Rheem R802VA07542117MSA Error Code *A228_F: Internal Fault: Gas Valve 2 Relay Stuck Open (Two-Stage Only)

What Does Code *A228_F Mean?

Your R802VA07542117MSA is a two-stage furnace, so 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 must close to energize its gas valve when that level of heat is called for. Code A228_F is a two-stage-only fault, logged when the relay for gas valve 2 is stuck open, meaning its contacts will not close, so the board cannot energize the high-stage gas valve. Single-stage furnaces have no second relay and never report this code.

Because only the high stage is affected, the furnace can often still ignite and run on low stage using gas valve 1, but it cannot step up to full capacity. In practice that shows up as a furnace that heats but struggles to keep up on the coldest days or runs long low-stage cycles without ever reaching high fire. In manufacturer terms, "stuck open" means the contacts are stuck in the open, de-energized position, the opposite of the "welded shut" condition in code A227_F, where the same high-stage relay is fused closed and cannot be turned off. A228_F and A227_F are therefore opposite failure modes of the same gas-valve-2 relay.

This pairing mirrors the low-stage relay, where A226_F is the stuck-open fault and A225_F is the welded-shut fault. The key difference is which stage is lost: A226_F on the low-stage relay prevents ignition entirely because the furnace normally starts on low stage, whereas A228_F on the high-stage relay only removes the extra high-fire capacity while low-stage heating continues.

Because a stuck relay is inside the control board and cannot be repaired in the field, the remedy for a confirmed A228_F is control board replacement, after which the correct model data is reprogrammed through the Bluetooth contractor app.

What You'll Notice

• The furnace lights and produces heat but never seems to run at full output on cold days
• Heat calls run long on low stage without the burners stepping up to high fire
• The alphanumeric LED blinks "A228_F" one digit at a time with a roughly three-second pause between digits
• The furnace shows an internal fault while still delivering some heat
• The Bluetooth contractor app reports a gas-valve-2 relay fault rather than a low-stage or flame-sensor 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-2 (high-stage) relay in the stuck-open direction, distinguishing A228_F from the welded-shut A227_F and from the low-stage relay codes A225_F and A226_F. Because the symptom is reduced capacity rather than no heat, they verify that low-stage operation on gas valve 1 is normal and that the high-stage pressure switch and staging controls are not separately preventing high fire, since those would log their own codes such as T055_F or T057_F rather than a relay fault.

With low-stage operation confirmed healthy and the board reporting that the valve-2 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 A228_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 on low heat but never steps up to full high-stage output
• Heat calls run unusually long and the home struggles to reach temperature on cold days
• The Bluetooth contractor app reports a gas-valve-2 relay fault rather than a pressure-switch or flame code
• The A228_F fault remains after power has been cycled
• You smell gas at any point near the furnace or gas piping

✓ Verified against manufacturer service manual — March 2026