2oldman wrote:
Tvov wrote:
Starting current for a blower fan would exceed a generator's ability?
If that were true the gen would overload and quit. I've asked what the gen does but no response.
:R
Here is the important info that the OP posted..
C Schomer wrote:
Sorry, I’ve been away! It’s NG 35kbtuh ECM induced draft 96%/condensing 120vac 2016 model. I retired from HVAC but the older Models that I was trained on had different ECM motors. They were all 1 hp and the speeds were selected with dip switches. Even those motors only drew 75 W on half speed. This tiny furnace that I have has three selectable speeds by switching taps on the motor and the wattage will be super low. The furnace and stat do nothing when connected to the generator.
Notice, it IS a small furnace using ECM motors, ECM motors are variable speed and do not have a large startup surge, they are "soft" started from a microprocessor drive unit.
HERE is a spec sheet for a 35K BTU home furnace. 35K furnace uses a 1/3 HP ECM motor.. 1/3HP is well within what a 2000W gen is able to handle.
I think IF the gen was going into overload, shuts down or does a happy dance the OP would have mentioned that.
I suspect from the lack of that information that the gen is perfectly fine and the fault is not with the gen as far as overload but with the fact that the CONTROL BOARD of the furnace is detecting no connection between the neutral and ground of the gen.. When a fault is detected by the control board, typically the control board is designed to not start the ignition sequence (IE no inducer fan, no air handler fan, no ignition, no gas valve, NO RESPONSE).
Newer furnaces like what the OP has, have many safety designs built in and these safeties all must be met before the control board ever starts the furnace ignition sequence.
Modern home furnaces are designed for being connected to your home electrical system. A portable generator is not always setup just like your main home panel where all neutrals and grounds are tied together in the main panel.
OP has nothing to lose by adding that little jumper to a plug and see if that solves the problem (I believe it will).
OP could of coarse simply add a transfer switch to their furnace like this..
Which should preserve the neutral/ground bond through the main breaker panel and doesn't require OP to have to rewire the furnace or wire the furnace on a plug (I personally am not a fan of wiring a furnace to a plug in to the mains for various reasons)..
Found
HERE
