Matching Frequently Asked Questions
| Q: | I have an old Taco PANELTROL valve in my radiant heating system. Does Taco still make this product and are there any replacement parts for it?
Answer: Taco no longer makes this product and we don't have any replacement elements. The PANELTROL was designed to reduce the water temperature being supplied to a radiant panel loop. The reduction in water temperature allowed the radiant loop to operate at a lower temperature than the boiler, which might be needed for other higher temperature requirements. The return water from the radiant loop is used to temper the hot water. Taco does make a new tempering valve, the 5000 Series Valve, that could take its place. The PANELTROL had 1¼" connections but our 5004-C1 should work.
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| Q: | Applications?
Answer: Closed loop. pressurized HVAC (or hydronic) hot and chilled water systems (max 175 PSI, from 14 to 230 Deg F).
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| Q: | Can a Taco bladder or diaphragm-style expansion tank be installed in the horizontal position?
Answer: The Taco bladder type CA, PAX tanks, and the CX diaphragm tank can be installed in the vertical or horizontal position. The CBX is limited to vertical installation. If the tank is installed in the horizontal position, Taco's U-bolt saddle set or cradle type saddle set will likely be required. Remember to check local code requirements to insure proper tank installation and mounting. When installing Taco CA model expansion tanks in the horizontal position it is important to ensure that the tank is installed with the system connection pointing towards the floor to allow for easier tank and/or bladder maintenance.
Link: Taco Expansion Tanks
Attachment:
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| Q: | Can I modulate the speed of the Viridian externally?
Answer: No, the speed is determined internally within the pump's brain. You can however control the pump externally via the digital inputs (turn on/off, and force the pump to run on maximum or minimum speed)
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| Q: | Can I use a current robbing thermostat with a Taco zone valve and what does current robbing mean?
Answer: Yes, but because the internal switch opens and closes the circuit when the valve is operating, a resistor will have to be installed across terminals #1 & #2 of the zone valve power head to maintain a continuous circuit. The thermostat uses the power from the 24volt transformer through a continuous zone valve circuit to power the thermostat. If this does not happen the program will be lost the first time the zone valve operates. The thermostat manufacturers are now supplying the required resistors in the package for use when a heat motor type Taco zone valve operator is used. This resistor is around 3000 ohms, 10 watts. Contact the thermostat manufacturer for the proper size.
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| Q: | Can I, just a homeowner, install a 00 cartridge myself?
Answer: If you have shut off valves before and after the circulator, it would be a piece of cake. If not, you will have to drain off the excess pressure of the system after you have shut off the supply water, which is normally just before the pressure reducing valve.
Close off all the valves in the water piping around the boiler, including air vents. Turn off the power to the boiler and make sure no zone valves are open.
Open the drain in the boiler again to relieve any residual water. You now should be able to remove the four 5/16 hex head screws. Have a bucket beneath the pump as there will still be some water in the line. Once the water has stopped draining, you can remove the motor completely.
Pull the cartridge from the plate and motor. Insert the new cartridge through the plate and into the motor. The plate should come up under the flange of the cartridge.
Remove the old o-ring from the casing and install the new o-ring.
Pick up the motor and cartridge assembly and position it against the casing. Note that the flange of the cartridge should seal against the o-ring. Line up the bolt holes and install the screws.
Here comes the hard part if you don\'t have shut off valves at the pump:
- Open the feed valve to the system. The pressure gage on the boiler should rise to 12PSI. If you have zone valves, open one valve manually.
- Hook up a hose to the hose bib on the return line for that zone or on the main return header.
- Using the fast fill lever on the pressure reducing valve, get the boiler pressure up to 28psi. When it reaches that point, open the hose bib on the return while keeping the fast fill open. If the pressure drops down to 15psi, close the hose bib until the pressure rises to 28, then open the hose bib again. Do this several times until the water comes out steady, with no air, from the hose. Release the fast fill and close the hose bib.
- Close the first zone valve and go to the next and open it. Move the hose to the hose bib on this zone return (if there is one), or leave the hose on the hose bib on the return header. Repeat the purging process. Do this whole process to each zone.
- When you are finished, close the zone valves, Pressure Reducing Valve on auto. Open all valves that were originally open, and all air vents. Turn on the power and you should be ready to fire up the system.
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| Q: | Can Taco 00 series circulators be used to pump fluid other than water?
Answer: Taco 00 series pumps can be used to pump fluids other than water. However, the media has to be compatible with {EPDM elastomer} o-rings used on the pump. Additionally, there is a temperature / viscosity curve that needs to be considered when pumping a media that is temperature sensitive meaning that the pump curves will behave differently with media of different viscosities.
Link: Compatibility Guide
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| Q: | Can the outdoor reset control PC700 be used with a SR board when used in a primary/secondary piping system?
Answer: You certainly can, however, the PC700-2 cannot operate the system pump when any of your heat zones call for heat. You will have to run the system pump continuously. An Alternative is the PC702 2 boiler staging control which works as a reset control, and boiler staging control. You will need to turn the boiler rotation off, put the mode switch on the control board to normal, and Wire the primary pump to ZR with the jumper left in the place.
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| Q: | Dear Pls send to me the user manual for FloPro program. Regards
Answer: Good Morning --
Thanks for your inquiry on the Taco FloPro Designer software. Unfortunately, there is not printed manual - the entire manual is included in the "Help" section of the software. It is printable if you'd prefer to have hard copy.
Also, we have a person on staff to provide you with technical support, advice and one-on-one instruction online. His name is Ra Puriri and he may be reached via email (trade warrior@gmail.com) or toll free at 877-270-4685.
Please feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions. Thanks...
John Barba
Taco, Inc
johbar@taco-hvac.com
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| Q: | Do I need an Inverter Duty Motor when my pump and motor assembly are controlled by a Variable Speed Drive?
