Stack relay switch replacement cross reference guide for oil fired heating equipment:

How to find a suitable replacement for a Honeywell RA116A stack relay or model RA117A or RA817A protectorelay safety control for oil fired heating equipment.

In this article series we explain how to inspect, test, reset, or clean the stack relay switch used as a flame detection/safety device for primary control on oil fired heating systems (boilers and furnaces).

Cross Reference, Replacement & Substitution Chart for Stack Switches and ProtectoRelay's

If you need to replace a stack relay switch and cannot find the same brand and model control, there are often several controls that can do the job. Your heating supplier can make sure you choose the proper safety control replacement, but here are some examples of cross referencing.

Honeywell's Protectorelay® and other stack relay switch installation instructions include a table of cross-references showing which Honey controls (or Penn Controls (Pen 664, Penn670, Penn 680)) should be used to perform the equivalent functions as controls made by other stack relay manufacturers including the following, courtesy of Honeywell Corporation [6]

Producers of Stack Relay Switches & ProtectoRelays

• General Electric GE A101B2, GE CR7865 - illustrated below on this page
  
  See also GE GENERAL ELECTRIC HVAC AGE, MANUALS, CONTACT
• General Perfex (GP 5200, GP 5300)
• Honeywell RA116A / RA117A Protectorelay - see details on this page
• ITT General (ITT 5200, ITT R96A102A, ITT R96G102DC)
• Mercoid (Mercoid - JM)
• Detroit (Det CA 701 and CA 702).
• PENN OIL BURNER STACK RELAY OPERATING DETAILS - separate article
• White Rogers (WR 603, WR 611, WR 615 and WR 6L18),
  
  See WHITE RODGERS CONTROLS & MANUALS - all

Question: is stack relay replacement possible?

Can the stack relay on an old boiler be replaced by a newer protector relay? - Pancho, 2011/02/15

Reply: example: GE Stack Relay switch

Yes. The replacement involves installing a properly located bracket to mount the cad cell sensor inside the burner tube where it can see the flame, wiring from the sensor to the protector relay or cad cell sensor control, and wiring that control to the burner motor.

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Photos above and below: a GE Oil Burner Master Control, CR 7865-A10B52 Stack Relay or "Protectorelay" as for sale on ebay in 2022 - typical price was around $300. U.S. - at that cost I'd consider a Cad Cell instead.

Below: a GE 55201 Stack Relay switch provided as a re-manufactured control by Sid Harvey, for sale on eBay in 2022 for about $300. U.S.

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Question: Where to Buy Replacements for the Honeywell RA116A / RA117A ProtectoRelay control - RA116A23K-10 substitute control

2016/11/06 JRyck said:

I have a RA116A23K-10 on my heater right now and it is acting up. I have found a RA116A-R20-R for sale. Can I change it out with it.

Reply: R20R Re-Manufactured Control replacing the Honeywell RA116A

According to Sid Harvey, the R20R is a remanufactured control intended to replace the original RA116A stack relay.

http://orders.sidharvey.com/

I think the Honeywell RA116A-R20-R is simply a designation that you've found a re-built RA116A control - that ought to work. I give contact info for Honeywell - you can also call them to double check.

At customer.honeywell.com there are 65 versions of RA116 relays listed; the company says the RA116A23 series is obsolete and no longer available. In fact per the manufacturer, most of the older RA116's are considered obsolete. Current models listed by Honeywell include RA116A1055/U and RA116A1063/U.

At Sid Harvey you will also find older relays, including the Honeywell RA116A-R20R sometimes "new old stock" or re-manufactured controls that would most-likely be safer than a used control or a control of unknown condition listed on e-Bay (for example).

• If changing the stack relay you need to match the probe's insertion length as that's a key variable among the various models - you want a probe that inserts the same as the original manufacturer's unit that you're replacing. Inserting a probe that is too short, too long, or that touches another metal or part in the heater would prevent proper operation leaving the system unsafe.
• Another variation may be the number of seconds before the control trips off on safety - typically about 75 seconds.

