Controlled Hot Water Recirculation Pump Installation
All the steps you need for your Controlled Hot Water Recirculation Pump installation are included right here.
Congratulations on purchasing the most advanced microprocessor-controlled hot water recirculation pump controller made. This system is designed to run the recirculation pump only when you need it thus saving both water and energy. It is designed and built with pride in the USA to provide years of service and savings.
Contents of our Controlled Hot Water Recirculation Pump installation:
Contents of our Controlled Hot Water Recirculation Pump installation:
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1 Smart Recirculation Control with RJ-45 connector
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2 Temperature Sensors with RJ-11 connectors and RJ-11 Splitter
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1 ¾” or 1” NPT Flow Sensor with JST connector
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1 Wiring Harness with RJ-45, RJ-11 and JST connectors
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Needed:
The following items are needed for the installation, but are not included.
Electrical Tape
PTFE (Teflon) Tape
Wire fasteners for securing wiring to the wall
QUICKSTART GUIDE
Prior to installation perform the following system test.
1. Connect the wiring harness to the controller.
2. Connect the flow meter to the wiring harness.
3. Connect the temperature sensors to the wiring harness.
4. Plug the controller into a wall outlet and ensure that the LED on the controller flashes green 3 times.
5. Blow through the flow meter in the direction of the arrow and ensure the controller makes a slight audible click and the red LED turns on for approximately 10 seconds. If this test fails, disconnect all connections and inspect the wires to ensure they are not broken or loose and that the pins in the Y connector are not bent. Reconnect all connections ensuring they snap together and re-test. If this test still fails, contact customer support.
1. Install the flow meter at the cold water input to the water heater using PTFE tape ensuring the arrow on the flow meter points in the direction of flow.
2. Attach one temperature sensor to copper piping near the hot water outlet from the water heater with electrical tape ensuring the entire length of the sensor is in contact with the pipe. Cover the temperature sensor with insulation.
3. Attach the second temperature sensor to copper piping on the returning hot water line before the return line T’s into the cold water feed upstream from the check valve ensuring the entire length of the sensor is in contact with the pipe. Cover the temperature sensor with insulation.
4. The temperature sensor lines can be extended with standard RJ11 telephone line extensions if needed.
5. Connect the temperature sensors to the wiring harness using the RJ11 Y connector, connect the flow meter to the wiring harness and plug the wiring harness into the controller.
6. Plug the controller into an outlet and plug the pump into the controller.
7. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and the pump should turn on. If the hot water line is cold the pump should continue to run until hot water recirculates throughout the house and raises the temperature of the return sensor to within 5 F degrees (default) of the outgoing hot water sensor. If the pump fails to turn on or fails to stay on past the initial 10 seconds or continues to run for longer than 5 minutes and the piping feels hot, see Trouble Shooting.
LED Legend:
GREEN LED: will blink 3 times when first plugged in to indicate the unit is functioning correctly
GREEN LED: solid on when a timer is active and pump is not running
RED LED: fast blinking indicates that one or both of the temperature sensors are not connected properly
RED LED: solid on when the pump is running whether due to a timer or due to demand
BLUE LED: solid on when connected via the smart phone app
DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS
Please read over the following detailed instructions. If you are not comfortable with any part of them please contact a licensed plumber to perform the installation.
Prior to installation you must perform the system test at the beginning of the Quickstart Guide.
Installation:
1. Note setting of the water heater thermostat and then set it to lowest temperature setting (do not turn off the pilot light).
2. Shut off the cold water supply to the water heater.
3. Open the closest hot water faucet to the water heater to depressurize the hot water line. When water quits flowing, turn off the faucet.
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4. Disconnect the cold water supply line from water heater. Be careful not to bend and crease the supply line when manipulating it. Be prepared with some towels as some water will flow out of the hookup line. You don’t have to drain the tank. As long as all the faucets remain closed you should not get any back flow from the hot water line.
