Flame sensor - please help

Posted by Blue on October 9, 2009, 6:49 pm

I have a Carrier 58MCA that is not working. I replaced the flame sensor
last December and it was fine all winter. Now it's cold again and I have no
heat. The board again flashes 34 after it lights the burners for about 10
seconds. I checked the flame sensor and getting a dead .000 reading on DCmv
between the hot end of the sensor and the ground end where the installation
screw goes. Here are my questions:

1.) Why am I going through flame sensors?

2.)How can I bypass the sensor to get a little heat in the house over the
weekend? I will stay with the furnace while it's running to avoid
catastrophe 8)

3.) Is a $25 aftermarket replacement equivalent to the $65 Carrier
replacement?

4.) Anyone need cold beer? You could store it here for a few hours til I
get this worked out.

Thank you very much for your help.

Posted by Tony Hwang on October 9, 2009, 8:41 pm

Blue wrote:

> I have a Carrier 58MCA that is not working. I replaced the flame sensor
> last December and it was fine all winter. Now it's cold again and I have no
> heat. The board again flashes 34 after it lights the burners for about 10
> seconds. I checked the flame sensor and getting a dead .000 reading on DCmv
> between the hot end of the sensor and the ground end where the installation
> screw goes. Here are my questions:
>
> 1.) Why am I going through flame sensors?
>
> 2.)How can I bypass the sensor to get a little heat in the house over the
> weekend? I will stay with the furnace while it's running to avoid
> catastrophe 8)
>
> 3.) Is a $25 aftermarket replacement equivalent to the $65 Carrier
> replacement?
>
> 4.) Anyone need cold beer? You could store it here for a few hours til I
> get this worked out.
>
> Thank you very much for your help.
>
>

Hmmm,
Did you clean it? Rub it well with emery cloth and try again.

Posted by Blue on October 9, 2009, 9:20 pm

> Blue wrote:

>> I have a Carrier 58MCA that is not working. I replaced the flame sensor
>> last December and it was fine all winter. Now it's cold again and I have
>> no heat. The board again flashes 34 after it lights the burners for
>> about 10 seconds. I checked the flame sensor and getting a dead .000
>> reading on DCmv between the hot end of the sensor and the ground end
>> where the installation screw goes. Here are my questions:
>> 1.) Why am I going through flame sensors?
>> 2.)How can I bypass the sensor to get a little heat in the house over the
>> weekend? I will stay with the furnace while it's running to avoid
>> catastrophe 8)
>> 3.) Is a $25 aftermarket replacement equivalent to the $65 Carrier
>> replacement?
>> 4.) Anyone need cold beer? You could store it here for a few hours til I
>> get this worked out.
>> Thank you very much for your help.

> Hmmm,
> Did you clean it? Rub it well with emery cloth and try again.

I used some 600 grit paper on it. It doesn't "look" like a part that could
malfunction really. It just looks like a straight rod soldered on to a
blade. I'm not sure what's inside the ceramic though, something must
generate current. Thank you Tony, I will try cleaning it more thoroughly
and see if that helps.

Posted by Stormin Mormon on October 9, 2009, 10:35 pm

1.) Why am I going through flame sensors?

SM: Might be some contaminant in the natural gas.

2.)How can I bypass the sensor to get a little heat in the
house over the
weekend? I will stay with the furnace while it's running to
avoid
catastrophe 8)

SM: I've done that, but for liability reasons, I'm not going
to tell how.

3.) Is a $25 aftermarket replacement equivalent to the $65
Carrier
replacement?

SM: I doubt it.

4.) Anyone need cold beer? You could store it here for a
few hours til I
get this worked out.

SM: That's a kind offer. Make mine diet Coke.

Thank you very much for your help.

Posted by Blue on October 9, 2009, 10:49 pm

Thank you SM. I failed to mention that the furnace was converted to LP when
installed. I can understand your reasoning on #2, people in our society are
always looking for someone else to blame for their mistakes and
shortcomings. Diet Coke it is!

> 1.) Why am I going through flame sensors?
> SM: Might be some contaminant in the natural gas.
> 2.)How can I bypass the sensor to get a little heat in the
> house over the
> weekend? I will stay with the furnace while it's running to
> avoid
> catastrophe 8)
> SM: I've done that, but for liability reasons, I'm not going
> to tell how.
> 3.) Is a $25 aftermarket replacement equivalent to the $65
> Carrier
> replacement?
> SM: I doubt it.
> 4.) Anyone need cold beer? You could store it here for a
> few hours til I
> get this worked out.
> SM: That's a kind offer. Make mine diet Coke.
> Thank you very much for your help.
>

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