Installed Suburban NT-16SEQ, won't start

[Bryan L.]

I replaced my old Suburban furnace with a new Suburban NT-16SEQ from Scamp and I can't get it to fire up. Nothing happens at all. There's only four wires, red to red, yellow to yellow, and two thermostat wires. I've switched the thermostat wires (they're both white from the thermostat) but had the same result - nothing. I've run the stove for several minutes to get the gas there but that didn't help either. I don't see anything in the installation instructions that I'm supposed to do before installing so I'm at a bit of a loss here. Any ideas?

[AlanKilian]

I don't mean to insult you, but could it be the On/Off switch on the side?

I've done things like this before also, so please take this as a helpful comment.

[Bryan L.]

Oh. my. gosh...

I had no idea that there was an actual switch you had to turn on before installing it. I'll have to see if I can squeeze my hand between the side of the furnace and the shower wall to turn it on without having to take it all back out. That gas line is a bit of a bugger to work around in that tight space so would like to avoid that process if I can. Thank you!

Originally Posted by AlanKilian

I don't mean to insult you, but could it be the On/Off switch on the side?

I've done things like this before also, so please take this as a helpful comment.

[Bryan L.]

Since I'm at work, I can't look directly at mine but I'm not sure it has an on/off switch. Here's a screen grab from a Youtube video about a dude that installed this furnace in his shed. I don't see a switch.

Ok, I watched another video and the guy had to reach his finger into that hole to find the switch. I'll do some digging tonight and let you know what I find out!

[AlanKilian]

Yeah, I don't know if there's a switch either. Suburban documents seems to be pretty poor.

It seems "dumb" to put a switch on the side like that, but I really don't know since I don't have one.

[Bryan L.]

Ok, I was able to get to the switch last night with a long rod with a right-angle end. I was still unable to get it to activate. A couple of questions:

1. It doesn't matter how the two thermostat wires are hooked up to the two thermostat wires coming out of the furnace, correct? It just completes a circuit so there's no specific order there?

2. As the son of an electrical engineer, I am embarrassed to ask how do I check for 12-volt power with my multimeter? (I can't call and ask him that.. He'd be so disappointed!) I know how to with a car as you can just ground it out on the car frame. For this, do I hold the red lead to the red wire and the black lead to the yellow wire?

[AlanKilian]

Do you have an installation manual that shows a schematic?
If you do, post a photo here. That will give us all the wire colors etc.

You can set your multimeter to Volts, make SURE the probes are plugged in properly:
- Black probe to "Common"
- Red probe to "Volts" (probably Volts/Ohms)

Then as you say, connect your probes to the red and yellow wires.

Once you know you have 12 Volts getting to the unit, we can help you setup the meter to measure current and see if the unit is drawing any current which would mean the switch is on, or no current which (probably) means the switch is really still off.

Maybe send a photo of the front of your meter also.

Yes to your thermostat wires question. You can even eliminate the possible problem with the thermostat by tying the two thermostat leads together at the furnace.

We'll get you heat man!

[Rob Outlaw]

You didn't mention the wire going to the ignitor, what Suburban calls the electrode. Have you hooked that wire up yet? Its at the very back of the furnace after taking the back cover plate off. Lower left hand corner.

[Bryan L.]

Originally Posted by Rob Outlaw

You didn't mention the wire going to the ignitor, what Suburban calls the electrode. Have you hooked that wire up yet? Its at the very back of the furnace after taking the back cover plate off. Lower left hand corner.

Seriously, I have to hook that up too?

I didn't know I was buying a assemble-it-yourself kit!

Ok, I will check that tonight as well.

[Rob Outlaw]

The ignitor wire if memory serves me correct comes off the main circuit board and attaching via push on fast tab. The color of mine is red but I suppose it could be another color.

[Darwin Maring]

Another thing, The thermostat is just a switch and does not supply power therefore, the pair of wires must have some power supplied and when you put them together, it turns on the equipment. Test those wires for power.

[Bryan L.]

Ok, time to bring this back around to a final conclusion. What it ended up being was no 12-volt power. I started working my way back, checking connections, etc. It ended up being a blown fuse in the converter. Is that fuse accessible when you open the little door on the end of the converter? No, I had to take the entire seat out to be able to access that fuse! (I am wondering if I moved the converter box to that area when I replaced the frame or if Scamp put it like that?) Thank you all for your suggestions and help. I got the heater installed just in time for summer!

[AlanKilian]

YEAH!!! Success!

And it was nothing anyone suggested.

:-)

[Darwin Maring]

The multimeter is a mighty instrument.