Rheem R802VA07542117MSA Error Code A226_F: Internal Fault: Gas Valve 1 Relay Stuck Open

What Does Code A226_F Mean?

Because your R802VA07542117MSA is a two-stage furnace, the Bluetooth Communicating IFC (Integrated Furnace Control) uses two separate gas-valve relays: gas valve 1 drives the low heating stage and gas valve 2 drives the high stage. Each relay is an electrical switch on the board that must close to energize its gas valve when heat is called for. Code A226_F is logged when the relay for gas valve 1 is stuck open, meaning its contacts will not close, so the board cannot energize the low-stage gas valve and the burners never get gas.

The practical result is a furnace that runs through its startup motions but never lights. In manufacturer terms, "stuck open" means the contacts are stuck in the open, de-energized position, the exact opposite of the "welded shut" condition in code A225_F, where the same relay's contacts are fused closed. A226_F and A225_F are therefore the two opposite failure modes of the very same low-stage relay. Because A226_F leaves the valve unable to open, it produces a no-heat, no-ignition condition rather than the gas-safety hazard associated with a welded-shut relay.

On this two-stage board, A227_F and A228_F are the identical welded-shut / stuck-open pair for the high-stage relay (gas valve 2). It is worth noting that A226_F affects the low stage specifically, which the furnace normally uses to start every heat call; with valve 1 unable to energize, the furnace cannot begin combustion at all, unlike the high-stage stuck-open fault A228_F, where low-stage heat can often still run.

Because a stuck relay is inside the control board and cannot be repaired in the field, the remedy for a confirmed A226_F is control board replacement, after which the correct model data is reprogrammed through the Bluetooth contractor app.

What You'll Notice

• The furnace goes through its startup sequence but the burners never light and no heat is produced
• The alphanumeric LED blinks "A226_F" one digit at a time with a roughly three-second pause between digits
• The inducer and igniter may cycle normally, but you never hear or see ignition at the burners
• The furnace shows an internal fault and stays locked out rather than retrying successfully
• The Bluetooth contractor app reports a gas-valve-1 relay fault rather than a flame-sensor or pressure-switch code

Common Causes

How This Is Diagnosed

A technician confirms the code through the Bluetooth contractor app and establishes that it is the gas-valve-1 relay in the stuck-open direction, distinguishing A226_F from the welded-shut A225_F and from the high-stage relay codes A227_F and A228_F. Because the complaint is no ignition, they also rule out the usual external ignition causes, verifying that the igniter, flame sensor, pressure switches, and gas supply are not what is preventing a light, since those would normally log their own codes such as A011_F rather than a relay fault.

With the external ignition path confirmed healthy and the board reporting that the valve-1 relay will not close on command, the fault is isolated to the relay inside the control board. That relay is not a field-serviceable part, so a confirmed A226_F leads to control board replacement followed by reprogramming the correct model data through the Bluetooth contractor app.

When to Call a Professional

This code involves components that are not homeowner-serviceable, so have a licensed HVAC technician diagnose and repair it. Keep in mind:

• The furnace runs its startup sequence but the burners never light
• The Bluetooth contractor app reports a gas-valve-1 relay fault rather than an ignition or flame-sensor code
• The A226_F fault remains after power has been cycled
• The igniter and inducer appear to work normally yet no ignition ever occurs
• You smell gas at any point near the furnace or gas piping

✓ Verified against manufacturer service manual — March 2026