Which Aquastat Relay to buy?

jacki0362

I have a Gas Boiler from Manufacture: New Yorker Boiler, Inc. It's the CG-A Series Boiler, Model: CG40AWN, Serial Number: 19005940. I believe that the Aquastat Relay is faulty and the system can't fire up (it did sometimes before with loose connection between damper and relay) . I contacted the New Yorker Boiler and a supplier, and they gave me this Relay info: Brand: Burnham, SKU: 104450-01. However, this relay is extremely expensive ($600 -700). My question is, is there another type of Relay that works for this boiler? I found other Type L8148E relay cost only just above $200, less than half the price of Burnham, SKU: 104450-01 relay. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Jacki

MikeAmann

Posting prices is against the rules here.
The latest electronic versions are light years ahead of those old mechanical aquastats.
Look at this: https://www.supplyhouse.com/Hydrolevel-48-3200-Model-3200-Plus-Fuel-Smart-Hydrostat-for-Gas-Boilers-Temperature-Limit-LWCO-Boiler-Reset-Control
You might need a primary control to go along with it.

jacki0362

You might need a primary control to go along with it. Thanks. Do you have a link to the primary control? Does this also connect to a vent damper?

MikeAmann

I can't provide a link because we don't know all the details of your control system.
Your question asked about an aquastat relay.
Post pictures. That will help.
But before you start randomly replacing parts, actually figuring out the reason why you're not firing would be the smart move.

STEVEusaPA

Primary for a gas boiler?

109A_5

Hello @jacki0362,

Check out page 26 (6th item down in the chart) of this manual for the Aquastat's Honeywell part number. You need to verify it is the correct manual for your boiler and the Aquastat is the actual defect.

http://newyorkerboiler.com/tech-lit/
https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/catsy.782/CG+A+IO+Manual.pdf

EdTheHeaterMan

jacki0362 said:

I have a Gas Boiler from Manufacture: New Yorker Boiler, Inc. It's the CG-A Series Boiler, Model: CG40AWN, Serial Number: 19005940. I believe that the Aquastat Relay is faulty and the system can't fire up (it did sometimes before with loose connection between damper and relay) . I contacted the New Yorker Boiler and a supplier, and they gave me this Relay info: Brand: Burnham, SKU: 104450-01. However, this relay is extremely expensive ($600 -700). My question is, is there another type of Relay that works for this boiler? I found other Type L8148E relay cost only just above $200, less than half the price of Burnham, SKU: 104450-01 relay. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Jacki

Your post has information that is not consistent with the model number and part numbers that go with it

The CG40AWN boiler uses a L8148E1257 aquastat. it does not use a 104450-01 controller
The CG-F boilers uses the 104450-01 controller. It does not use a L8148E1257 aquastat.

Getting the proper part is important because those two parts have entirely different functions.

Do you have the ability to take a picture of the Aquastat that you believe is faulty? Can you offer a reason you believe it is faulty? More important is After you replace the Aquastat, and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?

I guess what I'm saying is, Describe what is happening and what is supposed to happen that is not happening. We may be able to point you in a different, less expensive direction.

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures with the covers off so we can see the wires."

jacki0362

Thank you all for the inputs. You guys are amazingly helpful. Special thanks to @109A_5 for the link to the manual (page 26, item 6 is Honeywell L8148E 1257), and @EdTheHeaterMan for the detail comments. You both pointed to L8148E 1257 as the right Aquastat. However, it is very strange that the manufacture New Yorker Boiler and SupplyHouse.com both said Burnham, SKU: 104450-01 is the right one, based on the Model and Serial number of my boiler. Unfortunately, the label on existing Aquastat is missing, so I can only rely on you experts. Attached here are photo of the existing Aquastat and boiler. The layout of my existing Aquastat are similar to 104450-01, L8148E 1257, and L8148E 1265. I believe the problem is at Aquastat or vent Damper is because that there are loose lines on the plug of the harness from the vent damper, and the Aquastat connector to the Damper harness is pretty loose. When the connector is wiggled, sometimes it will fire up in the past, but it is getting to a point and it won't fire up at all. So I think the Relay's vent damper connector fails to send signal to the Vent damper. Also, someone has suggested that the entire relay needs to be replaced. I have tried to cross the vent damper connector to try to bypass the vent damper, but it also didn't work. Any suggestion about how to diagnose the problem to make sure what is wrong will be highly appreciated. Thanks. Jacki

