Install Ecobee 3 Lite - where to plug in PEK


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Old 12-07-17, 11:11 AM
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Install Ecobee 3 Lite - where to plug in PEK

Hello all! So I'm looking at the instructions of the Ecobee 3 Lite and none of it lines up with what I have in my furnace room.

Any ideas?

Pictures here https://imgur.com/a/REhAZ
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Last edited by PJmax; 12-07-17 at 11:36 AM. Reason: added 1 pic from link
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Old 12-07-17, 11:35 AM
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Welcome to the forums.

The PEK doesn't get plugged in anywhere..... it gets wired in.

At the top of the board.... the orange arrow will be the C.
Will you be replacing stat 1, 2 or 3 ?
You only need three wires and some look like 3 wire cables.

You WILL need a voltmeter for testing.
We need to label your TT terminals...... W and R.

Right now....the red and white wires are arbitrarily connected.
 
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Old 12-07-17, 11:38 AM
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Right, but the docs suggest that my furnace control board should have a specific type of wiring. I don't see this in any of my boxes.

Y G W G C R
 
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Old 12-07-17, 11:41 AM
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That's because that thermostat is designed for a furnace.
You don't have a furnace.... you have a boiler.
 
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Old 12-07-17, 12:07 PM
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Ok - so off to figure that scenario out.

I'll come back to share how I did it.

Thanks
 
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Old 12-07-17, 12:11 PM
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Did you read my previous reply... post 2 ?
Did you see the picture I posted ?
 
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Old 12-07-17, 12:32 PM
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Wow - so sorry. On mobile I totally missed it!

Ok - so I’ll check this all as soon as I get back home.

Unfortunately i I don’t understand the questions - I’m not up on the jargon (TT, stat), so I'll have to look those up.

Really sorry. I'm a new and first time home owner. I don't know everything about the house.

​​​​​​​Thanks so much for trying to help
 
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Old 12-07-17, 12:51 PM
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I drew the orange arrow in for C.
At the top right side of the board are where the three thermostats connect. You will need to determine which one you are replacing. The stats are currently connected to TT labeled terminals on the board. Those T's will be relabeled R and W as we test them.
 
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Old 12-07-17, 01:48 PM
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Ok. Still not home yet.

I have 4 zones - 4 hermostats. I'm replacing 2 of them with the Ecobee 3 Lite units.
 
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Old 12-07-17, 01:53 PM
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You are only showing a 3 zone/thermostat zone control panel.
A 4th thermostat would mean some type of kluge wiring.
Hopefully the stats you want to change go to the zone controller.
 
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Old 12-07-17, 01:59 PM
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Just what I was afraid of. I see the 4th is connected differently and not within that relay box.

I'll map it all out and post back. Thanks for the help.
 
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Old 12-07-17, 02:11 PM
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I went back to look at your other pictures. It looks like the 4th stat connects directly to the aquastat. There is no way to connect a wifi stat directly to the aquastat. You'd need an aux source of 24vac to run it. That would require an additional 24vac transformer and a relay or 4 wires between that aquastat area and the stat.
 
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Old 12-07-17, 03:46 PM
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You called it! Spot on!

https://imgur.com/a/lmdCK
 
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Old 12-07-17, 03:52 PM
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More pics. Showing it leads to the other box in front, which happens to be one of the stats I want to replace. Crap!
 
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Old 12-07-17, 03:57 PM
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So one of the zones is here.

How is do I label W and R? What’s the process to determine each?
 
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Old 12-07-17, 04:17 PM
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Alright. All figured out. All reds are on left, except Zone 3, which is blue in this cable. They measure above 24v. So I’m labeling now.
 
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Old 12-07-17, 04:17 PM
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Remove the two wires from the stat terminals you are working on. If you aren't ready to connect the new stat yet.... just use thermostat 1 location. Using a voltmeter set to next scale over 24VAC. Connect either probe to the COM where the orange arrow is. Touch the other probe to A or B. The A and B repeat on all three locations. Tell me which letter.... A or B..... measures 24vac.

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Old 12-07-17, 04:27 PM
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Sweet, as posted before - all the A terminals are the R (hot) wires.

Also, yes - there is a 3rd wire in the bundle, so I can connect those to the C terminal - right?
 
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Old 12-07-17, 04:29 PM
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Yup......... you're the man.
Use a Sharpie and write it over the T's.

I will now put this board pic in my archives for the next person that asks.
 
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Old 12-07-17, 04:35 PM
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No you are!

Awesome! Thanks so much for the help!

Only other thing I'm not sure how to do is the stat on the aquastat. How I handle that one exactly.

Back to YouTube!

Thank you again
 
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Old 12-07-17, 05:19 PM
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This is my recommendation and is based on the exact way I do the installation. You only need a small 24vac 10va transformer. You can use any size from 24vac 10-40 va. You can get a transformer that connects to an electrical box or one that is attached to an electrical plate or even use a plug-in wall wart.

This is one of the exact plug-in ones I use.....
MG-ELECTRONICS-MGT2420-TRANSFORMER

All kinds of 24vac transformers that will work.....
keywords=24vac+hvac+transformers

This is one relay... the 290... it's fine. My diagram is the 293. Both work.
Little different connection..... PACKARD-PR290Q-Relay-Coil-Contacts

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Easy three wire connection.
 
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Old 12-07-17, 07:00 PM
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Ok - 1st Ecobee is up! Yay!!!

