Goodman Furnace: Electrostatic discharge (ESD) precautions

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) precautions on a Goodman furnace: The integrated control module is a circuit board with static-sensitive parts, and a charge you cannot feel can still damage it. Damage often does not show up right away. The board may fail weeks later and look like a mystery intermittent fault. The goal of these precautions is to bring the furnace, the control and your own body to the same electrostatic potential so no discharge goes through the board. This applies whether the furnace is installed or sitting on the bench, and whether you are replacing a control or just unplugging connectors.

Homeowner with a furnace problem? Call (647) 657-2977 or book a service call — licensed technicians across Vaughan and the GTA.

Applies to: All 34.5in chassis gas furnaces

Common causes of electrostatic discharge (esd) precautions

• Walking across carpet or sliding on a seat before touching the board builds a charge
• Handling a new control before grounding yourself, straight out of its package
• Working on an ungrounded furnace or bench with the board lying on an insulating surface
• Shuffling feet while working in a dry basement or in winter, when static is worst

How to fix electrostatic discharge (esd) precautions: step by step

1. Disconnect all power to the furnace before touching the control or any wire on it, and confirm it is dead with a meter
2. Touch a clean, unpainted metal surface of the furnace away from the control to discharge your body. Paint and dirt block the contact
3. Keep the body grounded while servicing. Do not shuffle your feet or touch ungrounded objects, and repeat the grounding step if you do
4. Hold the board by its edges and avoid touching components or the solder side
5. Discharge your body to ground before taking a new control out of its container
6. Put the old board in the new board's packaging for return, not loose in the toolbag

If the unit shows an error code, look it up: Goodman Furnace codes