Answer: Not necessarily. A centrifugal pump is a variable torque device where the torque reduces with the cube of the ratio of the speed.
Baldor has designed their Super E motor with special insulated wire that allows the windings to pass the Corona Inception Voltage test. These windings pass the requirements of NEMA MG 1 Part 31 for peak voltage (1600 volt peaks) when used on inverters. These motors are labeled Inverter Ready. NEMA Part 31, Definit -Purpose Inverter Motors, lists many requirements other than just peak voltage.
A true Inverter Duty Motor meets all the requirements of Part 31 and is expected to perform satisfactorily for torque, temperature, noise and vibration over the entire speed range. This applies to constant torque applications. A pump is a variable torque application and only concerns us with the 1600 volt peaks produced by the VSD. The temperature, noise and vibration reduce as the motor slows and unloads. These will not be factors for pump applications.
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| Q: | How do I check the air charge pressure in a Captive Air Expansion Tank?
Answer: Isolate the tank from the system and break the connection to it so that any fluid inside can be allowed to escape. The true air charge can\'t be determined until all the fluid is removed. The air charge will equal the system pressure until the fluid is removed from the bag. If the air charge is higher than the system pressure, there should be no water in the bag and the pressure reading should be the true air pressure reading.
Remember, the water is inside the bag and the air is between the inside of the steel shell and the outside of the bag. If the tank does not have an air charge, air should be introduced which will squeeze any remaining water out of the bag. When the fluid stops coming out of the system connection, you will read the true air charge.
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| Q: | How do I pipe the Taco three way (bypass) zone valve?
Answer: The 560 series valves are designed to be installed down-stream of a fan coil unit. The discharge of the fan-coil would be connected to the unit connection of the valve. A tee would be installed in the upstream side of the fan-coil supply line. The branch connection of the tee would be connected to the bypass connection of the valve. The main side of the valve would be connected to the return main of the system. The system fluid flows through the bypass connection to the return main when the valve is not energized and from the unit connection to the return main when the valve is energized. The bypass connection is not a positive shut off when the valve is energized.
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| Q: | How do I run a system pump on my SR504/506?
Answer: Leave the jumper in between ZC ZR and tie the hot leg of pump to the ZR terminal. Tie the neutral leg of the pump to the neutral coming from your power supply. ZR (with jumper in) will put out 120V when any zone calls for heat.
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| Q: | How do I wire a 00 series pump?
Answer: Colored wires yellow, and white from the 00 capacitor box can be attached to either colored wire from the power supply.
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| Q: | How do I wire a Honeywell V8043F Zone Valve to a Taco ZVC control board?
Answer: Wiring from a Taco ZVC valve terminal block at the bottom of the board to the Honeywell V8043F valve is as follows:
Screw term. #1 goes to TR term. on the V8043F
Screw term. #2 goes to TH term. on the V8043F
Screw term. #3 goes to the lefthand end switch term. on the V8043F
Screw term. #4 goes to the righthand end switch term on the V8043F
Nothing gets connected to the TH/TR terminal on hte V8043F.
See diagram attached
Attachment:
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| Q: | How do I wire a White Rodgers 1361 Zone Valve to a Taco ZVC control board?
Answer: From the Taco ZVC valve terminal block going to the White Rodgers valve as follows:
screw term. #1 to screw term. #1 on the WR valve
screw term. #2 to screw term. #4 on the WR valve
screw term. #3 to screw term. #3 on the WR valve
screw term. #4 has no wire connected to it on the ZVC control.
From screw term. #2 from the WR zone valve goes to the right-hand thermostat screw term. at the TOP of the ZVC thermostat connections.
Attachment:
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| Q: | How do I wire a ZVC404 or ZVC406 so the system pump does NOT run on a DHW priority call?
Answer: The wiring diagram on the instruction sheet for optional system or DHW circulator causes both the system & DHW pump to run when there is a DHW call. If you only want the DWH circulator to run then the wiring is as follows;
Instead of bringing 120v into the right side of the extra end switch, you only have to put it into the common screw terminal of the dry contacts. Then connect a wire from the N/C terminal on the dry contact to the right side of the extra end switch. Now when there is a DHW call the power will be removed from the extra end switch.
Attachment:
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| Q: | How do you clean and de-grease a LoadMatch installation?
Answer: We recommend the following sequence for cleaning and start-up of a LoadMatch® system: - Initially, start the primary pumps only. Leave the LoadMatch® secondary circulators off. This will ensure that you don\'t pump construction debris through the terminal units.
- Continue to clean the start-up screens in the suction diffusers until the start-up screens are clean.
- Start the LoadMatch® secondary circulators and continue to clean the start-up screens.
- When the start-up screens stay clean, remove the start-up screens and turn the system to automatic operation.
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| Q: | How do you set the 24-hour timer?
Answer: Turn the dial clockwise until the hour and minute hand are approximately set and the exact time, in 15-minute intervals, is lined up with the pointer at the 2 o'clock position. To set the on/off times in 15-minute intervals, push the tripper levers away from the face for ON operation. Leave the tripper pointing toward the center for OFF operation. For automatic operation, the small, white button at the 4 o'clock position on the inner area of the dial should be in the middle of the slot. All the way UP is ON constant and all the way DOWN is OFF constant.
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| Q: | How should a single pipe hydronic system be installed in a 1200 sq. ft. home with baseboards?
Answer: Assuming you have a 30x40 home and all walls are covered with baseboard, you would have about 140 ft. of baseboard. At 600 BTU/Hr./Ft. x 140 ft. = 84000 BTU/Hr. The GPM required at 20 differential temperature would be calculated by the formula: BTU load = 500 x delta T x GPM. Solve for GPM. 500 x 20 = 10000. The load is 84000 divided by 10000 = 8.4 GPM. Split the loop in half and put 4.2 GPM down each side.
