# No heat from air handler



## noquacks (Jun 5, 2010)

Guys,

Have no heat when I switch the thermostat to HEAT. Im pretty sure its a "heat strip" type, and comes from the ait handler. Where do I start? I have a multimeter. 

Thanks!


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## TarheelTerp (Jan 6, 2009)

noquacks said:


> Where do I start? I have a multimeter.


Is the rest of your heat pump system working? Blower etc?
If the problem is limited to the supplemental heat (strip)... 
start with the breakers.


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## noquacks (Jun 5, 2010)

Thanks, Tar. Yes, blower works, as it just blows cold/ambient air (cold ac also, on warm/hot days). So, you say check the breakers first? easy to do.......BUT, not sure if its a heat pump system, not sure if that matters. How can I tell? Compresor unit is on the roof.....


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## biggles (Jan 1, 2008)

do you have emergency heat on the subbase of the stat? telling us it's a heat pump.ppull the stat off the subbase if you have more the R,G,Y,W,C wires like O and B wires its a HP how cold is it outside there to day


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## TarheelTerp (Jan 6, 2009)

noquacks said:


> BUT, not sure if its a heat pump system, not sure if that matters.
> How can I tell? Compressor unit is on the roof...


oi.

Not on you specifically noquack... but how can people with a forced air system 
not know whether they have a (gas or oil or corncobs ftm) furnace or a heat pump?
It boggles.


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## noquacks (Jun 5, 2010)

biggles said:


> do you have emergency heat on the subbase of the stat? telling us it's a heat pump.ppull the stat off the subbase if you have more the R,G,Y,W,C wires like O and B wires its a HP how cold is it outside there to day


Thaks, just checked and there is no emerg heat on the stat. today its 72 outside, but i did not turn on the heat------no need today. (I did have to need heat a few days ago- just posted my problem today, even though its "warmer" and no heat needed today). So, itsd an old Honeywell stat- round, at about 10 oclock position it says COOL OFF HEAT, then at about 2oclock it says FAN AUTO OFF. Cant take apart now but can do tomorrow AM (Im home now, and thats at work). 

Does this help, biggles?


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## noquacks (Jun 5, 2010)

TarheelTerp said:


> oi.
> 
> Not on you specifically noquack... but how can people with a forced air system
> not know whether they have a (gas or oil or corncobs ftm) furnace or a heat pump?
> It boggles.


Skuze me for saying so, Tar, but if I posted here for help to solve this problem not sure how that boggles the mind. Now, I can say that it is entirely electric- no gas, or oil, or coal.


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## jasonreck71 (Jan 14, 2012)

I had major heat pump issues...I did a blog post on it check it out HERE may or may not hep but I hope it does

_____________-

check out my man blog


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## TarheelTerp (Jan 6, 2009)

noquacks said:


> Skuze me for saying so, Tar, but...


Well, I'm sorry you took offense.
An analogy to the lament would be someone calling into AAA 
and not knowing if they owned a Mini Cooper or a MiniVan or a Mack Truck.

No one expects knowledge of the intricacies of what is going on inside...
but if they are homeowner... they should at least know 
what the major components of that home which they own are. Clearer?


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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)

You have an electric air handler w/ heating elements. You have heat sequencers which brings on each individual heating element on, one after the other. This is too prevent an overload on the circuit, preventing the breaker from tripping.

You may have two heating elements, three possbily even four. 

First make sure the unit is receving a call for heat through the stat. Remove the stat cover and jump R to W to bring on heat. If the same thing happens, no heat, than we can take the stat out of the equation completely or at least that it is the problem.

I would then check to the heat sequencers. When on call for heat 24 volts is sent through the heat sequencer (two wires on the bottom, across from each other) which literally heats up the sequencer. The metal disc inside warps as it heats and when it does it makes contact with another metal disc which allows the high voltage (top terminals, across from one another) through the sequencer and to the heat strips. 

With power to the unit off by way of breaker (at the home's electrical service panel AND at the air handler, you should have a breaker there) and with verification of no power to unit, pull the two low voltage wires (again, the two wires on the bottom and across from one another), one on each side of sequencer) off of the sequencer and test ohms. 

