how to clean payne gas sensor?

[dapperdraker]

I have a Payne gas furnace, how can I clean the heat sensor? last time the furnace repair guy said that he had to clean the sensor. Now, since I have more free time for next couple days.. i wanna give it a try to clean it my self.

May someone suggest me or maybe provide some tips about how to clean the sensor? Also.. where is the sensor located exactly????

[HayZee518]

if you are talking about the flame detector, its located in the pilot flame next to the main burner. it's a rod or wire that comes out of a porcelain "holder" - unscrew the bracket and remove the detector. use a fine sandpaper of 600 grit and sand it clean. then put it back. normally it has 120 volts ac on it. when it senses a flame its properties change. it acts as a diode and changes state from ac to dc and conducts across the flame to ground. as long as there is a flame it'll keep the main valve open. absence of a flame it'll lock out the burner.

[Daniel Smith]

Hello Friend,


The flame sensor is just a thermocouple that touches one of the burners and senses the temperature. If it gets corroded, it will stop sensing the heat properly and will likely cause short-cycling like emery cloth is the same stuff you use to clean copper piping and can be found in the plumber section at Lowe's.

I have never cleaned my flame sensors in Five years and I have never had any Issues. but then again, I live in Texas and our furnaces down here don't run that much. Hope information will help you.


Thank a lot
Daniel Smith

[HayZee518]

Dan - a flame sense like above is not a thermocouple. there is only one wire [conductor] a powerpile generates a dc voltage. a thermocouple generates a dc voltage. a j-k thermocouple consists of two dissimilar metals, one which has an abundance of free electrons and another metal that freely accepts electrons. when the metals are heated together electrons flow from one to the other. this flow is called current and is detected by a sensitive electronic circuit.

[dapperdraker]

Thanks HayZee518,

I've done to clean my own furnace's heat sensor by my self. Thanks to your suggest. Very comprehensive and clear instruction you're rock man....