GARAGE HEATER.. Mr Heater Big Maxx BIG PROBLEM

[@charlesnoel9081]

This is normal maintenance that should be done every year. The guys who came to fix it are like most today, just guys off the street who don't know what they are doing. I would also check and clean the flame sensors. Looks to work fine now but you don't want it to fail when you really need it. Good video. Shaky, but good.

[@woodrowcollette5982]

Thank You! Thank You! For making this VIDEO. My heater had the same issue. My repairman didn't have a clue (Inferring it was a cheep heater) and most likely non-repairable. I was lucky to find your video and in 15 minutes had my up and running again! Thanks again for your great video. Woody

[@chubsDubC]

im glad it helped 👍

[@sylkelster]

Almost every component seen can be serviced or replaced for not alot of money. The gas valve can be sourced online easily. No need to drop $1500 on a Modine, Sterling, or Reznor unless money burns your pocket.

[@darrellsaturnbigfoot]

Had the mr. Heater for 6 years. Replaced the pressure valve two years after. Now had a technician look at it and said to replace the entire furnace too. I DID, but with a Reznor. I DONT need the worry if my garage is frozen the next morning.

[@chubsDubC]

great choice on a new one 👍 i should have spent the extra money up front

[@stevenbranch7362]

I have a Big Max 80,000 btu here in Ontario Canada . I heat my living area approximately 1200 square feet. I just clean this tube each fall before heating season. I have had 9 winters now with no troubles at all. I love this furnace.

[@chubsDubC]

good to hear 👍😁

[@wyliecox2010]

thanks much. Cleaned the little port on the fan housing and that seems to have solved the problem. Heater is 13 yrs old and this is the first time it's failed. Gracias.

[@chubsDubC]

13 years 👍 i’m glad the video helped 😁

[@ClapperBob]

Thanks!

[@chubsDubC]

thank you so much 🫶😁

[@TrentGustus]

My heater gave me problems intermittent since new. I had no error codes, just a steady blinking light, ready. It wouldn't call for heat, even if I closed the connection on the thermostat. I started looking around , moving wires a little bit and found the light would flash faster if I moved the wires a bit, .it turned out that the 4 wires that were connected to the board on the right edge had about 1/8 of an inch of wire bared in the connection. And wiggling them proved that they were not making solid connections. I bared them 1/4 inch and it works fine.

[@jmoemorris4133]

Thank you for the tip,I have the 50 series and I am about to finish the install in my garage and I will make a troubleshooting list with this info mounted on the panel!

[@chubsDubC]

good idea 👍

[@dblungm]

I’m guessing your issue is caused by wasps/ mud dobbers ( sp) it’s common on any make not the fault of the equipment

[@jacobsawtelle5429]

Thanks flashing green light tells you a code which is on the panel that you removed? It also indicates what to check ? Nice screw gun 😊

[@brewmillcandlecompany]

Oh my gosh THANK YOU for this video!! We could NOT figure it out! Was just about to call a technician and I had a thought that maybe some kind soul has experienced this AND posted a video 😂😂 Hubby went out, did as you said, fired up right away!! Of course I took ALL the credit…after all I found YOU 😂😂 Thanks again ~ New Subscriber

[@chubsDubC]

hehe thank you 😁 i’m glad it worked 👍 i love the unit but it may have that issue a couple times a year 😳 Good Story 🫶

[@mikeheroux8694]

had mine for 10 years now and the only problem it doesn't put out enough heat in 1000 sq ft garage.

[@juscruzen]

Thanks for the info on that! I’m gonna buy that max heater in a min here. I’m in upper penninsula of Michigan. Big price diff there!

[@davidkupfer9653]

I'm curious about the mounting bracket you used, will be hanging mine in a cpl weeks

[@chubsDubC]

professional installer brought that 👍 it made things easy, honestly though ive sold and moved to the Philippines 😁 I’d say screen shot and ask around somebody will recognize 🤞

[@gagegang5235]

Quick-Sling Unit Heater Swivel Mount

[@Ricardo_Wade]

That hose is making sure the blower is running, it's looking for air movement

[@alcalc8938]

Thats normal procedure for any modern gas furnace. Minerals build up in those vaccum switches, I clean the 2 on my house furnace every couple years to keep it going.