Let us know.


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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)

This is what is known as a single stack heat sequencer. 

Low voltage on the bottom (gold colored terminals), high voltage across the top. 









And this is a double stack heat seqencer. It allows more pathways for high voltage across the top. Again, gold colored low voltage terminals on the bottom which is where you ohm the sequencer out.


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

TarheelTerp said:


> oi.
> 
> Not on you specifically noquack... but how can people with a forced air system
> not know whether they have a (gas or oil or corncobs ftm) furnace or a heat pump?
> It boggles.


Many Florida homes have straight A/c with electric heat. And the home owner doesn't know if its a heat pump or not because the previous owner never said. And as long as they don't have trouble, they have no reason to go and check.


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## biggles (Jan 1, 2008)

sounds like resistance heat with that T87 if you have no gas piped to the air handler...check inside the elctric heat section might have a hi limit tripped or the worn open from a capillary brokenone breaker should be for the air handler/heat..then the other for the outside condenser and has nothing to do with this heating problem.eyeball the wires for discolored around the heating...i'm taking the supply fan runs from the stat proving you have 24Vs to start with


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## noquacks (Jun 5, 2010)

Wow, talk about help! Thanks guys- I knew eventually my dilema combined with my implied ignorance would invite much useful advice! Now, with so much tips offered above, I will need may need the good part of the day to follow it all up. Yes, I feel I do have one of those "Florida" heat strip systems.


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## noquacks (Jun 5, 2010)

TarheelTerp said:


> Well, I'm sorry you took offense.
> An analogy to the lament would be someone calling into AAA
> and not knowing if they owned a Mini Cooper or a MiniVan or a Mack Truck.
> 
> ...


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## TarheelTerp (Jan 6, 2009)

noquacks said:


> The only thing that you make clear , Tar, is your smugness and condescending uncalled for comments to a fellow member seeking help.


Would you care to point that out? I don't see any such thing.
---

Back on point... can it be assumed that you will continue to avoid taking any responsibility to know even the most basic of information about what you're seeking help with in the future? And/or be offended when this sort of shortcoming is pointed out? Will this approach to things apply to other aspects of your life or just when you're on the internet?

A couple of weeks ago a few of the old hands around here wanted to make a policy change that would *require* make and model number information in addittion to the basic identification like heat pump vs gas furnace vs electric furnace etc. Maybe that would have worked out better for you?


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## noquacks (Jun 5, 2010)

OK, Tar- fair enough. 

Thats a good tip, and I appreciate your help. So, since that shouldnt require much work, I climbed up there and on the air handler it says:

Fan Coil Unit
Mod NFCX 600CC3
Style FCX 6000C
"MARK ELECTRIC HEATER ACCESSORY AS INSTALLED"

tHEN, IT HAS KIND OF A TABLE WITH VALUES, UNDER "mark #". oFF TO THE SIDE, ALSO IT HAS [email protected] 240v

nO OTHERR BRAND NAME ON THIS- PROBABLY A GENERIC OFFF BRAND. 

I am checking this thread as I can escape from work duties here, so thats why my delay inreply. Still havnt had a chance to follow up previous advice- lots there- may take a day /2.

Thanks


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## TarheelTerp (Jan 6, 2009)

noquacks said:


> OK, Tar- fair enough.
> Thats a good tip, and I appreciate your help. So, since that shouldnt require much work, I climbed up there and on the air handler it says:


Good. Since you appreciate the suggestion... go around the house sometime soon and do that with all of your major appliances. Some people even compile loose leaf binders with all the manuals and service records in one place.



> I am checking this thread as I can escape from work duties here, so thats why my delay inreply. Still havnt had a chance to follow up previous advice- lots there- may take a day /2.


I haven't scanned the other comments deeply but I think the answer has been posted.


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## noquacks (Jun 5, 2010)

OK, so does the info I compiled above give any clue as to what I have , or is it still not enough info?


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Would need the info off of the outdo unit, to know if its a heat pup or just straight A?C.


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