Heat Pumps and Electric Heating - Thermostat Dying?
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wingspar
10-20-06, 11:09 AM
Around 1990, give or take a year, I finally got tired of dealing with firewood, and had a Lennox central heating system installed. (Electric). It was set up to be heat pump ready, but I never installed a heat pump.
For some time now, the mercury controlled thermostat that was installed with the heater will not turn the heater on, and I have to go to the thermostat, and manually turn the fan on for a few seconds, then off at least 3 times before the heater will kick in. I am having to do this several times a day now, then again, some days it will work fine. I called an electrician about having it replaced, and he told me that replacing these is a very simple home owner project. He made it sound simple, so I took the thermostat off the wall to see what the wiring looked like, and saw a nightmare of microscopic size wires going all over the place, and a bunch of wires not used. (See attached photo). So I elected to do nothing. Now, the thermostat is really becoming unreliable.
I don’t think there is anyone in this town who is interested in doing a small job like this, so if I want it done, it looks like I’ll have to do it. I really have no interest in computer controlled, programable units, unless I can turn all programming off. I prefer to be in control of when the heat goes on, and not rely on a computer chip to do it for me. What are my options? What name brands are reliable?
Bellow is a link to a photo of the back of my existing thermostat. Looking at the photo, what are those yellow, brown, black, and orange wires that are not currently being used for?
http://i.pbase.com/o5/64/209564/1/68874624.voWwRFNP.thermostat01_6867.jpg
For some time now, the mercury controlled thermostat that was installed with the heater will not turn the heater on, and I have to go to the thermostat, and manually turn the fan on for a few seconds, then off at least 3 times before the heater will kick in. I am having to do this several times a day now, then again, some days it will work fine. I called an electrician about having it replaced, and he told me that replacing these is a very simple home owner project. He made it sound simple, so I took the thermostat off the wall to see what the wiring looked like, and saw a nightmare of microscopic size wires going all over the place, and a bunch of wires not used. (See attached photo). So I elected to do nothing. Now, the thermostat is really becoming unreliable.
I don’t think there is anyone in this town who is interested in doing a small job like this, so if I want it done, it looks like I’ll have to do it. I really have no interest in computer controlled, programable units, unless I can turn all programming off. I prefer to be in control of when the heat goes on, and not rely on a computer chip to do it for me. What are my options? What name brands are reliable?
Bellow is a link to a photo of the back of my existing thermostat. Looking at the photo, what are those yellow, brown, black, and orange wires that are not currently being used for?
http://i.pbase.com/o5/64/209564/1/68874624.voWwRFNP.thermostat01_6867.jpg
Ed Imeduc
10-20-06, 11:34 AM
That picture dont tell us anything. Need the face where the wries tie into.
Lennox central heating system installed. (Electric). It was set up to be heat pump ready, but I never installed a heat pump.
Now any of the cheap tstat will work here for you with out the heatpump. look on the inside of the furnace there will be a wire schematic there . That will show you how to wire it in. All you should have or need there is. R for power and W for heat if you have G that is the fan.
Now also from what you have said it could be down in a relay or a sequencer that is down in the furnace. That is not working right. That is what I would start to look at when it dont come on and the tstat calls for heat.
You will need all of the wires if you ever go to a heatpump.
ED ;)
Lennox central heating system installed. (Electric). It was set up to be heat pump ready, but I never installed a heat pump.
Now any of the cheap tstat will work here for you with out the heatpump. look on the inside of the furnace there will be a wire schematic there . That will show you how to wire it in. All you should have or need there is. R for power and W for heat if you have G that is the fan.
Now also from what you have said it could be down in a relay or a sequencer that is down in the furnace. That is not working right. That is what I would start to look at when it dont come on and the tstat calls for heat.
You will need all of the wires if you ever go to a heatpump.
ED ;)
wingspar
10-20-06, 12:48 PM
Thanks for the speedy reply. I just took the thermostat off the wall, and took another look and a couple more photos. Your explanation about the wires, and what I just saw clear up the whole mess on the wires for me. I took that last photo last December, and just didn’t look past where I took that photo.
I just took a couple more photos that should clear things up completely. The first of the two is probably what you were referring to.
http://i.pbase.com/o5/64/209564/1/68877925.dxyAYSm4.thermostat03_7921.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o5/64/209564/1/68877924.hyTs8IEY.thermostat02_7917.jpg
As for the relay or a sequencer that is down in the furnace, how would one go about testing for that? Sounds like something for someone who knows what they are doing. I don’t see any wiring diagram on the furnace, not that I could read it.
I just took a couple more photos that should clear things up completely. The first of the two is probably what you were referring to.
http://i.pbase.com/o5/64/209564/1/68877925.dxyAYSm4.thermostat03_7921.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o5/64/209564/1/68877924.hyTs8IEY.thermostat02_7917.jpg
As for the relay or a sequencer that is down in the furnace, how would one go about testing for that? Sounds like something for someone who knows what they are doing. I don’t see any wiring diagram on the furnace, not that I could read it.
Ed Imeduc
10-20-06, 01:42 PM
Ok out of the box here. I think its down in the furnace not the tstat. When heat dont come on you play with the fan and it starts and stops . When it does it jars the furnace some and this in turn could make a sequencer work.. With the tstat calling for heat you have to find out what dont turn on in the furnace. You need a meter
look on the inside of the furnace there will be a wire schematic there . That will show you how to wire it in.
can be on the blower door also.
ED ;)
look on the inside of the furnace there will be a wire schematic there . That will show you how to wire it in.
can be on the blower door also.
ED ;)
wingspar
10-20-06, 09:57 PM
Thanks for your help. I’ll look around and inside the furnace this weekend. Time to change the filter anyway. I always wondered about the thermostat, since turning the fan on and off eventually gets the heater to work. If I have more questions after poking around the heater, I’ll post back, but it sounds like I need to get someone over here to look at it.