I feel he is at the top of his game for 2 reasons. He approaches all his jobs with common sense and he is willing to put in the work and not leave till it’s fixed! He actually has the customer at heart and would never leave them cold and stranded. Definitely a role model in the field!
Some notes for you guys just starting out... 1) The flash code only indicates which device is being checked. It does not tell you if that device is doing what it is supposed to do. In this case, because the inducer was not running, the switch SHOULD be open. Your dead giveaway is that the inducer did not come on. 2) Confirm that you have 24v on W1. Don't assume the stat is working or that the wiring is good. Confirm that 24v call is coming from the stat to the board's C and W1 terminals. 3) Confirm the 120v going to the inducer. While it is unlikely that the inducer is bad, if I have to drive an hour to get a board, I will put 120v on that inducer before I leave to make sure it is good, so I don't get stung when I come back with a board and find that I need an inducer as well. 4) Don't curse in front of customers. It makes you sound unprofessional. 5) Don't throw the industry under the bus with residential customers. Just say, "now you know you can call me next time." Steve knows a lot of stuff and you can learn from him. I'm just adding some tips for you until I get my channel up and running. See you then.
@@leedrummond164 If I cursed in front of a store manager, that is probably the last time I would have that client. They would be on the phone to the provider in a heartbeat, because everyone is hyper-woke nowadays. Since I stopped cursing back in the 90's, it is no longer going to happen, and like Eric O says, "If I can do it, you can do it." For those guys who have ever been in an arraignment situation, just act like you are talking to a judge. You wouldn't say, for example, "your honor, he tried to f*** me over!" Generally, that only makes things worse, both in court and in business. Similarly, if the client curses, don't tell him to stop. You are there as a neutral party to fix their problem. At one point in my life, I worked in a cursing subculture. There are lots of them out there. But, you are not on a construction site with an HVAC customer, so you always need to spruce up your game. You never know who you are talking to, so always tread lightly. Just another 2 cents.
@@arthouston7361 I agree with everything you say. I don't think it's ever professional to be swearing in front of your clients, however most clients will be willing to put up with a bit of swearing if they feel in safe hands with the engineer. And obviously if the works good the client isn't going to chance using somebody else over a sh** here and there. But all told. No, not professional.
@@leedrummond164 In my segment, the person who hears me reports to the decision making entities, ei, the service brokerage and the corporate. They do not make the value proposition judgement that you are describing. They will send in another company right away. They don't even have a good metric for comparing companies, because they have one alleged pro working for them called a "trade specialist," who often came from a different industry segment, and has never worked on the kind of equipment being serviced. He only becomes involved in rare circumstances like the wrong piping design being used for a low pressure gas roof, and no one was tasked with checking out that level of detail during the install.
Different people troubleshoot differently, the first guy that couldn’t figure it out shouldn’t be running a service van, and this guy done it different than I would of. It same outcome good job
Knowing the sequence of operation is key to understanding what it supposed to be doing, and check what’s falling. Great video good to see you working hard after your nineteens. You are a great tech, thanks for your video.
Sequence of operations is the first principle they taught us in class. Without knowing it, we are next to useless. Every ice machine is different. Furnaces are all the same aside from certain system pre-checks.
Suzy B Invents Pretty Interesting Good Fishing Books Signal from thermostat Board self test Inducer blower start Pressure switch confirms blower Ignition Gas valve opens Flame sensed Blower for house starts
The soldered pins on the female part of the 9 pin molex plug on the board sometimes get a hairline crack due to blower vibration over time. It will throw codes depending on which pin is making intermittent contact. If you take the board off and pinch the pins a bit on the back where they are soldered with needle nose pliers, you can sometimes get it to run temporarily until a replacement can be installed. I run into this all the time. As soon as it threw the air proving switch code upon a call for heat, I knew the board needed to be replaced. If you have trouble getting a board, you could try resoldering the pins on the old board to buy them some time as well (if you have a soldering kit on hand).
@@skliros9235 because I will warranty a new board but not guarantee them a solder job will last. (We used to solder them in the past) I have had a couple customers actually solder their own boards and I reinstalled them.
This video is a great example of why I still use a mid-efficiency furnace that was installed in 1986. The only issue I've had in 29 years is the blower motor crapping out last winter. Took one day to find a replacement. Took 2 days for the original to be repaired. I kept the (repaired) original motor as my spare.
Nice diagnostic Steve ! ... I had the controller go out on an older 1995 Lenox the day I put my mothers house on the market ... I'm a carpenter/builder, but have a little experience with gas units having worked with a lot of top notch HVAC guys for 3-4 decades, a little research showed a common problem with the Johnson controller they used ... cracked circuit boards were an issue, but an updated one was available online, came in 2 days ... mostly "plug and play" except for thermostat, AC and humidifier wires ... took 15 minutes to install .... ran like a top for 4 months until the buyer/builder knocked the house down to build a McMansion .... and I agree, so glad you mentioned the FILTER ISSUE .... I've never run anything greater than a MERV 4 on my units (but do use a filter charger spray) ... furnaces are not designed to be "air purifiers" ... those "allergen" filters restrict air flow too much causing all sorts of high limit issues ... overheating, cycling, fan motor and other parts burn out ... and of course, very inefficient air circulation .... I use the cheap green filters on the returns as "pre-filters" because I have large, hairy dogs ... and a MERV 4 at the furnace .... I buy a 6 pack and change every 2 months ... 6 year old propane unit in a 150 year old house and my returns, ducts and furnace are spotless ... in a pinch you can spray "Endust" instead of "charger" lightly on any filter to increase capture without slowing down air movement ... hope that helps some viewers as having a "balanced" and efficient system with the right filters saves you a ton on fuel costs and reduces wear on a constantly cycling unit
I like watching your videos. I live in FL where there's not much need for gas heaters but now when you open the panel I recognize the parts and what they do. Thanks.