[@chubsDubC]

seems like a popular thing with these garage heaters 👍

[@ohdirtracer]

What heater brand would you recommend?

[@chubsDubC]

you know ive lost my knowledge of the local brands.. i’ve been living in the Philippines the last couple years to avoid the cold weather

[@tylerrivet2333]

Thanks for the post... helped me out alot!

[@bigcat.mattyahoo]

Hey chubs The big cat mat in Saint Paul Minnesota. I got one to mine runs three minutes shut off?

[@chubsDubC]

hello my friend ✌️ i liked how inexpensive this unit was but we get what we pay for there 😬 i’m glad i found that quick fix 😁 and had to perform it a couple times a winter… hopefully this vid can help your issues 🙏 if not be leery of technicians looking to make a buck off of you 😳 ive since sold everything and live where it’s “too hot” but i love it

[@Roson-Lee]

Very good experience. Thanks for your help🎉🎉

[@polariskid13]

Looking into this heater, a lot cheaper than the module hot dawg but debating it having issues

[@chubsDubC]

knowing the issue and the quick fix.. i would buy this cheaper model again

[@juscruzen]

I’m thinking the same! 400 at menards opposed to 850 at Home Depot for hot dawg heater!

[@illiniwood]

i used to repair drills and build drill pack batteries back in the day. That model of drill is the best Craftsman ever carried. It is actually a Porter Cable in disguise built for Craftsman back before Porter Cable got bought out and became a ghost brand. All metal gearing and a beast of a motor(very large and heavy). It's only Achilles heal is the notorious Porter Cable DIY plastic chuck. However, being plastic, it was still built quite stout compared to the DeWalt plastic chucks of that time. I still have a few of them sitting around myself. They're built like a tank and could easily outlast the both of us.

[@chubsDubC]

yes they are 👍

[@nickpark9587]

could this be due to not having a condensation trap?

[@chubsDubC]

i dont really know 🤷

[@Bedfordcustoms]

I'm a hvac tech. needs condensate trap with drain. also check you manifold gas pressure. if low it'll soot up the exhaust as well.

[@Homefree18]

My buddy bought the same heater and his blower motor on the back of the heater went out pretty much right after he installed it. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@CJR_Controls]

good to know, mounting my unit this week

[@Pabliskis]

Where did you get the ceiling bracket?

[@chubsDubC]

the installer brought that 👍 supply store had a few different options

[@Pabliskis]

Thank you

[@Homefree18]

I bought the same mounting bracket from Menards, they had to order it.

[@chubsDubC]

@Homefree18 good to know thank you

[@danielsmith3038]

That heater is way to big for your garage ! You only need a 50,000 or less and it would run more efficiently and be more cost effective

[@chubsDubC]

so you’re saying the square footage every heater is rated to handle is wrong..? that i should cut it back to half the recommended btu and have it run twice as much twice as long.. thats ok, i like the minimal run time

[@danielsmith3038]

@chubs DubC yes all heaters are rated for a certain amount of square footage, the closer you get to the amount of footage for what the heaters are rated for they run better ,if that was not the case companies would make a one size fits all and thay make them for the size of the building or garage

[@Fishneck10]

Stop looking at sq feet. Always cubic feet

[@brewmillcandlecompany]

We have this exact model. Our garage is only 24 x 24 (576 Sq feet), BUT it has a 19 foot ceiling with an open storage loft. We’re up in Canada and this furnace is the perfect size for our space. It maybe runs MAYBE twice a day (I know because our office is out there, we spend hours in it each day). It’s definitely not too big for our garage so surely not too big for yours. We calculated CUBIC feet, not square feet. Thanks again for this video. Saved us a bunch of trouble.

[@chubsDubC]

@brewmillcandlecompany wow sounds like a great space you have 😳👍 thank you for the comment and i’m glad yours is working 😁 i loved the unit

[@windgen1]

propane?

