Mike, perfect timing. The kid across the street just asked me if I knew how to install Honeywell Smart thermostats. I said sure, no problem. I told the kid that I just graduated from Jersey Mike’s RUclips college course dealing with this exact situation. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and making us all more confident.
Mike, finally got the job done. Thank goodness for the pause button on RUclips, lol. I had to play back several portions and watch them over and over but we did it. You are a true confidence builder for sure. At 68, I doubt I will start a second career as an HVAC tech but it is always good for the brain to learn new tasks. Thanks again 🙂
Thanks again maestro and thanks for tying up the spaghetti 🍝! Looking forward to some more diagnostic videos using a multimeter. Excellent as always friend!
There is one instance where we want to hook up Zone 1 thermostat to Zone 3 ZV. That is when they do not pay the bill, and along with tht we hook up the DHW to the lawn sprinkler system for the Perect Job.
Hey Mike, great video and lots of learning for me 👍...my question to you is how can I add a smart thermostat when my regular thermostat is hooked up to a relay and from the relay to the taco circulator? 🤔
Hey Mike! What your opinion on grounding transformer secondary common? I seen it from factory done both ways that 24vac common is grounded and some that isn't. Thanks
Grounding the secondary is a safety precaution and could help with diagnostic procedures with a multimeter, but could also invite some electrical interference and noise from the main power supply into the control circuitry. So with smart thermostats and their temperamental electronics, I probably wouldn't ground the secondary common. Some older systems used a grounded secondary in leu of an actual common terminal, so grounding was required to complete the low voltage circuit of burner circuits and the like.
great video, my transformer has a blue and yellow wire on the low voltage side. the blue has 24v but yellow has no voltage. My unit works fine as far as I know. does that mean I need a new transformer? I have no control board.
great vid.... i have 2 taco zone valves and looking to put in 2 smart thermostats. any reason i cant run them all of a 40 transformer without the relay?
Its worth giving it a shot. All these different smart stats have different power demands, but I think worse case scenario you could probably just upgrade the transformer if it doesn't work. Probably don't have to go to this extant of a dedicated transformer.
@@JerseyMikeHVAC so yesterday i took everything all apart and got the amazon smart thermostat up and working after a bit of troubleshooting. they had the stats wired with black and yellow so swapping the colors was on my list to do. the transformer load circuit is blue and the common is white but its on the top not the bottom. they had one wire from the load circuit to the 2nd post on the taco valve (along with the stat wires from the aqua stat) which had me screwed up a liitle bit. wanting to use the load circuit to power thermostat (red) but it appears the polarity of the trasformer was wired backwards from the beginning. is it possible to have the polarity backwards and have it still function? im assuming yes.... is there any negatives to this? should i flip it back? everything seems to be working just fine. thanks again
Do we need a 3rd 24v source you don’t mention??? I see wires hooked up and sneaking under the side or back of the plywood. You never mention those, unless I missed something. I have two yellows and two reds per zone valve just like that Honeywell in your video. That’s why I ask.
@@JerseyMikeHVAC I was more thinking of hydronics and a priority zone for something like DHW. Would this relay be a practical and budget-friendly alternative to a Taco Zone Control/Switching Relay?
@@JedidiahKraft What you could do is get a 24v 90340 relay or some other at least 8 amps or higher. The wire leaving the aquastat for the DHW that goes to and activates the DHW zone valve motor can be spliced and another wire from there ran parallel to the 90340 relay coil (not in series with the DHW zone valve). Then run a common wire from the relay coil back to common on the transformer (the zone valve transformer, not the thermostat transformer). You can then wire nut all of the commons coming directly off the motors on all other zone valves together (except for the DHW zone vale common) and connect them to the Normally Closed channel of the relay switch, then run back to common on the transformer as well. So basically, how it would work, when the DHW calls for heat, the 24 from the aquastat powers the DHW zone valve directly, and also powers the coil on the relay directly (parallel). When the relay switches to Normally Open, it opens all of the circuits on the other zone valves (opening all the commons) and the zone valves will all go closed except for the DHW (which the common wire off the zone valve motor goes back to common on the transformer directly, not through the relay like the others). When DHW satisfies, 24v is removed from the relay, the relay reverts back to Normally Closed, completes all of the circuits on the other zone valves and whatever zones are still calling should reopen. I would add here though that the 90340 relay probably wouldn't be the best choice. You would want a time delay relay that doesn't activate immediately on voltage (you want maybe a 10 second delay). Reason why is because all of the other zones valves will come off their end switches much faster than the DHW will hit its end switch, causing the boiler to shut down for a few seconds then reignite. A time delay relay would prevent this and keep the transition seamless. If you can find one that delays on make AND delays on break, that would be even better. Just so you know, I haven't actually done all of this to test it, but I see no reason why it wouldn't work, unless you have a whole lot of zone valves and not the right relay (or something along those lines) where amperage becomes an issue.