You did the right thing by this lady. Being a super hero for people who need it, there’s nothing better. You should be proud of yourself and your great work ethic. I really enjoy your channel. Keep the great videos coming. Thanks Steve. 👍🏻😊🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 Your a great American
I can remember back when once I rushed to blame the pressure switch and spent 2 hours fooling around without fixing anything. That was before I found Steve's videos. Now I'm watching this, calling out the board. That's a great feeling. Really grateful for these videos, which are clear, No-Nonsense, and easy to learn from.
@@murkyturkey5238 i was talking about a long time ago, when I didn't have much experience. Blaming the pressure switch or some other component that very rarely fails is something that people with less experience tend to do. I recently had a no heat call and the owner told me it needed a new gas valve after he already replaced the transformer and a few other small things. It was not the gas valve, it was the thermostat. But when you don't have a bunch of past experiences to rely on, and not enough knowledge to logically diagnose, then you will jump to conclusions.
@@murkyturkey5238 but why blame the pressure switch? Maybe because the board was giving him an error code saying something along the lines of the pressure switch isn't working or something. If the pressure switch isn't working, it could be bad, but you have to test it first, and really you need the inducer to turn on too, and if it doesn't turn on then that probably means the problem isn't the switch, it is the inducer or it is the thing that is supposed to be powering the inducer. But the handyman in this video was maybe strictly reading the error code off the furnace. Another thing that leads people jump to conclusions.
Good job! Maybe we should educate customers to buy air filters based on MERV rating instead of fancy advertising. Not all filters are compatible with all equipment👍
And sometimes it isn't the filter at all. There are several things that need to be tested and/or adjusted before just assuming the filter is the problem.
I guess the reason for using cheaper filters are because the more premium product has a higher filter rating but too much air flow restriction to the point where the furnace can't function correctly.
I feel like most techs can’t really confirm if it's a bad control board. They order one, replace it, and hope it fixes the damn issue. Thanks for the video.
Troubleshooting 101 follow the wiring diagram and if there is not one due to age follow the wiring to each component. Higher voltage to lower voltage components . If there is a circuit board or control module present there will be power in and power out. 32 years I spent in the hvac trade and now retired. I miss the challenge of fixing the unfixable.
jwar, I worked 46 years in the Elevator trade. Because I knew Nothing about it. I took a 3 year A/C Heat course at night thru local Adult Ed. Program. Taught Electronics and troubleshooting at Union School. Worked for various shops as a troubleshooter, made over scale for 25 years. I fixed the building engineers Hvac equipment. when they couldn't. This makes my head hurt.
I had a problem similar to this on the high limit They just bought a leather couch and they pushed it up against the return air grill The customer was not happy after I charged them $140 to move the couch Great video everyone should not be having filters Beyond merve 8
I'm surprised so many techs don't bust out the multimeter. Pretty simple, really. Controller / sequencer receives 24v here, send 120 or 240v there. I could teach my 12 year old son how to diagnose an electric furnace in a month or two. Maybe it's because companies only want to hire readymade techs instead of helpers with potential. Techs have to pretend to understand more than they do to get a job.
@@AiMR That's what the guy just did in the video. Replaced the board. Sometime the problem is just because of a fuse. I'm not professional. Base on the look of the old board didn't have any visible fuse. But I can see that board has cover. If a good and want to save customer money not their time. Would attempt to open the cover and look inside. Unless, he has open the board before in his past experience. Then I guess sure. But a system has high and low voltage don't have a fuse would be rare. However, base on the video. 1. he bad mouth the previous tech first. Yes the previous tech should have more knowledge, but he did replace what the board asked for. I'm okay if this guy bad mouth when he actually test the old pressure switch, just a simple blow into it with continuity or put it back in but did not do it. Yes sadly most tech try to work fast try to save time. Walk to the furnace, touch wires, visual inspection. Jump to the part. Instead, if you check voltage, why not from the source. Sometime go with the sequel cut time. Rather than jump all over the place and guessing. Just wonder, super rare chance but. That wire from the board to the motor is bad. A simple continuity test before calling the board is bad would end the guessing game.
Steve as a young electrician only in the trade ten years I love your videos. Your a dying breed. I wish more people my age had your work ethic. I'm only 28 but I fear where we are heading.
Dan I completely agree with you spot on man. I'm your age and in the heavy equipment repair and mechanic field. Same exact problem.. no one younger wants to work. The best thing we can do is try and absorb as much as we can from guys like Steve, be thankful they are willing to share all these things that they have learned the hard way. I don't know what the hell the world is going to look like when all these guys are retired and there's going to be a handful of us trying to carry all the other lazy morons that don't wanna be in a trade and want to sit on a computer and have stupid titles like "social media influencer ".
@@Adam_Poirier When there's a shortage of trades people and an abundance of young folk without tools or gumption, I know where I'll be. In a van making bank!
There is a huge movement out there to teach young techs. Search for TY Branaman on TH-cam, he has great videos. Try HVAC school with Bryan orr, also great videos. There is a ton out there. I have been in the trade for 15 years and try to teach my apprentices the good old way of diagnosing a system.
Don't think it's the filter after hearing to set the temperature to 65 I'll bet they also shut down some of the registers thinking it would save money ... restricted air flow will cause high a temperature cut off.... great job on the control panel replacement assessment....
Changing the board is the easy part changed a 1000 of them. The part I hate is tell the customer what the board cost now the prices are going way up. That kit normally has wire extenders right in the box for grounds and the inducer motor / ignitor unless someone took them out. I always joke with the customer when I changing a board and tell them I have the best job in the world and say I can lay down on the job and get paid for it. But to this day I breath a sigh of relief after you change the board and the furnace works. Good Job Steven.
Nice job Steve, I’ve changed out some similar controls, it gets tedious but as you did “ one wire at a time” . As you know everybody doesn’t have the $$$ to replace equipment.
