I am a NOOB, but have spent a couple of hours on this site looking for an answer...

My thermostat has a green LED indicator to let me know that it is receiving power, but it is not on at the moment. The thermostat itself is fine and the batteries are fine (display works fine).

I checked my unit (furnace I assume) in the attic (I have 2 units). I removed the 2 panels to get to the control board. The red light on the control board is not on. The red light on the functioning unit is on all the time. However, the red light does come on when I hold down the push button switch where the front panel should be (the front panel does not seem to come in contact with the push button switch... I'm guessing it's not supposed to). There seems to be a single fuse on the control board. I have checked it and it seems fine.

I currently have taped down the push button switch... it seems to create a bypass of a sort. With the button taped down, the green LED indicator on the thermostat is on.


Is this a pretty clear indicator that it is the capacitor? If so, do I also get this at Radio Shack? There are two wires going to/from the capacitor. Should I connect the two wires to bypass the capacitor to test it?

Thank you

I thought I'd add some more information. I didn't think it's the fuse (on the circuit board), because when I removed the fuse, pushing the button would NOT turn on the unit. But when I replaced the fuse, the unit did turn on while the push button was pressed. Besides, the fuse 'looked' fine. I read some more, and it looks like there are a lot of warnings with the handling of the capacitor. I have an Amana unit which is about 5 years old. Is the capacitor the cylindrical silver unit located behind the control board (vague ?)?

I think you have a mechanical problem with the door switch. Door not installed properly or something.

That switch is a safety switch that doesn't allow the furnace to come on if the door is open.

Although, if this unit is mounted in the attic it should have a pan under it for the AC. There would be a float switch in the pan, but this does not sound like your problem.

This was my original assumption, as well. However, both of my units are the same way. The door switch isn't even set up to be pressed in, with the door on. One thing for certain, is that the unit does continue to function even if the door is removed. It does have a panel under the AC, and it does have a float switch, but this is not the issue (there is no overflow of water, and the switch 'clicks' fine.

Like KISS said the safety switch should be held in by the door for it to work, unless someone has bypassed the switch which is not up to any code I`ve ever heard of, it makes sense if the red light does not work but does work with button pushed in its necessary for the button to be pushed in

If your door does not push in the safety switch when door is installed, then the furnace will not get power. That switch has to be pushed in for furnace to work. No , if and or buts about it. IF door is not pushing in switch, switch may be dislodged from holding bracket, or door is not installed correctly. Can you post a pic of your door switch.