Enjoyed your video on this I purchased two Google nest 3rd gen thermostats because they say you don’t need a common but after seeing so many articles I’m confused. Mike do you need a common wire or not. Also what’s your opinion on these thermostats. Thanks again for all your help
Usually, you do not need a common wire for the Gen 3 stats. But there are circumstances sometimes depending on the system that a common wire might have to be added. The Gen 3 is a "power stealing" charging system that charges the battery off of running cycles rather than through a common circuit. So the stat charges every time the system runs. My opinion on them? Not bad for simple straight cooling or heating systems, but they can be a real pain in the ass when you get into more complicated, older or multiple system control. I never recommend smart anything for steam.
@ thanks Mike for your help. I have two zone heating hot water baseboard downstairs thermostat is heat only but upstairs is heat and ac. So I guess I should be good. Thanks for all your help
Never mind. I think I got it. In the case of that one there is no physical jumper so you need to power RC and let the thermostat put the power to RH… RTFM 😂
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Mike, perfect timing. The kid across the street just asked me if I knew how to install Honeywell Smart thermostats. I said sure, no problem. I told the kid that I just graduated from Jersey Mike’s RUclips college course dealing with this exact situation. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and making us all more confident.
That's awesome! Let me know how it turns out.
Mike, finally got the job done. Thank goodness for the pause button on RUclips, lol. I had to play back several portions and watch them over and over but we did it. You are a true confidence builder for sure. At 68, I doubt I will start a second career as an HVAC tech but it is always good for the brain to learn new tasks. Thanks again 🙂
As always, very informational video, well explained and simplified. Thank you so much for your hard work 👍
Thanks again maestro and thanks for tying up the spaghetti 🍝! Looking forward to some more diagnostic videos using a multimeter. Excellent as always friend!
Thank you, brother. Will look at something diagnostic next.
Great video thank you. Very informative, learned something new
Great video thank you.
There is one instance where we want to hook up Zone 1 thermostat to Zone 3 ZV. That is when they do not pay the bill, and along with tht we hook up the DHW to the lawn sprinkler system for the Perect Job.
Oh. Looks like this may answer my question
Mike great video may u make one for oil boiler for a smart thermostat
Hey Mike, great video and lots of learning for me 👍...my question to you is how can I add a smart thermostat when my regular thermostat is hooked up to a relay and from the relay to the taco circulator? 🤔
What kind of a relay?
@JerseyMikeHVAC its a honeywell RA832A
Hey Mike! What your opinion on grounding transformer secondary common? I seen it from factory done both ways that 24vac common is grounded and some that isn't. Thanks
Grounding the secondary is a safety precaution and could help with diagnostic procedures with a multimeter, but could also invite some electrical interference and noise from the main power supply into the control circuitry. So with smart thermostats and their temperamental electronics, I probably wouldn't ground the secondary common.
Some older systems used a grounded secondary in leu of an actual common terminal, so grounding was required to complete the low voltage circuit of burner circuits and the like.
Thank you. Makes sense that newer equipment transformers have build in pop up fuse/ circuit braker too
Thank you
great video, my transformer has a blue and yellow wire on the low voltage side. the blue has 24v but yellow has no voltage. My unit works fine as far as I know. does that mean I need a new transformer? I have no control board.
great vid.... i have 2 taco zone valves and looking to put in 2 smart thermostats. any reason i cant run them all of a 40 transformer without the relay?
Its worth giving it a shot. All these different smart stats have different power demands, but I think worse case scenario you could probably just upgrade the transformer if it doesn't work. Probably don't have to go to this extant of a dedicated transformer.