Steve, If you serviced my furnace with that foul language I would probably feel a lot more comfortable and at home. It was every other day that us kids would get in trouble and my Dad would start swearing up a storm at us :) . Seriously though, You did the right thing and now have a customer for life. I am in I.T. and run my own business. I concentrate on saving my customers money and have never had to worry about advertising. Good technicians make it by word of mouth in my area. My hat is off to you! I think the only thing I have replaced on my furnace is the exhaust fan (do they call that the inductor?) when the bearings finally died on it. The furnace is called an "Armstrong Ultra 90". I certainly learn a lot from your channel and thank you very much.
people just don't understand how much these professionals are ripping them off they will give you a discounted inspection for your furnace for $60 and then find every reason in the world to keep charging you and charging you for this or charging over that if people would just get up off their butt and try to learn something they would understand just how simple simple it is to repair furnaces.. a capacitor is generally a blower problem flame sensors igniters 20 bucks almost no problem to install these furnace dealers around me wanted $450 to put a condenser motor in I did it myself from now on I do everything myself even if I screw it up two or three times I'm still buddy ahead and I've learned something thanks for your video
Usually the condenser motors goes out when it comes to motors ,the flame sensor is a good one to check ,first I check thermostat never trust what they tell you, I look at it then ask did you just change the batteries? If they say yes then they put in wrong had it happen on a rental he was positive it was right I made him check using facetime yep wrong saved me 100$
The gas valve went out in my boiler and Honeywell didn't make it anymore so I bought a Robert Shaw with the same BTU rating a couple little tweaks and it's worked fine for 5 years. But sometimes I worry about my boiler because it's around 80 years old.
The weak link in today’s furnaces. I remember a time when they had no electronics and ran forever without issues. We’re a snap to troubleshoot too. Those days are long gone! Nice job getting her going again Steve!
@@Samlol23_drrich As time goes on, mechanical products are getting further into the past. Modern furnaces have an ignition control board, and at least another board for the blower motor. There might be more in there that I don't know about as I just fix things, but not anything specific. Cars are terrible for having way too many computers, and then you need another computer just to fix something basic.
@@snoopdogie187 I'm not saying they are easy to find, but I look. For example, about 12 years ago we bought our home and needed a washer/dryer. All those beautiful front loaders were out with digital displays. Went with the mechanical speed queen. It broke a couple of times but cake to fix. A timer , cheap switch, maybe a solenoid but no $400 boards to burn out.
Sir, You did it, You are a very Smart Tech, I liked the way You checked the system instead just start replacing parts as others do. That says a lot about Your Intelligences' . To know a system and how it works means a lot. I like that about You. I am a old Tech Guy too.
had someone come by and do a diagnostic on the heating system before I needed it. When I did need it the small purge fan didn't run, he had left the ground wire off the cover and the circuit board. Luckily I was well versed in looking for out of the ordinary while working my job. Don't get anyone to check your heating and cooling unless you are having problems.
Great job Steve. I replaced a circ. board on a 2001 Lennox. Codes were pressure switch/high limit. I used that xact replacement board. What a pain ! Oh well. Got it going.
You have to explain things better Stevie, you should say that the furnace has too hard a time sucking air thru the expensive filters, it's easier to suck air thru cheap filters and so it's easier on the furnace
I ran in a similar call last week , on a trane system , replace the control board then it work ... But good job I enjoy and learn yours videos... To thanks ...
I have ran across fellow techs that can't fix things, and carefully probing they didn't see it in school. Amazing how some don't know ductwork either. The best way to save time is eliminate stat IMO by jumpers w/ meter. It also speeds up transformer culprit diag.. Love watching the Master!
Ugh... those kinds of jobs are tedious! I would have been inclined to screw a piece of sheet metal to the furnace, where the old control was, that hung out to the left a couple inches and then attached the new control to that new piece of sheet metal. No need to splice wires...
That was my first thought too. Inducer motor has to run for the switch to close has to be the board. I don't know s*** about HVAC but I know a little about a lot and I've fixed a few furnaces in my day. But considering how long your video is maybe we're both wrong at 10 minutes in lol. Fortunately no but Honeywell makes the universal board that works pretty good.
I had to replace the control board on my furnace which is 40 yrs old with drafthood and a surprisingly good heat exchanger. The blower Relay went out. It was an after market board but it worked
I was in the same neighborhood doing a repair ! I had no idea that Steve Lavimoniere lives in the area ? I love this channel and Steve and his Dog ( security dog to protect the Van and tools ) !
yooooo, I love your work, take me in with ya as your apprentice.. !! you really made my day watching this work,,, first I was truly clueless on how to attack this, you really open my eyes.. God speed to you !
worked on these systems for 30 years . production line crap is never easy when it craps out .. I feel your pain Steve .. yet great satesfaction when its left "WORKING"
Should check gas pressure it seemed a little high when it came on .check your temperature rise check your a coil for dirt . Check your Static pressure with the filter and without.
Steve...lucky to have been able to get that controller..... Trade gives you a 600.00 dollar conversion kit. New ignitor,limit,wiring harnesses,and module. Real pain to install. Done about 6 of them. 1st one took about 1.5 hours. Last one did it in 45 min. Like they say " you can't stop a trane...they derail
Had a unit full of post construction drywall dust and an under sized R/A filter grille hIgh Merv filter. Over time it made the controls act wacky from continual overheating. Replaced CPU,HL got it working again. Owner didn’t want suggested upgrades I.E make return larger for proper air flow and full cleaning. Unit went out a month later again. He called the original installer😫. If he didn’t realize what he did on the original install👀. I’m just waiting on that call back then he’s gonna 💰 😂 Nice work bro👍🏾
I got a holly duo-trol gas furnace (old furnace) that came with the house purchase 15 years ago. No HVAC/furnace "expert" wanted to touch it, all wanted to sell me a new furnace. I then found a Steven Lavimoniere type of guy, told me I have pay him $60 regardless if the furnace works or not. HE GOT IT TO WORK!!!! So the sequence is like this: Once the pilot and power is on to the furnace, you turn it on with the thermostat, the furnace will only fire up,, the the fan will turn on 2 minutes later. The "Steven Lavimoniere" HVAC/Furnace guy told me that is normal because the flames need to burn off any poisonous gases trapped inside the furnace, then the fan will start up to give it enough time for any bad gas/air to burn off through the exhaust pipe to prevent the home owner from breathing any poisonous gases. Furnace has worked just fine!!! Best $60 I have spent!!!
