M55 Tstat operation - did I switch the wires????

[imacman]

I know but take a look at Nailer's picture in this thread:

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/91701/

That's the set up I have on mine, only I bypassed that outside connection, disconnected the wires from the terminal and connected the Tstat wire directly to the terminal.

Yeah, shouldn't matter....it should work in either place.

 

[whlago]

You can rule out the t-stat as the problem by simply taking the red & white off the t-stat and short them together to complete the circuit. This will act as if the t-stat is calling for heat. If it still doesn't work than the problem is at the stove.

I'll try that tomorrow. Do you recall the tiny switches on the Tstat circuit board? I kept all of those in the down position. The 1st switch (System) is the one I wonder if I should have put it in the up position. The up position was supposed to be for heat pumps and the down was for furnaces and such. Any thoughts on that?

 

[1Dtml]

You can rule out the t-stat as the problem by simply taking the red & white off the t-stat and short them together to complete the circuit. This will act as if the t-stat is calling for heat. If it still doesn't work than the problem is at the stove.

I'll try that tomorrow. Do you recall the tiny switches on the Tstat circuit board? I kept all of those in the down position. The 1st switch (System) is the one I wonder if I should have put it in the up position. The up position was supposed to be for heat pumps and the down was for furnaces and such. Any thoughts on that?

The dipper switches on my t-stat are different than yours or so it appears.
But by using the wires you can fully test where to look for the problem. Short them together and the stove should run as if the t-stat is calling on High, and when you take them apart the stove should drop down to low (this assumes that you are set to high/low on the control board). The stove may not react instantly, so give it a minute to respond to you connecting and disconnecting the two wires.
If the the stove works during this process (going from high to low), than the problem is somewhere in the t-stat.
If the stove doesn't work during this process than the problem is at the stove.

 

[nailed_nailer]

My Lux TX500U is set to 69 degrees in heat mode.
Date and time are set correctly.

2 thermostat wires from stove are connected to W1 and RH. There is also a jumper between RH-RC.

Thermostat Dip switch settings are all down (off) except #3 up (on)

Stove is in High/Low mode.

Heat level is set to 4

Trim setting are 3-3 right now.

When thermostat calls for heat the stove ramps up to heat level 4 until Thermostat is satisfied.
Then ramps down to low level (1) until called again.

Hope that helps.
---Nailer---

 

[1Dtml]

I'm hoping you got it running correctly???

1D

 

[whlago]

I'm hoping you got it running correctly???

1D

Not yet...away all day at work yesterday and went to the local high school basketball semi-finals last night...busy busy busy! I am running the stove with the thermostat off as I have been all winter. Not bad because I just keep it on low all day when not home and at night and adjust when home and awake. The real goal is to have this tstat up and running as the weather warms up a little bit.

Having said that I am still perplexed.

Looking at Nailers pic above it appears I have the switches in the correct position. It is currently wired correctly except I don't have the jumper in from RH to RC. I don't think it matters but I will put this back in. I wonder if when I originally wired it wrong (white wire to C) if it caused a short or something. I will try closing the circuit to see if it works that way but I am also thinking of taking the batteries out and starting fresh with the program to see if that does anything.

Thanks for your help and I will keep you posted. I'll try this when I get home tonight.

 

[nailed_nailer]

Remember your heat level must be set to something higher than level 1 for the thermostat to kick it up.

The thermostat is just a switch. It won't control the stove.
All it does is turn it on/off or up/down.

I leave my heat level on #4 and let the thermostat alternate between barely running (1) and heat on (4).

Good Luck,

Also,
I seem to remember something about cycling power to the stove after switching to hi/low mode.
Was 3 months ago so memory is a bit foggy. Check the manual.

---Nailer---

 

[whlago]

Remember your heat level must be set to something higher than level 1 for the thermostat to kick it up.

The thermostat is just a switch. It won't control the stove.
All it does is turn it on/off or up/down.

I leave my heat level on #4 and let the thermostat alternate between barely running (1) and heat on (4).

Good Luck,

Also,
I seem to remember something about cycling power to the stove after switching to hi/low mode.
Was 3 months ago so memory is a bit foggy. Check the manual.

---Nailer---

Regarding Heat Level, understood. I have been using heat level 3 as the high.
Regarding cycling power to the stove after switching to hi/low mode. Not sure what you mean here but I read it that I would need to switch to hi/low on the stove and then turn the thermostat on and, if I didn't do it in this order I would need to turn off the thermostat or re-set the thermostat in order to have the system work correctly? If this is correct than this could mean problem solved.

 

[nailed_nailer]

Think of the thermostat as a fancy switch. All it does is connect the 2 wires (closed circuit) when it senses temperature lower than what you set for it.
When the room air is warm enough it opens the circuit (separates the two wires).

The stove couldn't care less what the thermostat settings are. All it knows (when in Hi/lo or on/off) is if the circuit is open (cool off) or closed (warm up).

In manual mode it doesn't look at the thermostat connection at all.

I assume the thermostat is in different area than the stove and hooked up.

Start your stove in manual like normal. Let run about 1/2 hour to settle out.
Set heat level on stove to 4
Set your thermostat to come on at 80 degrees. Push up button until 80 then hit hold
Cycle stove power off
Switch stove mode switch to Hi/low.
Cycle stove power on. (Don't remember if this is necessary but can't hurt)

Stove should kick on to level 4 until thermostat is satisfied with 80 degree temp.
Once 80 degrees is hit stove should ramp down to level 1 until thermostat calls for heat again.
It should continue to cycle as thermostat calls for heat.

On/off mode works same way except it uses a timer on cool cycle and if 1/2 hour goes by with no need for heat it begins cool down cycle and then shuts off.
Once heat is called for it begins start up cycle and runs until thermostat is satisfied.

