Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?
Show Posts
This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.
Pages: [1] 2
1
Electronics / Re: 2H/2C conventional and 3H/2C heat pump
« on: November 12, 2013, 04:48:39 AM »
Sorry, I understand what you are asking now. The "switch" is on the box that has red blue and black wires coming out of it that says load fan, line fan, load limit. It's like a little button or post that pushes in.
2
Electronics / Re: 2H/2C conventional and 3H/2C heat pump
« on: November 11, 2013, 06:55:27 AM »
Thanks RSI,
Here's an updated diagram. As for turning on both the low speed and high speed fan at the same time. As far as I can tell, if I turn on the low and then the high, it just switches from low to high.
I've decided that I could care less about cooling stages. As long as I can turn on the fan from the thermostat manually, that is all I need.
I've been working with someone that I know personally on this, and he sounds to be leaning towards using a 3H thermostat and a PLC control unit (not sure if I'm saying that right) in order to get the stages of heating that I desire. If I ever get this working, I'll post a thread on how we accomplished it.
[attachment deleted by admin for space issues]
Here's an updated diagram. As for turning on both the low speed and high speed fan at the same time. As far as I can tell, if I turn on the low and then the high, it just switches from low to high.
I've decided that I could care less about cooling stages. As long as I can turn on the fan from the thermostat manually, that is all I need.
I've been working with someone that I know personally on this, and he sounds to be leaning towards using a 3H thermostat and a PLC control unit (not sure if I'm saying that right) in order to get the stages of heating that I desire. If I ever get this working, I'll post a thread on how we accomplished it.
[attachment deleted by admin for space issues]
3
Electronics / Re: 2H/2C conventional and 3H/2C heat pump
« on: November 08, 2013, 08:05:02 AM »
Right, the two switches at the same time thing. I meant to ask about that. Partially I forgot to try it. What am I looking for in turning them both on. Just that the fan stays on high. What am I looking for to happen?
4
Electronics / Re: 2H/2C conventional and 3H/2C heat pump
« on: November 07, 2013, 07:42:21 PM »
So I went home and verified and now I'm totally lost. I still haven't changed anything on my original oil furnace, but the current wiring does have G and R connected at the furnace. To make matters even more confusing, G on the furnace goes to R on the Thermostat and R on the Furnace goes to W.
Furnace - Thermostat
G--------------R
R--------------W
Any ideas? Or should I call in the furnace pros at this point? And yes the furnace worked fine this way. Trying to Connect R-R and W-W and nothing worked. Furnace didn't wouldn't kick on.
Furnace - Thermostat
G--------------R
R--------------W
Any ideas? Or should I call in the furnace pros at this point? And yes the furnace worked fine this way. Trying to Connect R-R and W-W and nothing worked. Furnace didn't wouldn't kick on.
5
Electronics / Re: 2H/2C conventional and 3H/2C heat pump
« on: November 06, 2013, 08:07:16 AM »
renoman, not what I'm looking for, would take forever to cool down after the desired heat is reached. However, you've given me an idea. I have a baseboard thermostat kicking around. I'm going to do this until I get this figured out. Thank you!!
RSI, thank you sooooo much for taking the time to write this out. I'm going to have a much closer look when I get home and have things in front of me. I've actually never tried running both fans at the same time (actually don't know if it is one variable speed fan or two separate). I'll try when I get home. I took the time to draw out the current wiring in the furnace. I'm only posting it if you are curious, I don't expect you to waste your time and fix my problem for free. I mostly just drew it out for my electrician.
Any suggestions on what thermostat I should get? Would ideally like one thermostat, 7 day program, wifi.
Thanks again to all who have read this. I'm so glad I found this forum, and hope that someday I'll know enough to start "paying back" to others with the things I've learned.
[attachment deleted by admin for space issues]
RSI, thank you sooooo much for taking the time to write this out. I'm going to have a much closer look when I get home and have things in front of me. I've actually never tried running both fans at the same time (actually don't know if it is one variable speed fan or two separate). I'll try when I get home. I took the time to draw out the current wiring in the furnace. I'm only posting it if you are curious, I don't expect you to waste your time and fix my problem for free. I mostly just drew it out for my electrician.