[@chubsDubC]

no i ran a natural gas line.. i thought about converting to propane but went through the hassle of trenching

[@cherylstevens9370]

Nice Jeep

[@MarkEntl]

Big Maxx hunk of junk. Over the course of the last 30 years, I've had two different (severely oversized) used home furnaces. They were very reliable. Then I decided to get one of these and I can't depend on it at all. That pressure sensor has been warrantied and the hose frequently freezes or plugs up a few 2-3times per winter allowing my garage to freeze until I notice it and have to fix it again. And now I inconveniently have to get a ladder out for the difficult location.

[@chubsDubC]

bad unit 👍 i also started having this issue a couple times a year 😬 quick fix but inconvenient and if you dont notice youll freeze your space like youre saying 😮 once that concrete floor is cold it takes a while to get it warmed again

[@ateddy7901]

That happen on good heaters too…

[@chubsDubC]

it must 👍

[@curiosity2314]

It's a good heater, you just need to find out why or what is causing the pressure sensor tap to get clogged. I would pull that inducer off and see what is inside. You have something inside that should not be there possibly from manufacturing. Pretty sure Modine makes these for Mr Heater, do some do diligence and look further into the issue. Calling something junk without the background in the product is less then fair. Could well have come from an installation issue, pipes etc. Yeah you need to dig deeper and find the root cause.

[@chubsDubC]

this happens to quite a few people with this unit so it has to be inadequate manufacturing processes.. that garage has since been moved and i now live in the Philippines 👍

[@curiosity2314]

@@chubsDubC I would not blame it on a manufacturing process although it could be. Is what it is and you are unable to go further into the troubleshooting process. I have a Modine in service for 8 years with zero issues, I have one of this name in the 50,000 version on the way, I will do a comparison and look for differences. You picked a nice place to live..

[@frankrizzo1679]

Same issue with mine. When that hole clogs condensate forms in the line. When the heater fires up the computer will sense that vacuum line is clogged and won’t ignite heater. I used a drill bit to make hole slightly larger and have never had a problem since.

[@chubsDubC]

makes sense and good idea 👍

[@curiosity2314]

@@frankrizzo1679 Good, yeah I was wondering if drilling larger would help or be an issue and didn't want to suggest it so as not to break someones unit worse then it is.

[@hoffy628]

Hey man, I am also in MN. I am looking to buy one, the Big Maxx 50k BTU says it will heat 1500 sq ft if insulated. i have about 1000 sq ft. Does the 80k you have run frequently? Thanks for the info. gives me some points to ponder.

[@chubsDubC]

i have sold since but i can tell you that the 3 seasons i ran that heater, as long as the concrete stays warm it does not run that much.. i liked keeping it about 60 in there to keep the toys from any condensation, and if i needed to tinker or work in the garage it only took 10 minutes or so to be shorts manageable… insulation is key, and concrete temp 👍

[@TrentGustus]

I had an old house furnace in my garage that was spaced about 4 inches from the floor and pushed out the bottom. I redid the roof on the garage and decided to get rid of the bulky 40 year old furnace to put in this big max. It was a mistake. With driving in and out of the garage all the time, cars always drop snow and ice. The old heater evaporated all the moisture. The big max the floor is always wet.

[@chubsDubC]

yes makes sense.. i always had to go back out after a bit to squeegee the slush and shit that had dropped off 👍

[@Homefree18]

I think you could have that type of problem even with a more expensive heater, nowadays everything is made so cheap.

[@chubsDubC]

yes you are right there, i should have paid for a better quality unit but wanted to save a buck 😮

[@davidpatterson4782]

I've had this issue for a couple years. This year I have to do this every few weeks this year. Any idea what is causing the root problem?

[@chubsDubC]

no i have no clue… i live Minnesota, someone speculated cold warm fluctuation..? 🤔

[@aleceychaner9165]

@david probably just dirt/debris getting into that inducer housing, that vinyl tubing just goes to a pressure switch which is just a safety to make sure your vent motor(inducer) is running. if that tubing gets plugged it won’t heat.

[@jamesjenkins3384]

Just fixed mine, after replacing 3 pressure switches, motherboard, gas valve, transformer, and exhaust manifold gaskets. Big MAXX is a good company and backed me all the way with warranty parts. They promised me over the phone to make it right. Any way when replacing the exhaust manifold gaskets, had it upside down and could see a wasp nest about the size of two golf balls at the bottom of the manifold where the turbine turns. It is cycling fine now. Any of you have wasp?? Could not see it looking thru the exhaust pipe, and turbine spun freely.

