Aquastat and wiring question

[Gldnbrew]

I am currently using a Honeywell L8124L aquastat in conjuction with Taco SR504 Relay on my boiler that has a domestic hot water stand alone unit, along with a radiant heat system. What I would like to due is cold start the boiler only on when the thermostat calls for heat (hot water) and not having the boiler keeping temperature all day long. No one is home all day and no one uses hot water between 10pm and 6am,except week-ends or days off. Looking to save bucks on fuel oil until I need to turn the boiler on full time in the winter.

As far as I can tell I can't rewire my current equipment, so I am looking for some information or advise on what I can do, maybe it is not fessiable.

Thanks,
Paul

[Masterplumb]

I am currently using a Honeywell L8124L aquastat in conjuction with Taco SR504 Relay on my boiler that has a domestic hot water stand alone unit, along with a radiant heat system. What I would like to due is cold start the boiler only on when the thermostat calls for heat (hot water) and not having the boiler keeping temperature all day long. No one is home all day and no one uses hot water between 10pm and 6am,except week-ends or days off. Looking to save bucks on fuel oil until I need to turn the boiler on full time in the winter.

As far as I can tell I can't rewire my current equipment, so I am looking for some information or advise on what I can do, maybe it is not fessiable.

Thanks,
Paul

If you have a indirect fired water heater, you can dump the triple acting aqua-stat and just install L8148E aqua-stat.

Another option you have is to install a timer on the main power to the boiler this way it wont fire when you are not home. The only problem is in the winter time if you need heat in the house during those times.

[FINER9998]

i'm not too familiar with the 8124, but if the low limit is there to fire the boiler when water temp drops to the low limit, what would prevent setting the low limit to 110 deg? if the differential is also adjustable, set the max differential to lengthen the time between boiler firings. which zone in the taco relay is your indirect hot water connected to? it looks like the zone 4 is for priority, which is normally where hot water thermostats are connected. if you are only looking to reduce unintended boiler firings during non heating seasons in the interests fo economy, the foregoing might not be perfect, but it should get you closer to what you are trying to achieve.

[HVAC HAWK]

what brand boiler and oil or gas

some boilers do not do well with cold starts and some boilers if they cool down the seals will leak with the expanding and contraction

i have a gas peerless with out a hot water maker just heat and it is going on 19yes of cold starts

[NHMaster3015]

Pull and cap the blue wire on the low limit side.

[NHMaster3015]

The only difference betweent the L8124 and the L8148 is the low limit aquastat who's function is to maintain the boiler at a set temperature. So when the temp in the boiler falls at or below it's set point, the burner runs and it will run to the low limit set point plus the differential setting. So if you have the low limit set to say 110 and the differential to 15, the burner will shutoff at 110 + 15 or 125 degrees. You can simply remove and cap the blue wire from the low limit side which effectivly keeps that switch (and that's all it is) open. This has no effect on the high limit side nor does it effect the relay that pulls the burner in when the zones call. There is no need to purchase an extra or different control. Might I suggest that if you are going to make a purchase and are interested in saving more oil that you invest in a boiler re-set control that will continuously modulate boiler water temperature based on outside air temperature and demand. Tekmar makes excellent controls and so does Taco (tekmar manufactures them for taco) and Beckett and there's probably a whole lot more companies making them also.

[NHMaster3015]

Is your Taco sr an ex unit? If so the Taco PC700 boiler reset control plugs right in.

[spodelee]

Isn't he asking for boiler condensation here? Rott the boiler from the inside out.... ??

[Gldnbrew]

I have the SR504-EXP relay. The Taco PC700 boiler reset control looks very interesting, I am going to check out. Tried to get the blue wire off of the controler, but it seems to be a locked on spade terminal, any suggustions? I did not want to force it too hard and get myself in trouble, you know how that is.

To answer spodelee comment on condensation, I don't think the boiler will reach a point that it cools down enough to condensate. We are only talking a few hours a day.

[Gldnbrew]

Never mind about the blue wire, just got it off. It must of been a very tight fit. The black wire next to it came off easy, so I retried the blue with different tools and it came off. I will give this a try, but I am still going to look into the Taco PC700.

Thanks, will let you know how it works
Paul

[FINER9998]

i have found this unit to be effective.
http://www.intellidynellc.com/02_pgHW.htm

intellidyne makes the beckett heat manager, as well as the same thing sold by a company called energo. i have found intellidyne's customer support to be exemplary. no mumbo jumbo regarding hiring "pros" to do the installation. takes about 30 mins and involves making 5 or 6 wiring connections and they will talk yo through the process. just tell them what model aquastat you have.

[NHMaster3015]

Like the old commercial used to say "try it, you'll like it"

[bigPipe09]

The only difference betweent the L8124 and the L8148 is the low limit aquastat who's function is to maintain the boiler at a set temperature. So when the temp in the boiler falls at or below it's set point, the burner runs and it will run to the low limit set point plus the differential setting. So if you have the low limit set to say 110 and the differential to 15, the burner will shutoff at 110 + 15 or 125 degrees. You can simply remove and cap the blue wire from the low limit side which effectivly keeps that switch (and that's all it is) open. This has no effect on the high limit side nor does it effect the relay that pulls the burner in when the zones call. There is no need to purchase an extra or different control. Might I suggest that if you are going to make a purchase and are interested in saving more oil that you invest in a boiler re-set control that will continuously modulate boiler water temperature based on outside air temperature and demand. Tekmar makes excellent controls and so does Taco (tekmar manufactures them for taco) and Beckett and there's probably a whole lot more companies making them also.




Wow good tip, thanks

[Gldnbrew]

Happy to report after 24 hours of having the blue wire disconnected from the aquastat, the boiler is functioning like I had hoped for. After 6 hours the boiler temp had fallen to 100*, well below the low limit and started up when the water heater called for heat. So far nobody has noticed any difference in water temp. while taking showers (4 in family), even after the unit being stut down overnight.

Kudoos to NHMaster3015 the Obi Wan Knobe of plumbing, may the force keep flowing.

Thanks to all of you for your input, it was all helpfull and I learned a lot

Paul

[stokefire7]

It's the flue gas He's talking about. flue gas condenses at 130 degrees

[Green Heat Pete]

Hi Instead of dealing with the complexities and numerous adjustments associated with an out door reset, such as the taco, tekmar, honeywell, etc. I would recommend taking a look at the more sophisticated type economizer Intellicon HW+ the unit is a very simple install and uses the actual heat load of the boiler / furnace to determine and minimize cycling and hot water temp, it also takes into consideration domestic hot water requirements and has a mfg's guarantee to reduce energy consumption by at least 10% or you recive your money back, the other mfg's dont offer the same. I have over 75 installations in the field and all so far have achieved at least the 10% savings and go as high as 27%. Check out the website for additional info. http://stores.ebay.com/Green-Heating-Systems The device is pretty sophisticated and has an LCD to show instanous savings in addition to liftime savings, it also may be fine tuned with limits and pre-purge to maximize efficiency....

[NHMaster3015]

Intellicon and the Beckett Heat manager are one in the same. Nice spam job though.

[Gldnbrew]

Happy to report, it's been about a month now of having the blue wire disconnected from the aquastat, the boiler is functioning like I had hoped for. Noticed no side effects, wait, there was one I saved a bunch of oil. Sure saved more than inflating my tires to the proper pressure (need the softer ride in my old age).:D

Paul