5. Connect the flow meter to the cold water input of the water heater using PTFE tape being sure that the arrow on the flow meter is pointing toward the water heater. 6. Connect the cold water supply line to the input side of the flow meter. The supply line uses a rubber washer to seal so you don’t need to use PTFE tape on this connection. Hand tighten and turn an additional ¼ to ½ turn. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN! 7. Turn on the cold water supply to the water heater and inspect for any leaks. 8. Turn the water heater thermostat back to its original temperature setting. |
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9. Locate the recirculation pump.
10. Place one temperature sensor against the recirculation loop return pipe immediately before or after the pump and tape it securely in place ensuring it is in contact with the copper piping for its entire length. Cover the temperature sensor with insulation. Note 1: If installing on PEX you will need to plumb in a short section of copper pipe to which to attach the temperature sensors. PEX is a pretty good insulator and will cause a lag in the controller sensing the temperature change. Note 2: Temperature sensor MUST be placed before the return line T’s back into the cold water supply line. |
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11. Place the other temperature sensor against the hot water outlet pipe of the water heater and tape it securely in place ensuring it is in contact with the copper piping for its entire length. Cover the temperature sensor with insulation.
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12. Connect the temperature sensors to the wiring harness using the RJ-11 splitter ensuring they snap together securely.
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13. Connect the flow meter to the wiring harness via the JST connector ensuring it snaps together securely.
14. Secure the wires to the wall away from the water heater. |
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15. Plug the wiring harness into the Smart Recirculation Control via the RJ-45 connector ensuring it snaps in securely.
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16. Plug the recirculation pump into the Smart Recirculation Control and plug the Smart Recirculation Control into an electrical outlet.
17. The green LED on the side of the controller will blink 3 times if everything is OK. If the red LED flashes quickly see Trouble Shooting item 1. 18. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second. This will trigger the recirculation pump to turn the pump on. The red LED turns on while the pump is running. 19. If the hot water line is cold the pump should continue to run until the temperature difference between the two sensors is less than the small temperature difference (default 5 F degrees). 20. The temperature of the sensors and the status of the pump can be monitored via the smart phone app by selecting “Live Data” from the menu. |
21. If the pump fails to turn on when a faucet is fully opened for 1 second, see Trouble Shooting item 2.
22. If the pump fails to stay on past the initial pump run time of 10 seconds, see Trouble Shooting item 3.
23. If the pump continues to run for longer than 5 minutes and the piping feels hot see Trouble Shooting item 4.
Smart Recirculation Control Setup with Smart Phone
The Smart Recirculation Control can be used simply as an on demand controller for your recirculation pump or, once configured using either an iPhone or Android smart device, it will also work as an advanced timer keeping the recirculation loop hot between specific times of day and on specific days of the week (up to 10 timers can be set). Even when a timer is active it only runs the pump until the recirculation loop has heated up and then it shuts the pump off while continuing to monitor the flow demand and the recirculation loop temperature. The app uses Bluetooth in order to communicate with the controller so you need to be sure that Bluetooth is enabled on your smart device. The app can be downloaded for free from either the Apple App Store or from Google Play by searching for “Smart Recirculation Control”.
There is no need to “pair” the Bluetooth device, running the app will find and connect to the Smart Recirculation Control and display the timers currently set. The blue LED on the controller will illuminate when the app is connected. If the blue LED doesn’t illuminate, press the menu button at the top right of the app and select “Scan for Recirc Control”. Note: I have noticed that Android devices can sometime have a hard time connecting so if it fails to connect after pressing the “Scan for Recirc Control” menu item a couple of times, try restarting the app.
Once connected you can tap any of the existing timers to edit or delete them or press the Add Timer button to add a new one.
The real time clock in the Smart Recirculation Control is set when you connect to the controller with your smart phone. When a timer is active the green LED will be lit. When the Smart Recirculation Control turns the pump on, the LED will change from green to red. When the loop is up to temperature the pump will shut off and the LED will change back from red to green.