Other control variations to watch for:

• 120 vs 240V
• Constant vs. intermittent ignition burner. The RA116A stack relay is used with "intermittent ignition" oil burners, previously called "constant ignition" oil burners.

I'm nervous about installing a used control of unknown condition on a heating system, particularly when it's a safety device as is this protect-o-relay. A bent or damaged bimetallic spring, a damaged internal relay or spring, even a corroded contact could make the system unsafe, risking fire or worse.

Honeywell & General Electric Stack Relay Replacement Cross Reference & Sources

 

For replacing a bad RA116A RA117A or RA817A see the following:

• HONEYWELL RA116A RA117A RA817A STACK RELAYS, RE-MANUFACTURED CROSS REFERENCE GUIDE [PDF] Sid Harvey's remanufactured Honeywell Stack Relays [PDF]
• OIL BURNER PRIMARY CONTROLS [PDF] R8184M Protectorelay Oil Burner Control, RA116; RA117 Protectorelay Controls, C554 Cadmium Sulfide Flame Detector and replacement parts for some of these controls, listed by Behler-Young in November 2022 - original source: https://www.behler-young.com/UserFiles/Resource/HNYWLLE10332_176_177.pdf

Protecto Relay RA116A RA116A RA817A Manuals

are given as PDF downloads at STACK RELAY MANUALS

Stack Relay Operation, Penn Oil Burner

This discussion has moved to a new article at PENN OIL BURNER STACK RELAY OPERATING DETAILS - separate article

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2021-03-16 by (mod) - Q&A on how a DIY person might replace a stack relay with a cad cell + ProtectOrelay primary control on an oil burner

@David, OK so you're indeed up to the task - if you read the manufacturer's installation instructions with the control and the cad cell you'll be ahead of 80% of techs I have worked with who just used those papers to kneel on while doing the job.

You'll see in the instructions advice on where and how to mount the cad cell *(cadmium cell - photo cell - flame sensor).

On 2021-03-16 by David

Thanks again. I don't know much about furnaces but I'm a trained electrical engineer like my dad. I've etched circuit boards before and I used to breadboard. My furnace has that viewing port on the side that you just lift up the cover and can see the flame there. You'd think that would be the easiest place to put it - if they sensitive enough? I assume cad cells are just some kind of photo diode?

On 2021-03-16 - by (mod) -

@David,

I thought we had discussed this before but perhaps I was confused.

Watch out: As you seem very unfamiliary with oil burner safety controls, perhaps you should not be attempting this installation yourself. If you make a mistake the risk is a fire or a dangerous puff back explosion.

The cad cell ismounted in the burner tube where it monitors the flame.

On 2021-03-16 by David

@David, Oh I see. So my antique OHP31 never even had any cad cell? I finally found the old Lennox instructions for it and don't see one. So this is a modification job and I will have to order a cad cell set in addition to my new digital control? The cad cell just replaces the old bimetallic spring? I suppose you mount it in the burner tube near the electrodes? Thanks again.

On 2021-03-15 by (mod) - get the IO manuals for your stack relay replacement using the Honeywell R7284A & a Cad Cell sensor

@David,

see also

RESET SWITCH, CAD CELL RELAY
and

OIL BURNER MANUALS

to download PDF files of installation instructions for these controls

On 2021-03-15 - by (mod) -

@David,

You will find wiring instructions packed with your Honeywell R7284, to which you'll connect both the burner power wire in and out, and the cad cell sensor eye that in turn tells the Honeywell primary control that the flame has been established.

You'll see that the cad cell includes a mounting bracket to affix the cell in the burner tube near its end where it can see the flame. The cad cell installation instructions will describe cell placement: it has to see the flame but not be so close that it suffers heat damage.

