Weird Aquastat problem

KCA_2

What if zone #4 and the aquastat wires are crossed?

either the T-stat wire (probably not) or the "end switch" wires at the "control panel"
That way when the zone #4 calls for heat the Amtrol zone opens. And if the IWH calls, zone #4 gets heat.

Maybe?
:-) Kca

Tim_2

Weird Aquastat problem

I have a hydronic baseboard system in my house with 4 zones including the one for the Amtrol indirect hot water heater. There are Taco zone valves and Erie 500 Aquastat controller.

Here's the problem. My hot water zone won't turn off sometimes. It continues to call for heat until the water is up to 160+degrees. (i.e. the red and green lights on the controller are on and the zone valve light) The only thing that seems to trigger this behavior is when zone 4 (upper floor) is also active. It was doing it this morning. The red light for zone 4 was on, but it was not opening up the valve. But as long as the zone 4 light was on, the IHW zone stayed open. As soon as I ran up and turned down the zone 4 thermostat, the IHW zone turned off as well.

Any ideas what's going on here? workarounds? fixes? This system is less than 1 year old and has never worked properly--and the extra-hot water is pretty dangerous...

TIA,
Tim

KCA_2

Well....

It certainly sounds like an electrical issue.
If the system isn't a year old, how about having the installer come back to look at it.
Does the system employ a taco zone control panel?

:-) Kca

Tim_2

The system does NOT have a taco control panel. Just a homemade manifold with each zone valve connected directly to the Aquastat controller.

Does this sound perhaps like a faulty controller? The wiring is pretty straightforward on it... (2 wires to each thermostat and 4 wires to each zone valve)

KCA_2

It's hard to say

because for one, I'm not privy to the piping. But!
The wires that go to the t-stats and then tie to the zone valves. The other two wires are "end switch" wires.
Do they all tie together? What I mean is, does one wire from zone #1 tie to one wire from zone #2 etc. and then the other "end switch" wire do similar.

Then where do they go? Do they go to the boiler? and how does the aquastat tie into this?
I'm just thinking out loud here. sartaspeak..
Can you tell me what size the pump on the boiler is? Should be a model #, like a Taco 007or 0011. Grundfos 1542 or 2664 Taco is Green and Grundfos redish.
Does the copper (I'm assuming that the pipe is copper) come off of the boiler and through the pump and then into the zone valves?

All in all it's perplexing why zone #4 seemingly turns on the aquastat. I'm just trying to learn your system.

And why doesn't the installer come back?

:-) Kca

Tim_2

more info

Ok here we go.

The pump is a grundfos. don't know the number, but I think it's green...

The piping (copper) comes off the boiler and into the manifold--then pex from there.

The wiring: I don't think the different zones are connected to each other in any way. That's what stumps me here. The 4 wires from each valve just connect to the controller in the spots allowed for each zone. The 2 t-stat wires simply go to the spot on the controller that are marked for each zone. (t-1, t-2 etc) Same thing with the IHW, except it just connects the 2 t-stat wires to the 2 t-stat wires on the boilermate (amtrol IHW) control box. The Aquastat then wires down directly to the control box on the boiler to activate that.

The installer? was a friend of mine (carpenter/maintenance guy), directed by a knowledgable HVAC guy. (dumb me to try to save a few bucks...) I'm trying to get hold of the HVAC guy to get his help, but thought I would run it by you guys in the meantime...

Tim_2

not likely...

...but I'll have a look.

Sounds as if it probably is a wiring problem though and not a hardware problem? (aquastat)

One other thought I had was to put all the zone 4 wires into the slot for zone 5 on the aquastat. (it is a 5 zone controller) and see what happens. I'm not real hopeful, but if it's in the controller, that might workaround it...

Terry

power sufficient?

Perhaps there is but 1 transformer powering all zones. Check if VA rating will handle VBA requirements of all zones. I've seen similar probs when tying too many ZV's to a single 20VA Transformer. (Then again these were NC vlvs and they failed CLosed - same would only apply if your zones are Norm.OPen)


Terry

KCA_2

Terminology


I believe that you have a zone control terninal of some brand. When you say "put the wires into zone 5 on the aquastat" I get confused. Should be only 2 wires from the aquastat and they would go to the terminal location or otherwise depending on the wiring design.
Let me know. Either here or e-mail me.

:-) Ken

Steve Paul

Taco Zone Valves

you have me a little confused. You said all 4 wires from the Taco zone valves go to the controller. Taco zone valves only have 3 wires.
The 2 aquastat wires connect to the controller for the IWH in the same place a thermostat would.
This problem sounds like the wiring for the end switchs for zone 4 and the IWH are possibly the problem. Typically the end switch is terminals 2 and 3. The motor power connections are terminals 1 and 2. I would try to trouble shoot the wiring to see if all of the zone valves are wired with the same polarity to the same terminals. I think that if the polarity of one of the zone valves is reversed, when the end switch closes it may back feed power to terminal 2 of the other zone valve and cause it energize. Of course I may just be full of crap, but hey! Ya never know.

Jamie Hall

I don't suppose...

That you can draw us a diagram of what wires go where? I'm confused and think better in pictures... but everyone would sure like to help!

kevin

are the..

zone vaves the NEW Taco esp type zone valves? I think these are 4 wire... Other wise the gold head ones(271) are the 3 wire. They had had some problem with the esp valves sticking open... Sounds to me like the panel has a crossed wire some where in the t-stat area. Sometimes problems are better fixed if you pull everything off and re do it. kpc