Taco provides electronic controls for HVAC systems, thermostats, fan controls fuel mizer, zone controls, switching relays, and other equipment.
Illustration: an excerpt from Taco's wiring instructions for the Taco SR504-4 Switching Relay used for heating boilers - in this example where a tankless coil is not employed.
The Taco SR503-4 and similar controls permit setting up a priority zone that may be used, for example, to maintain a domestic hot water supply in an indirect water heater, as we expliain separately
Taco, Inc. International Sales Department 1160 Cranston Street Cranston, RI 02920 Phone: (401) 942-8000
TACO® ALL ZONE CONTROLS, WIRING GUIDE [PDF] (2010) Taco Catalog No. 100-92 (2010) provides wiring instructions for virtually every Taco HVAC control such as switching relays, zone valves, hydro-air controls, specialty thermostats and zone valves, radiant heat mixing block controller, iSeries mixing valves, Low Water Cutoff controls, Electric Water Feeders, Aquastats.
Wiring guides for Taco controls and circulators are also found at https://www.tacocomfort.com/product/radiant-mixing-block/# [as of 2012/01/25]
TACO® ALL ZONE CONTROLS WIRING GUIDE [PDF] (2005), Taco Catalog No. 100-9.0, older version of wiring instructions superceded by the document above.
AIR ELIMINATION from HYDRONIC HEATING SYSTEMS [PDF], TACO, INC., 1160 Cranston Street, Cranston, RI 02920 USA Tel: (401) 942-8000, or TACO (Canada), Ltd., 6180 Ordan Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5T 2B3 Canada, Tel: 905/564-9422, retrieved 2017/07/15, original source https://www.taco-hvac.com/uploads/FileLibrary/AirElimination.pdf
TACO® 102-141 VARIABLE SPEED CIRCULATOR [PDF]
Excerpt: The Variable Speed - Outdoor Reset ”00” Cartridge Circulator (00-VR) is a microprocessor-based pump designed to regulate the supply water temperature to a heating system through variable speed injection mixing.
The 00-VR modulates its speed to provide outdoor reset to the heating system. A boiler sensor installed on the return line to the boiler is used to protect the boiler against flue gas condensation.
This manual is broken down into two sections and describes the installation, operation and control module for Taco 1900e series pumps. Section 1 describes the installation and operation features. Section 2 describes the Taco 1915E control module and its functions. The 1900E series Error Codes are shown below.
TACO ZVC403 ZONE VALVE CONTROL WIRING & MANUAL [PDF] (2013) # 102-391 retrieved 2017/12/10 original source: http://www.taco-hvac.com/uploads/FileLibrary/102-391.pdf The light codes and zone priority for this controller are excerpted below:
Taco Zone Valve Operation/External Diagnostics:
When any thermostat calls for heat, the appropriate zone valve is energized and the yellow light goes on.
When the zone valve is fully open, the red light goes on and energizes the end switch relay.
The green light should always be on, indicating that power is connected.
Priority Operation: When zone 3 is switched to the priority setting and is actuated, all other zones will stop operation until zone 3 is satisfied. When zone 3 is not switched to priority, all zones will operate independently. Note: When a circulator is used on the priority zone instead of a zone valve, jumper 3 and 4 of the priority zone.
TACO ZVC403 ZONE VALVE CONTROL WIRING & MANUAL [PDF] (2006) # 102-089 retrieved 2017/12/10 original source: http://www.taco-hvac.com/uploads/FileLibrary/102-089.pdf|
The light codes for this controller are given herein:
Operation/External Diagnostics:
When any thermostat calls for heat, the appropriate zone valve is energized and the yellow light goes on. When the zone valve is fully open, the red light goes on and energizes the end switch relay. The green light should always be on, indicating that power is connected.
TACO 417 AIR VENT [PDF] retrieved 2017/07/15, original source: http://www.taco-hvac.com/uploads/FileLibrary/102-364.pdf
TACO SR503-4 SWITCHING RELAY INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS [PDF] (2010) and wiring diagrams Excerpt: When any thermostat calls for heat, the appropriate circulator is energized and the isolated end switch (X and X) will start the
boiler.
TACO 560 Series Heat Motor ZONE VALVE 3-WAY-BYPASS INSTRUCTIONS [PDF] (1999) fan coil or terminal heating unit control, zone valve poer head replacement for Models 555-573 & 5101, retrieved 2017/07/15, original source: http://www.taco-hvac.com/uploads/FileLibrary/102-076.pdf
Excerpt: The “SR50X-5” refers to a model number where “X” represents the number of control zones. Model number “SR506-5” is used for reference in this document.
The SR506-5 is a six zone switching relay that can have up to 6 thermostats connected and will operate up to 6 zone circulators, plus 2 auxiliary outputs (AUX) to control circulators in boiler and primary loops, for example.
The SR506-5 has a priority zone option, allowing zone 1 to operate and deactivate zones 2 through 6 during a priority call; this is ideal when using an indirect water heater.
Above: wiring example for the Taco SR502 two-zone switching relay. See the SR502 instructions for important details and safety warnings. [Click to enlarge any image]
Above: wiring example for the Taco SR503 three-zone switching relay. See the SR503 instructions for important details and safety warnings. [Click to enlarge any illustration]
Watch out: take care about which zone is connected to which zone terminal in this control and to how you specify the priority setting switch for that zone. That feature is intended to permit giving heating priority to a domestic hot water source.
