Timer Setting

 
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northernmainecoal
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Post by northernmainecoal » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 2:21 pm

I recently purchased a new 520 and it's now up and running. I have noticed a few times that it has been cycling off the timer even with a fairly frequent call for heat. The timer was factory set, is it set to run for 2 minutes every half hour? I can't figure out to read what it's set at...Any insight would be appreciated
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Mark (PA)
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Post by Mark (PA) » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 2:42 pm

I do not have that type of timer so I wouldn't want to guess excactly how it is set.

But the unit will cycle so long as the boiler temp is not at the high temp set point on the aquastat no matter how often the zones call for heat.

only when the high set point is met will the unit not cycle via timer or zone controls.

 
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Post by Mark (PA) » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 2:46 pm

Looking at your picture a little closer

looks to me like 2 minutes every 30... I agree with your thought.

I have an S400 Honeywell Mercury timer

winter I run 1.5 minutes per 30 minutes

Summer I run 3 minutes per 30 minutes.
I have never had an outfire in 6 years. I do have a good draft though.

Good luck!

 
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Post by Scottscoaled » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 4:06 pm

Thought new EFM's came with a Wilburt timer.

 
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Post by Rob R. » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 4:24 pm

Looks to me like they have it set backwards. Off on the left, On on the right?

How long does the green light stay on?

 
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Post by McGiever » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 4:33 pm

Scottscoaled wrote:Thought new EFM's came with a Wilburt timer.
From the looks of it you could buy 50 of those timers for what 1 Wilburt Timer would cost. :P Bean Counter strikes again. :mad:

 
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Post by GoodProphets » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 4:44 pm

Same timer I have.

Yours is set 2min every half hour.

If you don't want that much, flip flop .the bottom two on the right.

That would make it run less at every hour.

Just make sure to keep an eye out for it.

If your draft is good, u can even run that though the summer for dhw


 
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Post by Rob R. » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 6:07 pm

McGiever wrote:
Scottscoaled wrote:Thought new EFM's came with a Wilburt timer.
From the looks of it you could buy 50 of those timers for what 1 Wilburt Timer would cost. :P Bean Counter strikes again. :mad:
I use a similar one...works great for me.

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Post by lsayre » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 6:11 pm

I like that timer Rob. Might I ask the model number and manufacturer info?

 
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Post by vermontday » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 9:55 pm

I think northernmainecoal was also asking why the timer was calling for stoker operation when the stoker had just finished running.

It is likely the timer being used operates the same why as the Will-burt timer. It does not reset to zero when there has been a natural call for heat causing a stoker run. It will fluff the fire again needlessly.

Whoops, see that Mark correctly answered northernmaincoal earlier!

 
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Post by northernmainecoal » Tue. Jan. 28, 2014 6:48 am

It is running the stoker for 2 min every half hour, so it is set correctly...but it seems a bit too much for this time of year. I'll take GoodProphets suggestion and flip the bottom two switches on the right and see how that works.
This timer does not reset to zero after a natural call for heat so I was running needlessly at times, thank you for the help

 
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Post by GoodProphets » Tue. Jan. 28, 2014 6:56 am

Again, just keep your eye on it.

I had the fire go out so many times last summer I lost hair over it!@ haha

(you would hear the stoking, and let it be...then go down to check it out and there
would be a ash bin full of coal....fire went out)

Not something to worry about too much now, but when it starts to get warm out,
you will want to check on it a few extra times a day....just a quick looksee.

I can run 2min/50min-1hour during the summer...but with good draft.
I pay very close attention during very hot days or when the low to high atmos pressure is changing.

Chances are that the 2min/30min would get you up to the HL during summer, but
each install if different. You will need to play and then record your settings....
both timer and air/feed for summer and winter settings.
That way it will be a quick job when the seasons change.

Only in my second winter with the EFM , but much better after tinkering and asking questions.
If there is major issues....always read the manual. When nothing seem to work,
or if there was not an answer from a problem, the manual always worked.
Most of the time resetting everything to the manual setting and problems were corrected.

 
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Post by McGiever » Tue. Jan. 28, 2014 10:02 am

I don't run an EFM or even run my AA boiler for summer DHW, but all this timer talk and more so summer timer talk w/ warm days and losing chimney draft got me thinking...Why not forget the hold fire timer and instead use a stack t'stat to maintain a minimum stack temp. It would seem to me that this approach would be self adjusting where as the timer if not fiddled w/ almost daily will be mismatched most of the time and more prone to either excessive coal use or a dreaded out-fire.

Any thoughts on this concept? :)

 
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Post by Rob R. » Tue. Jan. 28, 2014 10:15 am

McGiever wrote:Any thoughts on this concept?
Yes. The problem is that the idle stack temperature in the summer is largely a result of the air being drawn through the warm boiler. Perhaps it is different with an AA, but my EFM has a 100-110 degree stack temp. with or without a small fire in the pot (assuming the boiler is the same temp in each case).

 
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Post by McGiever » Tue. Jan. 28, 2014 10:34 am

So, you're saying in your set-up, your stoker whether running or not, stack temps are near always the same?

Rob, I do recall you have reliable draft during summer seasons, perhaps others with less ideal draft would benefit w/ such an arrangement, where as you would not???


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