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New programmable thermostat w/outdoor reset?

Redhawk24
Redhawk24 Member Posts: 28
I'm trying to install a new programmable thermostat and it's not working. The old thermostat was non-programmable. What could be the cause?

The system is a high efficiency combi-boiler with outdoor reset for hydronic floor heat.

Comments

  • Redhawk24
    Redhawk24 Member Posts: 28
    Thermostat is for hydronic floor heat. Everything I see online has more wires (black, green). Can I install a new, programmable thermostat (ideally horizontal)?

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,491
    That is a picture of your wall plate, and the red and white wires are the ones to which you want to attach the new thermostat?

    If so, you you will need a thermostat which is battery powered. There are some battery powered thermostats which are programmable -- in fact, quite a few. But that's what you will need. It will come with a new back plate and should have instructions for hooking up the red and white wires.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    Redhawk24
  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 5,230
    Not a good idea using a programming t stat for in floor. Basically set it and forget it. Very slow reacting. 
    Colors mean nothing, you need to know where there hooked up on the other end. 
    IronmanJUGHNEmattmia2STEVEusaPA
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,248
    If you remove the plate and pull out the cable there may be more wires than you see. For what you want another wire would be handy.
    But I agree about the set back.

    I tried it in our bathroom and it never worked well. We just set it at 72 (for the bath) and leave it. works great.
  • Redhawk24
    Redhawk24 Member Posts: 28
    JUGHNE said:

    If you remove the plate and pull out the cable there may be more wires than you see. For what you want another wire would be handy.
    But I agree about the set back.

    I tried it in our bathroom and it never worked well. We just set it at 72 (for the bath) and leave it. works great.

    Why would another wire be handy? What would it do and what wire?
  • GW
    GW Member Posts: 4,811
    Yes 
    The colors don’t matter, the
    R and W make the heat
    come on.I presume your old thermostat had batteries
    The new one will need to have batteries as well. 
    Gary Wilson
    Wilson Services, Inc
    Northampton, MA
    gary@wilsonph.com
    Redhawk24
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,248
    An extra wire could give you a "common" feed, producing 24 volts at the tstat and not having to rely upon batteries. It might help your existing tstat not rely upon the battries.

    I think most responses here will advise against the programmable tstat for in floor heat. IMO
    Redhawk24
  • neilc
    neilc Member Posts: 2,784
    I can see a green wire wound back from here , , ,
    nest anyone ?
    known to beat dead horses
  • Redhawk24
    Redhawk24 Member Posts: 28


  • ratio
    ratio Member Posts: 3,774
    It seems to.

    Were you asking if it's correct?

    Redhawk24
  • Redhawk24
    Redhawk24 Member Posts: 28
    ratio said:

    It seems to.

    Were you asking if it's correct?

    Yes but now there is no call for heat at the boiler. What could be the issue?
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,510
    IDK why your stat isn’t working, but you should never use setback with a modulating boiler; it will counteract with its logic and actually make it less efficient while providing less comfort.
    Use a stat without setback and leave it at one temperature.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
    Redhawk24kcopp
  • Redhawk24
    Redhawk24 Member Posts: 28
    By setback you mean programmable? We are sometimes gone for days and want the ability to adjust temperature each day.
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,610
    What model t-stat?
    How many wires?
    Is it wired directly to the boiler?
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • Redhawk24
    Redhawk24 Member Posts: 28
    Zman said:

    What model t-stat?
    How many wires?
    Is it wired directly to the boiler?

    Honeywell tstat
    2 wires
    go to boiler
  • Redhawk24
    Redhawk24 Member Posts: 28
    Zman said:

    What model t-stat?
    How many wires?
    Is it wired directly to the boiler?

    Honeywell tstat
    2 wires
    go to boiler
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,312
    Make sure your connections are good. That red wire looks like it might not be inserted far enough into the terminal.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
    Redhawk24
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,610
    The t-stat is battery operated?
    Does the boiler fire if you cross the t-stat wires?
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
    Redhawk24
  • Redhawk24
    Redhawk24 Member Posts: 28
    Zman said:

    The t-stat is battery operated?
    Does the boiler fire if you cross the t-stat wires?

    Yes battery operated. Does not fire if wires cross.
  • ratio
    ratio Member Posts: 3,774
    Looks like you're landed on the right terminals, so check the terminations like @Steamhead said. You should be able to get the boiler to fire by jumping the red to the white, either with a li'l jumper wire or removing them & touching them together. The other thing is that might be a heat pump only thermostat, or it might be set up as a heat pump stat. Check the package for 'conventional furnace/AC' or something to that effect, then check the config as noted in the installation manual. You want 'heat only without fan'.
    Redhawk24
  • Redhawk24
    Redhawk24 Member Posts: 28
    ratio said:

    Looks like you're landed on the right terminals, so check the terminations like @Steamhead said. You should be able to get the boiler to fire by jumping the red to the white, either with a li'l jumper wire or removing them & touching them together. The other thing is that might be a heat pump only thermostat, or it might be set up as a heat pump stat. Check the package for 'conventional furnace/AC' or something to that effect, then check the config as noted in the installation manual. You want 'heat only without fan'.

