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Beckett Aquasmart Issues

RPK
RPK Member Posts: 119
edited January 2019 in THE MAIN WALL
5-6 years ago I installed an oil-fired boiler (Columbia LV-75) at a family member’s house. It’s in an old farmhouse with generously sized CI radiators in every room. The boiler is piped in primary-secondary with a thermostatic mixing valve to keep return water warm enough and allow for a nice wide reset temperature range. The system runs constant circulation with supply water temp on outdoor reset (Tekmar 256). All the radiators have TRVs. It’s been working beautifully. If I had to do it over, I would add a buffer tank.

The only issue has been the Aquasmart controller. There have been a number of nuisance LWCO lockouts (averaging a couple per year). Beckett sent out (for free!) a new, updated combo sensor (LWCO and temp sensor) last year. There was a technical bulletin on this component and an updated design. This year the control started locking out on “sensor error”. I installed a spare sensor (temp sensor only version) and it worked for 3 hours until I got home and was about to go to sleep. When I returned I could not get the sensor error to clear.

Beckett already has a new sensor on the way and they offered to overnight a new Aquasmart controller (also free of charge) if the new combo sensor doesn’t work.

It doesn’t appear that this is a very common issue. To keep the boiler running in the meantime I’ve bypassed the Aquasmart and added a manual reset high limit and external LWCO. The Tekmar cycles the burner. I’m considering doing away with the Aquasmart altogether. In additional to the LWCO and manual reset high limit, all I really need is an operator and a way to control the boiler pump (relay and delay-on-break timer).

What would you do? Has anyone seen similar issues?

Beckett has been very supportive, but my personal experience with the reliability of this particular product has been poor, and I’m sick of getting nuisance calls on this every year at the worst possible time. Is there a compelling reason to go back to the Aquasmart if I’m not actually using any of its special features.

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