Taco PC 700-2

john p_2

Wondering if there is such thing as an extension for plugging into the zone control panel?? The harness provided is not long enough for my buffer tank add project...anyone else run into this issue?

Harvey Ramer

There should be no problem with splicing in wires to extend the harness to the appropriate length. They are just carrying 24 Vac and turning it on and off.

john p_2

That's ugly...Lol, was hoping for something pre-made.

Tinman

I take it you already have a Taco EXP zone valve or pump control?

Harvey Ramer

I know I know. But carefully made butt splices tucked behind a pipe or something...

Harvey Ramer

Or if you are really serious about it, you can buy your own molex connectors and make your own harness to what ever length. Just don't get any wires crossed I am not aware, and also highly doubtful that taco offers extentions.

john p_2

Yes, I have the zone control panel already.

john p_2

I really don't have much choice....lack of room is an issue and current older control panel doesn't have any other access ports....may go for newer model with indicator lights in frontt, lol.

Joe Mattiello

Hi John P
Taco does not offer a harness extension. Truthfully, this is the first time someone asked. Normally, any of the add on controls are mounted near the panel without need of an extension. Having said that if we did offer a longer harness, I wonder how many we would sell?
Anyway, to answer your question, you can use minimum 18 gauge wire to extend lead wires making sure you're careful not to cross any; however, it will void the warranty.
Please call me direct at Taco, if you have additional questions or concerns. 401-942-8000

john p_2

Thanks Joe. I will be posting pictures soon and you will seem the issue. I understand you probably wouldn't sell that many. If you could tell me where I could get an extra male & female connector that would be great - I will make the extension.

john p_2

or a model # for the Molex connectors

Tinman

@john p - For what's worth, low voltage wire is commonly run in our industry without Molex connectors. It can be done in such a way that its not even seen. Or, you could run it inside a stick of 1/2" thinwall and make it look even better.

I honestly don't know any tradesman, even the best of the best, who would go through the trouble of trying to find those Molex connectors.

Formerly

EDIT: Just realized this is a month old. Derp.

hobby shop or computer shop would have molex.

adafruit .com has connectors as well.

what about solder/heatshrink?

john p_2

Formerly...I now everything I need to make the harness but you peaked my curiosity. Will Derp hobby shop have a pre-made harness or just the parts. I got my parts at Allied Electronics.com

Having an issue crimping the terminals. It seems the 18 gauge wire barely fits in the terminal but that is what comes from Taco as OEM and the terminals are exact fit for the connections on the zone control panel and reset. Spent some time w/tech support to ensure I was getting correct parts at Allied.

I have tried one crimper that crimps both the insulated wire & the bare wire at the same time but I can't figure out how where to place the terminal in the crimper so it doesn't damage the front of the terminal - can't get a consistent good crimp. I have ordered a different crimper and should arrive today or Monday that crimps one crimp at a time.

Solder & heatsink was always a last resort. Lol

john p_2

Hatterasguy,

Yeah it's about 50/50 good crimps to bad ones. I'm hoping the new crimper will help me being it has much thinner jaws- so I can see what's being crimped. Have no problem soldering if that's what ends up having to be done. Thankfully the terminals & connectors are cheap.

hot_rod

I found most of the controls that are Euro based use small and metric sized terminals. To fit under the terminal screws, especially with stranded wire, they use ferrules on the ends of the wire.

The metric wire sizes seem to fall in-between the common wire gauge size used in the US so it is almost impossible to get a #18 wire into these terminal strips.

The ferrules crimps all the wire strands together and reduces the size of the end a bit.

These terminals are so small you almost need an eyeglass screwdriver to tighten them.

I bought this kit from ferrulesdirect.com, you can buy single packs and tools separate, or various size kits. They will custom build kits with your selection also. My son was a tekmar rep and I had a special kit built for that control wiring, it got a lot of attention on job sites as most troubleshooting calls involved wiring glitches.

I bought the tool that squeezes on six sides instead of two, it shrinks down the crimp more consistently. It did cost more than the common on pin type rip tool, of course.

The PV industry uses these ferrules also. I've been told that wiring code requires a ferrule on stranded wires in Germany?

I use this kit often, Cat 5 wire, trailer wiring working with any stranded plenum wire.

john p_2

HotRod,
Believe me I will never be doing this again or I would probably buy a better tool like yours. I measured the Taco wires in the reset and the wire I bought with digital calipers and they are both exactly the same diameters (insulation). Tech support at Allied didn't recognize the terminals in the Taco connectors - said they may be custom or proprietary but did give me ones that do fit. I am not cutting the end on the reset and filling in the missing length with solder/heatsink - not voiding the warranty.

john p_2

Well, bought all the materials to make my own wire harness extension for connecting the Taco boiler reset to the zone control panel.
Borrowed a pair of Molex crimpers but they had jaws that were too wide. Bought a cheap Molex crimper online that had jaws that were somewhat thinner but still too wide for these terminals. Finally gave up and started looking online for a company that would make the harness.
Found the company online WWW.digikey.com and price was very reasonable but had to wait about 3-4 days for delivery.
Because I had the parts I figured I would solder the wire to the terminals and only crimp the insulated part of the wire within the terminal. This worked perfectly.
I haven't completed installing the Taco reset but here are a few pics of the harness I made with Molex connect tors on both ends.

Tinman

It looks like you had room for the PC700-2 where your flashlight is sitting on top of the relay?

john p_2

Yeah if forced to I probably would've went that way but is not easy to see, kind of high up.

Tinman

Your workmanship is very good. I would've put the control up there and kept the warranty in tact. Too expensive of a control to not protect it. JMO.

john p_2

Warranty ?? I didn't cut anything on the boiler reset control. Just added an extension.

Tinman

My apologies. I thought something on the control wires were being modified. It was mentioned earlier, I think?

john p_2

Yes, you are correct. Earlier guys were saying to cut the connector off the reset and splice an extension in by soldering & heat shrink...my main reason for not doing that was...A. Looks "happy homeowner-ish" and B. Didn't want to void any warranty.

I was shocked at how many companies will make this type of extension and at a reasonable cost - not worth buy the materials or Molex crimper for sure.

So I just received the one I ordered online but plan to leave in the one I made.

john p_2

Stephen Minnich, just wanted to let you know there is a company online www.digikey.com that will fabricate the extension cable that inter connects the boiler reset and the zone control panel for a very reasonable amount of money.

Tim McElwain

Use a terminal strip available at most electrical supply houses with connectors, makes for a nice neat job.

john p_2

Tim,
The cable Taco provides was way short for where I chose to locate the reset. I wanted to be able to see it clearly and program it easily.
I would have needed to install two terminal strips if I was to make use of the cable provided - would need to make use of the connectors on the cable to connect to the reset and the zone control panel, which would result in cutting the cable. The idea of splicing the cable didn't appeal to me.

In the end I was able to make my own and also found that I could order one online - which I did also. And for less than $50 I had an extension professionally made (spare now).