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| Q: | How to fix a Boiler Sensor Error on an RMB or XPB
Answer: 1st you will need to go into the ADJUST menu and turn the Boiler Min setting to "off".
Next, on the back of the control, you will need to put the toggle switch in the upper right hand corner to the "off" position.
You will then need to unplug the unit, wait approx 15 seconds and turn the unit back on.
Error should be gone.
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| Q: | How to tell if your 500 series zone valve is good
Answer: 1st you can take a voltage reading across terminal 1 & 2 of the zone valve head, to see if you have 24 volts from the transformer, to rule out a bad transformer. If you have the 24 volts, then you would disconnect either terminal 1 wire or terminal 2 wire from the zone valve. You then can take an Ohm reading across terminals 1 & 2. You should read between 20-23 ohms. If this checks out reconnect the wires, energize operator with operator on valve body. Wait 1 1/2 to 2 minutes for the valve to open and then pull down the manual lever. If the lever move freely all the way the valve is open. If it starts easy and then goes hard, the valve is not open. This indicate the operator is bad and needs replacing. Caution: Do Not Remove Operator From Valve When Energized!!
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| Q: | I am having a problem maintaining temperature at my zones when my taco zonevalve model 570 is in auto mode. Any suggestions?
Answer: There are many reasons why your rooms are not reaching temperature. What is the outdoor temperature at the time the rooms would not heat? Were the zone valves open? You can check by pulling down on the manual lever. If there is no resistance, the valve is open. You should read 24V across terminals #1 and #2 if the zone valve is activated.
If you have baseboard heat, the top louvers should be open.
Was the circulator running? If it\'s a Taco 007, get a screwdriver and place the tip to the casing and the handle to your ear. Have someone turn the boiler switch on and off. Listen to hear the pump slow down and then speed up. The pump is so quiet, you would normally only hear a hum if it is running or not.
Have you changed thermostats lately? The heat anticipator should be set for 1.0 Amps.
Have you had anything changed in the system lately which would require draining the system, which might have caused an air block?
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| Q: | I am using a 008-S7 pump in a solar heating system without flanges. What do I cross it to?
Answer: Your pump is a 008-V2 with viton o-rings. If you are now using water, you can buy a current day 008-F6. Unbolt the motor and cartridge assembly from the pump casing, throw the pump casing away and bolt the motor and cartridge to the old casing. If you are still using bray oil, you will need a viton o-ring for the casing, but you would still purchase a 008-F6. It is 1/25 HP.
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| Q: | I have a 00 circulating pump that stopped working. It does nothing when plugged in, but gets very hot. Do I have to replace the whole pump or only a part?
Answer: Since this is a water recirculating pump, minerals in the water exchange inside the pump and eventually bind the pump rotor. The pump is constructed so the rotating part of the pump, and not the whole pump, can be replaced if the rotor has bound up. The motor can stall and not burn up. The part number for the cartridge is 005-020R.
Hopefully, you have shut off valves on either side of the circulator. If not, you\'ll have to shut off the water to the hot water heater and drain the pressure from the line by opening a hot water faucet. Remove the four 5/16\" hex screws that hold the motor to the pump casing. Once the motor is free from the pump housing, grab the impeller and see if it will turn. If it is bound, pull the cartridge from the motor and note that the cartridge passes through the plate into the motor. Grab the cartridge with one hand and the impeller with the other and try to free the impeller. If it\'s truly locked, it will slip on the shaft and you definitely need a new cartridge.
The reason I wanted to try and free up the impeller was to see if the motor was still good and if it would start the rotor/impeller. If you do free the cartridge, you will still need a new one in the near future, but you can test the motor by installing the cartridge in the motor and energizing it. If it starts, you are good to go. If it doesn\'t, grab the impeller and give it a spin. If it runs, turn off the power and then turn it back on again. If it starts by itself, the motor is good, but you still need a new cartridge.
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| Q: | I have a 006-B2 pump that is not working properly. My electric water heater is 2 years old and the water coming out of the outlets is not hot.
Answer: The 006-B2 does not make the hot water. It is used to recirculate the hot water around the house, but the water must be hot in the hot water heater. Open a hot water faucet and feel the pipe coming out of the hot water tank to see if it is hot. If it isn\'t, the heating element in your tank might have failed or the circuit breaker has tripped.
If the hot water heater is OK, you need to check the pump. Is there a timer on the pump or is it connected directly to run all the time? If there is a switch nearby, put the blade of a screwdriver to the casing and the handle to your ear. Turn off the pump and listen for a change in sound. Turn the switch on again and listen to a change in sound. If you hear the motor coast down and speed up, the pump motor is OK but the impeller might have dissolved. The hot domestic water in some areas has dissolved some impellers. We have changed over to a different plastic to solve this problem.
If the motor is cold, you either don\'t have any power to the circulator, or the motor windings are fried. If the motor is fried, you will have to buy a new circulator, but you will not have to solder the new pump into the line. Unbolt the four 5/16\" hex screws holding the motor housing to the casing and transfer the new motor and cartridge to the new casing. Put the new o-ring into the old casing.
If the motor is hot, it\'s possible that the rotor is locked and you\'ll need a new cartridge. Either way, you\'ll have to take the pump apart to check the cartridge. The replacement cartridge part number is 007-045. I hope there are shut off valves before and after the circulator, otherwise you\'ll get wet. If the pump connects to the top of the cold water line, you can shut off the cold water supply and not have to drain anything. Don\'t open any hot water faucets and you can hold the water in the pipes. The latest 006 is a 006-B4.
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| Q: | I have a 008-V2 pump on my solar system. Do you still make this pump?
