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How To Troubleshoot A Trane Furnace

Trane Technologies Inc. manufactures heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems and building management systems and controls.  Your Trane system can last anywhere from 15 to 20 years and because of this life expectancy, your Trane system is highly dependable and cost-effective. Your central heating, air-conditioning systems, and ventilation are all provided by Trane technology.

Both the Trane XR80 and Trane XR90 are gas furnaces.  They are a single-stage gas furnace that is controlled by its thermostat.  The Trane XR80 furnace is attached to the HVAC ducting system in your home. This furnace is top of the line, but there can still have instances for machine difficulty to occur.  The most common problem for your Trane XR80 gas furnace is its inability to operate.

Your Trane furnace will encounter many functioning issues that will need repairing and replacing specific parts.  Because this furnace has a long life span you should familiarize yourself with what to expect and teach yourself how to maintain your system or have a trusted professional routinely check on your system.  There is a list of expected system errors you should learn and prepare yourself for.

How to Fix Your Trane Furnace

Trane is well known for its high-efficiency furnace that provides many helpful diagnosing checks with its flashing light system.  The system uses either red or green depending on its model.  The XR80 model uses green flashing lights, while the XR90 model uses red flashing lights.  Both should be carefully examined and monitored.

The most common problem your Trane furnace encounters the most often is a failure to operate.  This happens when your thermostat shows it is active, but the heat is not running.  When your heater is not doing anything it means that the sending unit attached to the blower door of the furnace is not engaged.  When his unit is not actively engaged the gas furnace will not function because the door is not fully shut.

You can troubleshoot your Trane gas furnace by opening and closing the blower door until the small flashing red light comes back on to indicate the connection is fully sealed.  This is a common problem you may encounter with your gas furnace and it will not be the only problem.

When it comes to fixing your Trane furnace, it’s best to rely on an HVAC professional. You should also consider investing in an HVAC maintenance plan as this will prevent more expensive “surprise” repairs down the road. Check out this article for some simple maintenance tips you can use yourself.

Trane Xr80 Diagnosis

The Trane XR80 uses a green light flashing system to tell you when there are specific problems that need assistance.  The light will flash for the sequence, then pause and then flash again.  You should count the flashes and match them with the chart.  The flashes range from two flashes to eight. 

  • 2 Flashes
    • External lockout
  • 5 Flashes
    • Cautionary flame
  • 6 Flashes
    • Disconnect electrical plug
  • 7 Flashes
    • Gas valve problem
  • 8 Flashes
    • Low flame

Two flashes mean that there is an external lockout.  Five flashes indicate there is a flame where there should not be.  Six flashes show you need to disconnect the electrical plug from the wall outlet and put it upside down from the way it was before unplugging it.  If the blinking persists you have a more serious electrical problem.  

Seven flashes show a problem with the gas valve that needs immediate attention. Eight flashes indicate low flames and nine flashes mean the igniter must be checked.   

Trane XR80 Troubleshooting

After examining the flashing system you should check the green light speed.  Slowly flashing shows your furnace is on and does not need heat.  When it is flashing fast there is heat throughout your home.  A continuous green light means the IFC circuit board needs replacing.  Meanwhile a continuous off means the furnace is either off or not receiving any electrical power.  

All of the lights and the speed are necessary to properly maintain the function of your system.  You should become familiar to improve the lifespan of your furnace.  

When your light will not turn off you probably need to replace the malfunctioning IFC, this is the furnace control board that is important for the repairing of your furnace.  

Trane XR90 Diagnosis

Your Trane XR90 gas furnace has many codes you should become familiar with to monitor your system. Some common light indications communicate certain causes for concerns.  You should never be concerned when there is a continuously blinking light.  This means that your furnace is working normally. 

The red blinking light for your Trane XR90 furnace indicates that your unit was shut off due to a problem.  Your system is currently locked out of its normal operation or ability to function.  You need to monitor the frequency of the flashes and their speed.  

When your red light is flashing slowly it indicates there is no call for heat.  When your read light is flashing fast there is a call for heat.  When your red light is continuously on it indicates the circuit board needs replacement.  Another part of the red light system is when it is continuously off, this shows you need to check the power of your furnace.  

The possible causes for the red flashing light include:

  • 2 Flashes
    • External lockout
  • 3 Flashes
    • Pressure switch error
  • 4 flashes
    • Open limit device
  • 5 flashes
    • Flame sense when no flame should be present
  • 6 flashes
    • Poor grounding
  • 7 flashes
    • Gas valve circuit error
  • 8 flashes
    • Low flame signal
  • 9 flashes
    • Check igniter

You should call a repair technician to fully investigate, diagnose, and repair the problem.

Thermostat Problems

Another problem you will encounter with your Trane furnace is lacking the power to your thermostat.  This happens when your display screen is either blank or lacking power.  When either of these instances happens you should investigate your circuit breaker.  

Your furnace is on its circuit because your electricity powers the fan and thermostat to turn on the gas ignition.  Your gas furnaces use gas to heat your home, but this is only possible when your electricity powers your fan and thermostat.  Both are essential functions within your home.  

Your circuit breaker should be investigated by flipping off the switch and turning it back on.  This helps recalibrate your system because you may not see the problem by only looking at your circuit breaker.  Tripped circuit breakers can only be restarted by turning the switched back on again.

If this problem persists you can also call a furnace technician to better investigate and solve this problem if the circuit breaker is still malfunctioning.  Your blower door may still not be engaged and requires more assistance.  

Common Furnace Heating Problems

Another common problem many experiences with their Trane gas furnace is the poor airflow or heating.  This is a serious problem and should be carefully monitored or inspected if it is repeated regularly. The common problems include:

  • Poor airflow circulation
  • Clean or replace filters and screens
  • Replace Burner or Igniter

Your Trane gas furnaces should have a minimum of once a year inspection or maintenance check to make sure your system is working efficiently and successfully.  It is costly to replace a furnace, therefore you should make sure the system is working throughout the time you have it. 

To make sure your airflow is working you can monitor your filters on the inside of your furnace or check the screen on the wall in your home.  Both should have proper air circulation if your system is working correctly.  If they are not working you need to make sure your screens are diligently cleaned or replaced. You can also check out this other article if your central air is working but not heat.

Detailed Trane Furnace Troubleshooting

Your filters should be cleaned or replaced every 90 days your furnace is in use.  Dust, debris, dirt, and other particles get caught in your filters and screens, which require constant attention to monitor the system.

Another Trane furnace concern is when the heat goes out.  This may happen because your gas valve is not on.  If the gas valve is turned off, the furnace will not produce heat.  When your furnace igniter fails to light the burner inside your furnace will never produce heat.  You may need to replace the burner inside your furnace.

You can either replace the burner yourself if you feel comfortable or you can call a professional for this repair.  You should prepare to replace your igniters every 3 to 5 years depending on where you live.  A dry or humid environment will either increase or decrease how often you should replace your igniter. One common example is the poor air quality in Phoenix which could shorten the lifespan of your igniter.

It is extremely helpful that both the XR80 and ER90 Trane gas furnace have color and speed specified error codes.  Both tell you through a specific sequence what is wrong with your system and these codes help you repair and troubleshoot your furnace. 

If you cannot decide which code you are being told, you should schedule an appointment to help distinguish what the problem is.  The problem could be a minor filter cleaning or a valve replacement.  The sooner you regularly check your system the better you will be.  Trane gas furnaces are high-quality heating systems that function best with regular maintenance checks. 

If interested, go through our service areas like Sun City plumbing and HVAC, Glendale, Scottsdale, Mesa, and many more.   

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