Remote monitoring options for 4 zone status?
Now that I've installed a Tekmar 256 outdoor reset control on my sister's Burnham 206 boiler, I'd like to be able to have remote WiFi monitoring with a phone app to see the status of each of 4 zones and see when and for how long each zones are calling for heat. The reason for that is I recently installed 4 new thermostats with new differential/swing settings, and I want to verify that the typical run times for each zone are at least 30 minutes or more, with long intervals between heat calls, so that the boiler isn't short-cycling or running too often.
That could be done with smart thermostats, but I don't want the cost and complexity of 4 smart thermostats. I'd rather have a smart zone controller with a WiFi connection, or something similar. I see the new Taco zone controllers have a Bluetooth connection to a Taco phone app, but no WiFi, so the system can't be monitored unless the user is within Bluetooth range.
The only WiFi option I've found so far is the Hydro-Smart HBX-ZON-0600,a 4-zone controller with WiFi. That looks like it does everything I want, for slightly less $ than a Taco zone controller with Bluetooth-only.
Does anyone have experience with that Hydro-Smart unit, or any other suggestions?
Comments
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Does the HBX record and store time intervals? Or just on/ off cycle and temperatures?
A few of the members here have build PLC controls and time/ temperature remote monitor systems with off the shelf parts.
Data loggers are on E bay for reasonable costs.
Bob "hot rod" Rohr
trainer for Caleffi NA
Living the hydronic dream0 -
Thsi device is new to me. looking at the manual, there does not seem to be any type of hour's logged feature on that control that will help you with your goal.
I would call the Tech Support folks at Hydro-Smart and see what they say. It may be a feature they are working on and can be incorporated to the Hydro-Smart App.
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
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For strictly monitoring of zone calls, one option is to use power monitor (such as emporia vue) with a sensor on the hot leg of each of the zone circ. Added benefit of monitoring power usage. However, the Emporia sensors are likely too large to all fit within a Taco zone control box.Similar concept of using wifi temperature sensors (with wired probe) on each of those loops but I am not aware of specific platforms that has minute by minute accuracy data logging.
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Supco has data loggers I think.
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@hot_rod and @EdTheHeaterMan Thanks for your thoughts. I just watched a YouTube video about the HBX SensorLinx phone app, and even though it doesn't appear to do data logging, I think it would serve my purpose, which is just to be able to "see" (in this case, in real time) when a zone starts running and when it stops. Then from looking at my watch I can see how long it ran. Once I've seen how long each zone typically runs, then I know if I've got the thermostat swings set properly or if they need further tweaking. Beyond that, I don't really care about cumulative run times, etc. The monthly gas bills with therms used (along with HDD65 data for the billing period) will tell the overall efficiency story.
It's not entirely necessary, as I could just spend one cold day in the boiler room working on my laptop doing other stuff while waiting for the different zones to run and timing each heat call. But it's more fun learning about the high-tech ways to accomplish the same thing. @PC7060 posted recently about some Arduino controls he set up. Maybe he has some ideas.
@bjohnhy Thanks for those suggestions. I had thought of power monitors on the circs, but I don't want to have to break open all those 120V circuits. I could put temperature monitors on the loops, but it would be hard to tell when the circ stopped running because the water in the zone will still be hot. So I think the Hydro-Smart WiFi controller or some custom-built PLC thing would be best.
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I think something form the PLC world is your best bet. Something like this is in the ballpark and can do charting for you:
https://controlbyweb.com/x410/
You can directly connect to thermostat outputs and It would also let you monitor temperatures.
Many other out there.
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Supco does indeed have a line of data loggers. LOGiT LCV is a current & voltage logger, it could monitor two zones, voltage on one & current on the other. There's also a DLTH (temp & RH), and a LT2 (2x temp). The software/programming cable isn't free, but it's not expensive either. I think it might be able to export to CSV, for a prettified graph.
If you're actually looking for more complicated but quite flexible, most home automation packages will communicate with zigbee or z-wave sensors. I actually have a few Honeywell z-wave thermostats I monitor & control with Home Assistant, and am giving serious consideration to moving the rest of my fleet of stats from Redlink to z-wave (thermostat swap, unfortunately, & a downgrade from the 8000 series to the 6000). At that point, you can pretty much log what you want, & even cypher power consumed, etc.
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It was all pretty inexpensive . if you are interested I’ll send you the information on board and other elementsI used. Can also email the code as a starting point.
How would you control? A simple random method to select is to use modulus of day of month (day%2); run boiler A as primary on even days (day%2 =0) and boiler B or odd days.If primary boiler doesn’t satisfy heat in a defined period, you can fire up second boiler.
Downside is you are putting the controller into a potential safety critical role so make sure the controller only passes TT from thermostat via relays so it will fail safe passing TT to primary boiler connected to normally off pole of relay.
don’t switch the 24vac directly off transformer as this could fail hot with no cutoffs.
If you just want to do data logging, that’s much simpler. im sure there are lots of apps for download at https://projecthub.arduino.cc. Re sensing circulators are on, you can find inductive sensors for $20 at Amazon.0 -
@ratio The Home Assistant stuff is a pretty wild rabbit hole. My son is deep into that, ie a vibration sensor on water pump for cycles and a pressure sensor in the well to tell water depth, plus water detectors that shut the pump off. But if the water sensors go off without well pump cycling and either sump pump is running (current sensors).. then you have a different problem . Cameras, thermostats, bulbs etc etc… everything available on phone too.
Temp sensors to tell when a zone is flowing would be easy.
30+ yrs in telecom outside plant.
Currently in building maintenance.0
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