Electric Pilot Light Gas Furnace

The burner in your gas furnace is ignited either by an electronic ignition as is found in most modern furnaces or with a standing pilot flame which is common in older style furnaces that have an afue annual fuel utilization efficiency rating of less than 80 percent.

Electric pilot light gas furnace.

In turn the pilot lights the gas for the burners. Electronic ignition vs standing pilot modern gas furnaces use electronic ignition systems to light the burners in modern furnaces. There are a couple of issues with a conventional pilot light. One type of electronic ignition is an intermittent pilot.

This system uses a pilot flame but the flame lights only when there s a call for heat from the thermostat. This type doesn t use any pilot light at all. One can still purchase a gas furnace or water heater with the old standing pilot ignition systems. These systems have been proven reliable and safe over time.

The pilot light is a small flame that is either lit manually and remains burning around the clock or is lit electronically via an igniter when the machine kicks on. An electric spark then lights the pilot light so it can in turn light the burners. When the furnace turns on a valve opens up and allows the gas to flow to the pilot light. A pilot light is a small flame that resides near your furnace s burners that burns continuously throughout the day and night.

The furnace s electronic control board activates an electric igniter that uses a high voltage spark to light the pilot. If you can t get the pilot in your electric furnace to light it s usually a simple matter to turn it back on. On oct 30 2018. The second and more common type of electronic ignition system is the hot surface igniter.

An intermittent pilot system uses an electronically controlled high voltage electric spark to ignite a pilot light and subsequently the main burners when the thermostat calls for heat. Lighting a pilot that is electronic ignition resources for gas heating gas heating for furnaces and boilers basics. When it comes time for a heating cycle gas is delivered to the burners and the flame is used to ignite the gas. When the furnace shuts off the valve closes and the pilot light goes out.

Lighting the pilot light for a standing pilot gas system is possible whereas lighting the pilot for an electronic ignition system is possible if you have a backup generator or other source of power to power that circuit. Although today s standard electric furnace uses a hot surface ignition older models often use an intermittent pilot to ignite heat. A hot surface ignition system uses an electronically controlled resistance heating element not unlike a light bulb filament to ignite the gas burner.