When connected to the controller via the smart phone app, the blue LED will always be lit. To know if the pump is running or a timer is active, select “Live Data” from the menu and it will provide the status of the pump and timers. The Smart Recirculation Control has a built in power backup that will keep the clock’s time for approximately 24 hours after which the clock will lose its time and the controller’s timers won’t function until the time is set by running the app and connecting to the Smart Recirculation Control.
The clock does not adjust for daylight savings time so when the time changes you will need to connect to the Smart Recirculation Control with your smart device and the time will be set to the time of your smart device.
Smart Recirculation Control Settings:
The app also allows for controlling all the settings of the firmware of the Smart Recirculation Control. To access the settings press the menu button in the top right of the app and select “Settings”. There will be a list of basic settings and the ability to expand the settings to “Show Advanced Settings”.
Basic Settings:
Sensitivity – The sensitivity setting allows the user to set how many pulses of the flow meter are required to turn the controller on. The default value is 20 which is fine for most installations. If you find that the controller is not turning on when you turn a faucet on and off, you would decrease this value to make the controller more sensitive to flow (require fewer pulses to turn the controller on). Correspondingly, if you find that the controller is turning on when there is no timer active and no hot water being drawn, you would increase this number to make the unit less sensitive to fluctuations in flow (require more pulses to turn the controller on).
Temperature Range – The temperature range setting allows the user to set the temperature differences that cause the controller to turn the pump on and off. When the controller senses flow, it checks to see if the temperature difference between the two temperature sensors is greater than the large difference and if it is, it turns the pump on. It runs the pump while reading the temperature sensors until the temperature difference is less than or equal to the small difference. The default large difference is 8 F deg and the default small difference is 5 F deg. These values work fine for most installations, however if you find that the controller is turning on and never turning off, you should increase the value of the small difference. See Trouble Shooting item 4.
Timers Enabled – This switch enables and disables the timers. This can be used to turn the timers off when you go away on vacation or to simply turn them off if you just want to use the on demand feature of the controller.
Advanced Settings:
Dormant Interval – The dormant interval is the number of minutes that the controller lies dormant after sensing flow and heating up the loop. As long as there is hot water flow within the dormant interval, it is assumed that the temperature sensor on the outlet of the water heater has an accurate temperature reading and therefore the pump doesn’t need to run unless the temperature difference gets greater than the large difference specified in the Temperature Range setting. Therefore when flow is detected within the dormant interval, the dormant interval timer is reset. The dormant interval is also the number of minutes that the controller waits when a timer is active between pump runs. If you want the pump to turn on more quickly while a timer is active or more quickly between pump runs when you draw hot water you would reduce this value. This value is set to 10 minutes which is fine for most installations.
Flow Meter Delay – The flow meter delay is the amount of time in hundredths of a second during which time the controller counts the number of pulses that occur in the flow meter. If the number of pulses is above the sensitivity threshold then the controller deems that there is flow in the hot water line. This value is set to 75 hundredths of a second which is fine for most installations.
Initial Pump Run Time – The initial pump run time is the number of seconds that the pump runs when it first senses flow if there hasn’t been flow within the dormant period. This is to ensure that water from the water heater makes it to the first temperature sensor in order to obtain an accurate temperature comparison between the two temperature sensors. When a timer is active the pump will turn on every dormant interval for the length of the initial pump run time in order to check the temperature of the recirculation loop. This value is set to 10 seconds which is fine for most installations. If the temperature sensor for the hot water outlet is installed some distance from the water heater this value may have to be increased.
Reset to Factory – This will reset the Smart Recirculation Control back to the factory defaults. If you experience strange behavior of the controller, resetting to the factory defaults would be a good thing to try to resolve the issue. This will also reset all the timers back to the 4 factory default timers so if you have changed the timers you will need to reset them after performing a factory reset. You must type “yes” when prompted in order for the factory reset to take place.
Hot Water Recirculating Pump Troubleshooting:
1. SYMPTOM: Red LED flashes quickly after it is plugged in and never stops.
ISSUE: The Smart Recirculation Control is not able to get temperature information from the temperature sensors.