You can check thermostat with a continuity tester. Connect test leads to W1 and RH on thermostat (with stove disconnected).
Connections should close(short) when heat is called for.

Hope that helps.
---Nailer---

 

[whlago]

Not to be a PITA Nailer, but when you say cycle the stove power off, you do mean wait until the cool-down is complete, correct?
Thanks for your help!
Still at work for a little while and dreading the hour drive home before I can try this!

 

[nailed_nailer]

No need to let it cycle down.

Just hit the button to shut it off then hit it again to turn it back on.

---Nailer---

 

[JHASS]

Nailer the stove doesn't have to cycle off between manual or high/low. If it is started
in manual you can just switch it to either high/low or on/off. If the thermo is working
it will either stay at the high setting (calling for heat) or drop to low (thermo satisfied).
With mine I have switched between all the settings with out any problems.

 

[nailed_nailer]

Thanks for clarifying that.

I wasn't sure. I do it and it works
Didn't mess with what was working for me.

Thanks again,
---Nailer---

 

[whlago]

ok:
So I did the following checks:
I checked the thermostat operation by touching the wires together that were plugged in to the thermostat (closed the circuit by taking out the W1 wire and touching to the RH lead with the wire connected)

I had spliced the wires so I used a continuity tester (light bulb with leads) to check the wires from the stove at the splice (nothing)

Used the same continuity tester to check the terminal at the stove where the thermostat wires are connected and still didn't work.

I am thinking that the continuity tester I am using (the kind you stick the leads into wall plugs and the light bulb lights) will not work with the low voltage at the leads for the thermostat? I did check the tester on a wall plug and the light bulb works.

Could it be the leads on the stove control panel are bad?

I know I don't have a voltage tester but the only place I'm going in the snow is to the local ski hill to join my kid or pick him up. If I need one I'll continue this another day. Any thoughts?

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Do you have a multi meter that has a ohms scale on it?

 

[whlago]

No I know an essential item. I will get one. Do you think the voltage is too low for this tester I do have?

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

No I know an essential item. I will get one. Do you think the voltage is too low for this tester I do have?

If you are using one of those 120 volt stick it in jobs yes way too low.

 

[whlago]

Figured....well it can wait I'm pretty much hunkered down now. Maybe when they plow the roads I'll venture out. I've done without a thermostat all season I can wait a little longer.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

You should be able to rule out the t-stat and wiring fairly easy even without a meter.

First disconnect the wiring from the stove (off and cold please).

Insert a jumper where the wires were. Put the stove in hi/low mode turn the stove on. When the control allows it raise the heat setting to the setting you want as the high setting. It should start, exit start up, and run at the high setting.

Then with side cutters cut through the jumper wire the stove should go to low heat (note the lights on the controller rarely change when this happens).

You can test the t-stat wire by using that in place of the jumper and twisting the ends together that would go into the t-stat.

Note: Is is important that you set the stove to what you want as the high setting and leave it there.

 

[tjnamtiw]

You never did say what happened when you took the two wires off of the thermostat and connected them together. Don't just touch them together but actually twist them or wire nut them together. Does the stove go to HI?
I discovered on my thermostat this fall that, although the batteries were strong enough to power the programming and display, they didn't have the juice to close the relay calling for heat. You aren't using rechargeable batteries, are you? Those are only 1.25 volts each and not 1.5. Try fresh batteries. It could be something that simple.

 

[whlago]

You never did say what happened when you took the two wires off of the thermostat and connected them together. Don't just touch them together but actually twist them or wire nut them together. Does the stove go to HI?
I discovered on my thermostat this fall that, although the batteries were strong enough to power the programming and display, they didn't have the juice to close the relay calling for heat. You aren't using rechargeable batteries, are you? Those are only 1.25 volts each and not 1.5. Try fresh batteries. It could be something that simple.

I didn't take both wires off the thermostat..only the W1 wire and touched it to the terminal of the RH wire while the other wire was connected to the terminal. The batteries are brand new duracel AA (not rechargeable).

 

[tjnamtiw]

You never did say what happened when you took the two wires off of the thermostat and connected them together. Don't just touch them together but actually twist them or wire nut them together. Does the stove go to HI?
I discovered on my thermostat this fall that, although the batteries were strong enough to power the programming and display, they didn't have the juice to close the relay calling for heat. You aren't using rechargeable batteries, are you? Those are only 1.25 volts each and not 1.5. Try fresh batteries. It could be something that simple.

I didn't take both wires off the thermostat..only the W1 wire and touched it to the terminal of the RH wire while the other wire was connected to the terminal. The batteries are brand new duracel AA (not rechargeable).

Gotta rule out the obvious too. When you touched the W1 to the RH, what did the stove do? Go to HI or just sit there on LOW?

 

[whlago]

just sat there on low. I just did almost what Smokey mentioned but a little different. I have a short piece of wire about 2 feet from the stove that was spliced because, well, I guess I misjudged the distance. Anyway I had the two wires coming off the stove about two feet from the stove. I put the stove on high while in manual with the two wires twisted together. Immediately when I switched to high/low the stove goes to low, even without untwisting the wires. Doesn't this signify an issue at the stove?

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

just sat there on low. I just did almost what Smokey mentioned but a little different. I have a short piece of wire about 2 feet from the stove that was spliced because, well, I guess I misjudged the distance. Anyway I had the two wires coming off the stove about two feet from the stove. I put the stove on high while in manual with the two wires twisted together. Immediately when I switched to high/low the stove goes to low, even without untwisting the wires. Doesn't this signify an issue at the stove?

Get your dealer out there. It should stay on high.

 

[tjnamtiw]

Yep, definitely NOT the thermostat.