[Coco] OT: Heat / A/C controller replacement

Thu Jun 7 23:31:23 EDT 2012

Hi,

As I said to Gene, the original heat / A/C controller down stairs is in 
place and working.

What I have done is break the power lead to that controller and control the 
power to it using a home built temperature controller that has switches to 
select heat or A/C mode which must match what the downstairs original 
controller is set to.

I am sure it is hard to understand what I did if you know how heat / A/C 
controllers are normally connected,

SHF

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <lciotti1 at gmail.com>
To: "CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts" <coco at maltedmedia.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 07, 2012 8:21 PM
Subject: Re: [Coco] OT: Heat / A/C controller replacement

> With these thermostats you would need more than 2 wires to operate the 
> heat and air conditioner.  They all have a mode switch built in, slide a 
> lever to select either heat or a/c.
>
>>From what you have said your previous set up had a normal 2 wire heat only 
>>thermostat and you built a secondary one that selected heat it the temp 
>>was below a set point and ac if above the set point.  Probably should have 
>>had some hysteresis in it so it did not toggle near the setpoint 
>>temperature.
>
>
> Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "Stephen H. Fischer" <SFischer1 at Mindspring.com>
> Sender: coco-bounces at maltedmedia.com
> Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2012 20:13:36
> To: CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts<coco at maltedmedia.com>
> Reply-To: CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts <coco at maltedmedia.com>
> Subject: Re: [Coco] OT: Heat / A/C controller replacement
>
> Hi,
>
> If I was talking about the heat / AC control that was installed downstairs 
> ~
> 1970, then a simple replacement like you suggest would work.
>
> BUT the problem is, how do you connect TWO of these with 5-6 wires at the
> SAME time.
>
> If there is an understandable diagram online then I might be able to 
> figure
> out what I did, looking at the wires connected to the heat / A/C it is
> puzzling to me right now what I did.
>
> I just have two wires that when shorted turn the heat or A/C on. The
> downstairs controller sets the mode and will turn the heat / A/C off it 
> it's
> setting is exceeded.
>
> SHF
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "gene heskett" <gheskett at wdtv.com>
> To: <coco at maltedmedia.com>
> Sent: Thursday, June 07, 2012 7:54 PM
> Subject: Re: [Coco] OT: Heat / A/C controller replacement
>
>
>> On Thursday, June 07, 2012 10:37:14 PM Stephen H. Fischer did opine:
>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> My Heat / A/C was installed ~ 1971.
>>>
>> So?  The control interface probably hasn't changed enough to care in 60
>> years.  The typical micro controlled Honeywell wall stat you can get at
>> Lowes/Home Depot for 50-60 dollars still talks to the usual 24 volt
>> control
>> circuitry, 5 or 6 wires, that could very well come from a 70 year old 
>> coal
>> stoker, just as easily as it hooks to my AC and a Bryant 90+ natural gas
>> furnace that is now about 8 or 9 years old & vents thru 2" white PVC pipe
>> out thru what used to be a basement window.  I paid $50 for this one,
>> gives
>> me 4x a day settings plus weekends.  I've replaced the 2 backup the clock
>> penlight cells in it twice in 15 years.
>>
>>> Today's Heat / A/C controllers likely have an wireless internet address.
>>
>> For a price I suppose that is available, but this one I have to program
>> from its panel, in person.
>>
>>> I just am looking for ideas as to how a old heat / A/C controller could
>>> be used like the one I built ~ 30+ years ago.
>>
>> If all you did was close a relay, then any of the stats available today
>> can
>> do that.
>>
>> I don't think it has to be old, the actual interface itself has not
>> markedly changed in yonks.  The "fan only" switch might not work. I think
>> that was the last addition to the low voltage protocol, probably 40 years
>> ago, if not more.  The only time I use that is if the AC freezes up the
>> inside coils, then you turn off the AC and turn on the fan till it thaws
>> out.
>>
>>> Links to the old controllers available today might be a starting point.
>>>
>>> I fear walking into a hardware store would produce smart phones to
>>> control Heat / A/C from Perth.
>>>
>>> SHF
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Louis Ciotti" <lciotti1 at gmail.com>
>>> To: "CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts" <coco at maltedmedia.com>
>>> Sent: Thursday, June 07, 2012 6:50 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [Coco] OT: Heat / A/C controller replacement
>>>
>>> >I assume you need something unique that a standard Heat/AC thermostat
>>> >
>>> > will not work?
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > On Thu, Jun 7, 2012 at 5:02 PM, Stephen H. Fischer
>>> >
>>> > <SFischer1 at mindspring.com> wrote:
>>> >> Hi,
>>> >>
>>> >> HELP!
>>> >>
>>> >> My hand constructed Heat / A/C control failed when the power went off
>>> >> and it
>>> >> is beyond my current ability to fix it. (data sheets are hidden, I
>>> >> did not
>>> >> draw up a plan, just wired the chips up looking at the data books
>>> >> many decades ago.)
>>> >>
>>> >> ---------------------------
>>> >> The basic operation was a LM3911 that sensed the temperature and
>>> >> CMOS chips drove a triac (AC power relay).
>>> >>
>>> >> There was a pot that controlled the set point and more parts to trim
>>> >> the pots range and drive LED's.
>>> >>
>>> >> ---------------------------
>>> >> What I am looking for is a off the shelf controller that I can change
>>> >> the desired temperature easily and have an off switch for use when I
>>> >> do not use
>>> >> the heat or A/C.
>>> >>
>>> >> The present controller is just a relay that just shorts the heat /
>>> >> A/C power
>>> >> just like a switch which is how I will be doing it if an replacement
>>> >> cannot
>>> >> be found. The normal house controls are used to switch from heat to
>>> >> A/C and
>>> >> prevent the house being heated too much or cooled too much in case of
>>> >> a failure
>>> >>
>>> >> It was good that the power failure did it's damage when the home-brew
>>> >> controller was off/
>>> >>
>>> >> I know this is a weird request and will not make sense to those who
>>> >> know how
>>> >> heat / A/C work.
>>> >>
>>> >> No timed options needed and other bells / chimes that the current
>>> >> controllers have, I want to just set the temperature and turn it on
>>> >> and off.
>>> >>
>>> >> SHF
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> --
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>>> >> Coco at maltedmedia.com
>>> >> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco
>>> >
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>>
>>
>> Cheers, Gene
>> -- 
>> "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
>> soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
>> -Ed Howdershelt (Author)
>> My web page: <http://coyoteden.dyndns-free.com:85/gene>
>> I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World
>> War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.
>> -- Albert Einstein
>>
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>
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