Honeywell thermostat advanced set up for a steam boiler

RomanGK_26986764589

Hello everybody
I have a one pipe steam system with Weil-McLain EG-40 steam boiler. 8 rads total in the house. I recently ordered a new Honeywell Focus Pro 6000 thermostat to replace my current one since it is not compatible with steam. I was looking at the manual on line, trying to figure out the advanced installer set up. So the question, do I need to change any settings in the advanced set up besides CPH setting? I know it should be set for 1 or 2 cycles for steam system. I only have two wires and thermostat itself is powered with batteries. Any help would be appreciated.

A link for the manual: http://www.enviro-tec.com/pdf/iom/Honeywell-69-1714.pdf

Jamie Hall

Just changing that one setting should be fine. That's your setup function 5, option 1. Setup function 13 should be left at 1; it really does work and if you are planning on a setback, it's helpful (but go easy on that setback. Opinions vary, but most seem to think than anything more than 3 degrees is a bit much for a steam system)

RomanGK_26986764589

Thak You! I am not too thrilled about setbacks either. I usually have the thermostat set for 70 during the day and 67 at night purely for sleeping comfort, not for savings. Do I need touch the setting 2: changeover valve energized for heating/cooling?

Fred

Manually setting it from 70 to 67 is still a 3 degree setback. I wouldn't go any more than that. Also you don't need to touch anything excpt the CPH.

RomanGK_26986764589

Thank You. I can stop worrying about it too much now.

RomanGK_26986764589

Update: So I installed the Focus Pro 6000 stat. I set for 2 CPH as I think it will keep the temps more even. Now boiler runs for 10-15 min and then turns off for 20-25 min. Based on my experience for the past week, it feels like my house got cooler but the temps are within 69-70 degrees. The stat is for 70. I thought those 2 cycles would be even with about 15 min on and 15 min off times. Why is the off cycle longer? I did not find anything about the cycles length in the manual. Is 10 min still considered a short cycle? All the rads in the house get half hot during those 10 min. The rads in the living room get hot all the way because I put #6 Gortons on them.

ratio

Two cycles per hour means that the boiler will start twice in an hour. The length of the runtime is determined by how much heat is needed - when it's 50 out you'll need less heat than when it's 30 out, so the on times will be shorter. The off times should correspond pretty well with the balance of the time left on the cycle. At the coldest times of the year, the boiler should run continuous - proof that it's correctly sized.

If the house is at setpoint, it's working. If it's working with the radiators only half hot, do you really want them hot all the way across?

If you're cold with the thermostat set at 70, turn it up.

Fred

Sounds like it is working like it is suppose too. It's not going to run longer if the Thermostat is satisfied. You can try setting it for one cycle per hour and see which you like best.

crawas

i have this same thermostat the th8320r1003 and there is no specific setting for a steam system. there is conventional forced air, heat pump, radiant heat, and other. can someone let me know how to set this for a steam system please? I called Honeywell and they oddly told me for steam to put on conventional forced air but this makes no sense. does anyone have this thermostat with steam one pipe system?

ratio

I think that the conventional/radiant setting just picks different defaults. Later on in the config you can set the cycles per hour, it has different defaults depending on the system type is set to. It sounds like you should try 1, 2, & 3 cycles per hour & see which one is most comfortable.

crawas

the problem isnt that the system is not turning on, its that the system is not staying on long enough for the 2nd floor rads to get hot. wouldnt 2 cycles per hour mean shorter cycle times since its going to run for 2 separate cycles per hour?

Fred

crawas said:

the problem isnt that the system is not turning on, its that the system is not staying on long enough for the 2nd floor rads to get hot. wouldnt 2 cycles per hour mean shorter cycle times since its going to run for 2 separate cycles per hour?

It sounds like you need to balance your system. First make sure you have enough venting on your mains. That is critical. Once you do that, start by putting faster vents on the second floor and smaller ones on the radiators on the first floor. Steam will take the path of least resistance and will go the second floor easier, with the larger vents there.
If your main venting is inadequate, you are using a lot of your heating cycle just trying to push air out of the system through the small radiator vents. The steam will heat those radiators that have the shortest path from the boiler, which is usually the first floor.

crawas

My first floor barely gets hot enough when the cycle runs though. They get lukewarm at best. It’s set on a permanent hold of 70. When I raise it a few degrees and the boiler is running for a while, everything gets very hot. Even if I raise it one degree, the boiler stays on long enough. It’s the permanent hold and that it’s trying to constantly maintain the 70 so it doesn’t stay on long enough.

Where do I look for the main vents?

Fred

The main vents should be either at the end of each main, in the basement, after the last radiator run-out or on a dry return (at the end of the main where it turns and heads back to the boiler but before it drops to the boiler. If you don't have any or they are old and/or very small, that is a good part of your problem. If you find them, post a picture of it.

crawas

I found a gorton number 1 valve. Is that it?

ratio

crawas said:

the problem isnt that the system is not turning on, its that the system is not staying on long enough for the 2nd floor rads to get hot. wouldnt 2 cycles per hour mean shorter cycle times since its going to run for 2 separate cycles per hour?

Depends on what the cycles/hour are set at now. The default for conventional forced air is IIRC 6. The metric is confusing, but the manual says the stat aims for e.g. 4 on/off cycles in one hour, that is from the on of this cycle to the on of the next cycle will be 15 minutes; it adjusts the duration of the on & off times inside that 15 minute window.

crawas

But for a steam system that would be a disaster, no?

ratio

Depends on the system. If everything starts to heat at the same time and are sized reasonably close to the heatloss of the room they're in, it should work fine. @Fred mentioned system balance, that would be something to check into. Post a few pics of the piping around the boiler.

crawas

Here are some pics

Fizz

Pressuretrol setting on cut-in is too high, if it's an additional t-stat, cut-in should be .5lb, and cut-out 1lb

nicholas bonham-carter

And most likely a Gorton 1 is much too small.—NBC

Jamie Hall

With the thermostat, start at 1 cycle per hour. If it drops too much between cycles, try 2 if it's available.