[@chubsDubC]

@@jamesjenkins3384 no wasps in mine, don't have that Bee issue thank goodness

[@douglasrichardson6852]

My fans running all the time with the unit off

[@chubsDubC]

yes thats what mine would do, run constantly but no heat 👍

[@douglasrichardson6852]

@@chubsDubC now I have a led code 5 flashes

[@chubsDubC]

@douglasrichardson6852 did you try the clean out from the vid?

[@douglasrichardson6852]

@@chubsDubC yes I did,I just ordered a Circuit board

[@barnhousegarage]

The horizontal vent kit for this peice of crap is a rip off ,427.00 from tsc ,just bought this heater and probably will return it price gouging at its best, thanks Mr heater

[@tomkreller1204]

I had the exhaust installed by my neighbor who is WETT certified and cost me 150.00 for regular "B"vent horizontal. Works fine for 6 yrs, great heater

[@barnhousegarage]

@tomkreller1204 my manual that came with my heater specifically says not to use b vent for horizontal venting, I've installed hanging garage heaters in the past and used b vent with no issues also ,im guessing it's a mr heater thing?

[@AmericanFarmerHVAC2024]

@@barnhousegarage Yes that's a scam. Any other manufacturer of unit heaters allows you to use B vent for horizontal. Don't let them con you.

[@JimHitchcock-r3y]

Did you check the gas presure and adjust when you installed the heater? You are fixing the problem but missing the cause. Stop blaming the machine for your lack of HVAC knowledge.

[@bigcat.mattyahoo]

Than comes back on runs 3min shuts off

[@mikeparent2813]

Seems to be a little rich on fuel causing the carbon

[@joewest1972]

I'm not sure why you call it a piece of s*** just based on a little bit of garbage stuck in there I'm thinking you got to take the whole thing apart when you call it a piece of s*** for 400 bucks that hasn't swayed me I'm still going to get one you should probably just do this once a year anyway

[@chubsDubC]

yes you are right about the once a year, maybe a couple times in Minnesota where its necessary 6 months a year 👍 dont get me wrong… its been a great heater, shitty when you come out and find it acting up, but the 10 minute fix is easy and the overall cost was great, i’d definitely buy it again

[@RAYROTHSTEIN66]

You want the real skinny on why it's clogging the air flow switch and why you are really having problems? Before you blast me for bullshit, I'm going to let you know I've been a commercial HVAC tech and worked for trane, Johnson controls and even carrier services.. #1.. if it's 1000 Sq ft and you have sheetrock on the ceiling and walls, your oversized by a factor of 1.5~2.. #2.. what does that mean?! Well it's short cycling, it kicks on and shuts down because the Temp has been satisfied quickly. What does that mean? It hasn't had time to build enough temp to burn off the condensation in the exhaust flue, and that condensation is acidic. It's going to corrode any and all dissimilar fittings like a battery.. #3... you should have a drip loop if it's pitched back to the unit anyways, that way it has somewhere to go, rather than sit in the pipe. Buying bigger is never better, unless your accounting for drafts and air leakage, an oversized a/c unit will only provide damp cool air and burn out, a over sized heating unit will provide a uneven heating of the space and burn out from acidic condensation. But with over 150k in toys in the garage, it's easy to point at the heater that was the wrong size for the job.

[@chubsDubC]

it happens all the time with this unit through correct installation or not, drip loop pitched back up down in out.. its a great unit with some internal issues

[@RAYROTHSTEIN66]

@@chubsDubC it runs too short to burn off condensation.

[@AmericanFarmerHVAC2024]

You are correct. I've had similar issues with household furnaces because the temp rise wasn't high enough, that crystallization occurs blocking out pressure ports or even condensation drain lines.

[@doncahala7326]

NICE FIX, BUT TOO MUCH EXTRAINEOUS TALK. I can't get back that time, but thank you for showing it to us.

[@Joeboost8805]

Haaaa

[@longdong3889]

More fixing less yapping, uuuuuuggghhhh