Help Identifying a C-Wire

RyanNYC1

I’m trying to determine if I have a C-wire in my boiler (Weil McLain EG-65). My Nest thermostat is currently working but recommending that I add a C-wire to prevent potential power problems in the future.

Steamhead

Is this steam or hot-water?

RyanNYC1

Steam

Steamhead

Post a pic of the left side where the controls are. We need to see what's on the other end of those wires.

RyanNYC1

Steamhead

Thought so. You'll need to create an independent 24v circuit for this, since your limit controls (low water cutoff, pressure control) are cutting off the voltage to the Nest. You can use your existing transformer though, and won't need to alter the factory wiring. Get one of these:

https://www.supplyhouse.com/Resideo-R8222B1067-24V-General-Purpose-Relay-with-SPDT-Switching

Mount it on the inside of the boiler jacket a few inches above the transformer. Connect the thermostat wires on the boiler to the normally open (NO) contacts on the relay. On this one it's the outer two. You'll need some push-on terminals for this.

Connect one side of the relay coil and the common wire in the thermostat cable to the C terminal of the transformer. Connect the red wire in the thermostat cable to the R terminal on the transformer, and the white wire to the other side of the relay coil.

This will provide a constant 24v feed to the Nest whenever the boiler power is on. When the Nest calls for heat, it pulls the relay in, completing the thermostat circuit on the boiler to start the heating cycle.

EdTheHeaterMan

This comment tells you why you need the relay

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1833986#Comment_1833986

Here is the diagram from the comment:

And to add the relay would look like this based on your equipment's diagram

The relay on the top that I added may look like the transformer that is powering the burner, but it is not, The top Transformer.Relay Combination is the additional isolation relay that is needed to properly set up your Nest Thermostat:

But your equipment may not be wired according to the original factory diagram, since I see some components that are not original to the equipment that have been added.