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Circulator just runs

mcwebb
mcwebb Member Posts: 1
in Oil Heating
I installed a Sense energy monitoring system in my electrical panel, and it has "discovered" my circulator pump, and corresponding electrical usage. My heating system is Burnham\Becket\Taco, single circulator, 3 zones, tankless hot water. Apparently my circulator pump runs most of the time, even when there is no heat being called for by any thermostat. How can this be prevented, as the pump draws approximately 300W while running, even during the summer. Is this normal?

Comments

  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,505
    Probably not, but it depends.
    It's not summer yet, has this been happening since last summer or are you below the equator?
    It depends on if it's wired for constant circulator, or wired incorrectly.
    It could also be that the monitoring system is sensing current flow of the control itself and not the circulator.
    Gonna need some model numbers, pics, wiring schematic to help further.

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 6,242
    3 zones. 1 circulator, so 3 zone valves then?
    Tankless coil so the boiler will maintain a minimum set temperature.
    Are you sure the circulator is actually running and the zone valves are closed? It's not gravity ghost flow?
    Pics and models of the zone valves and aquastat would help.
    If could be a faulty closed end switch or contact in the triple. Could be a short somewhere.
  • Leonard
    Leonard Member Posts: 903
    edited March 2019
    Maybe have a recirculation pump on DHW hot water pipes for "instant on" hot water at a remote faucet?

    300 watts sounds high for circulaltor, my large B&G 100 series is only 106 watts (1.6 amp, 0.53 power factor)
  • HotanCool
    HotanCool Member Posts: 55
    Agree with the faulty end switch possibility. Seen it more than once.
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,611
    @mcwebb
    One and done???
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,298
    edited March 2019
    @Zman
    Agree with the one and done. Some never return

    Agree with @HVACNUT could be a bad end switch. Also energy monitor in the panel? on just the circ pump? sounds fishy. Probably monitoring the whole boiler
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,262
    Is this monitoring system amp clamp on breaker wires?
    The breaker could be labeled wrong or simply say boiler.
    There could be a basement outlet on that circuit.
    The 300 watts sounds like a small fridge or freezer.
    Maybe not enough for a dehumidifier.

    Shut the power off at the boiler switch and see what that circuit is using, would be simplest test.
  • Leonard
    Leonard Member Posts: 903
    edited March 2019
    On web they show monitor goes in main breaker panel for whole house. It uses 2 current transformers, they go on each hot lead coming from meter (100-200 amp lead). Also is connected to both hot leads and ground (single phase house) for voltage reference to calculated watts.

    Interesting way it works , but with bunch of loads running at same time seems it's likely to get confused. Also when it finds load signature it doesn't recognize wants you to tell it what load is.
    https://sense.com/technology.html

    Interesting idea, we'll have to see how well it operates. But I think at $350 for the unit cheaper to just use electricity
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,298
    That's how the power company meters the power on all large commercial jobs...they use current transformers. No meter could withstand the power for larger buildings run through it directly.

    They put the "donuts" on the hot wire and wire the current transformers to the meter

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