RESOLUTION: Unplug the Smart Recirculation Control from the wall, disconnect the connection to the temperature sensors, disconnect the wiring harness from the Smart Recirculation Control. Inspect the pins in the connectors and ensure they are not bent or broken. Inspect the wires connecting to the connectors and ensure they are not broken or loose. Reconnect the temperature sensors ensuring they are firmly connected and snapped together. Plug the wiring harness back into the Smart Recirculation Control. Plug the Smart Recirculation Control back into the wall outlet.
2. SYMPTOM: Pump won't turn on when hot water is drawn from a faucet.
ISSUE 1: If the controller has run within the dormant interval, the pump won’t automatically turn on when flow is detected.
RESOLUTION 1: Unplug the controller from power for 10 seconds and plug it back in. This will reset the controller and it will now turn on automatically when it detects flow. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second. If it still doesn’t turn on see ISSUE 2.
ISSUE 2: The sensitivity is set to high for the controller to detect the flow provided by your faucet.
RESOLUTION 2: Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and select “Live Data”. This will show you what the controller is sensing. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and watch the flow value. If it goes greater than 20 then the pump will turn on. If it doesn’t go greater than 20 then you will need to reduce the sensitivity setting to be less than the maximum value you observed. For example, if the Flow Meter value went to 15, then set your sensitivity to 13. Then try this test again.
3. SYMPTOM: Pump won’t continue running after the initial pump run time expires.
ISSUE: The controller isn’t sensing a temperature difference greater than the large difference that is set in the Temperature Range setting (default 8 F degrees).
RESOLUTION 1: Ensure that the temperature sensor is securely connected to the copper piping coming out of the water heater as close to the water heater as reasonable. Typically this will be after the hookup line. If it is loose, re-secure it in place with electrical tape, cover it with insulation and test it again. If it still won’t stay on see RESOLUTION 2.
RESOLUTION 2: This is typically a situation where it is taking longer than 10 seconds for the pump to get hot water out to the location of the first temperature sensor and cause the temperature difference to be greater than the large difference that is set in the Temperature Range setting (default 8 F degrees). To test this, after the pump has run for the initial 10 seconds, turn the hot water on again for a few seconds. If the pump kicks on and starts running then you need to increase the Initial Pump Run Time under Advanced Settings. The default is 10 seconds. I would recommend increasing this by 5 seconds at a time and test again when the system is cold. You can also view the “Live Data” in the app which displays live temperature values and difference to see what is actually being sensed.
4. SYMPTOM: Pump continues to run even though the piping feels hot.
ISSUE: The controller isn’t sensing the temperature difference dropping below the small difference that is set in the Temperature Range setting (default 5 F degrees).
RESOLUTION 1: Ensure that the temperature sensor is securely connected to the copper piping on the return line and that it is connected before it T’s into the cold water feed into the water heater. If it is loose, re-secure it in place with electrical tape, cover it with insulation and test it again. If it still won’t stay on see RESOLUTION 2.
RESOLUTION 2: Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and select “Live Data”. It will display the temperature values and the difference. If this difference is greater than the small temperature difference in the Temperature Range setting (default 5 F degrees) then the pump won’t turn off. Go into the Settings → Temperature Range and increase the small temperature difference value to be greater than the value observes in “Live Data” and the pump will turn off. This typically happens in homes where the hot water line isn’t well insulated and the water looses temperature as it recirculates throughout the home. Do your best to insulate all hot water pipes that you can reasonable access. It will
make the system perform better and it will save you money on energy bills. Note: You may also need to increase the large difference value. If you were to make these values the same the pump would cycle on and off often. It is recommend that these values be at least 3 degrees apart.
5. SYMPTOM: Pump turns on when no hot water is being drawn.
ISSUE: Pressure spikes in the cold water supply line caused by abrupt turning off of the cold water (for instance when a toilet fills) or caused by fluctuations in the feed from the utility company can cause the Smart Recirculation Control to trigger the hot water recirculation pump to turn on.