Answer: No, but you can convert a current day model 008. Remove the casing from the new pump and install the new motor, cartridge, and o-ring to the -V2 casing and you will have a modern pump. The V2 pump had a special casing that combined an air scoop and pump, together with tappings for a pressure gage and a vent.
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| Q: | I have a domestic water recirculation pump that is programmed but I do not get instant hot water
Answer: If the pump is on a timer check that the clock is programmed properly. If the timer is set for on check to see if the pump is running by placing a screw driver blade against the pump casing and the hand to your ear. Turn the pump off and then on and listen for a cost down and speed up. If this is ok you have an air block in the return line. Shut off the valve between the pump discharge and the hot water tank. Hopefully the plumber installed a hose bib between the shut off and the pump. If not shut off the cold water to the hot water heater , loosen the motor bolts, place bucket under the pump, turn on the cold water and wait for the air to be purged from the return line through the pump. When the water is steady, shut off the cold water, check o-ring seating and reseal the pump. Reopen the cold water line and check for leak. Open the valve between the pump and hot water tank and you should have hot water.
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| Q: | I have a gas boiler with Taco controls that is short cycling. The problem seems to relate only to the 2nd floor zone. What can be causing this?
Answer: Check the heat anticipator on the thermostat for the zone or zones you think are short cycling. The thermostat should be on an inside wall, with no radiation under it, and away from outside drafts. Also check that there are no bad connections and that 20-gage wire is used, not telephone wire. The current draw should be about 1 AMP. When the boiler cycles, watch the water temperature to see if the boiler aquastat is cycling the boiler. The upstairs zone might be small and not much of a load on the boiler. You might want to lower the boiler water temperature until the outdoor temp drops. Our PC700 is an outdoor reset control used in conjunction with our -EXP controls.
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| Q: | I need technical details on how the ZR and ZC terminals interface with the aquastat on a boiler. I wire many boilers and all directions specify cold start or hot start, black box type instructions. I do not fully understand the inner workings, or what happens electrically with either application.
Answer: In our Control Instructions, we give two examples: a cold start boiler or a tankless coil boiler. For the cold start, the X, X goes to the TT terminals in the boiler control. For the tankless, the ZC and ZR go to the ZC, ZR terminals of the boiler. Boiler controls that don\'t have ZC and ZR terminals can be hooked like the cold start. These hook ups are conditional, in that you move the circulator that was originally wired to C1 and C2 over to the Taco Control.
If you plan to leave the circulator on the boiler aquastat, and a thermostat connected to the TT terminals of the aquastat, you will need to get into the firing circuit of the aquastat. This would be the ZR connection. Run a wire from the ZR of the aquastat to the ZR of the Taco control. If there is no ZR, run a black wire from the ZR of the Taco control to the B terminal of the aquastat.
When an aquastat has the ZC and ZR terminals, the ZC is connected to the low temperature switch of the aquastat and to the ZC terminal of the Taco control. The ZR is connected to the ZR. These will be 120 Volt wiring. When the boiler water temp is too low, the low limit switch connected to ZC opens and drops the voltage to the ZC of the Taco board, killing all the pumps until the boiler catches up. The ZR is a 120 Volt supply to the burner circuit to fire the boiler, but this goes through the high limit switch to control the boiler water temperature.
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| Q: | I want to install a hot water recirculation pump that could be conveniently turned on and off with a push button.
Answer: The Taco D\'MAND System would meet your needs. It is installed under the sink of the remote bathroom and is only started when you push a button. The pump in the D\'Mand System pumps the water from the hot water line to the cold water line. It shuts off when a temperature sensor in the pump casing senses a 9 degree rise in temperature. There is a time delay which prevents the pump from starting again so the cold water line isn\'t heated. The D\'Mand System only runs when required and you don\'t have to pipe a return line.
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| Q: | I wanted to compare different pumps to see which one would meet my needs. Couldn't find anything that would show me a side by side comparison. So I moved on. Way to difficult to find anything here.
Answer: Thank you very much for visiting the Taco Web Site.
I am sorry that you found our Pump Wizard too difficult to use. Because of the amount of space available on screen, we do not show side by side pump performance curves for comparison. However, when you make a pump selection, we show a table of data with information on impeller diameter, RPM, NPSHr, Efficiency, HP, Non-oveloading HP and connection sizes. In the table, we also show a "thumbnail" of the actual pump performance curve (too small for much analysis, but you can see where your design point falls relative to the max and min impeller diameters and the ends of the impeller curves). Selecting a pump from the list of pumps opens a tab on the page with a larger performance curve and more specific information on the pump selected. This tab also allows you to open a full size performance curve as well as access any of the literature associated with the particular pump. When you are done analyzing the pump, you can either close the tab, or click on the "Results" tab to analyze another pump. Selecting another pump will open another tab so you can quickly go back and forth between pumps. Changing the input parameters while on the results page will select a range of new pumps while leaving all other pump tabs unchanged.
I would be very interested in hearing any suggestions you have to make the Pump Selection Wizard easier to use, especially for comparison purposes. Our goal is to make our site the easiest to use I the industry.
Thanks again for your interest in Taco, Inc.
T. R. Smith
Director Of Marketing Programs
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| Q: | I'm a FloPro Team member. When I click on a link to join the Neighborhood, all I get is the log-on screen. I have tried different links, but with the same result. What gives? Thanks Ian - FTS
Answer: Hi Ian ...
You'll need to register separately for The Neighborhood...it's a quick and simple process, but it is necessary. We hire a private firm to operate The Neighborhood, and as a result the FloPro Team and The Neighborhood are not linked - so membership in the FloPro Team doesn't automatically register you for The Neighborhood.
So all you'll need to do is complete the registration process for the Neighborhood and you'll be in. If you bookmark the page you won't have to login every time you want to check it out. You'll definitely enjoy it - we have several interesting Discussion Forums going on right now, including a fascinating troubleshooting exercise. Hope to see you there soon!
