Fire Place Help

[lurlette]

I did some reading on this fire place set up with a I/O Linc # 2450 question is ; I have a INSTA-FLAME Fire place, its got a flame that's always on (a very small weak flame) and a toggle switch on the wall,when its switched on the fire place is lit up,when the switch is switched off,the fireplace goes off,only the small flame stays on,can I install the I/o linc inbetween the switch and the fire place, I did read the other posts and they are confusing to me,where do I wire the switch to? and where do I connect the wires from the fireplace to?

 

 

do I cut the two wires that's comming from the fire place and connect them to the I/O Linc 2450 -Like this--com and 5V and from the switch to GND AND NC. Thanks for all your help. 

[G W]

I did some reading on this fire place set up with a I/O Linc # 2450 question is ; I have a INSTA-FLAME Fire place, its got a flame that's always on (a very small weak flame) and a toggle switch on the wall,when its switched on the fire place is lit up,when the switch is switched off,the fireplace goes off,only the small flame stays on,can I install the I/o linc inbetween the switch and the fire place, I did read the other posts and they are confusing to me,where do I wire the switch to? and where do I connect the wires from the fireplace to?

 

 

do I cut the two wires that's comming from the fire place and connect them to the I/O Linc 2450 -Like this--com and 5V and from the switch to GND AND NC. Thanks for all your help.

That's exactly what I did.

[lurlette]

Thanks for your very fast reply, however,thats what I saw in other posts,so I just want to be sure before I mess things up,seeing from your pict. 5V AND GND Can be connected to  terminal on the Fireplace,My fire place has a terminal block that has from top: TH, P, TPTH,  AND the Black wire connected to terminal TH GOES to the switch and the white wire connected to terminal TPTH goes to the switch,so where do I connect the black wire to the I/o Linc and where do I connect the white wire to the I/o Linc, and what wire goes to the switch. Thanks

[G W]

I took the two leads from the switch the put them in the I/O Linc.

 

The I/O Linc replaced the switch.

[Goose66]

My fireplace is controlled by a millivolt gas valve. The small flame (pilot) heats a thermocouple that produces the voltage required to operate the valve. No external power is required. I had a standard decora wall switch that simply connected to two small gauge wires to control the fireplace.

 

I ran a 4 conductor thermostat wire (18 ga) from the switchbox to an outlet on the wall below. I use one pair of the four conductor wire to hook the NO and common on the I/O Linc to control wires to the fireplace. I replaced the switch with a Leviton decora momentary contact switch ($27) and I use the other pair of the four conductor to hook the momentary contact switch to sensor and ground on the I/O Linc. On the I/O Linc, run through the procedure to link the sensor to the relay output. In this way you have both Insteon and local switch control of the fireplace.

[lurlette]

So with that setup, my fire place can only be controlled by the I/O Linc and my isy,but I want it to be controlled by the switch (manaully) and the I/O Linc and isy,is this possible?if it is where do I connect the wires from fireplace to I/O Linc? so from pict I can see the red and white wire from switch to I/O linc, but where does the wires from the fire place goes? Thanks 

[G W]

So with that setup, my fire place can only be controlled by the I/O Linc and my isy,but I want it to be controlled by the switch (manaully) and the I/O Linc and isy,is this possible?if it is where do I connect the wires from fireplace to I/O Linc? so from pict I can see the red and white wire from switch to I/O linc, but where does the wires from the fire place goes? Thanks

Yes. You have the switch control the I/O Linc which controls the fireplace.

[Goose66]

The two wires that went from the fireplace to the switch now go from the fireplace to the NO (normally open) and common terminals on the I/O Linc. This gives you ISY control of the fireplace.

[lurlette]

Thanks Kingwr,but this is what I want to know:so where do I connect the wires from the switch to I/O LInc? two wires from fire place to I/O Linc I understand,but from switct to I/O LINC I don`t. Thanks

[G W]

Wire the switch to the sensor port of the I/O Linc. Then the two outside pins of the I/O Linc to the gas valve.

[lurlette]

Thanks Gary, that's more clear now, Thanks again,  I just have to run a 120 volts wire to plug in my I/O Linc and I am set.

[TrojanHorse]

I don’t know about your particular fireplace but often there is a 120v outlet in the bay under the fireplace - in the door with the valves where you push the button to light the pilot and set the gas volume.

 

If you are / were willing to run 120, Do you want to run wires for a thermostat? I’m not a huge fan of the insteon thermostats but I did something similar with my fireplace here and it requires a power supply and relay which I think starves the gremlins that live there [edit: in the insteon thermostat]...

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Goose66]

I want to make a point in this thread for future readers:

 

While it would likely just burn out your millivolt valve, hooking the 5 volt output of the I/O Linc through the relay to the valve COULD work. However this would be VERY DANGEROUS because in these systems the fact that the pilot light heats the thermocouple to produce the electricity to open the valve is a safety feature. If you were to supply external power to open the valve when the pilot was not lit, that could release gas into the house and asphyxiate the occupants.