Not quite. The fan delay is to warm up the heat ex so fan doesn't blow cold(room temp) air. The inducer runs before gas on to purge ht ex of any gas. Not for toxicity but to prevent a mini explosion or blow out. Did commercial HVAC R for 33 years
Get yourself a P touch label printer. Pre-print the labels and put them on the wires. Mine have been on for about 10 years now and are still readable. I just replaced my sequencer 2 weeks ago on my Carrier dual pack.
Steve, you need an apprentice. Someone to assist you, but more important someone to pass your knowledge on to. I wish I could have worked with someone like you when I was younger.
Yeah I hate getting other peoples mess when I get called to work on someone's truck. Get it with the harness pulled , or broken or stripped bolts. Pet peeve
If he woulda Just rotated the board the connector would’ve been right on. All the other wires had length. I jump the R/W to test before connecting up all the stat wires.
You are the gas furnace king. I made a somewhat negative comment on another video but the more I watch the more I realize you get things done others can't
My husband and I like watching you as we find your videos very educational. You are a honest guy and that is rare today! We also love to see Miss Molly ❤! She is adorable!!! Just one thing would make you the Number 1 guy in our book if you would just go the extra mile sometime and vacum the extra dirty heating units like this one. It was really bad but you just put the cover back on over all the years of dirt build up on the heating unit! It would just take a few more minutes and people would appreciate it. At least we would !
Been watching your videos for a while now but not till recently i realized you work in my home town a lot. Come to find out my grandfather has worked with you. He owned his own heating and plumbing company for a long time. Love the videos
Eventually it's better to replace a furnace. Every year replaced parts on a 50 year old heater. Broke down and installed a new heater 2 years ago. Works fantastic. I shouldn't have waited so long.
It's a nice idea to take a picture of it with your smart phone and get a good picture of it and then you can pull it up when you're putting it back together that's that's a good way to I've done that once or twice on things keep up the good work!
@@stevenlavimoniere freaking A Steve. They all are professionals when you talk to them, as soon as a problem or a wrench hits their hands all their knowledge is lost. Talk is cheap, showing what you can do is a different story.
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I feel he is at the top of his game for 2 reasons. He approaches all his jobs with common sense and he is willing to put in the work and not leave till it’s fixed! He actually has the customer at heart and would never leave them cold and stranded. Definitely a role model in the field!
Some notes for you guys just starting out...
1) The flash code only indicates which device is being checked. It does not tell you if that device is doing what it is supposed to do. In this case, because the inducer was not running, the switch SHOULD be open. Your dead giveaway is that the inducer did not come on.
2) Confirm that you have 24v on W1. Don't assume the stat is working or that the wiring is good. Confirm that 24v call is coming from the stat to the board's C and W1 terminals.
3) Confirm the 120v going to the inducer. While it is unlikely that the inducer is bad, if I have to drive an hour to get a board, I will put 120v on that inducer before I leave to make sure it is good, so I don't get stung when I come back with a board and find that I need an inducer as well.
4) Don't curse in front of customers. It makes you sound unprofessional.
5) Don't throw the industry under the bus with residential customers. Just say, "now you know you can call me next time."
Steve knows a lot of stuff and you can learn from him. I'm just adding some tips for you until I get my channel up and running. See you then.
4. Some people don't know how to not curse. I'm sure he dosn't mean it.
@@leedrummond164 If I cursed in front of a store manager, that is probably the last time I would have that client. They would be on the phone to the provider in a heartbeat, because everyone is hyper-woke nowadays. Since I stopped cursing back in the 90's, it is no longer going to happen, and like Eric O says, "If I can do it, you can do it." For those guys who have ever been in an arraignment situation, just act like you are talking to a judge. You wouldn't say, for example, "your honor, he tried to f*** me over!" Generally, that only makes things worse, both in court and in business. Similarly, if the client curses, don't tell him to stop. You are there as a neutral party to fix their problem. At one point in my life, I worked in a cursing subculture. There are lots of them out there. But, you are not on a construction site with an HVAC customer, so you always need to spruce up your game. You never know who you are talking to, so always tread lightly. Just another 2 cents.
@@arthouston7361 I agree with everything you say. I don't think it's ever professional to be swearing in front of your clients, however most clients will be willing to put up with a bit of swearing if they feel in safe hands with the engineer. And obviously if the works good the client isn't going to chance using somebody else over a sh** here and there. But all told. No, not professional.
@@leedrummond164 In my segment, the person who hears me reports to the decision making entities, ei, the service brokerage and the corporate. They do not make the value proposition judgement that you are describing. They will send in another company right away. They don't even have a good metric for comparing companies, because they have one alleged pro working for them called a "trade specialist," who often came from a different industry segment, and has never worked on the kind of equipment being serviced. He only becomes involved in rare circumstances like the wrong piping design being used for a low pressure gas roof, and no one was tasked with checking out that level of detail during the install.
Different people troubleshoot differently, the first guy that couldn’t figure it out shouldn’t be running a service van, and this guy done it different than I would of. It same outcome good job
Appreciate you fixing the unit instead of replacing, some of us really like see old things survive.
Knowing the sequence of operation is key to understanding what it supposed to be doing, and check what’s falling. Great video good to see you working hard after your nineteens. You are a great tech, thanks for your video.
Sequence of operations is the first principle they taught us in class. Without knowing it, we are next to useless. Every ice machine is different. Furnaces are all the same aside from certain system pre-checks.
