NG Heat Ripoff and Convert SP Furncace

OK....I've got a NG Standing Pilot Burner furnace the size of a VW Beetle. Puget Sound Energy just happily announced a 13% cut in NG prices, stating the "average household" monthly charge would drop to just $82. BULLSHIT. I had my furnace OFF all July, and got a bill from PSE for $94- just to run the pilot. I've had the meter turned off all Aug and Sept., to see if they're prorating me. Anyway, it's getting cold, so I want to covert my furnace to electronic ignition, so there is no gas flow unless it's on. I don't want to grab my ankles for a 'guy' to come out and do it, so is there a retrofit kit type thing that I could do myself? I see some Honeywell valves on Ebay, and some kits, which don't seem to include the ignition side. I need the whole thing. I realize the dangers, liability, etc, so the discussion does not need to go that direction. Ideas? Thanks JR Dweller in the cellar

Reply to
JR North
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$94 a month for the PILOT? HOLY $$IT! Wait 'til heating season starts up! I've had the meter turned off all

I'm afraid, during the heating season, that the pilot light is going to cost about 1% of the total bill. Actually, most of the heat from the pilot flame still heats your house, so it isn't lost heat.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Elson

One model is the Honeywell S87D Direct Spark Ignition. You'll also need the spark electrode assembly, and the ionization flame prover rod, don't know the partnumbers for those offhand but a distributor would.

I don't recall anymore if this setup would work with a gas valve intended for use with a pilot. Seems like the ignitor lit a pilot when then lit the main burner. You don't want the main gas valve open until a pilot flame is proven. I think in a piloted system a thermocouple heated by the pilot enables the main gas valve, but I don't recall if there's a TC in an electronic ignition setup or not.

Reply to
Don Foreman

There should be no reason to "have the meter turned off to see if they're prorating me", if you are on an "equal billing" plan it should be clearly indicated on the bill and certainly a call to them would confirm that. Also many gas monopolies have large service charges for disconnects and reconnects equal to the monthly service charge in between.

Instead of messing with trying to convert to electronic ignition at sizable expense and potential safety risk, I would simply turn off the gas valve to the furnace at the end of the heating season and then turn it back on and re-light the pilot at the start of the next heating season. The gas used by the pilot during heating season is an insignificant percentage of the total heating cost, and the heat from the pilot is still heating your home anyway.

While doing the simple no-cost thing with the gas valve, start putting some funds aside to replace the VW Beetle with a high efficiency furnace that will provide significant savings. They aren't even very expensive unless your installation is a real mess.

Reply to
Pete C.

Just as importantly, add a flue damper so the residual heat stays inside. Bob

Reply to
Bob Engelhardt

99% of the heat from a pilot light is going up the chimmney when the furnace blower isn't running.
Reply to
Tony

Why not consider a switch to oil heat.

  1. No pilot light losses
  2. No minimum usage charge or monthly fee's
  3. No weather adjustment surcharges
  4. Buy oil from any local supplier were you get the best deal
  5. Install a large tank and top off when the price is low
  6. Oil burns hotter, heats you home faster. Oil fired boilers can be dual units with a tankless coil, heating the house and making hot domestic water at the same time for increased efficiency. Gas systems need a seperate boiler and hot water heater.
  7. Oil is safer, can't explode. No reported deaths from CO poisoning from oilheat, where over 60% of the CO related deaths in the US are from gasheat, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Reply to
Tony

Reply to
Louis Ohland

Reply to
JR North

Reply to
JR North

Reply to
JR North

No surprise there. That group is inhabited by scared crooked little HVAC dweebs.

Reply to
Pete C.

It depends entirely on the design of the chimney and furnace. Some actually have motorized dampers that close the chimney when the main burner is not on. The tiny pilot flame is not likely to start the chimney draft, but it may continue for some time due to the heat absorbed by the chimney liner.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Elson

Have you tried one of those BBQ-lighting lighters? They have them at the Home Desperado. I have to go through some contortions to light my water heater pilot, and these long-reach lighters make it easier.

Reply to
Jedd Haas

No reference to such a mix in the DSAT Tec Gas Blender manual.

Reply to
Pete C.

OR.......

Find a neighbor you hate.

Break off the antenna from his car radio.

Solder an alligator cip onto it.

Get matches AND a lighter.

Clip an unlit one into the clip

Get into position to feed the fire at the pilot area.

Light the match with the lighter.

Light the pilot light.

Send me a hearty thank you for improving the quality of your life. ( or not)

MD

Reply to
Mark Dunning

SF6 = sulfer hexafluoride.

Used to pressurize waveguide in radars.

"Non toxic" , unless exposed to high temperatures, like what happens when a radar arcs inside the waveguide.

Then it turns into Methyl-ethyl-very-bad-shit.

Ahhhhhhhhh, sweet memories.....

MD

Reply to
Mark Dunning

Hold on to yer sox when you price that valve. One for my Reznor heater was within $100 of the cost of a whole new heater. That's from the distributor, not from an installer.

Reply to
Don Foreman

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