Zone valve wiring taped to boiler pipe

[Watson23]

I have a newly installed Peerless boiler. *The HVAC installer used a TACO zvc406 *six zone control panel and Honeywell zone valves. **From the start the control did not function properly. *Zones were receiving heat
without requesting it. *He came out yesterday and said that the Honeywell zone valves and the Taco control panel didn't work together so he rewired the zone valves outside of the control panel. The control panel now has one wire from all six zones and no longer has functioning indicator lights. *I now have a spaghetti
tangle of wires that he taped to the *main hot water pipe that the zone valves connect to. *Is this safe? *I've never seen wires taped to a hot pipe before. *Am I being ripped off?

[Gary in NJ]

The Taco ZVC406 is very (and I mean VERY) easy to hook-up. I installed one just a few weeks ago. There are several wiring diagrams available on Taco's website, depending on the type of zone valve in use.

Yes, you have been ripped off. You have payed for something that isn't being used. Take a look at the diagrams and back-track what you have. You may be able to resolve this yourself...correctly.

Here's a suggestion. Get one zone working correctly and then replicate that zone for the remaining zones.

[Watson23]

Thanks but I'm not comfortable with anything electrical. Any reason why he would say the Honeywell zone valves don't work with the Taco control panel. Are there problem with compatibility? Do you think it is a safety problem with the wires being taped to the hot water pipe?

[Tom Sawyer]

They work just fine with the Taco controller. Your installer is an idiot. www.taco-hvac.com look for diagrams under the support tab.

[Gary in NJ]

Thanks but I'm not comfortable with anything electrical.

http://www.taco-hvac.com/uploads/Fil...ry/102-092.pdf

This is a low current system, nothing painful to worry about. Moreover, make sure the breaker (or the boiler switch) is off while you are working on the wires. Hopefully the installer left the 110VAC hooked-up to the ZVC. That's they only input that can zap you.

There are two wires from each thermostat (including the DHW), usually red & white. Hook them up to the inputs on the top row (TT Zone 1, TT Zone 2....). The DHW goes to the last one, TT Zone 6. It doesn't matter what color wire goes on which terminal block. Make it look nice and be consistent; i.e red on the left, white on the right. I took the time to label the wires from which thermostat they were coming from to make any future maintenance easy. I also labeled the zones near the LED's on the ZVC as well so I knew which zones were calling for heat.

On the bottom left are the two wires (usually red & white) wires that go to the boiler.

On the bottom row are the terminals for the zone valves. You will notice that there are diagrams for two wire, three wire and 4 wire zone valves. Look at what you have and wire accordingly.

Set your Priority switch "On" and note whether you have a circulator or a zone valve for the priority zone. Use a jumper on the terminal 3&4 on zone output 6 if it is a circulator.

Collect all of your wires and use zip ties to form a nice looking harness. Open a beer and marvel at your handiwork (and wonder why your wife is unimpressed).

If you choose not to do this, that's cool. But do have it hooked up because its an awesome controller. Let the owner of the company that you hired know what a horrible job his worker did and insist on another tech that is familiar with the Taco controller. If that person is one in the same, hire someone else. But if you take the time to understand the controller, you can do it.

[Tom Sawyer]

Hey Gary, know what's really amazing? The guy that installed the controller had that and many other wiring diagrams that came with the unit. Maybe he can't read.

Rule #1 READ THE DAMN DIRECTIONS

[BadgerBoilerMN]

To answer your question, the wiring will not suffer. If you get a bad contractor, find a good one. Call the local Peerless Rep. for a reference. Deduct the cost of corrections.