If you have any trouble registering for The 'Hood, you can trying using this link:
http://flopro.ning.com/?xgi=2oapLqu8aoGXhF
Please let me know if you have any difficulties...
John Barba
Taco, Inc
johbar@taco-hvac.com
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| Q: | Is additional support required when installing the 1600 Series circulators?
Answer: The 1600 series is a resilient mount design, to help reduce vibration transmitted into the piping. Resilient mount motor is supported by the bracket. If you apply an upward force on the bracket, either by a hanger or a foot support on the floor, it is possible to cause misalignment with the couplings, causing premature, uneven wear on the seal faces, and stress on the bearings. The piping should be rigid enough to support the overhung load of the motor, but be careful of torsional stress on the piping. To prevent that, you may have some type of foot support or hanger on the cast iron bracket, just adding some support.
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| Q: | Is the location of the pump important in relation to the expansion tank and boiler?
Answer: Yes, the expansion tank is the point of no pressure change. If the pump is placed so that it pumps toward the expansion tank, the head produced by the pump will show up as a drop in pressure on the suction side of the pump. This drop in pressure is equal to the head produced by the pump. A pump that develops more than 12 feet of head should be piped so it pumps away from the expansion tank. This way, the head produced by the pump will show up as a rise in system pressure on the discharge of the pump. The positive pressure will improve the elimination of air problems in a system.
The expansion tank and pump should be located after the boiler so the boiler is also at the point of no pressure change. The Pressure Reducing Valve (fill valve) should be connected next to the expansion tank.
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| Q: | Is the Taco zone valve a three wire zone valve and how do I wire it?
Answer: No, it is a 3 TERMINAL zone valve. One terminal of a 24 volt, 40VA transformer is wired to one side of the thermostat. The other side of the thermostat is wired to terminal # 1 of the zone valve operator. The #2 terminal of the zone valve operator goes back to the other terminal of the transformer. There is an end switch connected between terminal #2 & #3 of the zone valve operator. To activate the boiler control we run another wire from #2 terminal to one of the T terminal of the boiler control. We run another wire from the #3 terminal of the zone valve to the other T or TV terminal of the boiler control.
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| Q: | May I have some information on balancing valve flow corrections for glycol solutions?
Answer: These correction factors are applied to the differential reading which is taken with a differential pressure gauge. The corrected reading is applied to the flow chart. If you have a formula that the differential is applied to, the correction is the square root of the difference in specific gravities of the flowing fluid, divided by the specific gravity of the standard fluid, water at 60°F. The viscosity does not affect the flow meter but can slow the flow due to the added resistance in the system.
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| Q: | Minimum flow applications (low mass boilers for example).
Answer: For applications where minimum flow is a concern, the low flow differential head can be increased by increasing the H max or changing the slope of the pump curve (% proportional). In addition, the Viridian can be set to constant and any of the 12 speeds may be selected (more for constant flow applications).
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| Q: | My home oil burner serves two zones that are zoned using 573-2 and 572-2 zone valves. The 572-2 only works by opening manually. It worked fine for years. How do I check and possibly repair the valve without replacement?
Answer: The valves you have are 572-2 and 573-2 zone valves. There should be 3 terminals marked #1, #2 and #3. #1 and #2 should have 24 volts going to them when the thermostat is calling for heat. If you have 24 volts, the valve should open after 1½ minutes. If you don\'t have 24 volts, the problem is with the wiring, the thermostat, or the transformer. If other zones are operating off the same transformer and working fine, the problem isn\'t with the transformer. If you have 24V at #1 and #2, then it is internal to the operator.
Remove the wire from the #1 terminal and apply an ohm meter across terminals #1 and #2. The meter should read 22 ohms +/- 1 ohm. If the meter needle doesn\'t move or the digital reads 0.L, the circuit is open or the internal contact of the internal leaf switch is dirty. If you get an ohm reading of 16 to 22 ohms, the circuit is good but there might be a failure of the heat motor. With the #1 wire removed from the operator for 5 minutes, you can twist the operator and remove it from the valve body. The replacement power head part number is 555-050RP. You don\'t have to change the whole valve and the operator can be removed without taking the pressure off the system. When you remove the power head, if you see a dark brown wax around the piston, then the diaphragm in the heat motor has failed.
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| Q: | My Taco i series valve is not working properly.
Answer: As in any troubleshoot procedure it is important to isolate the problem. The error messages greatly simplify troubleshooting the valve. If the diagnostic lights are flashing identify the coded flash using the matrix found at the end of the instruction manual 102-145
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| Q: | Overload protection - what, how and the effects (auto reset or manual).
Answer: Note each number below corresponds to the number of pulses of the red overload light on the face of the VFD:
1. Low load (dry run) - pump shuts off after approximately 60 seconds. Reset by turning main power supply off/on.
2. Overload (Locked rotor) - pump shuts off. Free up rotor (or impeller) and reset by turning main power off/on.
3. Motor Overheat - pump runs at reduced power until motor cools off.
4.VFD failure - pump shuts off. Attempt reset by turning main power off/on. If unable to reset replace pump (power head at least).
5. Motor/Stator failure - pump shuts off. Attempt reset by turning main power off/on. If unable to reset replace pump (powerhead at least).
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| Q: | What are the ZC and ZR terminals on the Switching Relay boards and how are they used?
Answer: ZC/ZR terminals on the SR board go to ZC/ZR terminals on the triple aquastat with ZC/ZR terminals, using minimum 14 gauge wires. These terminals will prioritize domestic water coil. When there is a demand for heat from the thermostat, ZR becomes hot, sending 120 volts to the triple aquastat. When the boiler temperature rises above the minimum temperature setting (typically 140°), ZC becomes hot, sending 120 volts to the SR board and powering the relay for the circulators. To recap, the circulators cannot run until the boiler is keeping up with demand.