I have learned so much here this guy is good
Suzy
B
Invents
Pretty
Interesting
Good
Fishing
Books
Signal from thermostat
Board self test
Inducer blower start
Pressure switch confirms blower
Ignition
Gas valve opens
Flame sensed
Blower for house starts
The soldered pins on the female part of the 9 pin molex plug on the board sometimes get a hairline crack due to blower vibration over time. It will throw codes depending on which pin is making intermittent contact. If you take the board off and pinch the pins a bit on the back where they are soldered with needle nose pliers, you can sometimes get it to run temporarily until a replacement can be installed. I run into this all the time. As soon as it threw the air proving switch code upon a call for heat, I knew the board needed to be replaced. If you have trouble getting a board, you could try resoldering the pins on the old board to buy them some time as well (if you have a soldering kit on hand).
If soldering the pins is the issue, then why replace the board?
@@skliros9235 because I will warranty a new board but not guarantee them a solder job will last. (We used to solder them in the past) I have had a couple customers actually solder their own boards and I reinstalled them.
This video is a great example of why I still use a mid-efficiency furnace that was installed in 1986. The only issue I've had in 29 years is the blower motor crapping out last winter. Took one day to find a replacement. Took 2 days for the original to be repaired. I kept the (repaired) original motor as my spare.
waste of money, on repairing a motor you wont ever need on a old 86 model. New one will outlast any further ones needed..
Nice diagnostic Steve ! ... I had the controller go out on an older 1995 Lenox the day I put my mothers house on the market ... I'm a carpenter/builder, but have a little experience with gas units having worked with a lot of top notch HVAC guys for 3-4 decades, a little research showed a common problem with the Johnson controller they used ... cracked circuit boards were an issue, but an updated one was available online, came in 2 days ... mostly "plug and play" except for thermostat, AC and humidifier wires ... took 15 minutes to install .... ran like a top for 4 months until the buyer/builder knocked the house down to build a McMansion .... and I agree, so glad you mentioned the FILTER ISSUE .... I've never run anything greater than a MERV 4 on my units (but do use a filter charger spray) ... furnaces are not designed to be "air purifiers" ... those "allergen" filters restrict air flow too much causing all sorts of high limit issues ... overheating, cycling, fan motor and other parts burn out ... and of course, very inefficient air circulation .... I use the cheap green filters on the returns as "pre-filters" because I have large, hairy dogs ... and a MERV 4 at the furnace .... I buy a 6 pack and change every 2 months ... 6 year old propane unit in a 150 year old house and my returns, ducts and furnace are spotless ... in a pinch you can spray "Endust" instead of "charger" lightly on any filter to increase capture without slowing down air movement ... hope that helps some viewers as having a "balanced" and efficient system with the right filters saves you a ton on fuel costs and reduces wear on a constantly cycling unit
Steve being the super hero is why people call you and not the other guy's!
I can feel my knees and back aching watching this lol.
I like watching your videos. I live in FL where there's not much need for gas heaters but now when you open the panel I recognize the parts and what they do. Thanks.
You did the right thing by this lady. Being a super hero for people who need it, there’s nothing better. You should be proud of yourself and your great work ethic. I really enjoy your channel. Keep the great videos coming. Thanks Steve. 👍🏻😊🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 Your a great American
As the World Spins with Steve and Miss Molly, never a dull moment, txs for sharing...
That was an excellent repair. You are a very honest HVAC Technician
I can remember back when once I rushed to blame the pressure switch and spent 2 hours fooling around without fixing anything. That was before I found Steve's videos. Now I'm watching this, calling out the board. That's a great feeling. Really grateful for these videos, which are clear, No-Nonsense, and easy to learn from.
Why blame the pressure switch?
@@murkyturkey5238 i was talking about a long time ago, when I didn't have much experience. Blaming the pressure switch or some other component that very rarely fails is something that people with less experience tend to do. I recently had a no heat call and the owner told me it needed a new gas valve after he already replaced the transformer and a few other small things. It was not the gas valve, it was the thermostat. But when you don't have a bunch of past experiences to rely on, and not enough knowledge to logically diagnose, then you will jump to conclusions.
@@murkyturkey5238 but why blame the pressure switch? Maybe because the board was giving him an error code saying something along the lines of the pressure switch isn't working or something. If the pressure switch isn't working, it could be bad, but you have to test it first, and really you need the inducer to turn on too, and if it doesn't turn on then that probably means the problem isn't the switch, it is the inducer or it is the thing that is supposed to be powering the inducer. But the handyman in this video was maybe strictly reading the error code off the furnace. Another thing that leads people jump to conclusions.
@@themayorofairconditioning2868 i see I was just curious if there was a particular reason you would lean towards, ty
75% OF THE TIME, ITS NOT THE BOARD, you are guessing.
Steve doesn’t give up mama! “ No heat’s the game and troubleshooting’s my name!”
Good job! Maybe we should educate customers to buy air filters based on MERV rating instead of fancy advertising. Not all filters are compatible with all equipment👍
And sometimes it isn't the filter at all. There are several things that need to be tested and/or adjusted before just assuming the filter is the problem.
Bet the evaporator coil is plugged too.
@@DoyleHargraves-hr5clfrom using cheap filters or none in the past is what I was thinking
Excellent diagnosis and repair. A true old fashioned craftsman.
I guess the reason for using cheaper filters are because the more premium product has a higher filter rating but too much air flow restriction to the point where the furnace can't function correctly.
I think dirty coils are to blame for most of it. Using the 750s to 1000 filters never had a problem much over that and maybe.
I feel like most techs can’t really confirm if it's a bad control board. They order one, replace it, and hope it fixes the damn issue. Thanks for the video.
