Need Help! Bryant furnace replacement

5 years ago

Hi,

My furnace went out today and need to make a quick decision on replace vs repair. I currently have a Bryant Evolution installed in 2007. I am getting an error code 42 and a service technician had us try a few things over the phone and concluded the inducer motor is bad and needs replacing. He also said the secondary heat exchanger probably needs to be replaced with some warranty coverage from Bryant.

Since the furnace is already 14 years old, he is offering up a Bryant 926TB48080V17 and can be out tomorrow morning to install it. Bryant has a buyback program on our furnace and our local utility is offering a rebate so the final cost to replace will be about $2k more. I am heavily leaning towards getting the new furnace instead of repairing the existing unit. Another note is that if I take the warranty help with the existing secondary heat exchanger, I will not be eligible for the buy back program at a later date. I live in Michigan and it is very cold so don't have time to research best furnaces so wanted to ask if the Bryant 926TB is a good unit.

Also wanted to ask about the furnace size and blower rating. The model number he quoted me is 926TB48080V17 and on the phone said it was an 80,000 btu furnace and 4 ton blower motor. My current Bryant unit is s/n 355BAV042080 which if I am decoding it correctly is an 80,000 btu furnace with a 3.5 ton blower. I have a Trane 3 ton AC unit and two story home that is 2000 sq ft. It is a challenge to keep the 2nd floor cool relative to the first floor, so will a more powerful blower motor help in this respect? Is it ok to have a 4 ton blower motor with a 3 ton AC unit? Also, can the higher capacity blower motor be set to run at a slower speed if the highest speed is to much? Thanks for any advice!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

mike_home
5 years ago
This is a video which reviews the possible causes of a 42 error code. You may not need to replace the inducer motor.

Error Code 42 possible causes

I am skeptical of a tech who can diagnosis the problem over the phone and wants to install a new furnace tomorrow. How does he know you probably need a secondary heat exchanger without an inspection. You have a very nice Bryant Evolution furnace. I would not replace it without someone you trust doing an on site inspection. If you assume the inducer motor needs to be replaced, how much would it cost, and how much is the 926TB48080V17?

The 926TB48080V17 is a nice furnace from the Preferred series, but it not as nice as the Evolution series you currently have. The 4 ton blower has to be set to match the 3 ton air requirements of your AC. This is normal practice and would not be a problem.

Good luck.
PRO
Austin Air Companie
5 years ago
This Bryant furnace sounds like it uses an inverter dc type inducer motor. Given the age of the furnace and the climate in which it is located (not seeing it or testing it this is a BIG FAT GUESS)

sounds like a bad inducer motor. However, without actually testing it.... that may not be the case. There are a few other parts that function with that part that would also need to be tested.

It could simply be a failed safety device down stream of the inducer motor. There might be more than one part that is having problems.

This job is an "in person job".

A new furnace will certainly fix this problem. Good thing the world is full of Global Warming, we'd all be frozen to death.

I service the Katy, Texas area.
Related Professionals
Rock Hill General Contractors · Alpena General Contractors · Norfolk General Contractors · Newport General Contractors · Flagstaff General Contractors · Medford General Contractors · Florence Home Remodeling · Detroit Home Remodeling · Phoenix Home Remodeling · Chula Vista Home Remodeling · Oxnard Home Remodeling · Aberdeen Bathroom Remodelers · Beatrice Bathroom Remodelers · Sheboygan Bathroom Remodelers · Amherstburg Bathroom Remodelers
sktn77a
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
The new furnace will still be available next week! Have the guy come over and do a proper in person check before making any decisions, and get a second (in person) opinion. As said above, the Bryant Evolution is Bryant's top of the line furnace (like the Carrier Infinity) and its only 13 years old so it still has some good life left in it.