[TrojanHorse]

I want to make a point in this thread for future readers:

 

While it would likely just burn out your millivolt valve, hooking the 5 volt output of the I/O Linc through the relay to the valve COULD work. However this would be VERY DANGEROUS because in these systems the fact that the pilot light heats the thermocouple to produce the electricity to open the valve is a safety feature. If you were to supply external power to open the valve when the pilot was not lit, that could release gas into the house and asphyxiate the occupants.

Yes. Good point. That’s why I use a true relay. Also avoids the quite perilous ALL ON “feature” of the iolinc.

 

 

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[G W]

I want to make a point in this thread for future readers:

 

While it would likely just burn out your millivolt valve, hooking the 5 volt output of the I/O Linc through the relay to the valve COULD work. However this would be VERY DANGEROUS because in these systems the fact that the pilot light heats the thermocouple to produce the electricity to open the valve is a safety feature. If you were to supply external power to open the valve when the pilot was not lit, that could release gas into the house and asphyxiate the occupants.

That's why I stated to use the two outside terminals.

[lurlette]

Thanks Gary,kinkwr and trojanhorse,thats some really good points,but I think in my case,my fire place have a flame always on (that flame burns twenty four seven 365 days ),its a really low flame so when you flick the wall switch on the flame goes up to max.Thanks for all you guys advise.

[lurlette]

to add to this post,there is no 120 Volts at the bottom of my fireplace,

[lurlette]

Bottom of fireplace

[Goose66]

That looks like a pilot flame to me. Very similar to my setup. What does the switch look like?

[lurlette]

Sorry for the late response,was out, the switch is a regular wall switch (toggle switch) the black wire goes on top of the switch and the white goes at the bottom terminal.(its that black and white wires in the Brown insulation.

[stusviews]

Are the black and white wires like standard in wall wiring (i.e., 14AWG (or 12AWG) or are they the same as those shown in post #19 (most likely). Can you read the letters on those terminals? And yes, you can have both (one or the other) the wall switch and the ISY (plus voice, if you have the portal) control your fireplace.

[lurlette]

stusviews,yes its the wires shown in post 19,it`s wires like the ones that connect to the furnace to the thermostat,,the black wire is connected to where it has TH,and the white is connected to where it has TPTH.Thanks (not standard in wall wires)

[Goose66]

So if you look closely at the pilot light there is a thermopile in the flame. This thermopile generates a tiny bit of power that is switched on by the wall switch to the millivolt valve. There are probably other switches in the circuit as well, such as microswitch on the flue damper that prevents the fireplace from lighting when you turn on the wall switch.

Instead of running 120 V to the fireplace, just run a 4 conductor 18 ga. cable from the wall switch to an outlet where you can plug in the I/O Linc. Hook up the two wires that are now connected to the switch to the Normally Open and Common terminals (no particular order) on the I/O Linc.

You can also replace the switch with a momentary contact and use the other conductors in the four conductor cable to hook the momentay switch to the sensor and ground terminals (in no particular order) of the I/O Linc to retain local switch control.

 

EDIT: So the momentary contact switch may not work because there is no setting for the I/O Linc for toggle on sensor input. My momentary switch is still sitting in the box on the shelf below the switch. I am looking into ways to use the regular on/off switch instead with the sensor inputs. Right now the on/off switch is installed parallel to the I/O Linc which means I can control the fireplace with either the switch OR the I/O Linc, but not both, e.g., I can't turn it on with the I/O Linc but turn it off with the switch.

[stusviews]

stusviews,yes its the wires shown in post 19,it`s wires like the ones that connect to the furnace to the thermostat,,the black wire is connected to where it has TH,and the white is connected to where it has TPTH.Thanks (not standard in wall wires)

 

You will need a way to run three wires between the switch box and the I/O Linc. Neatest, but most difficult, is to replace the existing wiring (2-wire cable) between the switch box and the fireplace and plugging the I/O Linc in under the fireplace. But, it's feasible to follow kingwr's suggestion to use low voltage cable (e.g., thermostat wire) between the switch box and the I/O Linc and plug in the I/O Linc at a convenient outlet.

 

In either case you'll need to replace the existing switch with a standard 3-way switch.

 

Connect the black wire (TH) to the 3-way switch black screw. Connect the white wire (TPTH) to the COM terminal on the I/O Linc. Connect a wire from one brass terminal on the 3-way switch to N/O on the I/O Linc. Connect a separate wire from the other brass terminal on the three way switch to N/C on the I/O Linc.

 

The wall switch and I/O Linc will now function as a conventional 3-way switch configuration. Note that a standard 3-way switch does not have ON/OFF markings. Just flip the switch to turn the load on of it's off or off if it's on. Do the same with the ISY and the I/O Linc, that is, just "flip" the relay to its opposite state. One more item, set the I/O Linc to latching

[G W]

 

 

I did some reading on this fire place set up with a I/O Linc # 2450 question is ; I have a INSTA-FLAME Fire place, its got a flame that's always on (a very small weak flame) and a toggle switch on the wall,when its switched on the fire place is lit up,when the switch is switched off,the fireplace goes off,only the small flame stays on,can I install the I/o linc inbetween the switch and the fire place...

Before you go where you don't need to go...

 

Where do you intend to plug in the I/O Linc?

 

Is it possible to run a 4-wire cable from the current switch to the I/O Linc?