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| Q: | What causes my thermostat to short cycle?
Answer: Electro-mechanical thermostats have a small variable heater built into them. It tricks the thermostat into thinking that the room temperature is satisfied so the temperature doesn't overshoot.
The setting of the heat anticipator is based on the current draw of the connected zone valve wiring. A low current drawing valve requires a longer heater wire to create the same amount of heat. A high current draw circuit requires only a short heater wire.
Taco zone valves of the 550, 560, and 570 series draw about 1 amp, so the heat anticipator should be set accordingly. If the thermostat is short cycling, increase the setting to a higher amp setting.
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| Q: | What does the 007-BF5-J nomenclature mean?
Answer: This is a 007 pump with an iron casing and a stainless steel cartridge originally designed for boiler manufacturers that wet test the boilers. It is also commonly used in open systems such as wood boilers.
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| Q: | What else do I need to complete the installation other than the valve?
Answer: - Water heater drip pan or other suitable device that will allow the water to rise to a level of 7/8". See sizing chart below. - Two ¾" male threaded x sweat adapters - Two lengths of copper(or other approved tubing). Length will vary by installation. Connection from cold water supply line to valve and from valve to the "cold in" port of the water heater. - Two to four (depending on the installation) 90° copper (or other approved) elbows. Drip Pan Sizing: Water Heater Diameter Up to 17.75 = min. 20" pan 18" - 23" = minimum 24" pan 24.5" = minimum 26" pan
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| Q: | What happens to the performance of pumps when they are piped in parallel or in series?
Answer: If pumps are piped in parallel, the flow produced by each pump will be additive, at the same head of each pump. For example, if one pump puts out 20GPM at 35 ft. and another puts out 30GPM at 35ft., the total flow at 35ft. head will be 50GPM.
If pumps are piped in series, their heads will be additive, at the same flow rate. For example, if one pump puts out 20ft at 15GPM and another puts out 25ft at 15GPM, the total head will be 45ft at 15GPM.
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| Q: | What information is required to order a replacement tube bundle for my shell and tube heat exchanger?
Answer: In order to purchase the correct replacement parts for a heat exchanger, including tube bundles, it is necessary to provide the heat exchanger's serial number. The serial number is stamped onto the heat exchanger three times in three different locations, as illustrated in the attached diagram. Because piping arrangements and the addition of insulation to the heat exchanger may make locating the serial number difficult, any one of these three will do (they're all the same). However, if possible, the serial number off of the tube plate is preferable.
Attachment: Heat Exchanger Serial Number Locations
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| Q: | What is a good circulator for an injection pump application?
Answer: A Taco Variable Speed Circulator with integral flow check is a good candidate for injection pump applications. The integral flow check facilitates piping and saves money. Flow checks on the supply and return will minimize migration into the secondary loop. Even though the tees for the secondary loop are closely spaced together at the piping interface, the pressure drop is still not eliminated. Without some type of flow control valve, some hot water will migrate from the primary circuit into the secondary circuit while it's inactive. From a performance perspective, the advantage of using an injection pump with an IFC is the minimal pressure drop through the valve. Additionally, it only takes approximately 1/4 psi to open the valve, sufficient to prevent any hot water from flowing freely into the secondary circuit when the pump is idle.
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| Q: | What is the best way to pipe a 5000 Mixing Valve when used for radiant heating?
Answer: Pipe the system as primary /secondary with a pump circulating the primary loop and using 2 tees close together with the branch of the one Tee supplying the hot connection of the tempering valve and the return from the radiant loop supplying the cold connection of the valve and the branch of the other Tee. A pump, sized for the radiant loop or loops should be pumping the mixed port of the valve and supplying the radiant loop/s.
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| Q: | What is the correct air charge pressure for my Captive Air Expansion Tank?
Answer: The air charge pressure should be equal to either the system fill pressure or the PRV setting if the tank is at the same elevation as the PRV. If the tank is located at any other elevation in the system, the charge pressure in the tank should be the cold pressure of the system at that elevation.
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| Q: | What is the current replacement for a CE model pump?
Answer: The current replacement would be determined by the original CE model.
The GPM and head conditions are also required in order to properly select the best replacement.
The new CI series will not be a drop in replacement and some piping modifications will be required.
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| Q: | What is the current replacement for a CM pump?
Answer: The current replacement would be determined by the original CM model.
The GPM and head conditions are also required in order to properly select the best replacement.
The new CI series will not be a drop in replacement and some piping modifications will be required.
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| Q: | What is the current replacement for an FE model pump?
Answer: The current replacement would be determined by the original FE model.
The GPM and head conditions are also required in order to properly select the best replacement.
The new FI series will not be a drop in replacement and some piping modifications will be required.
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| Q: | What is the difference between a JP and a JM frame motor?
Answer: A JP motor is a close coupled pump motor where the motor shaft is the pump shaft. It has a longer shaft so that the pump can be constructed with either a soft packed seal or a mechanical seal. A JM motor is also a close coupled pump motor, however the shaft is shorter and only allows the use of a mechanical seal in the pump assembly.
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| Q: | What is the difference between NPSHA and NPSHR?
Answer: NPSHA stands for Net Positive Suction Head Available. NPSHR stands for Net Positive Suction Head Required. It's basically checks and balances; you need to have enough available to satisfy the required.
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| Q: | What is the formula for calculating the pressure differential for a given flow when using the Accu-Flo valve?
Answer: The chart on the submittal data sheet is the flow chart for measuring the flow. The actual pressure drop, with the balancing valve wide open, can be calculated by using the Cv or the slide rule.
The formula would be (flow required/Cv) squared X 27.72 = resistance in inches of water at the required flow rate with the valve wide open. For resistance reading with the balancing valve throttled, you need the slide rule. Example: (106.8/212) squared X 27.72 = 7.03 inches of water resistance.
