Tech Tips

 Did you know that there are troubleshooting and maintenance tips in the Installation and Service Manuals for each product? For example, in the Oil-fired Furnace Manual, there are sections that cover everything from cleaning the heat exchanger to long-term shutdown. There are flow charts that show the procedures for troubleshooting.

Light flicker (caused by a momentary voltage dip to light bulbs) is commonly associated with the start up of some appliances, such as air conditioning condensing units. Most appliances draw more electrical current at start up than during normal (steady) operation. The additional current draw and length of time needed for the appliance to achieve steady operation are both related to the momentary voltage dip and thus, to the degree of light flicker. This is not usually an unsafe or harmful event and does not affect the reliability, performance or efficiency of appliances. It may however, become an annoyance for people who are more sensitive to changes in light intensity.

What can be done to reduce the potential for light flicker?

1. Ensure that the electric supply service and wires are properly sized. Under sizing can result in a voltage drop. Air conditioning Rule of thumb: Provide at least 40 amps of service per ton of air conditioning.
   
2. Make sure all wire connections are tight.
   
3. Provide proper grounding for all appliances.
   
4. Make sure the circuits are properly balanced. All circuits should draw amperage as evenly as possible from both 115-volt sides of the 230-volt circuit.
   
5. A hard start kit (start capacitor and potential relay) may help to reduce or eliminate the light flicker.
   
6. As a last resort, contact the utility company and ask to check its wire size and transformer servicing the house to ensure adequacy for handling the required starting current.

The new Premiere 14 SEER AC is equipped with a solid-state diagnostic control board that helps to diagnose the most common AC system problems: high and low pressure cut-offs. The key issue is the need for correct phasing (similar to polarity in a DC system) of the system. Proper phasing is essential with this 230-volt system. The diagnostic control utilizes a low ac voltage/current to sense and prove proper system pressure. Incorrect polarity can prevent the board from sensing properly and result in an inoperative system.
This is the most likely culprit if you have a new installation, have a call for cooling, have given the unit the full three minutes for the delay on make and nothing happens. To check for proper phasing, first connect your voltmeter between Y and C on the board to ensure there is a call for cooling. If you have a call for cooling from your thermostat, you should read 24 volts at this connection. Now connect your voltmeter between Y and R on the control board. If your meter reads greater than 30 volts, the phasing is reversed.
If the phasing is reversed, the best way to correct the situation is to reverse your two 115 volt leads (230 volt connection) at the contactor. (Reversing the leads at the transformer would also alleviate the situation but may cause confusion to the next technician that may work with the unit, because of color-coding in the wiring diagram.)
 Premiere A/C diagnostic control board

The Beckett R7184 Oil Primary Control has many features. One that is often overlooked is the pump purge feature. When in Mode 1, pushing the reset in the “Trail for Ignition” stage will allow the burner to run for four minutes straight. This gives you plenty of time to bleed the fuel pump. The ignition also switches from interrupted to intermittent so when oil gets to the burner it will light right away.

When the first electronic igniters were brought to market, the word was that they were easy to service because they were either good or bad. It turns out, this is not true…but igniters are easy to check. First, turn off the power. Next, using a quality Ohmmeter, test from on igniter spring to the igniter case. Write down the finding. Then test from the other igniter spring to the igniter case. The two readings should be within 10% of each other. IF the Ohms reading is off more than 10%, replace the igniter. Finally, if you are finding that igniter life is short at a particular installation, check the grounding. The electronics require a good ground or they will not last.

Where’s That Combustion Chamber in Relation to the Air Tube?
When installing a burner on a Thermo Pride furnace, be sure to check the insertion depth of the air tube — this is true on both new and existing installations. On new installations, shipping and handling may cause the combustion chamber to either slide front or back. Reposition the chamber so the air tube is back 1/4 of an inch from the outside of the chamber. Do not allow the air tube to touch or protrude into the combustion chamber; this will cause the air tube to overheat and warp. The OL2, OH2 and OC2 have positioning clips that hold the chamber in the correct positions. Be sure the combustion chamber is pulled back against these clips. Anytime you pull a burner, be sure to check the position of the combustion chamber in relation to the air tube.

There has been some confusion lately with the OH6 Burner Wiring. Installers have been wiring the line voltage (red and white wires) to the Honeywell primary control auxiliary 1 & 2 terminals. This is incorrect. When installing a Beckett Burner, the red and white  wire from the control board is to be connected inside the burner junction box to the Honeywell primary control black and white wires. If a Riello Burner is installed, the red and white wires are connected to the black and white wires on the switching relay.

Engineering is revising the wiring diagram to make it clearer and is looking into adding a connector to the burner and furnace wiring harnesses to make for a quicker and easier installation of the burner.