Sequence of operation for a modern heating appliance

-We assume the appliance is energized

-We remember that operation of the appliance is controlled by a digital board, often
referred to as an ‘integrated control board’ ( ICB )
-The T-stat is connected to terminals R, W, Y, G, C, etc on the control board and all
of the various appliance components are energized and monitored off the board.

CALL FOR HEAT (close the switch between R (or RH to be specific) and W

‘SAFETY STRING CHECK’ a number of safety switches such as High Limits, Flame Roll-Outs and
Blocked-Vent Switches, which are CLOSED and typically wired in series to the board, are
checked by the ICB.

VENTER MOTOR STARTS (this motor induces draft in the venting so it’s often called the inducer
motor too). This creates movement in the venting system to detect whether there’s venting
there in the first place and if so, that it’s allowing proper flow.

PRESSURE SWITCH PROVES VENTING (we refer to this switch ‘making’, rather than opening or
closing

IGNITION STARTS TO WARM UP ( this is often an H.S.I. for ‘hot surface igniter’)

GAS VALVE OPENS, PROVIDES FUEL TO BURNERS WHERE IT’S IGNITED BY THE HIS
FLAME SENSING SYSTEM PROVES PRESENSE OF FLAME (the ‘flame rod’ portion of this system
is visible as a metal rod that juts into the burner area)

** if flame sensing does detect flame the sequence continues. If it does not, this being
the most dangerous part of the operation, the control board shuts the valve, cools the
HSI and tries the ignition operation again a few times before locking out. The indicator
LED on the control board will flash a particular series of blinks, indicating which ‘error’
the board believes is the problem

IF FLAME SENSING IS GOOD, THE ‘ON’ TIMER BEGINS FOR THE CIRCULATION BLOWER MOTOR

CIRCULATION BLOWER ENERGIZES, PUSHES WARM AIR THROUGHT THE DUCTWORK INTO THE
SPACE TO SATISFY THE CALL FOR HEAT.

ONCE CALL IS SATISFIED, VALVE CLOSES.

‘OFF’ TIMER BEGINS FOR CIRCULATION BLOWER (this is typically a variable time span)

INDUCER MOTOR STOPS, SYSTEM RESETS FOR NEXT CALL.