Outdoor reset working?

[homeowner12345]

I have a suspicion that the Outdoor Reset sensor/programming on my recently installed Peerless Pinnacle is not working correctly (or at all). How can I tell for certain?

The device appears to be wired correctly, and the Pinnacle manual says that, "When this sensor is installed the control will automatically recognize it and begin outdoor reset operation."

However, as an example, the outdoor temperature (according to the Weather Channel) is currently 21 deg F in my area; accessing the Pinnacle's control module, the sensor indicates 32 deg F. Okay, I'll consider that a possibility (brick house retains heat, sensor on North side) ...

According to the manual, "When the outdoor temperature is above the outdoor design temperature and below the mild weather outdoor reference temperature, the boiler target temperature will vary according to a straight line between the design point and the mild weather reference point. For example, if the outdoor temperature is at 32ºF the boiler target temperature
will be 144ºF."

The Outdoor Design Temperature is set at 5 deg F, Mild Weather Outdoor Reference Temp is at 68 deg F.

Even so, when the boiler recently came on to satisfy Zone 2 demand for heat, the boiler rapidly ramped up to 180 deg F (factory default Boiler Supply Design Temperature *and* Supply Set Point Temperature). Should it not have maxed out at 144? Or, am I totally misunderstanding the principles involved here?

[beenthere]

Doesn't sound like its working.


Call the contractor to come back and check/repair it.

[homeowner12345]

Doesn't sound like its working.


Call the contractor to come back and check/repair it.


As a matter of fact, it is wired incorrectly. I, with my engineering but non-HVAC background, can easily see this. :(

There is a Taco SR503 zone control; zone 1 powers the indirect hot water tank circulator, zone 2 is 1st floor heat, zone 3 is 2nd floor. The thermostats (hot water tank has a thermostat (name?) of it's own) are connected accordingly.

The X1 and X2 wires from the SR503 *should* (in my opinion) be connected to the "thermostat" terminals in the Pinnacle boiler; the installer actually connected them to the DHW Sensor input instead. The way this functions then, is *any* call for heat or hot water by the zone controller is seen by the boiler as a call for domestic hot water and, nearly as I can tell, when the boiler is satisfying DHW demand, it works in Set Point mode, not in Outdoor Reset mode.

It is clear to me that the first order of business is to connect the X1/X2 terminals of the SR503 to the "thermostat" terminals of the boiler. Doing so will solve the problem in regards to heat but will create a new problem in regards to DHW - the boiler won't come on at all for DHW once the outdoor temp gets up to 68 deg F, for one thing. And the boiler will always operate in Outdoor Reset mode, even when the call is for DHW.

So, the second order of business as near as I can tell would be to remove the DHW control from the SR503 entirely and use the Pinnacle's built-in DHW control instead. That is, connect the water tank's thermostat to the boiler's DHW sensor input and connect the DHW circulator's power to the associated terminals on the boiler's control.

I know - not a DIY forum - but would you agree with what I am saying above? I don't want to sound like an idiot when I call the installer to demand that he come out and correct this problem.

[beenthere]

You got it.

[Corpsie]

Sounds like you should also request a once-over of the entire install from the installation company BUT with a different technician doing it.