Any suggestions on what thermostat I should get? Would ideally like one thermostat, 7 day program, wifi.
Thanks again to all who have read this. I'm so glad I found this forum, and hope that someday I'll know enough to start "paying back" to others with the things I've learned.
[attachment deleted by admin for space issues]
6
Electronics / Re: 2H/2C conventional and 3H/2C heat pump
« on: November 05, 2013, 12:33:50 PM »
"with only 2 wires you can't make it a multiple stage system"
Sorry, I should have added, just because there are only 2 wires going to the thermostat now, it would be dead easy for me to run more.
Sorry, I should have added, just because there are only 2 wires going to the thermostat now, it would be dead easy for me to run more.
7
Electronics / Re: 2H/2C conventional and 3H/2C heat pump
« on: November 05, 2013, 12:09:37 PM »
Thanks slimjim. I'm from "up here" in Canada. I don't have a heat pump. Also, not sure if I could draw it because I don't know what wires or parts I need. But I can try to explain.
1 - there is a pump that circulates the water to the OWB (and domestic hot water sidearm). This runs 24/7. Temp is controlled by the Aquastat on the boiler. I don't want to change any of this.
2 - There is a second pump that circulates water through a plenum in a duct in the furnace. This is currently wired to run 24/7 until I get this figured out.
3 - there is my original oil furnace. There boxes on the front of the furnace that have a switch on each. Switching them manually, one turn on a low speed fan, the other a high speed fan. This was all there prior to the OWB install.
4 - I currently have one thermostat with two wires going to the furnace. From what I can tell, this only turns on the high speed fan, and oil.
What I would like is as follows:
1st Stage Heat: Furnace Fan Low, Plenum Pump On, Oil Off
2nd Stage Heat: Furnace Fan High, Plenum Pump On, Oil Off
3rd Stage Heat: Furnace Fan High, Plenum Pump On, Oil On
1st Stage Cool: Fan Low, Plenum Pump Off, Oil Off
2nd Stage Cool: Fan High, Plenum Pump Off, Oil Off
No I don't have A/C, but my basement gets really cool in the summer and I currently turn on the furnace fans manually to cool the house.
I think the kicker is that I only want one (two at most) Programmable 7 day Thermostat(s) to do it. I really just need to understand most of how to do this so that I can explain it to my electrician. Especially what thermostat will work, and how. No one around here has every done anything with multi-stage heating so when I tell them about a thermostat like TH8320WF, I get a blank stare.
Any suggestions, literature, websites, would be greatly appreciated.
1 - there is a pump that circulates the water to the OWB (and domestic hot water sidearm). This runs 24/7. Temp is controlled by the Aquastat on the boiler. I don't want to change any of this.
2 - There is a second pump that circulates water through a plenum in a duct in the furnace. This is currently wired to run 24/7 until I get this figured out.
3 - there is my original oil furnace. There boxes on the front of the furnace that have a switch on each. Switching them manually, one turn on a low speed fan, the other a high speed fan. This was all there prior to the OWB install.
4 - I currently have one thermostat with two wires going to the furnace. From what I can tell, this only turns on the high speed fan, and oil.
What I would like is as follows:
1st Stage Heat: Furnace Fan Low, Plenum Pump On, Oil Off
2nd Stage Heat: Furnace Fan High, Plenum Pump On, Oil Off
3rd Stage Heat: Furnace Fan High, Plenum Pump On, Oil On
1st Stage Cool: Fan Low, Plenum Pump Off, Oil Off
2nd Stage Cool: Fan High, Plenum Pump Off, Oil Off
No I don't have A/C, but my basement gets really cool in the summer and I currently turn on the furnace fans manually to cool the house.
I think the kicker is that I only want one (two at most) Programmable 7 day Thermostat(s) to do it. I really just need to understand most of how to do this so that I can explain it to my electrician. Especially what thermostat will work, and how. No one around here has every done anything with multi-stage heating so when I tell them about a thermostat like TH8320WF, I get a blank stare.
Any suggestions, literature, websites, would be greatly appreciated.
