts: 17,710
      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...... >:)

      All Steamed Up, Inc.
      Towson, MD, USA
      Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
      Oil & Gas Burner Service
      Consulting
      ChrisJ
    • STEVEusaPA
      STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,505
      Steamhead said:


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

      I'm guessing the banging on the jukebox method

      There was an error rendering this rich post.

    • Big Ed_4
      Big Ed_4 Member Posts: 3,168
      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

      There was an error rendering this rich post.

    • HVACNUT
      HVACNUT Member Posts: 6,689
      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
      newagedawn Member Posts: 586
      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
      "The bitter taste of a poor install lasts far longer than the JOY of the lowest price"
    • ChrisJ
      ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,583
      Sounds like the furnace may have jumped the shark.

      Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

    • HVACNUT
      HVACNUT Member Posts: 6,689
      > @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
      smiller Member Posts: 4
      You guys are cracking me up. I'm going to check it out this weekend, and I'll report back. Thanks all!
    • Zman
      Zman Member Posts: 7,611
      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!
      "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
      Albert Einstein
      newagedawn
    • smiller
      smiller Member Posts: 4
      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.
      MilanD
    • smiller
      smiller Member Posts: 4
      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
      BobC Member Posts: 5,521
      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
      Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
      Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
      3PSI gauge
    • Zman
      Zman Member Posts: 7,611
      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....
      "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
      Albert Einstein
    • flat_twin
      flat_twin Member Posts: 354
      Correctomundo!
    • ChrisJ
      ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,583
      Zman said:

      show previous quotes
      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.

      Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

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