Flame Sensor Lifespan

[D45]

I had some short cycling symptoms this morning and the thermostat was 5 degrees under the programmed temperature

I removed and cleaned the flame sensor and everything is working properly again

This is the first time in 15 years of living at my house, that I've had to clean the sensor

How many times can this sensor be effectively cleaned......before it needs to be replaced? I'm thinking about buying a having a spare on hand, just in case?

Also, the flame sensor is a 1 wire part. What is the two wire part? Ignitor?

 

[rmanrman]

My gas fired Weil mclaine boiler 10 yrs old the is on its third igniter and second flame sensor and second controller board. 90+ high efficiency boilers have too many sensors.
My theory is everything is made like ****.

 

[D45]

This Goodman furnace has been good to me

This is the first time in 15 years of living at my house, that I've had to clean the sensor or do any furnace maintenance or related HVAC work

 

[rust in the eye]

These flame sensors baffle me. My now 20 yr old furnace would reliably shut down after first start of each heating season. Cleaning the sensor would always get it working properly again but after a couple of times I figured the sensor to be on borrowed time so I bought a spare. All these years later the spare remains a spare. In fact for some reason the sensor has ceased causing first start up problems at all.
Go figure.
That said, flame sensor and ignitor are cheap spares to keep on hand.

 

[D45]

I need to find the model of the Goodman furnace , to look up some spare parts

They both seem to be relatively inexpensive

Is the model on the inside of the access panel?

 

[mm08822]

Buy the igniter and flame sensor so you have it on hand. Get name brand components and shop for lowest delivered price. Stick the spare parts inside the access panel for later.

Waaaaay cheaper than a service call at 2:00am b/c you don't have the parts and everyone is crying it's so cold.

Do the same for ac capacitors.

 

[fitter30]

Buy a flame sensor and if it has a hot surface igniter( glows red when lighting pilot) just put them by the boiler so u know where they are. 15 years for a flame rod your lucky. Boiler doesn't lite pilot replace surface igniter. Control is looking for a certain amp draw to open pilot gas.

 

[D45]

I'll look and buy both parts

The single wire flame sensor is on far right of the burner assembly

The two wire igniter (??) Is on the far left side of the burner assembly

 

[u3b3rg33k]

is cleaning the sensor supposed to be part of annual maintenance? or is there a new reason it's fouled? what fouled it? if it's fouled with soot, perhaps your primary heat exchanger is failing?

 

[Stelzer]

Just went through this on my furnace like I've done most every year for the last 20. To answer the OP's question, the flame sensor will last as long as you've already got a spare ready to replace it, but if you're relying on that one and only flame sensor to get you through another winter, you may end up SOL. True with many things around the house. If you've already bought the spare, it's like the original part knows it better get its act together.

 

[finn]

My gas fired Weil mclaine boiler 10 yrs old the is on its third igniter and second flame sensor and second controller board. 90+ high efficiency boilers have too many sensors.
My theory is everything is made like ****.

My dad had a Weil Mclaine standard efficiency boiler and I don’t think he ever got more than five years out of an igniter. It typically failed when the folks were in Florida for the season.

 

[PoorUB]

I have a twenty year old Ruud furnace with the original flame sensor. I clean it when it fails, maybe 3-4 years.

 

[bonneyman]

Lots of good advice here. I'm securely in the have-a-spare-available camp.

 

[rlitman]

Lots of good advice here. I'm securely in the have-a-spare-available camp.

Why?

When an ignitor fails, it's dead, and your only option is to replace it. Same goes for a thermocouple, if you've got one (so I keep a spare).

When a flame rod has issues, you can always clean it. Aggressively if needs be. The very worst you can do is scratch up the rod to the point that it fouls sooner, but you'll still get it working again with more vigorous cleaning, so unless it's thinning to the point it may bend under it's own weight, you're not really risking a "no-heat until I get replacement parts" situation by not having a spare.

 

[PoorUB]

Why?

When an ignitor fails, it's dead, and your only option is to replace it. Same goes for a thermocouple, if you've got one (so I keep a spare).

When a flame rod has issues, you can always clean it. Aggressively if needs be. The very worst you can do is scratch up the rod to the point that it fouls sooner, but you'll still get it working again with more vigorous cleaning, so unless it's thinning to the point it may bend under it's own weight, you're not really risking a "no-heat until I get replacement parts" situation by not having a spare.

I agree. I flame rod is just a piece of wire, nothing magical about it. They should never need replacement unless some monkey fisted person breaks it. I did HVAC service for years and rarely replaced one, unless it got broken, or just looked like it was getting burned up.

I have been heating my house with 90+ furnaces for 35 years and never replaced a flame rod.