RESOLUTION: The sensitivity of the Smart Recirculation Control is to low and should be adjusted higher.
22. If the pump fails to stay on past the initial pump run time of 10 seconds, see Trouble Shooting item 3.
23. If the pump continues to run for longer than 5 minutes and the piping feels hot see Trouble Shooting item 4.
Smart Recirculation Control Setup with Smart Phone
The Smart Recirculation Control can be used simply as an on demand controller for your recirculation pump or, once configured using either an iPhone or Android smart device, it will also work as an advanced timer keeping the recirculation loop hot between specific times of day and on specific days of the week (up to 10 timers can be set). Even when a timer is active it only runs the pump until the recirculation loop has heated up and then it shuts the pump off while continuing to monitor the flow demand and the recirculation loop temperature. The app uses Bluetooth in order to communicate with the controller so you need to be sure that Bluetooth is enabled on your smart device. The app can be downloaded for free from either the Apple App Store or from Google Play by searching for “Smart Recirculation Control”.
There is no need to “pair” the Bluetooth device, running the app will find and connect to the Smart Recirculation Control and display the timers currently set. The blue LED on the controller will illuminate when the app is connected. If the blue LED doesn’t illuminate, press the menu button at the top right of the app and select “Scan for Recirc Control”. Note: I have noticed that Android devices can sometime have a hard time connecting so if it fails to connect after pressing the “Scan for Recirc Control” menu item a couple of times, try restarting the app.
Once connected you can tap any of the existing timers to edit or delete them or press the Add Timer button to add a new one.
The real time clock in the Smart Recirculation Control is set when you connect to the controller with your smart phone. When a timer is active the green LED will be lit. When the Smart Recirculation Control turns the pump on, the LED will change from green to red. When the loop is up to temperature the pump will shut off and the LED will change back from red to green.
When connected to the controller via the smart phone app, the blue LED will always be lit. To know if the pump is running or a timer is active, select “Live Data” from the menu and it will provide the status of the pump and timers. The Smart Recirculation Control has a built in power backup that will keep the clock’s time for approximately 24 hours after which the clock will lose its time and the controller’s timers won’t function until the time is set by running the app and connecting to the Smart Recirculation Control.
The clock does not adjust for daylight savings time so when the time changes you will need to connect to the Smart Recirculation Control with your smart device and the time will be set to the time of your smart device.
Smart Recirculation Control Settings:
The app also allows for controlling all the settings of the firmware of the Smart Recirculation Control. To access the settings press the menu button in the top right of the app and select “Settings”. There will be a list of basic settings and the ability to expand the settings to “Show Advanced Settings”.
Basic Settings:
Sensitivity – The sensitivity setting allows the user to set how many pulses of the flow meter are required to turn the controller on. The default value is 20 which is fine for most installations. If you find that the controller is not turning on when you turn a faucet on and off, you would decrease this value to make the controller more sensitive to flow (require fewer pulses to turn the controller on). Correspondingly, if you find that the controller is turning on when there is no timer active and no hot water being drawn, you would increase this number to make the unit less sensitive to fluctuations in flow (require more pulses to turn the controller on).
Temperature Range – The temperature range setting allows the user to set the temperature differences that cause the controller to turn the pump on and off. When the controller senses flow, it checks to see if the temperature difference between the two temperature sensors is greater than the large difference and if it is, it turns the pump on. It runs the pump while reading the temperature sensors until the temperature difference is less than or equal to the small difference. The default large difference is 8 F deg and the default small difference is 5 F deg. These values work fine for most installations, however if you find that the controller is turning on and never turning off, you should increase the value of the small difference. See Trouble Shooting item 4.
Timers Enabled – This switch enables and disables the timers. This can be used to turn the timers off when you go away on vacation or to simply turn them off if you just want to use the on demand feature of the controller.