Yep green horns/scammers do that plus easy money
Troubleshooting 101 follow the wiring diagram and if there is not one due to age follow the wiring to each component. Higher voltage to lower voltage components . If there is a circuit board or control module present there will be power in and power out. 32 years I spent in the hvac trade and now retired. I miss the challenge of fixing the unfixable.
jwar, I worked 46 years in the Elevator trade. Because I knew Nothing about it. I took a 3 year A/C Heat course at night thru local Adult Ed. Program. Taught Electronics and troubleshooting at Union School. Worked for various shops as a troubleshooter, made over scale for 25 years. I fixed the building engineers Hvac equipment. when they couldn't. This makes my head hurt.
I had a problem similar to this on the high limit They just bought a leather couch and they pushed it up against the return air grill The customer was not happy after I charged them $140 to move the couch Great video everyone should not be having filters Beyond merve 8
I'm surprised so many techs don't bust out the multimeter. Pretty simple, really. Controller / sequencer receives 24v here, send 120 or 240v there. I could teach my 12 year old son how to diagnose an electric furnace in a month or two.
Maybe it's because companies only want to hire readymade techs instead of helpers with potential. Techs have to pretend to understand more than they do to get a job.
The manufacturers don't want techs servicing boards in the field, they want them dropping in new modular boards. Troubleshooting takes time and money.
@@AiMR That's what the guy just did in the video. Replaced the board. Sometime the problem is just because of a fuse. I'm not professional. Base on the look of the old board didn't have any visible fuse. But I can see that board has cover. If a good and want to save customer money not their time. Would attempt to open the cover and look inside. Unless, he has open the board before in his past experience. Then I guess sure. But a system has high and low voltage don't have a fuse would be rare.
However, base on the video. 1. he bad mouth the previous tech first. Yes the previous tech should have more knowledge, but he did replace what the board asked for. I'm okay if this guy bad mouth when he actually test the old pressure switch, just a simple blow into it with continuity or put it back in but did not do it.
Yes sadly most tech try to work fast try to save time. Walk to the furnace, touch wires, visual inspection. Jump to the part. Instead, if you check voltage, why not from the source. Sometime go with the sequel cut time. Rather than jump all over the place and guessing.
Just wonder, super rare chance but. That wire from the board to the motor is bad. A simple continuity test before calling the board is bad would end the guessing game.
Steve as a young electrician only in the trade ten years I love your videos. Your a dying breed. I wish more people my age had your work ethic. I'm only 28 but I fear where we are heading.
i think your right .. younger generation is in big trouble ..most want a free ride of the government .. that wont last to long ..
Dan I completely agree with you spot on man. I'm your age and in the heavy equipment repair and mechanic field. Same exact problem.. no one younger wants to work. The best thing we can do is try and absorb as much as we can from guys like Steve, be thankful they are willing to share all these things that they have learned the hard way. I don't know what the hell the world is going to look like when all these guys are retired and there's going to be a handful of us trying to carry all the other lazy morons that don't wanna be in a trade and want to sit on a computer and have stupid titles like "social media influencer ".
@@stevenlavimoniere VOTE TRUMP, Steve....
@@Adam_Poirier When there's a shortage of trades people and an abundance of young folk without tools or gumption, I know where I'll be. In a van making bank!
There is a huge movement out there to teach young techs. Search for TY Branaman on TH-cam, he has great videos. Try HVAC school with Bryan orr, also great videos. There is a ton out there. I have been in the trade for 15 years and try to teach my apprentices the good old way of diagnosing a system.
People are so used to paying more money that in this case of a “more is better” filter they are flabbergasted to hear “get a cheaper filter”!
I learned this the last few years as well.
Don't think it's the filter after hearing to set the temperature to 65 I'll bet they also shut down some of the registers thinking it would save money ... restricted air flow will cause high a temperature cut off....
great job on the control panel replacement assessment....
@@jimrolzitto9664 so it could be the filter then
That was a good repair, you saved that lady a ton of money and hassle
Changing the board is the easy part changed a 1000 of them. The part I hate is tell the customer what the board cost now the prices are going way up. That kit normally has wire extenders right in the box for grounds and the inducer motor / ignitor unless someone took them out. I always joke with the customer when I changing a board and tell them I have the best job in the world and say I can lay down on the job and get paid for it. But to this day I breath a sigh of relief after you change the board and the furnace works. Good Job Steven.
Nice job Steve, I’ve changed out some similar controls, it gets tedious but as you did “ one wire at a time” . As you know everybody doesn’t have the $$$ to replace equipment.
The sweet taste of victory, how sweet it is. Steve is a superhero.
Steve, If you serviced my furnace with that foul language I would probably feel a lot more comfortable and at home. It was every other day that us kids would get in trouble and my Dad would start swearing up a storm at us :) .
Seriously though, You did the right thing and now have a customer for life. I am in I.T. and run my own business. I concentrate on saving my customers money and have never had to worry about advertising. Good technicians make it by word of mouth in my area. My hat is off to you!
I think the only thing I have replaced on my furnace is the exhaust fan (do they call that the inductor?) when the bearings finally died on it. The furnace is called an "Armstrong Ultra 90". I certainly learn a lot from your channel and thank you very much.
Back when this was a new model, I replaced several control boards... White Rogers. Glad that a sub was available for this one.
They wonder why it cost so much . Great job Steve love your videos !
Great job steve
people just don't understand how much these professionals are ripping them off they will give you a discounted inspection for your furnace for $60 and then find every reason in the world to keep charging you and charging you for this or charging over that if people would just get up off their butt and try to learn something they would understand just how simple simple it is to repair furnaces.. a capacitor is generally a blower problem flame sensors igniters 20 bucks almost no problem to install these furnace dealers around me wanted $450 to put a condenser motor in I did it myself from now on I do everything myself even if I screw it up two or three times I'm still buddy ahead and I've learned something thanks for your video
Usually the condenser motors goes out when it comes to motors ,the flame sensor is a good one to check ,first I check thermostat never trust what they tell you, I look at it then ask did you just change the batteries? If they say yes then they put in wrong had it happen on a rental he was positive it was right I made him check using facetime yep wrong saved me 100$
The gas valve went out in my boiler and Honeywell didn't make it anymore so I bought a Robert Shaw with the same BTU rating a couple little tweaks and it's worked fine for 5 years. But sometimes I worry about my boiler because it's around 80 years old.
