Sears not Kenmore

[RickSab]

I came across a Sears furnace model 867.769030. The size and woodgrain front panel suggest it is old. The yellow energy efficiency rating label has no number, it says "Your contractor has the energy fact sheet. Ask for them" but the furnace has a 98% efficiency banner on the front. I can't find an age code for a sears and the Kenmore makes no sense. The serial number is H429 61602. It is vented out the wall Any ideas on age?

Thanks,

Rick

[AHI in AR]

Sears stuff can be confusing. My web sources indicate a likely date of 1974

or 1984, and I'd rule out 1974 due to the energy efficiency tag present. The 867 prefix for the model # indicates the actual manufacturer, and it's Keeprite. Not a company I've ever heard of, to be honest.

Past that, you're on your own...

[Richard Moore]

Can't help you with the age other than agree that woodgrain panels would suggest 70's, maybe 80's. You have to wonder what was going through their heads at the time. Hey, if we stick fake wood on the front it will look just like fine furniture(?).

Is/was there such a thing as an actual 98% gas furnace.

[Chad Fabry]

Is/was there such a thing as an actual 98% gas furnace.

That may refer to combustion efficiency, not heat extraction.

[Jim Katen]

1985.

[RickSab]

Thanks to all.

Some of the Sears stuff drives me nuts. Jim, How did you arrive at 1985. I'd like to update the charts you already provided.

Thanks again to all.

[Jim Katen]

Well, I'm really not certain about it.

*I found a chart for Keeprite in the Carson Dunlop book that shows H = 1985.

*But then they say that it should be the 2nd or 3rd character.

*But then they say that if it's between 1980 and 1994, that it can be the first character, but in that case it's supposed to be a numeral, not a letter.

*Woof.

My best guess is still 1985. It's *close* to the CDW key and the woodgrain is plausible. Plus they had yellow energy stickers then.

How old is the house?

[kurt]

It's old enough to tell folks they ought to ditch it. All those old "hi efficiency" furnaces from the mid-80's are junk by now.

They didn't figure out the corrosion resistant coatings for the secondary heat exchangers until the mid-90's. They rust out.

Maybe this one is the magic unit, but I doubt it. All the mfg's. were making junk back then.

[hausdok]

According to the Building Intelligence site at http://hisearch.web.officelive.com/hvac.aspx Sears has three types of serial numbers - all different.

From 1980 to 1989 Sears furnaces were manufactured by Central furnace. The H indicates the 1980's and the second digit, the 4, indicates the year; so, yeah, it's smack dab in the middle of the 80's and it should have most-probably been retired by now.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[plummen]

Lots of the older 70s-80s Sears and ge heating/cooling appliances were actually made by trane .

Theres only actually 3-4 real manufacturers of equipment,its mostly just labeling

[Kara]

Hi,

It sounds like I have the same furnace. My fan motor just went out on it and the guy that came to look at it said that I also have a problem with one of the burners. It doesn' light. Just builds up gas until the other burners ignite the gas and then you hear a low boom. He estimated it would cost me well over 1,000.oo to get it repaired. Does that sound right or things really that costly? Mind you he also said he wouldn't suggest repairing it but a new one would cost me well over 3000.oo. Any thoughts?

[Brandon Whitmore]

It doesn' light. Just builds up gas until the other burners ignite the gas and then you hear a low boom. He estimated it would cost me well over 1,000.oo to get it repaired. Does that sound right or things really that costly? Mind you he also said he wouldn't suggest repairing it but a new one would cost me well over 3000.oo. Any thoughts?

That's called delayed ignition. If you have typical inshot burners, then it may just need cleaned @the crossovers/carryovers. Post a video of it on youtube, or at least take a picture and post it so we can see the burner arrangement.

[Kara]

Thank you so much for the reply. I will see if I can get a video. I don't know if it will help to describe the layout but I will just in case. The burners are horizontally parallel to each other. If you number them from left to right 1, 2, 3, 4, the number one burner is the one that fails to light. It may take me a couple of days to get a video on here. Please don't give up on me. Any help is greatly appreciated.