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| Q: | What is the procedure for plotting the performance curve of a pump if you have an impeller diameter that falls between 2 known diameter impeller cuts?
Answer: Follow these steps to draw in a curve between 2 published pump curves with a known diameter: Look at the pump curves of the pump in question. Note the diameter of each curve on each side of the diameter curve to be plotted. I.e., FI1511 needs a curve for 10.85\" and we need to know the head that diameter will generate at 104 GPM. 11.25\" & 10.50\" Subtract the difference between the diameters. 11.25\" - 10.50\" = .750\"
Subtract the smaller diameter from the to be drawn dia. Impeller 10.85\" - 10.50\" = .350\" With a scale of 50 graduations/inch, measure the distance between the known curves. You will need to do this in equal increments along the curve to plot point to draw the curve. I.e., at 50 GPM the distance is .310\"
Calculate the new curve point by solving the following equation: .350\"/.750\" = X /.310\", X = .350\"/.750\" X .310\", X = .4666 X .310\" = .145\" Measure up from the lower known curve (10.50\" dia) and plot the point. Continue with the same procedure along the curve in equal increments. Using a French curve, connect the plotted points to generate a smooth curve.
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| Q: | What is the proper way to mount my 00 circulator?
Answer: We like to see the motor end of pump in a horizontal position (parralel with the floor), with the electrical box at the 3, 9 or 12 o'clock position, never under or at the 6 o'clock position. The circ can be mounted with the motor in a verticle position (motor end facing ceiling), as long as there is more than 20 psi in the system.
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| Q: | What is the purpose of the check valve, Taco FLO-CHEK?
Answer: The FLO-CHEK serves two purposes.
1.The Flo-Chek prevents flow from going in reverse direction from the arrow on the valve.
2.The Flo-Chek prevents thermo-siphoning when the pump is not running. Thermo-siphoning is the flow of water in a heating system due to the hot water being lighter with the ability to rise and the cooler water being heavier which would cause it to sink. The home can be heated if the pump is not working by manually lifting the disk of the Flo-Chek. This can be done by screwing the stem counter clockwise which will lift the stem and disk.
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| Q: | What is the purpose of the Flo-Chek?
Answer: The Flo-Chek serves two purposes: It prevents flow from going in reverse direction from the arrow on the valve, and it prevents thermosiphoning when the pump is not running. Thermosiphoning is a condition in which water in a heating system rises when it is hot and sinks when it is cool. The home can be heated if the pump is not working by manually lifting the disk of the Flo-Chek. This can be done by screwing the stem counter clockwise, which will lift the stem and disk.
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| Q: | What procedure should be followed when purging air from a loop that has an IFC circulator?
Answer: If a 007-IFC is piped on the supply and pumping away from the expansion tank, the normal purging of a zone or of the system should purge the system. Remember to close the main return valve and purge before it.If the 007-IFC is on the return, close the main return and place a purge valve between it and the pump so the zone water is purged through the pump. An IFC pump on the return can create a problem because air sometimes stays in the pump. Remember to open the main return valve after purging. The higher you raise the system pressure without lifting the relief valve, the better the purge. You can do this by manually opening the fill valve and opening the purge valve just as the pressure reaches 30 psi.
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| Q: | What should the fill valve pressure setting be in my heating system and how do I calculate it?
Answer: The fill pressure at the bottom of a system should be equal to the elevation + 5psi. For example, if I have a 3 story house and the distance between floors is 9 ft., the highest radiation or piping on the 3rd floor is 3 ft., and the fill valve is 5 ft bellow the 1st floor, the setting would be: 5+ 9+9+3=26ft./2.31= 11.3psi+5psi=16.3. The fill valve would be set to pressurize the system to 16.3psi. This will give you 5psi at the top of the system.
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| Q: | What type of seal is the CI series pump equipped with.
Answer: Taco CI, and FI series pumps are equipped with a John Crane Type 21 mechanical seal as a standard. The stationary seat is ceramic and the rotating element mating ring is carbon. Optional seal configurations are available, including sealide C, Ni-Resist and Tungsten carbide.
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| Q: | When selecting a pump, do I include the head required to get the water to the top of the system?
Answer: Not if it is a closed loop system and the fill pressure is set to equal the elevation + some extra. If the system is charged properly, the pump will need to overcome only the system resistance. In an open system, if the return line comes all the way back to the tank, the pump needs only enough head to fill all the piping. Once the piping is filled and the fluid is flowing back, the pump only has to take care of the system resistance and the gap between the top of the fluid in the tank and the end of the pipe.
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| Q: | Where can I get instructions for diagnostics on a 00 series pump?
Answer: To evaluate a pump without dismantling the pump, a clamp amp is recommended to measure the amp load. If it's close to nameplate amps, the pump could be running but not pumping water. This would suggest a system related problem, where simply purging the system should correct the problem. If the Amp reading is approx. 1 1/2 times nameplate amp, you're in a locked rotor condition. Replacing the cartridge assembly will rebuild the pump
Link: purging
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| Q: | Where is the hydraulic separator installed in the system?
Answer: Primary piping around boilers with higher pressure drops which allows for the possible use of a smaller zone circulator. The hydraulic separator allows a hydraulic connection to the secondary loops off the primary loop. The Hydro-sep also has the added benfits of venting air by means of the Taco Hy-Vent and sediment removal via the bottom valve.
Link: Hydraulic Separator
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| Q: | Why do I need an expansion tank in my chilled water system?
Answer: A chilled water system is filled with water at a temperature between 50 and 60°F. When the chiller is turned on, the temperature of the water drops to 45°F. When the water contracts, the system pressure drops, and the fill valve allows more water to enter the system to maintain the system pressure.
