honeywell protectorelay

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When the control doesn't "see" a flame, it will trip and lock out, requiring a manual reset. "Protectorelay" is Honeywell's trade name, the generic term is (oil or gas) primary control.

Some controls will only lock out if no flame is established during "trial for ignition." If the flame is established and then disappears, these control will stop the burner but not lock itself out. Instead, it will recycle, and give the burner one more shot at lighting.

Other controls - all of Honeywell's Protectorelay line, I think - do not have this recycle feature. If an established flame disappears, it locks out. No second chances.

Regardless, if it's tripping and locking out, there's a problem. If you've got an oil burner, each time you hit the reset button unsuccessfully, you're filling the combustion chamber with oil. That's a dangerous situation. This is why the first thing the oil man asks is "how many times did you push the button?" when responding to a call for no heat, supposing all the while that you'll lowball the response.

(Because of this, some controls even limit the number of times they can be reset. I bet people wouldn't be so trigger-happy if they knew what happens when pushing the button.)

Sometimes, you have a perfectly good flame, but the control trips anyway. This could be because whatever is "watching" the flame for the control (usually a photosensitive cadmium sulfide "eye," more commonly known as a "cad cell") can't "see" it. The cad cell's window might be dirty, for example.

These controls are available with different timings. Older ones use heat-based switches as timers, newer ones are electronically controlled.

Mark

bovide_4

what causes a Honeywell Protectorelay to trip?

Weezbo

sooted fire eye no flame melted transformer material

part of the fire eye cad cell fell out that sorta thing.. there is also the "exotics" however there is nothing under the hood of the transformer that you need to mess with especially with the power on. no the thermostat doesnt turn off the power,it may be even wired through an exersizer switch...everytime you turn the boiler on if you dont doit right you will be walking back to the circuit breaker panel:) you can test cad cells with a pigtail and 100 ampbulb...or primaries depending on how you look at it. over heated cad wires can break ,it has been known to happen,the cad cell holder could fall out of the crafty corner its stuck in on some ive seen,i have also seen cad cells that were melted shut... none of this really helps you i am sure...there are other causes in other conditions and situations...like i say those are the more common ones. are you thinking of why yours dont go?

bovide_5

excellent

Those were two of the most informative posts I've seen yet. Thanks for the time and thought input.

BillW@honeywell

Protectorelay is...

> Those were two of the most informative posts I've

> seen yet. Thanks for the time and thought input.

BillW@honeywell

Protectorelay is...

indeed a trade name for our older style Oil Primary Controls. They use a cadmium cell "eye" to "read" the oil flame and function as safety and operating controls. They control the oil burner, oil valve (if one is installed) and the ignition transformer, starting the burner's sequence of operation in response to a call for heat from the Thermostat. They have various safety switch timings 15, 30, and 45 seconds. The reset button should never be pushed more than twice, repeated attempts will only fill the combustion chamber with unburned oil, and lead to a much larger repair job than it normally would be.

Cad cell (eye) readings can be taken with an ohmmeter, and should read less than 1600 ohms, but not zero. Any reading above 1600 ohms, but not infinite, means that the cell may be dirty, sighted wrong or that the cell is defective. Replacement cells are available. The R8184G primary is being replaced with the R7184U series, a much more modern design, with built-in diagnostics, remote communications and automatic lockout after 3 reset attempts.

Oil burners are not a do-it-yourself item, and require instruments to be set up to run safely, clean and efficiently. If you're a homeowner, leave the combustion gear to a qualified pro. Also, try www.oiltechtalk.com, Alan Mercurio's website for oil burner expertise.

bovide_4

this is gas. I am taking combustion readings with my new Fyrite 125. thanks.

[Deleted User]

The MH Reference Manuals I have lists

the following controls as Protectorelays. RA890 & R4795. Since you are working on gas, the flame detector for the 890 could be a flame rod or a photocell. Rectification was the 890's only means of sensing the flame.

The 4795 could use infrared, ultraviolet, or rectification. The 4795 lost the Protectorelay designation a few years after it's introduction in 1975.

If you have an atmosheric boiler, the flame rod could be dirty, defective, or the pilot is not large enough to prove the circuit. If you are working on a power burner, there could be a flame rod as above, the sensor (scanner) could be dirty or defective, or the pilot might not be lighting on each cycle, or too small for proper sensing.

Both relays also have exposed contacts that could be dirty or burned. The 4795 has a plug-in flame amplifier & purge timer.

Proper diagnosis requires experience and the right test equipment. Call a pro.