Alright - this next one I’d like to do the best way recommended.

So if I got the wall plug in, I may have an issue - no outlets there. I don’t want to string wires all over

If I picked up a 24v transformer, where would I connect it in relation to the connection stream?

where do I feed the transformer power from and then how would I connect the stat power and the C circuit?

Thanks again!
 
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Old 12-07-17, 09:00 PM
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No receptacle near the boiler ?
Maybe best to get a transformer that connects to an electrical junction box.

You need the power near the boiler where your three wire cable is located.
 
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Old 12-08-17, 05:31 AM
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Ok - so just want to make sure I understand. I need the transformer only? Don’t need transformer and relay - right?

The transformer is only two wires, so how would I create a C wire for 3 wires?
 
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Old 12-08-17, 07:46 AM
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Here is another thought. Could I relocate one of the stats I'm not swapping out from the control box (garage) to the aquastat and move the stat from the aquastat to the control box (where garage stat was) and be all done?
 
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Old 12-08-17, 09:47 AM
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It looks like the 4th stat connects directly to the aquastat. There is no way to connect a wifi stat directly to the aquastat. You'd need an aux source of 24vac to run it. That would require an additional 24vac transformer and a relay or 4 wires between that aquastat area and the stat.
Those are your two choices.
Relay and transformer for 3 wires or just a transformer with 4 wires.

I don't see a reason why the zones can't be swapped..... stat and circulator wiring.
 
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Old 12-08-17, 07:45 PM
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Just wanted to say - THANK YOU!

I've completed the swap and rewiring of the stats - the downstairs, which was on TT 2 and the Bedroom, which was on the aquastat. That was fun - never did that kind of stuff before.

I've bundled the C wires necessary for both TTs and everything is working!

I did have a scare and I had to go to Lowes! LOL.. When I saw no green light on the control board after flipping the power on - my heart stopped. I thought I fried the board.. Turns out I accidentally confused the stats and wiring colors and put the C wire on the W wire, which was plugged into the stat in the Bedroom and it blew out the fuse. Quick fix - thank gosh! OMG - what a bad bad feeling to have.

So I will return on a slow day at the house and get all of these colors consistent by color. But I know what they are for now - I labeled them

Thanks again for all of the help and patience. Couldn't have done it without your help @pjmax!
 
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Old 12-08-17, 07:51 PM
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You are very welcome.
 
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Old 12-08-17, 08:23 PM
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One last thing. I wanted to swap out the Garage (zone 1) and move that to the aquastat, but when I went to the control box, I noticed a second black wire connected. See the picture https://imgur.com/liccQVH

So I decided not to mess with anything too advanced, and I just used the Downstairs (zone 2) - it didn't have any extra wires.

But I was just thinking and realized that I'm going to have to deal with this issue soon, because I was planning to put an Ecobee Downstairs. Zone 3 is already being used, and zone 2 is the new Bedroom stat we just swapped in.

The Garage has a blower unit that sends the heat out as it blows. Is this why the second black wire is connected?

Let me know if you need pictures to help with what I'm trying to explain.

Sorry if I keep resurrecting this thread. I know you want it to die! lol
 
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Old 12-08-17, 08:36 PM
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Hmmmmm...... I've seen that picture before.

I see the two black wires on the Circ 1 hot terminal. I don't know what that is for. If you are saying that is the garage zone (Z1) and it has a fan forced hydronic unit...... one black could be for a pump and the other could be for the fan. That isn't the ideal way to set up that kind of heater but it probably works.

Usually there is a thermostat strapped to the hot water pipe behind the hydronic heater. When the return line gets hot.... the fan starts. This keeps from blowing cold air around.
 
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Old 12-08-17, 08:54 PM
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Yea, you called it - again. That's what we're dealing with.

So should I be looking to hook it up the right way or is there a way to hook it up - safely - to the aquastat? or is that a no-no?

Should I be working towards connecting it the right way - what you described? I don't understand it, but I'll have to learn.
 
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Old 12-08-17, 09:26 PM
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There are two negatives with the way it is now.
1 - it allows the fan to blow cold for several minutes. That's not bad.... just a little wasteful.
2 - it takes the fan power off the zone controller and the controller isn't really rated to have a pump and a fan on an output. Three pumps is already putting a load on that controller. Actually... I don't think those little style pumps draw a lot.

Putting that load on the boiler aquastat would be worse.

You could change the switched line to the garage to an always live line and use a strap on thermostat like in the link below. If you search around there are other similar stats for less. This strap on stat monitors the temp of the return line of the heater. It turns the fan on and off based on the set temp. Usually it's set around 110-120 degrees.

Honeywell-L6006C1018-Aquastat-Controller/dp/B0006UPLAS
 
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Old 12-08-17, 09:47 PM
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Let me make sure I explained that blower and how it works today.

Its connected per the pictures. It has a stat that I use to monitor and keep the temp in the garage at a set temp. When it’s below that, it kicks on.

Same me thing you suggested still applies? If so, I’ll check that out. Definitely want to do clean and best method work.
 
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Old 12-12-17, 09:07 AM
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I guess you already answered my question - I'm just re-reading it now and realizing that.

I may bring in someone to assist with this. I think this is more advanced then I can handle.

Thanks again! Safe to archive this one.
 
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Old 12-13-17, 07:48 PM
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The threads basically archive themselves. They don't get closed unless they are very old and brought back. They stay in the archives forever.
 
 

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