Insteon Thermostats & creating heating zones

[alexmanning]

Hi,

 

I've set my boiler to run using an insteon wired thermostat and I'm now ready to create a separate heating zone using a wireless insteon thermostat. The zones will eventually work using solenoid valves on each radiator that will be controlled by the thermostat located in each room.

 

The question I have is how do I setup the wireless thermostat to activate the boiler?

 

I had assumed that there would be a way of controlling the wired thermostat to activate the boiler based on a signal from the wireless one but setting up a scene with the wired thermostat as a responder and the wireless thermostat heat control as a controller doesn't seem to work.

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks,

Alex

[gatchel]

The cleanest way would be a zone controller like a Taco ZVC-404 of similar. You would wire the thermostats in to the zone controller, they would wire to your zone valve(s) and the ZVC would also have an output (dry contact) that would control your boiler/circulator.

 

You have to investigate a few things:

 

Do the Insteon thermostats require power from the thermostat 24vac wiring or are they powered separately. If the require power, I would suggest testing this first with a small group of devices before going crazy. They might not work or my require additional help to get parasitic power to the thermostats.

 

Can you get wires from the thermostat and the zone valves to a central location. Usually these zone controllers are located in the boiler room.

 

You also may be able to wire it the "old fashioned" way using the same zone valves and a 24vac transformer per 3 zone valves/thermostats (Assuming Taco Zone valves). This was would be a bit more cumbersome and less clean looking. See the wiring note on page 3 of this document:

 

http://www.houseneeds.com/upload/pdf/ta ... iescat.pdf

 

This document has several wiring examples. Most of the ZVC and zone valve controls begin on page 29.

 

http://www.taco-hvac.com/uploads/FileLi ... 00-9.0.pdf

[MaddBomber83]

I had assumed that there would be a way of controlling the wired thermostat to activate the boiler based on a signal from the wireless one but setting up a scene with the wired thermostat as a responder and the wireless thermostat heat control as a controller doesn't seem to work.

 

Alex

 

So I do this with my current TStat. The way I program it is to manipulate the set point of the TStat to the correct value to turn it on and off based on the demand of a zone.

 

Example:

Zone 1 is calling for Cooling

TStat Temp is 75

Lower the cooling SP to 74

 

Zone 1 is done cooling

TStat Temp is returned to default.

 

 

There is a catch though, you can't read/write variables directly to the TStat. Instead you have to have a bunch of programs to set the variables up correctly.

 

UD is working on an update that expands the ability to manipulate variables from the TStat. I would wait for that update to be released and see how it does for you. Otherwise go ahead and ask questions about the series of programs needed. My post history will have several examples.

[MaddBomber83]

I actually just had a thought for your purposes.

 

 

If Zone 1 is < Heating SP

Then

- Set $Zone1_Demand to 1

- Set Solenoid 1 to On

Else

- Set $Zone1_Demand to 0

- Wait 5 Minutes Then Set Solenoid 1 to Off

 

If Zone 1 is 1 or Zone 2 is 1 or Zone 3 is 1

Then

- Set Boiler Temperature High (something that will turn it on, but not be unsafe)

Else

- Wait 5 Minutes

- Set Boiler Temperature Normal