Pilot light goes out!!

[69boss9]

I have a Sterling overhead furnace in my garage and it does a very good job of heating. It is about 7 years old and is good and clean. However it has started shutting down the pilot light. It relights with no problem, I replaced the thermocouple, but that didn't correct the problem. It works fine for several days and then nothing, any ideas?

 

[Orange_stang]

Might sound crazy but have you tried cleaning the pilot? And the tube going to the pilot? About 30psi of air blown through the tube or if no compressor you can use a straw.

 

[Rookie2]

down draft maybe. there is a screw to jack up the flame if cleaning doesn't work.

 

[CNGsaves]

+1 to start with simple stuff like cleaning and blowing out with compressed air.

Check drip leg for excessive rust and/or water. Quality of the natural gas might be diminished.

Check flue for birds nest blocking flow of exhaust gases.

 

[anthony666]

Check flue for birds nest blocking flow of exhaust gases.

might be penguins at this time of year .. lol

 

[Kevin54]

My first guess would have been the thermocouple, second guess would be the flue. check for obstructions. If the flue goes straight out and wind can blow in, either put a down elbow on it, or put a flue cap on it

 

[69boss9]

Thanks for all your thoughts on my problem. I will try to address it possibly tomorrow, keep you posted with my results.

 

[CJM8515]

This might sound crazy, and Im not HVAC guy at all-but years ago we had an issue with our furnace in the attic and it took 3x coming out before it was resolved. It wasnt the workers fault either as the fix was bizarre.

Apparently the pilot and associated piping was fine, however there was some sorta drain tube of some kind that removes condensation and it was icing up. All they did was change the tube and rerouted it somehow and no more issues.

 

[38 Dodge Coupe]

x2 on the thermocouple

 

[CNGsaves]

x2 on the thermocouple

^ ^ Read 1st post . . . . OP says he already replaced the thermocouple. Think it would be unlikely that new out-of-box thermocouple would be bad.

Sounds to me like starved for fuel . . . or can't breathe (assuming that his replaced thermocouple is actually working).

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Check the heat exchanger. Sometimes when they leak, the pilot gets blown out. When the main flame shuts down, the fan continues to run until the fanstat opens. Air from the fan leaks through the exchanger out of the burner tubes and blows it out.

Tommy

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Check the heat exchanger. Sometimes when they leak, the pilot gets blown out. When the main flame shuts down, the fan continues to run until the fanstat opens. Air from the fan leaks through the exchanger out of the burner tubes and blows it out.

Tommy