The weak link in today’s furnaces. I remember a time when they had no electronics and ran forever without issues. We’re a snap to troubleshoot too. Those days are long gone! Nice job getting her going again Steve!
Unfortunately that's the weak link in everything I always try to find The most mechanical products I can
@@Samlol23_drrich As time goes on, mechanical products are getting further into the past. Modern furnaces have an ignition control board, and at least another board for the blower motor. There might be more in there that I don't know about as I just fix things, but not anything specific. Cars are terrible for having way too many computers, and then you need another computer just to fix something basic.
@@snoopdogie187 I'm not saying they are easy to find, but I look. For example, about 12 years ago we bought our home and needed a washer/dryer. All those beautiful front loaders were out with digital displays. Went with the mechanical speed queen. It broke a couple of times but cake to fix. A timer , cheap switch, maybe a solenoid but no $400 boards to burn out.
@@Samlol23_drrich Stay with 14 seer ac units , single speeds , basic t-stats for BEST performance, low costs.
@@brucehux248 thank you!
Would've definitely checked that heat exchanger too.
Love Watching your videos Steve Im in the UK Love u can get things running and keep customer happy, have a good xmass Steve and Molly.,
Increasing the blower speed will stop unit from hitting the high temp limit.
Sir, You did it, You are a very Smart Tech, I liked the way You checked the system instead just start replacing parts as others do. That says a lot about Your Intelligences' . To know a system and how it works means a lot. I like that about You. I am a old Tech Guy too.
had someone come by and do a diagnostic on the heating system before I needed it. When I did need it the small purge fan didn't run, he had left the ground wire off the cover and the circuit board. Luckily I was well versed in looking for out of the ordinary while working my job. Don't get anyone to check your heating and cooling unless you are having problems.
Great job Steve. I replaced a circ. board on a 2001 Lennox. Codes were pressure switch/high limit. I used that xact replacement board. What a pain ! Oh well. Got it going.
You have to explain things better Stevie, you should say that the furnace has too hard a time sucking air thru the expensive filters, it's easier to suck air thru cheap filters and so it's easier on the furnace
I was thinking the same thing
The updated new board is very nice. Color coded and well made.
Those were great furnaces back in the day.... great video Steve !!
Carrier Weather Maker 9200s were great builds as well. Many are still around.
I ran in a similar call last week , on a trane system , replace the control board then it work ...
But good job I enjoy and learn yours videos...
To thanks ...
All of the oldies are better than this new crap being mass produced nowadays imo... Love your videos too Ted 👍
Truly astonishing the length you
go to to help a customer.
I carry a couple different models of that board on the truck. In my area there is no parts on the shelf they are common to fail.
I have ran across fellow techs that can't fix things, and carefully probing they didn't see it in school. Amazing how some don't know ductwork either.
The best way to save time is eliminate stat IMO by jumpers w/ meter. It also speeds up transformer culprit diag..
Love watching the Master!
Ugh... those kinds of jobs are tedious! I would have been inclined to screw a piece of sheet metal to the furnace, where the old control was, that hung out to the left a couple inches and then attached the new control to that new piece of sheet metal. No need to splice wires...
This one was awesome nicely done Steve. That was a solid for that lady.
That was my first thought too. Inducer motor has to run for the switch to close has to be the board. I don't know s*** about HVAC but I know a little about a lot and I've fixed a few furnaces in my day. But considering how long your video is maybe we're both wrong at 10 minutes in lol. Fortunately no but Honeywell makes the universal board that works pretty good.
You and me both, flippin' super heros, trying to save the customer money.
There is a lot to be said for a pilot light, a thermocouple, and a gas valve.
I had to replace the control board on my furnace which is 40 yrs old with drafthood and a
surprisingly good heat exchanger. The blower Relay went out. It was an after market board but it worked
I was in the same neighborhood doing a repair ! I had no idea that Steve Lavimoniere lives in the area ? I love this channel and Steve and his Dog ( security dog to protect the Van and tools ) !
He lives in mass, Dartmouth if I’m not mistaken, i live in ct and trust me we needed help a time or so i hoped he was closer lol
Sometimes some slack can be squeezed out of a wire harness if you can detangle a given wire as far back as you can go.
Had same problem running with those filters and used cheaper/lower merv filters and fixed the short cycle problem
Must be a great feeling when you get something working that someone else gave up on
Definitely, its an adrenaline rush, nothing like a grand slam on a service call and the customer flabbergasted
yooooo, I love your work, take me in with ya as your apprentice.. !! you really made my day watching this work,,, first I was truly clueless on how to attack this, you really open my eyes.. God speed to you !
I think you could fix a rainy day. Good video 👍👍
worked on these systems for 30 years . production line crap is never easy when it craps out .. I feel your pain Steve .. yet great satesfaction when its left "WORKING"
I have seen Thermal Limiters give that same code because it wouldnt let the pressure switch get the voltage it needed to kick in
Should check gas pressure it seemed a little high when it came on .check your temperature rise check your a coil for dirt . Check your Static pressure with the filter and without.
Steve...lucky to have been able to get that controller.....
Trade gives you a 600.00 dollar conversion kit.
New ignitor,limit,wiring harnesses,and module.
Real pain to install.
Done about 6 of them.
1st one took about 1.5 hours.
Last one did it in 45 min.
