Simple Circ Pump Controller ?

Get a Taco zone control with a priority setting switch. When it's on that zone will run till satisfied first then the other zone can come on. They're mostly used for an indirect water heater.

One way to do this would be with a simple 120 volt AC coil relay.

Tie the relay's coil to the power to the circulator that you want to have priority, and then use the relay's "normally closed" contacts to interrupt the AC line to the 'non-priority' circulator.

When the priority circ is energized, it'll interrupt power to the other; when the priority circ. is not energized, then the other will be free to run.

You can find relays, and the sockets they mount to at Grainger. You can add it inside of your controller and pickup the circulator lines there. If you pumps are distributed then you can use cables (I like to use extension cord as the line cord cable) to bring the power to the pumps.

Bricks said:

Thanks pybyr.......... That sounds exactly what I was looking for something simple. Just to ask a dumb question could the same thing be done with a 24 volt relay using the thermostats....just wondering

Click to expand...

Yes it could. Relays come in just about any voltage configuration you can imagine. They are really just an on/off switch that gets thrown by a coil being charged. I have several inexpensive (couple $) relays in my system that take the place of expensive heating controls. Nofo is the one that turned me on to using them. I am still in the process of copying material over to my new site, but you can see some examples on my old site woodnotoil.googlepages.com .

I use several of these in my system , they can be powered by 24 vac or 120v .
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/5LE35

Bricks said:

Is there a simple way to control two pumps where I can give priority to one pump? What I am trying to do is when my in slab pump kicks on it really sucks the BTU`s. If my pump for the shop kicks on the water is not hot enough to kick on the fan on the water to air heat exchanger ( even thou it`s piped into my input loop before the in floor pump ) . So both pumps run until the floor is satisfied. I would like to prioritize one pump.

Thanks

Click to expand...

I am glad you asked this question Bricks, I am a week away from choosing pumps and controllers so the comments to you are perfect for me also!

Digikey has a ton of these, but you have to know what you are looking for to narrow down the search. Another alternative is the link below:
http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/category/500/Relays/1.html

Basically the coil will have one rating and the actual current you are switching will have another. So you could get one rated for 24vac for the coil and 120vac for the actual current passing through to control a pump with a thermostat. Or, tohave pumps not run at the same time you would need 120vac for both the coil and the pass through so that the pump with higher priority basically turns the other pump off by charging the coil (flipping the switch).

Also, you must consider the amps that will be drawn and factor in that the amps spike when a device comes on. In other words over estimate the amps you need.

I hope that helps...

My caution would be to be careful about the horse power rating of the contacts, they can be quiet low in a relay. Try to purchase one that the rating is twice your application. Something like 16 amp and 1 hp would be nice. Some are double pole so you could wire both side and use twice as many contacts; the result would be doubling the capacity.

They are not very expensive so purchase two.

sgschwend said:

You can find relays, and the sockets they mount to at Grainger. You can add it inside of your controller and pickup the circulator lines there. If you pumps are distributed then you can use cables (I like to use extension cord as the line cord cable) to bring the power to the pumps.

Click to expand...

Not to be disagreeable (and I've also used extension cord wire at least on a "for now" basis for my own install (and for now may last a while...)) but, as an FYI, most codes and general good practice specify use of "MC" metal sheathed cable, or some form of conduit, in any location where the wire is not either up by the ceiling or framed into something.

Pybyr glad to see your input.
As to wiring I think you will find this hold true for living space but not utility space. A good example is utility areas have open stud bays but Romex style cables are still allowed. Certainly commercial wiring would be in a conduit of some sort, those methods would always be a good choice for residential.

My rule of thumb is if an appliance is provided with a line cord than a line cord is OK, such as light fixtures, tools, even hydronic circulator pumps come that way.


Taken from an internet source, CEC is Canadian EC, NEC National EC. This author points out the tables are very large and only a small selection is provided. NM is the tech term for Romex, AC is the term for armor cable (Bx). Note the exposed/concealed dry both CEC and NEC allows Romex (I would take it as wiring in open stud bays with Romex is OK). The practice is to have a box close to the appliance and then a cable from the box to the appliance. I do like using line cords, it gives me installation testing flexibility. In a Bx application I would install a box that has a disconnect in it, that is much safer than hard wire to the sub panel (and very likely required for most installs, based on distance and line of sight to the breaker).

Wire selection table (incomplete - the real tables are enormous, uncommon wire types or applications omitted)

Condition Type CEC NEC

Exposed/Concealed dry plastic NMD90 NM
armor AC90 AC
TECK90

Exposed/Concealed damp plastic NMD90 NMC
armor ACWU90
TECK90

Exposed/Concealed wet plastic NMWU90
armor ACWU90
TECK90

Exposed to weather plastic NMWU
TW etc.
armor TECK90


Thought you might enjoy this statement by Michael Logan:

Approximately 90 percent of the homes in the United States are wired using nonmetallic (NM), sheathed cable, known and referred to by the trade name Romex. Sheathed cable is convenient and easy to run. Conduit, however, is required for all residential and commercial wiring in certain areas of the country, making home wiring more expensive and more difficult for the average homeowner.

Hi Steve-- I actually agree with you that Romex (standard vinyl jacketed household wiring) is fine if it's stapled to open stud bays, or even strapping fastened to a wall or other support, and that it's OK to have short runs of flexible cable; I've just seen some nightmarish situations in buildings where there's drooping unsupported Romex to devices like water heaters, circulators, or other heating equipment, such that it's vulnerable to being bumped, etc., which can lead to direct damage, or strain at the points at which it connects to boxes or devices. My prior post was meant mostly to point out that runs of extension-cord type wire over any substantial distance isn't a great idea (and although I know you were not saying that it was, a DIY-er new to wiring might not know that); I was in a bit of a hurry and so may have been more blunt than I intended.

Yes it is always challenging to envision a solution without seeing the setup first hand. Sounds like we are on the same page. You always have interesting posts, that is the way I took it. You were correct in trying to make everything clear.

The line cord technique I was proposing is used for that short connection to the electrical wall box. It is meant for those cases where the device would work well with a power cord. Not like a hot water heater but a small device such as a pump.

The Bx is a mechanical protection solution, as is the stud wall for the Romex. Mechanical protection is necessary in areas that accidents are possible, such as in a garage, or shop. I am sure some will say armored connections are always necessary, but that would not be me.


I thought it was kinda funny to see the fella mentioned that some states required the residential wiring to use conduit. Talk about monopolies.