Older dial type aquastat adjustment


  #1  
Old 01-05-14, 10:04 AM
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Older dial type aquastat adjustment

My daughters oil hot water heater is producing very hot water and she asked me to adjust it. Thought that would be simple, but it isn't obvious what needs to be moved and my searching is getting buried in non-related results.

No adjustment information is with the unit. The dial is metal with 160° mark at the top and a few hash marks. Bottom says normal, hot to left and warm to right. There is a tab on the dial at the hot, a pointer near the normal and a tab or stop near the warm.

From that terrible description can you point me to a set of instructions, pictures please. If we need more info I will be over there this afternoon.

I'm assuming it is just an adjustment, but it may have failed. We have no history on how it was set in the past, basically it has always been very hot for years.

Thoughts,
Bud
 
  #2  
Old 01-05-14, 06:43 PM
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C'mon Bud, you know the drill. We need pictures.
 
  #3  
Old 01-05-14, 09:09 PM
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I really thought there would be an easy place on the internet with a nice picture and short description, but what a mess out there.
The closest I can find in terms of function is this:
http://inspectapedia.com/heat/Honeyw...C_Aquastat.pdf
But her's has a metal dial and only the one number (160°) and nothing seems to move easily. And nothing seems to be pointing at or near that number.

I will get back there and get on my old creaky knees and see if I can get my bifocals positioned where I can identify what is supposed to move.
BTW, it is a 1991 John Woods. I have the manual and all the bloody thing says is for the tech to instruct the home owner on how to adjust the aquastat. At least the picture on the owners manual shows the same aquastat as listed in the link above.

And I will try to get a picture .
Thanks Furd

Bud
 
  #4  
Old 01-05-14, 11:59 PM
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Hi, Bud. I suspect my knees are just as creaky as yours and be thankful that you CAN wear bifocals, I have to use a double lens clip-on magnifier.

You should be able to turn the dial with your fingers although it might be stiff. Without the entire Honeywell number, if it IS a Honeywell control, I cannot look it up. I gave away most of my old Honeywell service manuals but I still have a few in pdf format that might be able to help. At 22+ years of age your daughter has certainly gotten her money's worth out of that heater. It may be that the control has just died of old age and the burner is cycling from the high temperature shut-down switch, assuming it is not a manual reset model.

Try turning the dial one direction while the burner is not firing and see if it fires. If it does then that direction it to raise the temperature and you want to turn it the other direction to lower the temperature. Or, if the burner IS firing then turn it to find the place where the burner stops and then turn it a bit more in the same direction to set a lower temperature.

Hopefully you can get some good clear pictures and I can give you a better answer.
 
  #5  
Old 01-07-14, 07:54 PM
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Adding Pictures

Here are a couple of pictures. It is a Honeywell Type L4103

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Now to see how they look
Bud

That worked.
I tried with a little pressure to rotate the metal disk and it didn't. What should I be moving to lower the water temp, currently very hot.

Thanks,
Bud
 

Last edited by Bud9051; 01-07-14 at 07:57 PM. Reason: separate images
  #6  
Old 01-08-14, 12:17 AM
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Hi, Bud.

Here is the instruction sheet for that control, it is a Honeywell L4103A It is always important to have the letter after the four digit number with Honeywell controls. The L signifies it is a limit control and the 4 signifies it is a series 40, two-wire, line-voltage control.

https://customer.honeywell.com/resou...0s/60-2344.pdf

The index point is at the bottom of the dial in your pictures, pointing to the N in normal. That should be a screwdriver slot in the middle of the dial and if so try using a screwdriver to turn the dial, it really should be able to be turned by hand but try the screwdriver. Turn in a clockwise direction to lower the temperature setting.

However, it may very well be that the operating control is stuck and/or the switch is welded shut making the burner cycle off of the high limit control. If that is the case then you need to have a new control installed, no ifs, ands or buts about it. Considering the age of the heater it may be wise to replace the whole heater. Pex Supply has the control in stock. L4103A1100 - Honeywell L4103A1100 - High Limit Aquastat Controller, 2-1/4" insulation (100 to 240 F)
 
  #7  
Old 01-09-14, 12:25 AM
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Thanks Furd, I'm part way there.
Used a screw driver and my fingers and it was a little tight but after it moved it was fine. Eased it down a little and we will wait and see if the temp follows. Hopefully it will. I didn't want to mistakenly get it too cold as several family members there now might not enjoy cold showers.

I will let you know if it responds.

Bud
 
 

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