    Thanks, I'll try it. The stat has a switch to change to gas/oil which I did.
  • unclejohn
    unclejohn Member Posts: 1,833
    That looks like it might be a heat pump tstat.
  • Redhawk24
    Redhawk24 Member Posts: 28
    unclejohn said:

    That looks like it might be a heat pump tstat.

    It has a switch for oil/gas or elec/heat pump. I set it to oil/gas which I have
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,610
    What model boiler?
    Do you have a voltage meter?
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,491
    Redhawk24 said:

    By setback you mean programmable? We are sometimes gone for days and want the ability to adjust temperature each day.

    As @Ironman says, changing thermostat settings on a space thermostat conflicts with the logic and control of a boiler operating with outdoor reset. Changing the temperature daily will very likely wind up using more energy than if you didn't, particularly for most of the year when the boiler is not operating at full power.

    On the boiler not firing. It doesn't fire when you cross red and white at the thermostat? That could be either the thermostat or the wires. Does the boiler fire if you jumper the two wires are the boiler?
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • ratio
    ratio Member Posts: 3,774
    The oil/gas switch just tells the stat whether or not it needs to energize the fan during a heat call. Since you don't have a wire for the fan, it doesn't matter where it's set at.

    What is the exact part number of the stat? Looks like a Honeywell, so it should start with TH, then four digits, then a letter, then four more digits. I'm guessing TH5220something.

  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,505
    edited October 2021
    Didn't we have a conversation before about keeping all your posts in one thread?
    Asking Erin/mods to combine threads.

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

    Zman
  • Redhawk24
    Redhawk24 Member Posts: 28
    ratio said:

    The oil/gas switch just tells the stat whether or not it needs to energize the fan during a heat call. Since you don't have a wire for the fan, it doesn't matter where it's set at.

    What is the exact part number of the stat? Looks like a Honeywell, so it should start with TH, then four digits, then a letter, then four more digits. I'm guessing TH5220something.

    Thanks for your help! RTH2510
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,610

    Didn't we have a conversation before about keeping all your posts in one thread?
    Asking Erin/mods to combine threads.

    Agreed, starting from the beginning each time is not very productive.

    If crossing the wires at the t-stat does not fix it, you have a wiring or boiler control issue.
    If jumping the terminals at the boiler does not fix it, it's a boiler control issue.
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
    Ironman
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,610
    @Erin Holohan Haskell
    Is there any chance you could combine these posts so we don't have multiple conversations going about a simple t-stat issue?
    @Redhawk24
    Phrasing your question differently does not change the problem. I honestly think you are at a point where you need to call a professional. The problem does not appear to be with the t-stat or how it is wired.
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
    Redhawk24
  • Redhawk24
    Redhawk24 Member Posts: 28

    Didn't we have a conversation before about keeping all your posts in one thread?
    Asking Erin/mods to combine threads.

    Nope. Thought I deleted this post and just had the other one. Good news is got a new thermostat and it works. The other thermostat was a dud.
  • Redhawk24
    Redhawk24 Member Posts: 28
    Zman said:

    @Erin Holohan Haskell
    Is there any chance you could combine these posts so we don't have multiple conversations going about a simple t-stat issue?
    @Redhawk24
    Phrasing your question differently does not change the problem. I honestly think you are at a point where you need to call a professional. The problem does not appear to be with the t-stat or how it is wired.

    I didn't realize I had two posts, I thought I deleted the other one. Good news is I got a new thermostat and that was the fix. The other thermostat was a dud.
  • ratio
    ratio Member Posts: 3,774
    If the boiler doesn't come on when you connect the red and white, there's something wrong with the boiler—the stat is not part of the circuit so it can't be at fault.

    It might be time to call in a pro. Try the 'Find A Contractor' link in blue at the top of the page.

    Redhawk24
  • Redhawk24
    Redhawk24 Member Posts: 28
    ratio said:

    If the boiler doesn't come on when you connect the red and white, there's something wrong with the boiler—the stat is not part of the circuit so it can't be at fault.

    It might be time to call in a pro. Try the 'Find A Contractor' link in blue at the top of the page.

    Thanks! I bought a new thermostat and that was the fix. The other thermostat was a dud.
  • ratio
    ratio Member Posts: 3,774
    Glad you got it figured out.
    Redhawk24
  • Erin Holohan Haskell
    Erin Holohan Haskell Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 2,353
    I've merged these posts. Glad you got it all sorted out, @Redhawk24. Thanks to all for helping.

    President
    HeatingHelp.com

    Redhawk24