Help with Energy King Wood Furnace

[MMills]

We recently purchased a home that has an Energy King wood furnace and a propane furnace. They are connected to a single thermostat that had been switched out to a Nest thermostat. When you want to use one or the other heat source, you flip a switch and then change the flow in the duct work. We've been unable to get the blower on the wood furnace to turn on or even find a dealer for the Energy King in Virginia. Does anyone know if they are any dealers in Virginia that might be able to service it? I've searched and searched online and called the company. They company said they didn't have a way to give me a name of a dealer in Virginia. Any help would be appreciated.

Matt

 

[laynes69]

Could you post pictures of the setup? Have you confirmed the woodfurnace is getting power? I wouldn't burn yet until you can confirm the blower works. The woodfurnace should have a separate thermostat from the central thermostat, unless theres no draft blower or automatic damper. Do they share the central furnaces blower, or are they separate? At minimum, there should be a fan/limit control for the blower.

 

[MMills]

The wood furnace is getting power. There is a switch on the draft control box that when flipped starts the blower. The part that we can't get to turn on is the blower that pushes the air into the duct work. The propane furnace and blower are completely separate from the wood furnace except that there is a power switch on the wood furnace that seems to switch the thermostat in the living room from one system to another. Admittedly, I don't know much about the wood system but am trying to learn as much as I can.

 

[maple1]

Are you absolutely sure there isn't another thermostat somewhere?

This might require some tracing with a multimeter or test light.

 

[brenndatomu]

The part that we can't get to turn on is the blower that pushes the air into the duct work.

What does the switch look like? This? (all you will see is the box part on the outside of the plenum)

If this is what you have...and it has the white button, push it in. The switch is now in "manual mode", the blower should start. Pull it back out to shut the blower off (that puts the thermoswitch back in auto control)
And just to be clear, you have built a fire in the furnace and the duct blower did not come on? It is heat activated...and there are adjustments for the on/off temps inside the metal cover of this switch/control...

 

[maple1]

As is almost always the case - pictures should help.

 

[MMills]

What does the switch look like? This? (all you will see is the box part on the outside of the plenum)
View attachment 238966 If this is what you have...and it has the white button, push it in. The switch is now in "manual mode", the blower should start. Pull it back out to shut the blower off (that puts the thermoswitch back in auto control)
And just to be clear, you have built a fire in the furnace and the duct blower did not come on? It is heat activated...and there are adjustments for the on/off temps inside the metal cover of this switch/control...

It does have a switch like this. I will try as you suggest. The furnace is at our fishing cabin (or I would have had pictures). Once I try it, I will report back. Many thanks for the help!

 

[brenndatomu]

It does have a switch like this. I will try as you suggest. The furnace is at our fishing cabin (or I would have had pictures). Once I try it, I will report back. Many thanks for the help!

Not all of them have the white button to force the fan on...but if yours does not, take the metal cover off the box, grab the dial looking thing with the numbers on it, turn it counterclockwise...you should eventually hear a click and the blower should start...then when you let go it should spring back and the blower shut off.
This is how it normally works basically...only the bimettalic "spring" inside the long "sensor" that sticks into the furnace plenum senses the heat and activates the "dial" on/off automatically.

 

[MMills]

Not all of them have the white button to force the fan on...but if yours does not, take the metal cover off the box, grab the dial looking thing with the numbers on it, turn it counterclockwise...you should eventually hear a click and the blower should start...then when you let go it should spring back and the blower shut off.
This is how it normally works basically...only the bimettalic "spring" inside the long "sensor" that sticks into the furnace plenum senses the heat and activates the "dial" on/off automatically.

Thank you! The furnace does have a fan/limit control with a white button on it. I think that I tried to push it in and nothing happened (the fan did not come on). Assuming that if it won't come on when pushed in that there may be an electrical issue or should I still try opening the box and moving the dial?

A second question, the furnace appears to have a forced air draft blower with a metal switch on it. When I flip that switch the draft blower appears to come on. When a fire is built, should that switch always be flipped on?

 

[brenndatomu]

Assuming that if it won't come on when pushed in that there may be an electrical issue

Yep.

A second question, the furnace appears to have a forced air draft blower with a metal switch on it. When I flip that switch the draft blower appears to come on. When a fire is built, should that switch always be flipped on?

Maybe just at first...but I hate a forced draft furnace...very inefficient. Try to run it without the draft blower...just adjust the air by moving the "door" over the blower opening.

 

[MMills]

I pushed the white button in and nothing happened. I also turned the dial and nothing happened. Both of these should have turned the blower on even without a fire, right?

 

[brenndatomu]

Yup

 

[brenndatomu]

If there is power coming into that switch, it sure sounds like the motor is bad...or could be a bad motor capacitor maybe...does it hum, or make any sound at all?

 

[MMills]

It makes no sound at all.

If there is power coming into that switch, it sure sounds like the motor is bad...or could be a bad motor capacitor maybe...does it hum, or make any sound at all?