Need help starting Marsh Gas Furnace...

[AlkaiserNeo]

I need help starting up this gas furnace / heater--what the heck ever it's called. I remember seeing the gasman turning it on and showing me how to run it but that was months ago. I haven't touched it since. Now, it's getting cold and I need to keep myself warm. It feels like an icebox in here. I have an electric floor heater that I've been using up til' now but it's not enough to keep me warm and toasty at night anymore.

The instructions for the Marsh Furnace are as follows:

1) Set thermostat to minimum settings.
2) Turn gas valve to off, wait 5 minutes
3) Turn valve to "pilot."
4) Apply match to pilot and depress red button. The problem here is there is nothing to light and I didn't see the gasman light a match or anything.
5) Hold button in until pilot will remain lighted, turn gas valve to on, replace door.
6) Set thermostat to desired temperature.

[Chuckiechan]

When I saw "Marsh gas" I though you had a tent out in the swamp catching gas for your "off the grid lifestyle"!! LOL

There is a pilot light in there that needs to be lit. The gas company man probably had a sparker or some hi tech gizmo.

Most gas companies will come out and light your furnace for free. Try that.

But to light it, follow the directions above, and stick a match in there while holding the button down - wooden matches are best because they burn longer - you may have to move the match flame around to find where the pilot light is. It is close to the main burner so it can light the main flame.

Look for a small tube or some odd looking thing right next to the burner. It should light right up, but hold the button down for a minute - there is a safety in there that shuts the gas off if the pilot light goes out so you don't blow yourself up. If you release the button too soon, the pilot light will go out.

But first call the gas company and see if they will do it for free.

[de_day]

The small tube leaving the thermostat to the left, opposite that red button, is the thermocouple. Follow it to it's bulb end and you will find the pilot. The pilot flame keeps the thermocouple hot which tells the thermostat that you have a flame and that the gas can be turned on. You follow the directions and hold the button while lighting the pilot, then you can turn the gas on when it's warmed the thermocouple and joila, you have heat.

yeah, I worked with my dad on HVAC and spent my college years working in an assembly plant building water heaters with the same setup...

[AlkaiserNeo]

Hello. It's me again. I had forgotten about trying to start the furnace because it started to warm back up but now it's getting cold again. I'll try asking the gas company if they'll send somebody out to relight it for me. In the mean time, I want to try and figure this out myself.

I followed both your directions and I see what you're talking about. I set the dial to pilot, held down the red button, struck a match, and tried several locations around were the thermocouple ends. I am pretty sure the pilot is in there somewhere..... But you know, the funny thing is, I remember actually hearing the gas pumping when the gas man did it for me the first time. When I turn the dial to pilot or on, I don't hear anything.




Also, there's a black button down there. I circled it in the pic. Any idea what it might be for?

[Chuckiechan]

The pilot light can be found by following the thin copper tube coming of the unit. The thin tube is the thermocouple... it may have a bulb on the end, and it may not. But it is a one way tube - out of the control into the pilot light flame. If it gets cold (or malfunctions) the gas is shut off.

I'd try replacing it, they are inexpensive.

I don't know what the black button does... fan maybe? Circuit breaker for the fan? I don't know.

[AlkaiserNeo]

Ah! Ok. I tried poking a match around where the thermocouple ended but that didn't do anything. I was supposed to stick the match over the silver tube that's to the right of the thermocouple! When I did that while holding down the red button, it lit right up. It's set to that I can't actually see the end of the tube (circled in red) and that's why it took me so long to find it. and thanks for the info.

[pickel]

You're going to light one match to many.

Leave it for qualified personnel !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Edit: That's why my house is TOTAL ELECTRIC !