Payne furnace error codes
Find the short and long flash pattern on your Payne PG8M furnace in the table below. Each entry links to a code explanation for that series, with checks and the shared Carrier source.
Jump to the code table · All furnace codes
Before you touch anything: the six signs that mean stop troubleshooting and call a pro →
How to read Payne flash codes
Short flashes are the tens digit and long flashes are the units, so three short flashes followed by one long flash is code 31. Rapid flashing and a dark LED are separate conditions. Watch the full sequence at least once before writing the code down.
What this Payne page covers
The Payne PG8M series uses a Carrier control platform, so the definitions come from Carrier source documents for that shared status LED. They apply only to the PG8M series listed here. Carrier's two-stage variable-speed and modulating code families are not included on this page.
- Status LED — short + long flash codes: Payne PG8M series
Payne flash code quick reference
| Code or flash pattern | Meaning | Model family | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| LED off | Status LED Off — No Power Official: check for 115VAC at L1/L2 and 24VAC at SEC-1/SEC-2. No light means the board isn't powered. | Payne PG8M series | View details |
| rapid flashing | Rapid Flashing — Reversed 115V Polarity Official: line-voltage polarity is reversed — and the control blocks heating until it's fixed. (If the furnace is twinned, see the twinning-kit instructions.) | Payne PG8M series | View details |
| 1 short + 1 long | Code 11 — No Previous Fault Stored 1 short + 1 long flash on recall = nothing stored. Codes self-erase after 72 hours (and on RED-LED boards, whenever power is interrupted). | Payne PG8M series | View details |
| 1 short + 2 long | Code 12 — Blower-On After Power-Up The furnace was powered up in the middle of a call for heat (R-W closed), so the blower runs 90 seconds first. Informational, not a fault. | Payne PG8M series | View details |
| 1 short + 3 long | Code 13 — Limit Circuit Lockout A limit, draft safeguard, flame rollout, or blocked-vent switch stayed open longer than 3 minutes → lockout. Auto-resets after 3 hours. Root causes = see code 33. | Payne PG8M series | View details |
| 1 short + 4 long | Code 14 — Ignition Lockout The system failed to ignite and prove flame in 4 attempts. Auto-resets after 3 hours. Root causes = see code 34. | Payne PG8M series | View details |
| 2 short + 1 long | Code 21 — Gas Heating Lockout (No Auto-Reset) Official: mis-wired gas valve, a stuck-closed gas-valve relay on the control, or a shorted gas-valve wire. This one does NOT auto-reset. | Payne PG8M series | View details |
| 2 short + 2 long | Code 22 — Abnormal Flame-Proving Signal Flame is proved while the gas valve is de-energized; the inducer runs until the fault clears. Official causes: a leaky or stuck-open gas valve. | Payne PG8M series | View details |
| 2 short + 3 long | Code 23 — Pressure Switch Did Not Open Official: obstructed pressure tubing or a pressure switch stuck closed. | Payne PG8M series | View details |
| 2 short + 4 long | Code 24 — Secondary Voltage Fuse Open A short in the 24VAC wiring blew the board's automotive-type 3-amp fuse. Official: replace with a 3-amp fuse ONLY. | Payne PG8M series | View details |
| 3 short + 1 long | Code 31 — Pressure Switch Did Not Close or Reopened If the switch stays open over 5 minutes, the inducer rests 15 minutes and retries. Official checklist: excessive wind, low inlet gas pressure (if LGPS used), disconnected or obstructed pressure tubing, defective switch. | Payne PG8M series | View details |
| 3 short + 3 long | Code 33 — Limit Circuit Fault A limit, draft safeguard, flame rollout, or blocked-vent switch is open. The blower runs 4 minutes or until it closes; open >3 minutes escalates to lockout code 13. Rollout and BVSS switches need a manual reset. | Payne PG8M series | View details |
| 3 short + 4 long | Code 34 — Ignition Proving Failure No flame proved during the trial for ignition; the control retries 3 more times before lockout 14. Official checklist: flame sensor must not be grounded, oxide buildup (clean with fine steel wool), proper microamps (0.5 min, 4.0–6.0 nominal), gas valve on, igniter health, inlet gas pressure. | Payne PG8M series | View details |
| 4 short + 5 long | Code 45 — Control Circuitry Lockout Auto-resets after 1 hour. Official causes: gas-valve relay stuck open, flame-sense circuit failure, or a software check error. Reset power to clear; replace the control if it repeats. | Payne PG8M series | View details |
Same control platform, other brand names: Carrier furnace codes · Bryant furnace codes
Not sure how to read the light?
Use the interactive blink decoder — tap the pattern you see and we'll match it.
Which furnace codes do Americans search most? 2026 search-demand snapshot →