Home Page link

Need advice on wiring new thermostat

Home Repair - - If it ain't broken, don't fix it. Otherwise look here. 

Page 1 of 2       1 2 > last >> Bookmark this page:  YahooMyWeb Yahoo!  Google Google  Windows Live Favorites Windows Live  del.icio.us del.icio.us  digg digg  Add to Netscape Netscape
Subject Author Date
Need advice on wiring new thermostat Rob 11-29-2006
If you were  Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options
Posted by Rob on November 29, 2006, 1:48 pm


I recently bought a new digital Honeywell line-voltage thermostat to
replace my current one. The thermostat controls one 240V wall heater.
I'm having some trouble because the wiring is different on the new one
compared to the old one (and Honeywell doesn't provide directions).

This is my current thermostat and wiring:

http://www.uploaddress.com//files/855/current1.jpg
http://www.uploaddress.com//files/855/current2.jpg

Although the photo doesn't show it, the red wire from the thermostat
is wire-nutted to two black wires, the black wire from the thermostat
is connected to another single black wire.

Okay, so here is my new thermostat:

http://www.uploaddress.com//files/855/new.jpg

Can someone give me some advice on how to properly hook this up?


Radiant Heat 468x60
Posted by Chris Friesen on November 29, 2006, 2:49 pm


Rob wrote:
> This is my current thermostat and wiring:
>
> http://www.uploaddress.com//files/855/current1.jpg
> http://www.uploaddress.com//files/855/current2.jpg
>
> Although the photo doesn't show it, the red wire from the thermostat
> is wire-nutted to two black wires, the black wire from the thermostat
> is connected to another single black wire.
>
> Okay, so here is my new thermostat:
>
> http://www.uploaddress.com//files/855/new.jpg
>
> Can someone give me some advice on how to properly hook this up?

Looks like the new one is a LineVoltPro. You can find the specific
model here, then they have links to the installation instructions.

http://www.iaqsource.com/index.php?module=products&prod_cat=233

Likely your existing stat is only switching one phase, while the new
stat switches both phases.

You need to bring both conductors from the wall heater back to the stat
to wire it up the way they show.


Warning...the following makes sense electrically, but I'm not sure if it
is acceptable to code. I'd appreciate it if someone else could verify.

Unless the thermostat does something "intelligent" to monitor load, you
should be able to treat the new thermostat as a single pole switch, same
as your old one. This would switch only one side of your heater,
leaving the other hot all the time.

Take the single black wire connected to the black thermostat wire, and
hook it up to the inner black wire. Insulate the end of the outer black
wire--this will be live when the heat is on.

Split the two black wires hooked to the old red wire, connect the one
going to the heater with the outer red wire, and the one going to the
supply to the inner red wire.

Chris

Posted by Rob on November 29, 2006, 2:58 pm


On Wed, 29 Nov 2006 13:49:21 -0600, Chris Friesen


I'll try this. I forgot to mention there's also 3 white wires 'nutted
together in the back of the box as well. Don't know if that makes a
difference.

>Warning...the following makes sense electrically, but I'm not sure if it
>is acceptable to code. I'd appreciate it if someone else could verify.
>
>Unless the thermostat does something "intelligent" to monitor load, you
>should be able to treat the new thermostat as a single pole switch, same
>as your old one. This would switch only one side of your heater,
>leaving the other hot all the time.
>
>Take the single black wire connected to the black thermostat wire, and
>hook it up to the inner black wire. Insulate the end of the outer black
>wire--this will be live when the heat is on.
>
>Split the two black wires hooked to the old red wire, connect the one
>going to the heater with the outer red wire, and the one going to the
>supply to the inner red wire.
>
>Chris


Posted by Rob on November 29, 2006, 4:39 pm






On Wed, 29 Nov 2006 13:49:21 -0600, Chris Friesen

Hmm. I wired it up exactly as you described. Thermostat powers up
normally and runs through self test. I set the temperature, and I
heard it "click" and the display shows it's turning the heater on,
however, the heater never comes on. Any idea on what I could be doing
wrong?



>Warning...the following makes sense electrically, but I'm not sure if it
>is acceptable to code. I'd appreciate it if someone else could verify.
>
>Unless the thermostat does something "intelligent" to monitor load, you
>should be able to treat the new thermostat as a single pole switch, same
>as your old one. This would switch only one side of your heater,
>leaving the other hot all the time.
>
>Take the single black wire connected to the black thermostat wire, and
>hook it up to the inner black wire. Insulate the end of the outer black
>wire--this will be live when the heat is on.
>
>Split the two black wires hooked to the old red wire, connect the one
>going to the heater with the outer red wire, and the one going to the
>supply to the inner red wire.
>
>Chris


Posted by Chris Friesen on November 29, 2006, 5:27 pm


Rob wrote:

> On Wed, 29 Nov 2006 13:49:21 -0600, Chris Friesen
>
> Hmm. I wired it up exactly as you described. Thermostat powers up
> normally and runs through self test. I set the temperature, and I
> heard it "click" and the display shows it's turning the heater on,
> however, the heater never comes on. Any idea on what I could be doing
> wrong?

Hmm...I'm thinking I misunderstood the old one. I forgot it had only
two wires. I'm sorry, I gave you bad advice.

You should probably rewire the old one back in before continuing--the
two blacks hooked to the two red leads get nutted together with the old
red lead, and the other black gets nutted with the remaining black wire.

The two black wires that were nutted together with the red before should
stay nutted together. These are likely one leg of the supply (but we
can't be 100% certain without checking).

The black wire that was nutted to the black thermostat wire before is
likely one leg of the wall heater, but again, we can't be 100% certain
without checking.

The white wires may supply the other leg of the circuit to the wall
heater, although ideally if they're hot they should be taped to identify
them as such.

If you have a voltmeter, check the voltage between the black wires (that
were nutted with the red before) and the white wires. If this is 240V
then you know that the black wires are one side of your supply, and the
white is the other.

If this is the case, then you can nut the black inner lead to the two
black wires, and the black outer lead to the remaining black wire. Then
nut the inner red to the three white wires and see if that works.

If you can identify that one of the three white wires goes to the
heater, then you could pull it out and nut it to the outer red lead,
leaving the inner red lead nutted to the remaining two white wires.

Chris

Page 1 of 2       1 2 > last >>
Similar ThreadsPosted
Thermostat Upgrade Advice February 19, 2006, 2:25 pm
Wiring Thermostat November 12, 2005, 7:08 pm
Re: Thermostat Wiring July 12, 2005, 11:03 pm
ThermoStat / Diverter T zoning advice requetsted November 24, 2007, 12:15 pm
Conduit for thermostat wiring? August 5, 2005, 8:37 am
Heat Pump Thermostat Wiring May 12, 2008, 11:58 am
Installation of Honeywell RTH8500 thermostat - Wiring July 20, 2007, 1:30 pm
wiring information on Altai th-9520 programmable thermostat September 26, 2005, 3:53 pm
wiring advice June 3, 2007, 9:25 pm
Mixing thermostat and power wiring in same conduit whip (from disconnect to Heat Pump unit) February 24, 2007, 10:06 am

Contact Us | Privacy Policy

XML SitemapXML Sitemap