On 7 Dec 2005 07:59:04 -0800, "dave" wrote:

I just bought a house with a Rheem forced-air gas furnace upstairs with
an electronic pilot light and a manual thermostat. Here's the problem:
For about 17 hours every day it works fine. Every night around bedtime
it shuts down for several hours and won't restart. I've tried turning
it off and on. It just comes one for a few minutes, blows cold air and
shuts down. Can it be a bad thermostat if it works fine the rest of the
day? I'm confused and need some help. I'd call a service technician,
but he would come during the day, charge me a $100 service call, and
tell me it works fine. Help?

You have one of the strnagest problems I have seen posted on here.
You dont by chance have one of those electrical services that was
inteneded to turn an electric water heater on and off by the electric
company. I have mostly only seen those used in rural areas, but
anything is possible. Be sure you have 120VAC power to the furnace
just in case someone wired to some special circuit like this, or even
a light times installed into your system. Once you prove you have
120VAC going to the furnace, you need to take the thermostat off the
wall and short across the wires. (I's just low voltage, and wont hurt
you). If the furnace starts, you need a new thermostat. (or
thermostat battery, although I have never seen a manual obe with
batteries).

I'm assuming this is a house, not an apartment or condo, where
something could be controlled by a neighbor thru mis-wiring it.

One other thing, are you POSITIVE thats not a setback (programmable)
thermostat?

If this dont do it, you probably do have a ghost and need a priest !!!

Mark