Coleman Evcon 7681-819A/1

[Rands2009]

I've noticed the past couple days that our furnace (all electric) is running more than it's off. The heater is in it's 10th season, and the Duracraft Digital Thermostat is 10 years as well. Up until recently the thermostats temperature matched the temperatures on two other thermoeters in our house, but when we noticed it was kind of chilly in the house, despite the heater being set at 74/75 and we checked the other 2 thermoeters, they said it was only 69/70 in the house. The heater is running 11 to 15 minutes, then clicks off for 3 or 4 minutes and then comes right back on. I have the thermostat set at 75, and if I lower it or raise it a couple of degree's, the heater clicks on or off accordingly, it doesn't go about the thermostats set temperature, nor does it fall below it, however, it doesn't match the actual temp in the house. I changed the batteries, even though the low battery indicator was not on in the thermostat. The capacitor on the furnance does not appear to be bad as it is not bulging around the sides nor the top, I can see some dust build up near the rear of the unit (which is hard to to get to) on the one side of vent openings, but it is not clogged completely, at least from what I can see. It has warm air coming out, otherwise the house would be getting cooler. I realize it's only 39 degrees outside, but the heater should be easily able to handle that without having to click on every 3 or 4 minutes and run for 11 or more minutes at a time. Before having to spend the money on having a HVAC technician come out to our home, I thought I would check here for do-it-yourself ideas. Thank you very much for your help!

[Robert]

Hi,

Look on furnace facing for a data sticker or nameplate to get model number. The number you gave is your blend air II system number.


Get a pocket thermometer and test at furnace return air grille for return air temp, then test at closest register to furnace for supply air temp.

Let system run 7/8 minutes, then test.


Then check the main burner orifice behind the gas valve for blockage from spider/web/eggs maybe.



Thanks,
Robert

[Rands2009]

Opps...sorry about that on the model number. I got what you need now. It's a Central Electric Furnance Model # EB15B BTUH 51000

The temp I get at the furnace grill is around 69 degree's, the temp coming out of the register that is located just about 3 feet from the furnace is at 80 degee's and that is letting it run for the amount of time you suggested, but that is about the best we've been getting out of it for the past 3 days until yesterday. I got chilly in the house, so I turned the thermostat up by 1 degree, and all the sudden it got nice and toasty warm in the house. I went and checked the temp at the register nearest the furnace and it was 100 degree's now. The furnace heated the house in 10 minutes, clicked off, stayed off for a 1/2 hour before coming back on for 10 minutes to heat the house back up again. It stayed like that all of yesterday evening and at least until 1 in the morning when we went to bed, but when we got up this morning, it was back to doing what it was doing, running an hour to maintain it's temperature, clicking off for a 1/2 and then coming back on again for an hour. It's back to only putting 80 degree's out at the register instead of the 100 it read for lastnight. Possible heating element problem? Could it do that?

We did vacumn off all dust around the intake of the furnace motor, we checked to make sure the damper on the duct leading to the roof was opening when the blower was on, and it is. The furnace is not making any unusual noises.

Our furnace is not gas, it is all electric. So there's no problem with burners or pilot light or anything like that.

Any other suggestions or thoughts? We are truly struggling financially right now because of the economy, and had hoped to avoid having to call a HVAC tech out to the house if at all possible. We're hoping that this would be an easy fix that we could do ourselves, but it's beginning to look like it might not be.

Thank you for any help, or thoughts you have on what might be the problem. We really appreciate it!

Hi,

Look on furnace facing for a dta sticker or nameplate to get model number. The number you gave is your blend air II system number.


Get a pocket thermometer and test at furnace return air grille for return air temp, then test at closest register to furnace for supply air temp.

Let system run 7/8 minutes, then test.


Then check the main burner orifice behind the gas valve for blockage from spider/web/eggs maybe.



Thanks,
Robert

[Robert]

Hi,

Ok, I missed the electric part. Let me look everything over and will reply back this evening.

Not much to electric furnaces. Will give basics of what it most likely is. We sell all needed parts and all orders are $8.00 shipping.

If step by step troubleshooting help needed, I offer that through one on one email in detail for $20.00 .


Thanks,
Robert

[Rands2009]

Thanks so much Robert, and I may need step-by-step instuctions...but not for sure yet. My husband is pretty mechanically inclined, unless it's quite a procedure in getting it done. I should let you know that it did come back on again this morning where it was sending out 100 degree temps at the register and warming the home up like it should. So far, it's lasted all day...well until now at 5:41 CST. I had to move the temp up a degree to see if it worked like yesterday, and the one degree didn't do it, so I turned it back down to 74, the furnace clicked off, I turned it up to 76 (since 75 didn't cause it to come on in it's full heating mode), and it clicked on right away again (which my husband is getting frustrated with me telling me that I'm gonna cause it to have more problems by turning it down one, it clicks off, and then turn it up 2 degrees to get it to re-click on and see if we can get heat...so...can I hurt it by doing that?) and when it clicked right back on, wahhhlaaaa it was putting out the full heat again (100 degrees at the register rather than the 80 degrees). I turned it down to 74 again about a 1/2 hour ago because 76 in the house made me feel like we were slowly roasting (lol)...it hasn't come back on again to see if it is going to maintain the 100 degree from the register or not. Maybe all this will help give you an idea of what could be causing the problem. I am quite grateful to you for your help with this, and it will help us not having to call in a HVAC if it's something we can take care of ourselves and be able to save some money. Thanks so much! BTW...we'd be the people who are "Humbly Grateful"

[Robert]

Hi,

Sorry for delay, am reading all now and will reply shortly.



Thanks,
Robert

[Robert]

Hi,

Usually when the element coils are bad, they are always bad. So for what you're describing, probably going to be a bad sequencer or limit switch.

Could also be a loose wire or intermittent short.


I believe the elements work WHEN they get full power.

WHEN you only get 80* air, tell your husband to look at front element drawer plates. At each end side, left and right, of each coil, there is a spade terminal on a white ceramic insulator.

Tel him to use a volt meter and place one lead on left terminal and other on right terminal of each coil.

You will have either two or three coils.

Test for 240VAC

Thanks,
Robert