Cold Christmas
Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2009 9:36 pm
Hello,
Nice forum you have, just by reading previous posts I believe I have learned a few things about my furnace. Thank you.
I live with a poorly maintained 22 year old Nordyne model FEH-015HA-03. On Christmas morning I noticed an "elecrtrical burning smell" in the back bedroom of our home (the room that gets the best heat flow). It was like the smell when our hot water heater was going out so I assumed that may be the cause..... However, after sniffing around I decided the smell was coming from the heat register. Since it was Christmas day, we had to do the over the river and through the woods thing, so I shut the furnace off at the breaker box and we left. My wife never noticed the smell and I said nothing to her about it so she would not worry all day.
Nine years ago I had replaced the blower motor, so thought that it may be going out again. I sniff tested it and it seemed ok, so I investigated further. I opened the access door and was greeted by the smell. I first noticed that there was a wire that was not connected to anything, the wire was very corroded and the insulation looked burned. After checking the wiring diagram I saw that it was supposed to be connected to the lower "limit". The limit itself crumbled when I touched it, so I can't read the number on it. The wire coming from the otherside of the limit is still intact, but the insulation has a burned look to it. I traced the corroded wire to the 30 amp fuse, when I tried to pull it out it fell apart too.
Because that wire looked so corroded I am wondering if it had become disconnected sometime in the past. Would the furnace still work with only two of the three elements? Did I find the source of the problem, or is another element going out now? The furnace is 22 years old, is it time for a new one, or can it be repaired economically? It still was putting out heat when I flipped the breaker. I will appreciate any advice you you can offer.
Thank you, Paul
Nice forum you have, just by reading previous posts I believe I have learned a few things about my furnace. Thank you.
I live with a poorly maintained 22 year old Nordyne model FEH-015HA-03. On Christmas morning I noticed an "elecrtrical burning smell" in the back bedroom of our home (the room that gets the best heat flow). It was like the smell when our hot water heater was going out so I assumed that may be the cause..... However, after sniffing around I decided the smell was coming from the heat register. Since it was Christmas day, we had to do the over the river and through the woods thing, so I shut the furnace off at the breaker box and we left. My wife never noticed the smell and I said nothing to her about it so she would not worry all day.
Nine years ago I had replaced the blower motor, so thought that it may be going out again. I sniff tested it and it seemed ok, so I investigated further. I opened the access door and was greeted by the smell. I first noticed that there was a wire that was not connected to anything, the wire was very corroded and the insulation looked burned. After checking the wiring diagram I saw that it was supposed to be connected to the lower "limit". The limit itself crumbled when I touched it, so I can't read the number on it. The wire coming from the otherside of the limit is still intact, but the insulation has a burned look to it. I traced the corroded wire to the 30 amp fuse, when I tried to pull it out it fell apart too.
Because that wire looked so corroded I am wondering if it had become disconnected sometime in the past. Would the furnace still work with only two of the three elements? Did I find the source of the problem, or is another element going out now? The furnace is 22 years old, is it time for a new one, or can it be repaired economically? It still was putting out heat when I flipped the breaker. I will appreciate any advice you you can offer.
Thank you, Paul