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Gas Valve on/off Switch Broken

jc2464
jc2464 Member Posts: 6
edited November 2018 in Gas Heating
Hello!

My 1 year old forced air furnace won't ignite due to a faulty gas valve. The valve gets 24V and works only if I press down on the on/off switch's 'ON' toggle. Only then does it make a loud click after a call for heat and open the gas. Otherwise, there's no click and no gas. This makes me think it's the valve's on/off switch that's broken, rather than some solenoid or relay inside it. Is there any way to fix the on/off switch, or hard-wire it to on, or do I need to replace the entire valve?

The valve is a White-Rodgers 36G22-254. (Only has on/off, for a no-pilot system)

p.s. This is my first time ever touching a furnace. If anything I'm describing or suggesting sounds ridiculous, please don't hesitate to call it out!

Comments

  • Tim McElwain
    Tim McElwain Member Posts: 4,612

    The 36G22 combination gas valve is designed for direct spark ignition (DSI) and hot surface ignition (HSI) system applications. This valve is equipped with redundant and main solenoid valves that control gas flow to the main burners, a pressure regulator and a two-position on/off switch for regulation and electrical shut-off of the solenoid valves. The 36G22 is also equipped with a slow opening pressure regulator for softer lighting characteristics. Put the valve in the on position, make sure the system has power, you should have a Electronic Control in the blower compartment. What Make and number is it?

    What makes you think the valve is bad? Do you have 24 volts to the valve?
    jc2464
  • jc2464
    jc2464 Member Posts: 6
    edited November 2018
    EDIT: it's a Bryant 1 stage condensing furnace,
    Model Number : 915SA30040S14A-B

    --
    Thanks for your help! It's a Bryant system that uses hot surface ignition (I think--it has an igniter that glows orange for ~10 seconds). I will head home in an hour and will report back with details.

    The furnace does have a circuit board controller, and can display status error codes. This currently shows ignition failure and then ignition lockout after 3 attempts.

    On a call for heat, it turns on a few small fans (for exhaust?), and then heats up the igniter until it's orange. Then there' s a faint click from the control board area, which sounds like a relay turning on. If I then put pressure on the valve's plastic ON/OFF switch (the small black knob you move with your finger), the valve opens (louder click) and gas immediately flows and ignites. The system would then function as expected for that heating cycle.

    Otherwise, though switched to ON, the valve doesn't make a sound and there's no flame. The igniter would cool and heat up again in about 20 seconds on a second and third attempt. That's why it feels like the valve is behaving as if its switch is OFF. I probed the wires leading to the valve with a crappy multimeter, and during the ignition phase, it goes to ~25V.
  • ratio
    ratio Member Posts: 3,615
    Sure sounds like a gas valve. How close to one year old? I'd expect the warranty to cover it, maybe even if it's slightly out of warranty.

    Have you tried a piece of tape to keep it in position until the service company can get out to it?

    jc2464
  • DZoro
    DZoro Member Posts: 1,048
    Natural or LP gas? If LP how much in the tank? Usually a 10yr parts warranty if purchased and installed from a contractor.
    jc2464
  • jc2464
    jc2464 Member Posts: 6
    Natural gas--I have no way to check pressure, other than to say that the water heater and gas stove work fine.

    I am going the warranty route--this is a new home where construction started around 2016, so it should be within the 5 years warranty (parts only). Though labor and service aren't included, I hope they can at least ship me a replacement valve...

    As an update, I vacuumed around the valve's ON/OFF toggle switch and jostled it back and forth a few times, and it seems to work for now. Great idea on tape... I'll try that if/when it fails again. I had no idea such a basic switch could be so fragile!
  • ratio
    ratio Member Posts: 3,615
    It's a fairly uncommon failure. In the last five years it so I think I found one bad switch, not counting yours.