If the chiller shuts down and the water in the system warms up to room temperature, the rise in temperature from 45° to ambient will cause the water in the system to expand. Without an expansion tank, the relief-valve would blow. The tank can be smaller than the one used in a hot water system, because the temperature is rising from 45°F to ambient, instead of from ambient to 200°F.
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| Q: | Why do you supply a dam and condensate drain tube with the valve?
Answer: In some installations, code requires that no standing water (usually condensate) be present under the water heater. In those cases the condensate drain tube is placed under the dam so standing water can be diverted through the drain tube to a drain line. The dam is installed over the tube, so in the event of a failure the water would accumulate quicker then the flow through the tube and would be able to reach a level of 3/4" in the pan, triggering the valve.
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| Q: | Why does my Flo-Chek leak by?
Answer: Typically this is caused by debris accumulating on the disk or seat. This would be the case if the valve worked fine when it was first installed. You will have to take the valve apart and clean the seat, disk, and stem to bring the valve back to original. The stem should be vertical.
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| Q: | Why does my hot water circulate when my Taco pump is off?
Answer: Something has adhered to the Flo-Chek seat or disk. The Flo-Chek is a weighted disk check valve that normally prevents thermosiphoning. That is, it prevents the lighter, hot water from rising to the radiation and the heavier, cool water from sinking, causing a flow in the system without a pump. If the system worked fine before and then started to act up, the disk is stuck or something is on the seats.
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| Q: | Why does my zone valve let flow through it when it is not powered?
Answer: There are several reasons:
1.The 570 series can only hold back 50ft of head and if you have a pump upstream of the valve producing more than 50 ft, the valve will be pushed open.
2.If the manual lever has been pulled down, the valve will be manually opened.
3.Depending on the environment the zone valve is in could cause the piston of the operator to stick and not allow the valve to close.
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| Q: | Why does the seal leak when the pump runs, and stop leaking when the pump stops?
Answer: Here are some possibilities:
(A) Something is restricting the free movement of the seal.
The product is viscous and some products become more viscous with agitation (e.g., cream becomes butter with agitation). These products are called dilatants.
A recirculation line from the discharge of the pump is aimed at the seal and interfering with its movement.
A foreign object is in the stuffing box.
A protruding gasket is touching the movable part of the seal.The shaft is being displaced, causing the seal to hit something as it rotates, or causing the rotating face to run off the stationary face. The pump is operating off of its best efficiency point (B.E.P.), causing the shaft to bend. The rotating assembly is out of dynamic balance. The shaft is bent. There is misalignment between the motor and the pump. Pipe Strain is twisting the pump stuffing box. Heat causes expansion, leading to the possibility for rubbing or wear. Cavitation, slip stick, harmonic vibration, bad bearings or some other form of vibration is causing excessive movement of the shaft. The shaft sleeve is not concentric with the shaft, causing it to run "off center." The pump designed with sleeve or babbitted bearings and shaft movement is excessive. The seal face is being distorted by either temperature or pressure. The product is vaporizing between the seal faces, causing the faces to blow apart. If boiler feed water vaporizes, it leaves behind all of the chemicals that were added to the water to prevent hardness, adjust PH, soften boiler scale, etc. In cryogenic (cold) applications, the vaporizing fluid can freeze any lubricant that might have been placed on the seal faces. This frozen lubricant can damage the carbon/graphite seal face.
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| Q: | Why does the voltage read across terminals #1 & #2 vary between 24 & 28 volts?
Answer: For the first 1½ minutes, you will read 24 volts across terminals #1 and #2. The valve will have reached its operating stroke in that time. An internal switch will open the circuit to allow the heater to cool and control the length of stroke of the valve. When the circuit is opened, the load is taken off the transformer and the voltage jumps up to 28 volts. Once the valve gets into its cycle, there will be a current draw for 10 seconds and no current draw for 20 seconds.
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| Q: | Why is my Flo-Chek or MPV noisy?
Answer: Normally a check valve is noisy if the valve is oversized for the flow going through the valve. The flow cannot lift or swing the disk all the way open so the disk bangs back and forth within the body of the valve.
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| Q: | Why is my hot water coming out of the cold water line?
Answer: The pressure drop is high enough to suck hot water from the cold line when the cold water is used. remedy; install another check valve in series with the with the 18 inch pound one already installed in the pump.
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| Q: | Why is the valve not allowing flow through to the system?
Answer: The most likely cause of flow not going to the system is the boiler protection is engaged. Disconnect the power supply, and then disconnect the boiler return sensor from the valve. Reenergize the valve with 24 volts, and the valve will work normally. You must find an alternative way of protecting the boiler, if the return temperature will be less than the boiler manufacture recommends.
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| Q: | Will a 006-B4 replace a 006-B4-3?
Answer: The 006-B4-3 has a relay attached (OEM Product) and the 006-B4 does not. You can use the -B4 with a single zone relay (SR501), in it's place
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| Q: | Will a 007-F5 replace a 007-F2, F3, F4 circulator?
Answer: Generally, with all of the \"00\" Series pumps, the first 3 digits tell the performance of the pump, something which does not normally change over the years. So, yes it will. The F always means iron flanged. The number after the F is if we make a design change which does not affect interchangeability, we change the 2 to a 3 etc, on up.
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| Q: | Will high humidity environments cause the WAGS valve to trip prematurely?
Answer: NO. We have actively tested the valve in the most humid of conditions over a long period of time. The element will only absorb a certain amount of water due to humidity, but nowhere near the amount of water required to trigger the valve. An example of this would be if you had a cardboard box full of books. If you left the box in an extremely high humidity environment the cardboard would absorb a certain amount of moisture. It you tried to lift the box the books might drop through the bottom, but at no point will the box absorb so much humidity that it would disappear and leave only a pile of books.
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