8
Electronics / 2H/2C conventional and 3H/2C heat pump
« on: November 05, 2013, 08:38:46 AM »
I'm guessing that based on the non-responses to my other question, I'm not understanding and therefore asking dumb questions. Here's another one that I'm hoping might help me understand things and answer my entire line of questioning. What is the difference between 2H/2C conventional and 3H/2C heat pump? In the 3H situation, does one of the sources have to be a heat pump? Why? Can the 3H sources not simply be 3 different calls for heat source regardless of what they are? What am I missing here?
And for those wondering, no I haven't found a single person in my area that even understands what a multi-stage system is, and it's not for lack of trying.
I'm still running the damn wood boiler by going into my basement and manually turning on the furnace fan.
And for those wondering, no I haven't found a single person in my area that even understands what a multi-stage system is, and it's not for lack of trying.
I'm still running the damn wood boiler by going into my basement and manually turning on the furnace fan.
9
Electronics / Highly configurable low volt thermostat
« on: November 03, 2013, 04:48:35 PM »
Hey, Now that I have the OWB installed (was just finished yesterday, man am I stoked, and is my house ever hot! Yay!) I'm going to bump this up and ask this question a bit differently. Sorry if I'm providing too much info, but I don't want to miss anything important.
In the end, the system was done as follows.
Aquastat is the one that came on the Empire deluxe, and I'm fine letting it control the temp of the water in the system. Which the installer set the SP to 180. The circulator pump to the OWB which includes the sidearm on water heater, is on 24/7.
I've kept my existing furnace setup as is (plus the plenum). The furnace is Oil with from what I can gather is a variable speed fan. I think...there are two switches on a on two metal boxes. One turns on a fan at a low speed, the other a high speed fan. The oil furnace is run off a single thermostat with two wires. It turns on the high fan and the oil. The only way I can figure out how to run the low fan is to turn on the switch directly on the furnace.
Ideally what I'd like is ONE (yes, I'm trying really hard to keep this to one thermostat) low voltage thermostat that I can program the temperatures for the following.
Use the pump for the plenum and the low speed fan to keep the temp in the house at 73.
If the temp drops below 64, it kicks on the high fan (still circulating the pump for the plenum).
If the temp drops below 59, the oil kicks in (plenum pump still circulates, and high fan stays running).
If the temp gets above 25 the pump to the plenum stops (or just doesn't run) and the low speed fan turns on. Essentially circulating the air in the house, trying to cool. (I do not have A/C).
I figure with this setup, if the temp outside causes the house to cool so much (unlikely) or if the fire goes out, the oil will take over.
What do you think of this logic? Is there a thermostat that I can program to do this? That can also be programmed for home and away for week and weekend days. Internet connectivity would be a bonus, but by no means necessity. Also, to remove this from the equation of my question, I would have an electrician do the install in terms of converting hi to low voltage and double throw (if I'm getting the terminology right) to control the pump and fan simultaneously.
At the very least, thank you for reading this whole post.
In the end, the system was done as follows.
Aquastat is the one that came on the Empire deluxe, and I'm fine letting it control the temp of the water in the system. Which the installer set the SP to 180. The circulator pump to the OWB which includes the sidearm on water heater, is on 24/7.
I've kept my existing furnace setup as is (plus the plenum). The furnace is Oil with from what I can gather is a variable speed fan. I think...there are two switches on a on two metal boxes. One turns on a fan at a low speed, the other a high speed fan. The oil furnace is run off a single thermostat with two wires. It turns on the high fan and the oil. The only way I can figure out how to run the low fan is to turn on the switch directly on the furnace.
Ideally what I'd like is ONE (yes, I'm trying really hard to keep this to one thermostat) low voltage thermostat that I can program the temperatures for the following.
Use the pump for the plenum and the low speed fan to keep the temp in the house at 73.
If the temp drops below 64, it kicks on the high fan (still circulating the pump for the plenum).
If the temp drops below 59, the oil kicks in (plenum pump still circulates, and high fan stays running).
If the temp gets above 25 the pump to the plenum stops (or just doesn't run) and the low speed fan turns on. Essentially circulating the air in the house, trying to cool. (I do not have A/C).
I figure with this setup, if the temp outside causes the house to cool so much (unlikely) or if the fire goes out, the oil will take over.