Advanced Settings:
Dormant Interval – The dormant interval is the number of minutes that the controller lies dormant after sensing flow and heating up the loop. As long as there is hot water flow within the dormant interval, it is assumed that the temperature sensor on the outlet of the water heater has an accurate temperature reading and therefore the pump doesn’t need to run unless the temperature difference gets greater than the large difference specified in the Temperature Range setting. Therefore when flow is detected within the dormant interval, the dormant interval timer is reset. The dormant interval is also the number of minutes that the controller waits when a timer is active between pump runs. If you want the pump to turn on more quickly while a timer is active or more quickly between pump runs when you draw hot water you would reduce this value. This value is set to 10 minutes which is fine for most installations.
Flow Meter Delay – The flow meter delay is the amount of time in hundredths of a second during which time the controller counts the number of pulses that occur in the flow meter. If the number of pulses is above the sensitivity threshold then the controller deems that there is flow in the hot water line. This value is set to 75 hundredths of a second which is fine for most installations.
Initial Pump Run Time – The initial pump run time is the number of seconds that the pump runs when it first senses flow if there hasn’t been flow within the dormant period. This is to ensure that water from the water heater makes it to the first temperature sensor in order to obtain an accurate temperature comparison between the two temperature sensors. When a timer is active the pump will turn on every dormant interval for the length of the initial pump run time in order to check the temperature of the recirculation loop. This value is set to 10 seconds which is fine for most installations. If the temperature sensor for the hot water outlet is installed some distance from the water heater this value may have to be increased.
Reset to Factory – This will reset the Smart Recirculation Control back to the factory defaults. If you experience strange behavior of the controller, resetting to the factory defaults would be a good thing to try to resolve the issue. This will also reset all the timers back to the 4 factory default timers so if you have changed the timers you will need to reset them after performing a factory reset. You must type “yes” when prompted in order for the factory reset to take place.
Hot Water Recirculating Pump Troubleshooting:
1. SYMPTOM: Red LED flashes quickly after it is plugged in and never stops.
ISSUE: The Smart Recirculation Control is not able to get temperature information from the temperature sensors.
RESOLUTION: Unplug the Smart Recirculation Control from the wall, disconnect the connection to the temperature sensors, disconnect the wiring harness from the Smart Recirculation Control. Inspect the pins in the connectors and ensure they are not bent or broken. Inspect the wires connecting to the connectors and ensure they are not broken or loose. Reconnect the temperature sensors ensuring they are firmly connected and snapped together. Plug the wiring harness back into the Smart Recirculation Control. Plug the Smart Recirculation Control back into the wall outlet.
2. SYMPTOM: Pump won't turn on when hot water is drawn from a faucet.
ISSUE 1: If the controller has run within the dormant interval, the pump won’t automatically turn on when flow is detected.
RESOLUTION 1: Unplug the controller from power for 10 seconds and plug it back in. This will reset the controller and it will now turn on automatically when it detects flow. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second. If it still doesn’t turn on see ISSUE 2.
ISSUE 2: The sensitivity is set to high for the controller to detect the flow provided by your faucet.
RESOLUTION 2: Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and select “Live Data”. This will show you what the controller is sensing. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and watch the flow value. If it goes greater than 20 then the pump will turn on. If it doesn’t go greater than 20 then you will need to reduce the sensitivity setting to be less than the maximum value you observed. For example, if the Flow Meter value went to 15, then set your sensitivity to 13. Then try this test again.
3. SYMPTOM: Pump won’t continue running after the initial pump run time expires.
ISSUE: The controller isn’t sensing a temperature difference greater than the large difference that is set in the Temperature Range setting (default 8 F degrees).
RESOLUTION 1: Ensure that the temperature sensor is securely connected to the copper piping coming out of the water heater as close to the water heater as reasonable. Typically this will be after the hookup line. If it is loose, re-secure it in place with electrical tape, cover it with insulation and test it again. If it still won’t stay on see RESOLUTION 2.
