Help with millivolt thermostat on gas fireplace

dcampbell4

I have a gas fireplace that came with a Skytech fireplace remote control and thermostat. Unfortunately, as previous reviews mentioned the remote just eats AAA batteries, about every 5 days. I want to put this on a millivolt thermostat and just picked up a cheap Honeywell from Walmart. I have read several posts and articles especially about wiring a nest, but cannot find anything when a Skytech is in place. I attempted to connect the black wire from the Skytech to the R of the thermostat and the red wire to the W, but this would not work. I also switched the wires and that did not work. I will attach some pictures. There is not any thing labeled on the regulator...TH, THP, etc.







Any help getting a thermostat working, so I can stop feeding batteries to the remote would be greatly appreciated....Dustin

EdTheHeaterMan

What Thermostat?

EdTheHeaterMan

If you were to take a jumper wire and place it between the red and black wire as shown in this picture, does the fireplace operate?

EdTheHeaterMan

This is the thermostat you want. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Honeywell-Home-Economy-Non-Programmable-Thermostat-with-Microvolt-1H-Single-Stage-Heating-CT33A/203186978 Nothing fancy, Nothing that requires a C wire,

You can also just use a switch on the wall next to the fireplace. This switch will do nicely. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-15-Amp-CO-ALR-AC-Quiet-Toggle-Switch-Ivory-R51-02651-02I/100057021#overlay. and you don't need a box to put it in... it's millivolts. just cut a hole in the wall, pull the wire thru the hole, connect the wires to the switch, and screw the switch to the wall, then add a cover plate

dcampbell4

Thermostat is a Honeywell RTH 111B.

I tried a jumper wire and it will not do anything.

This is our only heat source and has to be on some type of thermostat and not an on and off switch.

Appreciate your replies.

Dustin

109A_5

Hello @dcampbell4,
Looks like that (or similar) thermostat / remote control system will work with either a Millivolt system or a 24 VAC system. The Red and Black wires go into the receiver box just go to the functional equivalent of a switch controlled by temperature and programmed by the remote control (a thermostat).

With a Millivolt system the pilot flame has to be lit to power the gas valve.
With a 24 VAC system there will be a transformer and the pilot will still need to be lit to satisfy the thermocouple.
Need better pictures of the gas valve and where the Red and Black wires connect into the system. Looks like there may be a thermocouple going into the gas valve but the pictures are too dark to tell.

You really need to understand which system you actually have and how it works before you modify anything.

dcampbell4

Thanks for the replies. I have disassembled to allow for better photos. 

As you will see I removed some heat shrink and tape at the red and black wires which revealed them attaching to very small gauge copper wires? 

109A_5

Hello @dcampbell4,

I would not have taken the solenoid that far apart, you have compromised the mechanical integrity of the wiring.

Using this information;


It seems it is a system possibly exclusive to the Fireplace industry.



https://www.allpartsinc.com/gh03-r-gda-receiver-6-volt-latching-solenoid-systems.html

The whole 6 Volt thing is non-standard to the typical HVAC industry.
The batteries may intentionally go dead so you can't asphyxiate and/or CO poison yourself with a non vented heater. Some heating equipment is not for continuous use in facilities where people sleep.

dcampbell4

Thank you. The solenoid is replaceable and available on the internet. What would be your thoughts on replacing the valve with a Robertshaw millivolt gas valve and new thermophile and thermocouple, since it looks like most require a two lead thermophile.

109A_5

Hello @dcampbell4,
I suppose there is a lot of things you could to modify the equipment to achieve your agenda. To me equipment like that is ornamental and not intended for full time space heating.

dcampbell4 said:

This is our only heat source and has to be on some type of thermostat and not an on and off switch.

This seems like a situation that is not safe.

EdTheHeaterMan

That pilot assembly appears to have an oxygen depletion sensor type of pilot burner. That indicates that you have a non vented appliance heating your home. If this is the only source of heat, then you are using the wrong heating appliance as your central heating system. How many rooms do you heat with that appliance? How many square feet total of heated area are you heating with that appliance? What is the BTU input of that appliance? You may be operating a heater that will not pass an inspection by the local authority having jurisdiction for building code compliance.

I’m afraid that I will not be comfortable with offering any advice with your fireplace insert or whatever that appliance is without more information.

Brand name, model number, BTU capacity, and a description of the home you are heating. Non-vented appliances MUST be operated with a source of combustion air like an open window for instance. There must be a minimum amount of square footage for that appliance to operate based on the BTU input rating And you need to understand the dangers of operating a non-vented appliance in a room where you sleep. You would not want to wake up dead some morning!