What do you think of this logic? Is there a thermostat that I can program to do this? That can also be programmed for home and away for week and weekend days. Internet connectivity would be a bonus, but by no means necessity. Also, to remove this from the equation of my question, I would have an electrician do the install in terms of converting hi to low voltage and double throw (if I'm getting the terminology right) to control the pump and fan simultaneously.
At the very least, thank you for reading this whole post.
10
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: The favorite part you love about your stove?
« on: September 20, 2013, 12:23:11 PM »No. You will just have to let it smoke out the door and wait in the cold til you're able to toss more wood in.
Not the worst thing in the world. If I'm outside, I don't mind the cold. Plus it'll give me a few more minutes away from the wife's nagging.
11
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: The favorite part you love about your stove?
« on: September 20, 2013, 12:07:57 PM »Also some gassers have smoke bypasses when loading because all of there exhaust goes down instead of up, so if u don't have access to open a hole in top when loading, the door becomes the chimney
Sounds similar to my indoor wood stove.
Is the chimney bypass something that can be added to a unit like the Empyre? or is this something people put on their homemade units?
12
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: The favorite part you love about your stove?
« on: September 20, 2013, 11:45:43 AM »
Loving this thread considering I just had $350 of oil delivered to get me to Oct 7 when my OWB is installed.
Someone care to enlighten a newbie. What's a chimney bypass handle and how does it help?
Someone care to enlighten a newbie. What's a chimney bypass handle and how does it help?
13
Electronics / 3 Stage Thermostat Newbie Question
« on: September 18, 2013, 06:50:23 AM »
Sorry, stupid question from a newbie. I'm reading about using a three stage Thermostat to control a OWB and oil forced air furnace. I really want only the one thermostat, and don't want to have to worry about switching to the oil furnace manually if the fire dies or if we go on vacation.
From what I understand, the standard is 1st stage-OWB, 2nd-Heat Pump, 3rd-Oil Furnace. Is the Heat Pump a 3rd heat source (besides the OWB and Oil Furnace) or does this have something to do with controlling the Boiler System itself? The person installing my OWB really only installs the boiler and pipe, rest is up to the electrician who I'm not certain knows a ton about this stuff.
Thank you.
From what I understand, the standard is 1st stage-OWB, 2nd-Heat Pump, 3rd-Oil Furnace. Is the Heat Pump a 3rd heat source (besides the OWB and Oil Furnace) or does this have something to do with controlling the Boiler System itself? The person installing my OWB really only installs the boiler and pipe, rest is up to the electrician who I'm not certain knows a ton about this stuff.
Thank you.
14
Electronics / Re: Remote Wood Boiler Monitoring System
« on: September 18, 2013, 05:38:49 AM »
I know...old post, but curious if anyone is running with the WoodMinder or other similar monitoring system. Any recommendations?
15
Electronics / Electronics/Thermostats
« on: September 17, 2013, 11:18:18 AM »
I want to thank you all again all your advice. Again to remind, I'm the Nova Scotia, Canada guy here that was asking questions about Empyres. I've decided on the Empyre Deluxe 250 and will be getting it installed in the next few weeks or so.
I'm going to ask the dealer about this, but I wanted your opinions as well if you don't mind. I'm wondering if there might be "electronics" upgrades that I could be looking at to improve the efficiency of my system. Such as more intelligent thermostats, controllers, etc. I've heard of units that monitor outdoor temperature, barometric pressure, etc., and adjust temp ahead of expected temperature drops or rises. Considering the cost of getting this system installed, I feel like this might be the time to spend a bit more on things if they help tweak my heating system. Thanks for any suggestions.
Scott
I'm going to ask the dealer about this, but I wanted your opinions as well if you don't mind. I'm wondering if there might be "electronics" upgrades that I could be looking at to improve the efficiency of my system. Such as more intelligent thermostats, controllers, etc. I've heard of units that monitor outdoor temperature, barometric pressure, etc., and adjust temp ahead of expected temperature drops or rises. Considering the cost of getting this system installed, I feel like this might be the time to spend a bit more on things if they help tweak my heating system. Thanks for any suggestions.
Scott
Pages: [1] 2