Like they say " you can't stop a trane...they derail
That cycling filter problem I got to. Those expensive filters cause more trouble then there worth buy an external house filter system
Had a unit full of post construction drywall dust and an under sized R/A filter grille hIgh Merv filter. Over time it made the controls act wacky from continual overheating. Replaced CPU,HL got it working again. Owner didn’t want suggested upgrades I.E make return larger for proper air flow and full cleaning. Unit went out a month later again. He called the original installer😫. If he didn’t realize what he did on the original install👀. I’m just waiting on that call back then he’s gonna 💰 😂
Nice work bro👍🏾
I got a holly duo-trol gas furnace (old furnace) that came with the house purchase 15 years ago. No HVAC/furnace "expert" wanted to touch it, all wanted to sell me a new furnace. I then found a Steven Lavimoniere type of guy, told me I have pay him $60 regardless if the furnace works or not. HE GOT IT TO WORK!!!! So the sequence is like this: Once the pilot and power is on to the furnace, you turn it on with the thermostat, the furnace will only fire up,, the the fan will turn on 2 minutes later. The "Steven Lavimoniere" HVAC/Furnace guy told me that is normal because the flames need to burn off any poisonous gases trapped inside the furnace, then the fan will start up to give it enough time for any bad gas/air to burn off through the exhaust pipe to prevent the home owner from breathing any poisonous gases. Furnace has worked just fine!!! Best $60 I have spent!!!
Not quite. The fan delay is to warm up the heat ex so fan doesn't blow cold(room temp) air. The inducer runs before gas on to purge ht ex of any gas. Not for toxicity but to prevent a mini explosion or blow out. Did commercial HVAC R for 33 years
I like how you work Steve. Get it done and get out, No bullshit with you. Nice work. all ways helping those in need.
Get yourself a P touch label printer. Pre-print the labels and put them on the wires. Mine have been on for about 10 years now and are still readable. I just replaced my sequencer 2 weeks ago on my Carrier dual pack.
I'm with ya Steve. After 10 years on my own doing change outs by myself. I understand the aches and pains.
Hey Steve. If you are getting a flash code, the thermostat is calling. It’s not a fan either, it’s an inducer motor.
Steve, you need an apprentice. Someone to assist you, but more important someone to pass your knowledge on to. I wish I could have worked with someone like you when I was younger.
A lot of guys complaining about the lack of knowledge in young people. But few give back or have the patience to train.
No substitute for experience and a good meter!
I've tossed soo many of those Trane/A.S. off my truck in the past. Wish I kept a few of the parts.
Steve, you are right. Having to deal with the last "Handy Man`s" mess and a rookie helper too would get "stressful". K.I.S.S. is the way to go.
Yeah I hate getting other peoples mess when I get called to work on someone's truck. Get it with the harness pulled , or broken or stripped bolts. Pet peeve
I’ve got an American Standard heater so far I’ve been without heat for seven days waiting on the repair man to come back with a new board
Most of the time when control board is bad some components can be substituted temporally if the repair man is experienced.
If the wires were too short, why not just re-mount the control board further to the left? Maybe I'm missing something?
If he woulda Just rotated the board the connector would’ve been right on. All the other wires had length.
I jump the R/W to test before connecting up all the stat wires.
Next level Steve, great job. 🏆
im 50 now,and im so tired do ol the work allone,,i feel u steven
Great little vid Stevie boy ...😎 Hey to Miss Molly ...Integrity as usual ...👏👍
You are the gas furnace king. I made a somewhat negative comment on another video but the more I watch the more I realize you get things done others can't
Great Job Steve!! The real HVAC guy.
At 31.05 ( I hope this Fucking thing works, that's all I can say ). Priceless. Eleven words I've said many a time.
My husband and I like watching you as we find your videos very educational. You are a honest guy and that is rare today! We also love to see Miss Molly ❤! She is adorable!!!
Just one thing would make you the Number 1 guy in our book if you would just go the extra mile sometime and vacum the extra dirty heating units like this one. It was really bad but you just put the cover back on over all the years of dirt build up on the heating unit! It would just take a few more minutes and people would appreciate it. At least we would !
Been watching your videos for a while now but not till recently i realized you work in my home town a lot. Come to find out my grandfather has worked with you. He owned his own heating and plumbing company for a long time. Love the videos
How can you condemn the controller without testing the inputs from the thermostat? I've seen a bad thermostat cause this issue.
Awesome job Steve👍👍👍
I Always carry a few universal boards on the truck to save from those mini trips. Time is money.
Steve they do make universal boards for these furnaces we use
THIS ONE IS 2 STAGE
The ooooolllldddddd American Standard y'all!!! Good job Steve! Most would have just said she needed a new system and walked away.
Another rescue mission well done by Steve
I’d adjust blower speed up one more if it’s cycling on hi limit,,not enough air
Eventually it's better to replace a furnace. Every year replaced parts on a 50 year old heater. Broke down and installed a new heater 2 years ago. Works fantastic. I shouldn't have waited so long.
Thanks Steven! I watch you videos at work for therapy! Keep it up Bro! Have yourself a Dunkie and a lahge regulah!
You got her up and going, and saved her a pile of cash. Should make you feel good!
After the repair I saw a light still flashing on the board, is that a normal status?
Yeah, the relay on the control board went bad...I had the same thing happen to me.
It's a nice idea to take a picture of it with your smart phone and get a good picture of it and then you can pull it up when you're putting it back together that's that's a good way to I've done that once or twice on things keep up the good work!
Why not look for an Apprentice Steve? You have a ton of work, your a wealth of knowledge, and you would be contributing to a future tradesman.
I HAVE A TON OF APPRENTICES RIGHT HERE ON TH-cam
@@stevenlavimoniere Thanks Steven
@@stevenlavimoniere ha ha
@@stevenlavimoniere freaking A Steve. They all are professionals when you talk to them, as soon as a problem or a wrench hits their hands all their knowledge is lost. Talk is cheap, showing what you can do is a different story.
I do not see Steve working with a young green horn
Call Steve Lav he's your man, if he can't fix it no one can. Ain't a shit show in town he can't handle.
You da man on this one.
Nice videos Steve! Love your dogs sweaters.