 

[bonneyman]

Why?

When an ignitor fails, it's dead, and your only option is to replace it. Same goes for a thermocouple, if you've got one (so I keep a spare).

As is my standard practice, have spare parts on-hand. Clean your sensor with steel wool, and keep a spare ignitor for your unit.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I keep a spare flame sensor and ignitor on hand, but have never needed either. Our Goodman furnace is 10 years old and the only thing I've had to do to it outside of regular maintenance is replace a pressure switch for about $14.

 

[Bert_]

These flame sensors baffle me. My now 20 yr old furnace would reliably shut down after first start of each heating season. Cleaning the sensor would always get it working properly again but after a couple of times I figured the sensor to be on borrowed time so I bought a spare. All these years later the spare remains a spare. In fact for some reason the sensor has ceased causing first start up problems at all.
Go figure.
That said, flame sensor and ignitor are cheap spares to keep on hand.

Totally normal. If you have a spare you'll never need it. If you get rid of the spare you'll need it within a few weeks.

 

[mm08822]

Totally normal. If you have a spare you'll never need it. If you get rid of the spare you'll need it within a few weeks.

The same as when after you throw something out that you have been tripping over for years............then ya find a use for it.

 

[Dakotadadv8]

Crazy just replaced ignitor and fortunately had a spare. New SO nut drivers came in handy vs a ratchet and socket. Changed good filters often helps.

 

[mm08822]

Crazy just replaced ignitor and fortunately had a spare. New SO nut drivers came in handy vs a ratchet and socket. Changed good filters often helps.

And now you need a spare! (Before you forget)

 

[Bert_]

Changed good filters often helps.

I hear that sometimes from people using the pleated 1" filters. Hopefully that isn't you.

If you have a 1" filter rack please use the cheap $1 filters. Other filters are usually too restrictive unless you put in a bigger filter rack

 

[Dakotadadv8]

And now you need a spare! (Before you forget)

2 is one and 1 is none.

 

[Steve_P]

I hear that sometimes from people using the pleated 1" filters. Hopefully that isn't you.

If you have a 1" filter rack please use the cheap $1 filters. Other filters are usually too restrictive unless you put in a bigger filter rack

Agree. Trouble is the $1 filters aren't as easy to find as the $15 ones anymore. For obvious reasons. At least for me. I tried a fancy pleated filter years ago when I couldn't get the cheap ones and I could see that it was so restrictive that it was deflecting, a lot, under the airflow. When the fan shut off you could hear the noise where the filter relaxed back to shape. Last time I needed filters for the basement inlet, a weird size, I had to order them from Lowes, which I hadn't needed to do in the past. And HD didn't have them either.

But yeah, I use the cheap filters. And whenever I vacuum the living room, I include vacuuming the inlet side of the filter.

 

[Steve_P]

Ignitor failed on my gas furnace a few years ago, after 20+ years. I had one on hand and was ready to go in a few minutes. As said, keep an AC capacitor, ignitor, and whatever else you feel necessary on hand as it's cheap insurance.

 

[D45]

I need to pull the inspection cover back off and find the model number, to order the correct parts

 

[cannuck]

Totally normal. If you have a spare you'll never need it. If you get rid of the spare you'll need it within a few weeks.

Everyone who lives where frozen and burst plumbing is the likely result of a furnace failure knows fully well that things only go wrong late on Friday night of a long weekend - so you are on your own for parts and insurance claims.

 

[D45]

Looks like it says 2006 model?

Model: GMS81155CNCC

 

[D45]

Flame Sensor; # 0130F00010S

Hot Surface Ignitor: # 20165703S

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Everyone who lives where frozen and burst plumbing is the likely result of a furnace failure knows fully well that things only go wrong late on Friday night of a long weekend - so you are on your own for parts and insurance claims.

Happened to me! My RV furnace motor quit new years eve in -37C weather. I was living in it at the time. Couldn't get a replacement until the 2nd. Fresh water and black water pipes froze and burst....

 

[bonneyman]

For all, I used AAF filters for many years, and really liked them. The local warehouse was awesome, they had good inventory, and could make up special order sizes for reasonable. Many different MERV ratings were available to tailor to your needs. See if you have an AAF dealer in your town.

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[gagecalman]

My Bryant/Carrier gas furnace is almost 34 years old. Still has the original flame sensor that has never been cleaned and still works fine.
Getting ready to replace the system due to the heat exchanger starting to fail. Not looking forward to the new ****. Surely won't get 33 years out of it.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I had some short cycling symptoms this morning and the thermostat was 5 degrees under the programmed temperature

I removed and cleaned the flame sensor and everything is working properly again

Depends on how/what you are cleaning with. Very fine sandpaper (220) works.