Priority Operation: When zone 3 is switched to the priority setting and is actuated, all other zones will stop operation until zone 3 is satisfied. When zone 3 is not switched to priority, all zones will operate independently.
Excerpt: The 00e VR 15 - VR30 circulating pumps are used for the transfer of liquid media within a closed-looped hot-water heating or air-conditioning hydronic system.
They are designed as single or parallel main/standby operation variable speed pumps, where the speed is regulated by an on-board electronic device. They are to be used with a water or glycol/water mixture.
TACO ZVC403 ZONE VALVE CONTROL [PDF] (2010) & ZVC403-ZVC406 Zone Control Wiring connected with system pump, wiring & installation instructions.
This controller permits setting zone 3 to a priority setting that stops other zones for up to one hour (such as to assure providing domestic hot water in an indirect-fired water heater).
Excerpt explains the LED light codes for this zone controller:
When any thermostat calls for heat, the appropriate zone valve is energized and the yellow light goes on.
When the zone valve is fully open, the red light goes on and energizes the end switch relay.
The green light should always be on, indicating that power is connected.
Forgive me for the long intro, I want to make sure you have proper context. I have a gas-fired boiler with 3-zone hydronic heating system. 25 yr old boiler.
Taco zone valves (power heads are 1 yr old) and a Taco circulator (1 yr old).
Last year, I had a contractor come in since my system was not distributing heat very well to various areas of the house.
The contractor ended up draining the system and installed: a backflow preventor, a pressure reducing valve, and a new air removal (1 1/4" Honeywell) device.
My system did not have these previously. The air removal device was installed in series a few feet prior to the circulator pump.
The backflow preventor and PRV were installed in series from public water supply line and which ties into the system just below the circulator and prior to the boiler entrance. I think when this contractor left, there was a LOT of air in my system.
A few weeks ago, I installed two Nest thermostats. One on the main floor (zone 2) and one upstairs (zone 3).
For the upstairs thermostat, I actually had a dedicated AC tstat and a dedicated zone 3 tstat for heat and I combined those two functions into a single Nest. When I tested zone 3 on the Nest, the radiators lit up (pinged, got heat, etc.) but I only let run for 2-3 minutes and thought all was well.
Cutting to the chase, I think I have a number of problems and there is some bizarre behavior I'm trying to troubleshoot.
First, When my zone 2 tstat calls for heat, three of my zone 3 radiators get hot!
I have no check valves in my system.
These radiators only get a little hot though, they really don't produce much meaningful heat.
Second, when I have only zone 3 tstat call for heat, only the same 3 radiators get hot, and again, not very hot but they do heat up.
Third, my circulator pump started to make noise a few days ago.
Zone 1 will not heat AT ALL, zone 2 heats well but very slowly, zone 3 as described above.
All 3 zone valves have 24V and trigger the circulator properly both automatically and manually. Aric (Jan 11, 2015)
Reply:
Aric
It sounds as if there is a wiring error in the thermostats or zone valves or both, or shorted wires is causing un-wanted heat in zones not calling for it;
Other causes are a stuck-open check valve or zone valve on the other zones.
A zone that does not heat or heats too slowly may be air bound.
Aric
Do you know how I can check to see if a zone valve is fully or partially stuck open? I pulled the power cap off of zone 3 yesterday but I don't know where the lower piston should be sitting relative to the base plate.
I verified I could move it. I pulled off the functional zone 2 valve power cap as well to compare the zone 3 valve to it and they looked identical, height-wise.
How much distance do those piston actually depress? It seems the manual lever would only depress them a few mm at best?
Another test I ran was to physically lock down zone 2 and zone 3. I then manually opened zone 1 (which had no heat over the last day due to the tstat being shut off and the room was 54F) and there was zero flow to that entire zone.
That completely baffled me.
Thanks much for the advice/help!
Modeator Reply:
Aric
If you pull the motor head and look at the position of the valve stem or see if you can turn it that may help. But you'll need to refer to an un-damaged or working valve of the same brand and model for reference.
Before trying that see if you can move the valve with its manual operation level.
To be more specific we need to know the brand and model of zone valve.
Aric said:
Got it. It is a Taco zone valve and is stamped with 556 on the bottom side next to the directional flow arrow. Not sure if that is sufficient.
When you refer to "...see if you can turn it", what do you mean, specifically? The zone 2 valve I have I believe works entirely correctly.
Reply:
Aric the Taco 556 has a twist-off head that will expose the valve mechanical parts and it also has a manual bypass lever.
If you push the bypass lever and it's frozen then the valve is not operating.
(Jan 9, 2015) Aric said:
I flushed every zone/sub-zone of my system this morning and it behaves MUCH better.
An amazing amount of air had been trapped in one of the two circuits in zone 2.
There was some air in the other zone 2 circuit. Main floor and basement were good (no air). All radiators get hot now. I will double-check later whether or not the zone 2 valve still remains partially stuck open. Thanks for the help!
Reply:
Good news.
If air returns in any quantity in less than a year I think there is a leak somewhere.
Aric said:
Interesting. I'll keep an eye out for signs of any new air.
My zone 2 valve is definitely partially stuck open. When main floor or basement call for heat, hot water is being circulated on top floor (a bit, not full flow rate).
Any suggestions or good references for getting Taco 556 zone valves unstuck?
Reply:
Aric you might free a stuck zone valve temporarily by moving it manually between open and closed positions but in my experience that repair will not be reliable.
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