@@JerseyMikeHVAC so yesterday i took everything all apart and got the amazon smart thermostat up and working after a bit of troubleshooting. they had the stats wired with black and yellow so swapping the colors was on my list to do. the transformer load circuit is blue and the common is white but its on the top not the bottom. they had one wire from the load circuit to the 2nd post on the taco valve (along with the stat wires from the aqua stat) which had me screwed up a liitle bit. wanting to use the load circuit to power thermostat (red) but it appears the polarity of the trasformer was wired backwards from the beginning. is it possible to have the polarity backwards and have it still function? im assuming yes.... is there any negatives to this? should i flip it back? everything seems to be working just fine. thanks again
@TD_Romeo There shouldn't be any issues. It's the same circuit in reverse. Honeywell zove valves can be wired that way and work just fine too.
Thank you sir
Do we need a 3rd 24v source you don’t mention??? I see wires hooked up and sneaking under the side or back of the plywood. You never mention those, unless I missed something. I have two yellows and two reds per zone valve just like that Honeywell in your video. That’s why I ask.
I added a third transformer for my Honeywell zone valves. Working great. Thanks.
Is there a way to wire this relay up so that one of the zones has priority?
Priority in what way? A zoned system with dampers?
@@JerseyMikeHVAC I was more thinking of hydronics and a priority zone for something like DHW. Would this relay be a practical and budget-friendly alternative to a Taco Zone Control/Switching Relay?
@@JedidiahKraft How many zones including DHW?
@@JedidiahKraft What you could do is get a 24v 90340 relay or some other at least 8 amps or higher. The wire leaving the aquastat for the DHW that goes to and activates the DHW zone valve motor can be spliced and another wire from there ran parallel to the 90340 relay coil (not in series with the DHW zone valve). Then run a common wire from the relay coil back to common on the transformer (the zone valve transformer, not the thermostat transformer). You can then wire nut all of the commons coming directly off the motors on all other zone valves together (except for the DHW zone vale common) and connect them to the Normally Closed channel of the relay switch, then run back to common on the transformer as well.
So basically, how it would work, when the DHW calls for heat, the 24 from the aquastat powers the DHW zone valve directly, and also powers the coil on the relay directly (parallel). When the relay switches to Normally Open, it opens all of the circuits on the other zone valves (opening all the commons) and the zone valves will all go closed except for the DHW (which the common wire off the zone valve motor goes back to common on the transformer directly, not through the relay like the others). When DHW satisfies, 24v is removed from the relay, the relay reverts back to Normally Closed, completes all of the circuits on the other zone valves and whatever zones are still calling should reopen.
I would add here though that the 90340 relay probably wouldn't be the best choice. You would want a time delay relay that doesn't activate immediately on voltage (you want maybe a 10 second delay). Reason why is because all of the other zones valves will come off their end switches much faster than the DHW will hit its end switch, causing the boiler to shut down for a few seconds then reignite. A time delay relay would prevent this and keep the transition seamless. If you can find one that delays on make AND delays on break, that would be even better.
Just so you know, I haven't actually done all of this to test it, but I see no reason why it wouldn't work, unless you have a whole lot of zone valves and not the right relay (or something along those lines) where amperage becomes an issue.
@@JerseyMikeHVAC you’re awesome. Great ideas. Thanks for the info!
Enjoyed your video on this I purchased two Google nest 3rd gen thermostats because they say you don’t need a common but after seeing so many articles I’m confused. Mike do you need a common wire or not. Also what’s your opinion on these thermostats. Thanks again for all your help
Usually, you do not need a common wire for the Gen 3 stats. But there are circumstances sometimes depending on the system that a common wire might have to be added.
The Gen 3 is a "power stealing" charging system that charges the battery off of running cycles rather than through a common circuit. So the stat charges every time the system runs.
My opinion on them? Not bad for simple straight cooling or heating systems, but they can be a real pain in the ass when you get into more complicated, older or multiple system control. I never recommend smart anything for steam.
@ thanks Mike for your help. I have two zone heating hot water baseboard downstairs thermostat is heat only but upstairs is heat and ac. So I guess I should be good. Thanks for all your help
Couldn’t you wire into R (or RH) and set the jumper to RC as well? You wired RC and set the jumper but wouldn’t it have worked either way?
Never mind. I think I got it. In the case of that one there is no physical jumper so you need to power RC and let the thermostat put the power to RH… RTFM 😂
Simple as that. 🤯