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sears thermostat (model XXX-XXXXXX)... says "battery" in display. i replaced it with new batteries, 1.5 v alkaline, and still says "battery". i don't have my manual. it still reads accurate temp, but air will not come on, even if i turn fan ''on" as opposed to "automatic"

Submitted: 143 days and 22 hours ago.

Category: HVAC

Value: $9

Status: CLOSED

Posted by Billy 143 days and 19 hours ago.

Info Request

Hello, some stats said battery because the power to the thermostat is missing from the furnace, thus the stat is running on battery. I would check to see if the furnace has power to it. Check to see if you have a pump that the ac drains into that may be overfilled.

143 days and 19 hours ago.

Reply

i made sure it was plugged in and that the switch said on. there is a pump. and it definitely has a lot of water it in. how would i go about emptying it...or do i have to call a tech for that?

Posted by Billy 143 days and 19 hours ago.

Info Request

Shake the pump or bump it good and see if it empties itself.

143 days and 18 hours ago.

Reply

no such luck...

Posted by Billy 143 days and 18 hours ago.

Info Request

ok, the outlet it is plugged into, test it with something else.

143 days and 18 hours ago.

Reply

did so...the outlet is working.

Posted by Billy 143 days and 18 hours ago.

Info Request

Ok, can you tell me if there is a thin thermostat wire that goes to and attaches to two wires or trminals on the pump? Not the power wire and plug

143 days and 18 hours ago.

Reply

i think i am seeing what you are describing. there are two wires that come out of the pump. each connects to another wire (with what looks like an orange cap). both of those wires connects (again, orange caps) to wires encased in a single cable.

Posted by Billy 143 days and 18 hours ago.

Info Request

That is correct. Now this will be a short test. Turn off the furnace, and take the orange caps off the wires. We want to remove the wires that are attached to the pump wires and simply twist the ends together of the thin wire that goes to the pump. Just to help picture it, when you are done you will have the 2 wires hanging loose from the pump and the 2 that went to the pump are twisted together with an orange cap on it. We are bypassing the pump to see if that is the problem. Then turn furnace back on and go check thermostat

143 days and 18 hours ago.

Reply

twisted, capped. still "battery" and no action.

Posted by Billy 143 days and 18 hours ago.

Info Request

ok, so wires together, furnace on, and stat reads battery still, does the fan switch moved to on do anything

143 days and 18 hours ago.

Reply

negative.

Posted by Billy 143 days and 17 hours ago.

Info Request

Ok, lets get some quick elimination done. Take the top portion of the thermostat off to where the sub base and wiring is visible. Take a paper clip or short wire and touch one end to R and one end to G. This will tell us which way to proceed

143 days and 17 hours ago.

Reply

i see wires at RC and G, red and green respectively,(if that matters) and right on top of each other. there is also an RH node. i tried both. what is supposed to happen, because i didn't feel/hear/see anything...

Posted by Billy 143 days and 17 hours ago.

Info Request

When R and G are touched it should activate the fan. This tells us if 24 volts is at the thermostat. and if there is 24v that means there is 120v to furnace. Now we know there is not 24v to thermostat so now we need to see if the furnace has power. What furnace do you have?

143 days and 17 hours ago.

Reply

its sears. model number867467241. date is 1983... what else do you need to know?

Posted by Billy 143 days and 17 hours ago.

Info Request

The outlet the pump is plugged into, is it mounted on the furnace?

143 days and 17 hours ago.

Reply

okay. so sorry to go so out of the way. i tried touching the G and R again, with a bobbypin this time, and it did activate the fan. i mean, i couldn't position it quite well enough so that it stayed on, but it did start moving and the light came on!

Posted by Billy 143 days and 17 hours ago.

Info Request

ok, great that means our power is there. and our 24 volts is there. Install the thermostat again and try the fan switch to on

143 days and 17 hours ago.

Reply

sweet. it worked. and it doesn't read battery anymore. but what about the pump? i haven't reconnected it...?

Accepted Answer

yes, reconnect but it may end up being our problem. Go ahead and hook it back up, those 2 wires are a safety. There are 2 floats in the pump. One turns on the pump when it rises, the other is a safety float that turns off power to the thermostat if the pump gets too full. This prevents damage from water overflow. I think you got it under control now, but if you need any more help let me know. If you hook up the pump safety and it goes back to battery it means that pump is probably bad and is not discharging. I am available for follow up and I wish you luck.

Accepts:
Expert:	Billy
Pos. Feedback:	99.7 %
Answered:	7/1/2009

HVAC Mechanic

State Licensed Mechanical Contractor, Heating, Cooling, Oil Burners, Heat Pumps, Boilers, Geothermal

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Question

sears thermostat (model XXX-XXXXXX)... says "battery" in display. i replaced it with new batteries, 1.5 v alkaline, and still says "battery". i don't have my manual. it still reads accurate temp, but air will not come on, even if i turn fan ''on" as opposed to "automatic"

Info Request

Hello, some stats said battery because the power to the thermostat is missing from the furnace, thus the stat is running on battery. I would check to see if the furnace has power to it. Check to see if you have a pump that the ac drains into that may be overfilled.

Reply

i made sure it was plugged in and that the switch said on. there is a pump. and it definitely has a lot of water it in. how would i go about emptying it...or do i have to call a tech for that?

Info Request

Shake the pump or bump it good and see if it empties itself.

Reply

no such luck...

Info Request

ok, the outlet it is plugged into, test it with something else.

Reply

did so...the outlet is working.

Info Request

Ok, can you tell me if there is a thin thermostat wire that goes to and attaches to two wires or trminals on the pump? Not the power wire and plug

Reply

i think i am seeing what you are describing. there are two wires that come out of the pump. each connects to another wire (with what looks like an orange cap). both of those wires connects (again, orange caps) to wires encased in a single cable.

Info Request

Reply

twisted, capped. still "battery" and no action.

Info Request

ok, so wires together, furnace on, and stat reads battery still, does the fan switch moved to on do anything

Reply

negative.

Info Request

Ok, lets get some quick elimination done. Take the top portion of the thermostat off to where the sub base and wiring is visible. Take a paper clip or short wire and touch one end to R and one end to G. This will tell us which way to proceed

Reply

i see wires at RC and G, red and green respectively,(if that matters) and right on top of each other. there is also an RH node. i tried both. what is supposed to happen, because i didn't feel/hear/see anything...

Info Request

<p>When R and G are touched it should activate the fan. This tells us if 24 volts is at the thermostat. and if there is 24v that means there is 120v to furnace. </p><p> </p><p>Now we know there is not 24v to thermostat so now we need to see if the furnace has power. What furnace do you have?</p>

Reply

its sears. model number867467241. date is 1983... what else do you need to know?

Info Request

<p>The outlet the pump is plugged into, is it mounted on the furnace?</p>

Reply

okay. so sorry to go so out of the way. i tried touching the G and R again, with a bobbypin this time, and it did activate the fan. i mean, i couldn't position it quite well enough so that it stayed on, but it did start moving and the light came on!

Info Request

ok, great that means our power is there. and our 24 volts is there. Install the thermostat again and try the fan switch to on

Reply

sweet. it worked. and it doesn't read battery anymore. but what about the pump? i haven't reconnected it...?

Accepted Answer

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