On 2021-03-15 by David

When replacing a Honeywell RA117A stack switch with a new digital R7284, do you have to install a new cad cell kit with leads inside the burner? Or is the wring already compatible? My oil burner has three wires coming out of it : L1, L2, and 3. I have schematics of both units.

On 2021-02-28 - by (mod) -

@Joe Ureneck, no you can't use an oil fuel stack relay for gas burner control. It's not designed for the temperature range of gas equipment.

On 2021-02-28 by Joe Ureneck

I am a switching my oil burner to a gas burner and wondering if the RA117A relay can still be used. Thank you.

On 2020-02-03 - by (mod) - wiring diagram for a Honeywell (or Sid Harvey) RA117A Stack Relay control

Deb there are companies such as Sid Harvey (as shown on your relay label) selling re-built stack relays but as you'll read in the article above adding a modern cad cell relay and a ProtectORelay like the Honeywell R7284 primary oil burner control mounted right at the oil burner is both more-reliable (safer) and tends to give less trouble.

Discuss that option with your heating service tech.

On 2020-02-03 by deb

Can send pictures of what is needed.

Question: Honeywell C550A stack flame sensor replacement unit availablity

2019/12/18 Steve said:

Whats the replacement for a Honeywell C550A stack flame sensor?

Reply:

Steve

Did you see the recommended replacement alternatives for Stack Relay controls given in the article above?

Quoting:

If you need to replace a stack relay switch and cannot find the same brand and model control, there are often several controls that can do the job.

Your heating supplier can make sure you choose the proper safety control replacement, but ... [in the article above on this page] are some examples of cross referencing.

Honeywell's Protectorelay® and other stack relay switch installation instructions include a table of cross-references showing which Honey controls (or Penn Controls (Pen 664, Penn670, Penn 680)) should be used to perform the equivalent functions as controls made by other stack relay manufacturers including the following, courtesy of Honeywell Corporation [6]

Also SidHarvey sells a "re-manufactured" "Sid Harvey R73-40R R73-40 R Honeywell Combustion Control C550A" that may be suitable - illustrated here.

Watch out: Although I used to service, repair, and replace stack relays, and though I had a special affection for them, I prefer replacement of a stack relay with a cad-cell relay safety control that IMO is more-reliable and less troublesome.

And it is significant that Honeywell themselves do not sell a replacement control for this application.

Reader Question: cost to buy a replacement stack relay switch

(Jan 8, 2015) patrick said:
how much is a relay for a home oil electric system

Reply:

Patrick a new RA117A stack relay costs around $160. U.S.

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Continue reading at PENN OIL BURNER STACK RELAY OPERATING DETAILS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• ELECTRIC MOTOR OVERLOAD RESET SWITCH
• FIRE SAFETY CONTROLS - home
• FURNACE CONTROLS & SWITCHES
• HEAT WON'T TURN OFF
• HEAT WON'T TURN ON
• OIL BURNER INSPECTION & REPAIR
• STACK RELAY SWITCH - home
  • DEFNITION of STACK RELAY SWITCH - PROTECTORELAY
  • STACK RELAY MOUNTING POSITION
  • STACK RELAY OPERATION
  • STACK RELAY RESET BUTTON OPERATION
  • STACK RELAY INTERNAL RE-STEPPING the CONTACTS
  • STACK RELAY MANUALS
  • STACK RELAY SERVICE & TEST PROCEDURES - separate article
  • STACK RELAY, WHEN to CLEAN
  • STACK RELAY DELAY TIME ADJUSTMENT
  • STACK RELAY REPLACEMENT CROSS REFERENCE CHART - separate article
  • PENN OIL BURNER STACK RELAY OPERATING DETAILS - separate article
• STEAM HEATING SYSTEMS & CONTROLS

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STACK RELAY REPLACEMENT CROSS REFERENCE CHART at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to HEATING OIL, OIL BURNERS, OIL FIRED HEATERS, OIL TANKS

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