HTP EFTC 140 Help

apriestley

I am a homeowner having issues with our HTP wall-mounted combination unit. I'm not an expert so bear with me as I explain it as best I can. Unit was installed around 2010, we purchased the home in 2018. Two winters ago we had an issue where heat was not circulating through the baseboard radiators. We called the company that installed it and they replaced the three-way valve, solved our issue.

Similar issue happens this winter. Hot water works, thermostat will call for heat, boiler recognizes that its calling for heat, but will not circulate it into the radiators. No error codes. Called the same company once again, explained the issues and gave them the service records, they sent three guys out this time who diagnosed it as a bad control board and corroded terminal block and quote $ to fix it with $ being in parts alone with a two week lead time to get the parts. A little searching on my own and I found a control board on ebay far cheaper than the tech had quoted and ordered it myself. By the time it arrived, I had cleaned off some of the corrosion on the terminal block and the cold snap we were under had ended and everything started working again for a few weeks. I was going to replace the terminal block myself but, since it was working again, I held off.

Now temperatures are back in the 20s and we are having the same issue. I looked at it today and it seems a small leak has started at the connection between the internal pump and the three-way valve leading me to believe that this was probably another bad valve the whole time.

It seems very hard to find guidance on these HTPs anywhere on the internet. An older 2018 post on this board seemed to suggest that this valve was a relatively simple replacement that most homeowners could do themselves. Is that true?

EDIT: To clarify I did not replace the control board yet either, the only thing I did was clean off the terminal that showed corrosion. Since that seemed to work until yesterday I did not do anything further.

mattmia2

Where is the valve leaking? It sounds more likely to be an issue with the connection than the valve itself. Do you have a picture of the leak? I'd also route the wire so it won't drip on the board if the valve leaks.

apriestley

This is about the best I could get.  To your point, the 'bullseye where the drops are hitting is right at the connection between the pump and 3 way valve.

Ironman

Fix the leak and clean the connection and your problem may solved.

Regarding the control board: it has to be factory programmed for the particular model and size that you have. I wouldn’t trust eBay for anything like that. Many times I see things like that on there for less than I can get them from my distributor, but I wouldn’t get it from there. The contractor has to warranty his labor when replacing a part and he has to make enough money to do business. If the part fails during his warranty, he has to come and diagnose it, order a new one, pick it up, install it, return the old one, and fill out and submit a warranty claim for the part. He seldom gets any labor allowance from the manufacturer, and if he does, it’s usually less than half his normal rate. But somehow customers think that he should sell it for the same price as they found it on the internet?

Will the guy on the internet do all that if the part fails?

mattmia2

It looks crusty at the top there, look more closely at that connection.

hot_rod

Some kleenex and a bright flashlight can help track down small leaks or seeps

kcopp

Sounds like the 3 way valve is sticking... What is the rest of the system like? Any non barrier tubing?

clammy

Check your fill pressure and be sure that your expansion still has a charge . With the use of push quick connectors and o rings on the boiler internals I have seen leaks occur when the expansion tank has lost it charge . It seems that systems w pex can some times hide a bad expansion tank due to the ablility to take some expansion and contraction masking a bad expansion tank which usually ends w the safety valve dripping but w the factory quick connectors they will some times drip .
Just some thing some service guys don’t notice because there looking at some thing else and don’t see there’ll tale safety drip or other issue that come w a bad tank and high fill pressure . Peace and good luck clammy