jacki0362

SupplyHouse.com indicates that L8148E 1265 replaces: L8148E1257/U. So, I guess 1265 is the current one? Should I try the Hydrostat as suggested by the first commenter?
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Resideo-L8148E1265-High-Limit-Vertical-Mount-Aquastat-Relay-15-DegreeF-differential

rick in Alaska

That plug connector on the aquastat looks really bad. I would take it off and check the connector pins. It almost like like the green wire might even be pulled out a bit, so try pushing it in more. Those connectors are prone to having connection issues especially if the wires are pulled sideways like those are.
Rick

jacki0362

@rick in Alaska You are exactly right. I think the molex plug is the problem. The green wires and white one actually came off and were put back in, and it worked before when the connector was wiggled a bit. But it is not working at all now. How can I check if the vent damper connector on the Relay is broken or not and is there a way to fix it?

EdTheHeaterMan

Since the vent damper connection looks to be the problem, and the correct way to repair that problem is to replace the L8148E, you have a interesting choice to make.
If you read the instructions that come with the new control, there is reference to a plug with a jumper that can be removed in order to plug in a vent damper. (See the violet arrow in your control cover). Once you plug in a vent damper and operate that control for the first time, there is an internal fuse that will blow. That is so that you will not remove the damper plug and use the jumper plug. You see, if someone (not you of course) were to use the jumper plug to get the boiler to operate (because of a failure of some sort) there is a possibility that the flame and exhaust could operate while the vent damper is closed.

That would be a bad thing

You don't want to operate a gas flame with the exhaust damper closed because that exhaust may have Carbon Monoxide in it and that could make you wake up dead one morning. So operating the boiler with a damper connected blows the fuse and the jumper can no longer be used to make the burner operate. YOU MUST USE A DAMPER EVER AFTER THE FIRST TIME THE CONTROL OPERATES WITH A DAMPER.

Now I said you have an interesting choice. As long as you do not connect a damper to the new control and just leave the jumper plug in place, the control will operate properly and safely with no damper. Here is your interesting choice: since that damper does not save that much on fuel in most cases, you can remove the damper completely and insert a piece of single wall vent pipe of the same diameter to take up the space of the removed damper. Then you use the L8142E as it comes out of the box. leave the jumper plug in place and live happily ever after, knowing the the damper will never cause you any aggravation ever again.

The other choice is to plug in the damper and hope that there are not other problems. and if there are, you will need to either buy another L8148E or buy a new vent damper.

I'm surprised that @109A_5 did not catch this one, He is the self proclaimed Short Circuit Expert here

jacki0362

@EdTheHeaterMan Thank you so much for the explanation. Now I understand that the old Relay won't work on its own even if damper is the problem. I am going to buy the 1265 Relay and return the damper. Wish me good luck.

EdTheHeaterMan

Like is the closest thing to Luck in the 10 possible icons at the bottom of your comment. So I wished you "Like".
You could click LOL below if you get this!

jacki0362

Just wanted to give everyone an update and to thank the experts who helped. I ordered L8148E1265 and replaced it without connecting to the optional vent damper. The boiler now works well.

I have learned from here:
1. L8148E1265 replaces L8148E1257, which probably replaces 104450-01.
2. 104450-01 is a lot more expensive than the others with very little information.
3. Both online supplier and boiler manufacturer refused to suggest new/alternative Aquastat.
4. Vent damper is optional, but once connected to relay, a fuse will break, and the relay can no longer bypass the damper.

Additionally, I found that the main power line on the old Aquastat is probably wrongfully connected. The white line was connected to L1 (hot), while the black line connected to L2. This was either intentionally or mistakenly by the prior technician. However, the boiler still works. This is now corrected in the new Aquastat installation: black line to L1, white line to L2, and the new Aquastat works as well.

Please comment if you know the difference and consequence of this opposite main power connection.

Finally, the molex plug was loose and I have tried to fix this before considering to replace the whole relay. After taking apart the board on the old Aquastat, it looks like that the molex plug is secured with two screws and the connection can be easily soldered. The broken fuse can probably be replaced as well. The problem is I still don't know where to buy the Molex Plugs for the Aquastat and damper harness. If anyone know, please let me know. I didn't even know the name of the plugs as molex plug before, lol.

Thank you all again. You guys are amazingly helpful.