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Replacing Old Tekmar Controls

MarkBailey
MarkBailey Member Posts: 2
edited September 18 in Radiant Heating

Hi all,

I'm glad to have found a resource like this. I have an aging system (late 90s) that still works will with a bit of maintenance here and there. I have a Tekmar 371 House control that controls DHW and 5 zones as well as two Tekmar Zone Control 368 units that each control another 4 zones.

The 371 started offering a boiler sensor error that I assume means the board it approaching end-of-life. I have been looking for a few weeks but have been unable to find a replacement for it, new or used. I got a quote for a new system, but the new boiler system, DHW system, and piping rework was much more expensive than I figured due to transitioning from the single stage boiler system.

I have two questions:

- Where is the best place to find used control systems?
- Is there another approach I could be taking, such as replacing the 371 and 2 368 units with another brand that supports an older system like mine?

Thanks all for any advice on how to approach this. I'm open to upgrading the system eventually but for that price tag I'd like to see if I can stretch out the life of the current system while I save my pennies.

Mark

Comments

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 10,958

    Please edit to remove pricing, discussing pricing of services is not allowed.

    I would start by troubleshooting to figure out if the problem is the sensor, the control, or more likely a connection between the sensor and the control.

    If the control is bad you could contact Tekmar about a replacement or repair, certainly the controls could be all replaced with a current version. Since this sounds like a complex system, installing and configuring it is likely to take a fair bit of time so it will not be inexpensive.

    HeatingHelp.com
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,884

    As @mattmia2 says, don't blame the board until you have eliminated the more obvious — and cheaper — possibilities. Do you have power to the system? Is the system grounded? Is the board receiving power? Is it grounded? Are all connectors in good condition and secure? Are all wires in good condition?

    Once that is done, the board is telling you there is a sensor error. Is there?

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    mattmia2
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 23,420

    the manual, available on line at tekmar, in the legacy control literature, will walk you through a troubleshoot. Those sensors are still available.

    Ebay is one place to shop for new, old inventory controls if the board is bad

    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
    mattmia2
  • MarkBailey
    MarkBailey Member Posts: 2

    Hi all,

    I wanted to thank you for the comments. You all inspired me to do a deeper dive and I managed to get the system working again. I read the manual and noticed that a fault with the boiler sensor will refuse a call for heat, which is why I had assumed the board was faulty. I am assuming to protect the pipes from water that might be too hot.

    In any case, all I did was fish the sensor wires out of the wall, disconnect, them, inspect them, and reconnect them and the system is working as it should.

    Thank you all again for the solid advice. I'll have to bite the bullet and upgrade this system eventually, just not yet.

    Mark

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