RESOLUTION 2: This is typically a situation where it is taking longer than 10 seconds for the pump to get hot water out to the location of the first temperature sensor and cause the temperature difference to be greater than the large difference that is set in the Temperature Range setting (default 8 F degrees). To test this, after the pump has run for the initial 10 seconds, turn the hot water on again for a few seconds. If the pump kicks on and starts running then you need to increase the Initial Pump Run Time under Advanced Settings. The default is 10 seconds. I would recommend increasing this by 5 seconds at a time and test again when the system is cold. You can also view the “Live Data” in the app which displays live temperature values and difference to see what is actually being sensed.
4. SYMPTOM: Pump continues to run even though the piping feels hot.
ISSUE: The controller isn’t sensing the temperature difference dropping below the small difference that is set in the Temperature Range setting (default 5 F degrees).
RESOLUTION 1: Ensure that the temperature sensor is securely connected to the copper piping on the return line and that it is connected before it T’s into the cold water feed into the water heater. If it is loose, re-secure it in place with electrical tape, cover it with insulation and test it again. If it still won’t stay on see RESOLUTION 2.
RESOLUTION 2: Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and select “Live Data”. It will display the temperature values and the difference. If this difference is greater than the small temperature difference in the Temperature Range setting (default 5 F degrees) then the pump won’t turn off. Go into the Settings → Temperature Range and increase the small temperature difference value to be greater than the value observes in “Live Data” and the pump will turn off. This typically happens in homes where the hot water line isn’t well insulated and the water looses temperature as it recirculates throughout the home. Do your best to insulate all hot water pipes that you can reasonable access. It will
make the system perform better and it will save you money on energy bills. Note: You may also need to increase the large difference value. If you were to make these values the same the pump would cycle on and off often. It is recommend that these values be at least 3 degrees apart.
5. SYMPTOM: Pump turns on when no hot water is being drawn.
ISSUE: Pressure spikes in the cold water supply line caused by abrupt turning off of the cold water (for instance when a toilet fills) or caused by fluctuations in the feed from the utility company can cause the Smart Recirculation Control to trigger the hot water recirculation pump to turn on.
RESOLUTION: The sensitivity of the Smart Recirculation Control is to low and should be adjusted higher.
Congratulations on purchasing the most advanced microprocessor-controlled hot water recirculation pump controller made. This system is designed to run the recirculation pump only when you need it thus saving both water and energy. It is designed and built with pride in the USA to provide years of service and savings.
Contents of our Controlled Hot Water Recirculation Pump installation:
Contents of our Controlled Hot Water Recirculation Pump installation:
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1 Smart Thermostatic Control with RJ-45 connector
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¾” or 1” NPT Flow Sensor with JST connector
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1 Wiring Harness
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Needed:
The following items are needed for the installation, but are not included.
PTFE (Teflon) Tape
Wire fasteners for securing wiring to the wall
QUICKSTART GUIDE
Prior to installation perform the following system test.
1. Connect the wiring harness to the controller.
2. Connect the flow meter to the wiring harness.
3. Plug the controller into a wall outlet and ensure that the LED on the controller flashes green 3 times.
4. Blow through the flow meter in the direction of the arrow and ensure the controller makes a slight
audible click and the red LED turns on. It will stay on for approximately 5 minutes but you don’t need
to wait for it to turn off. The test was to ensure that the flow meter can turn on the controller.
If this test fails, disconnect all connections and inspect the wires to ensure they are not broken or loose and that
the pins are not bent. Reconnect all connections ensuring they snap together tightly and re-test. If this test still
fails, contact customer support.
1. Install the flow meter at the cold water input to the water heater using PTFE tape ensuring the arrow on
the flow meter points in the direction of flow.
2. Connect the flow meter to the wiring harness and plug the wiring harness into the controller.
3. Plug the controller into an outlet and plug the pump into the controller.
4. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and the pump should turn on for at least the initial run time
of 5 seconds. If the hot water line is cold the pump should continue to run until hot water reaches the
thermostatic cross over valve causing it to close and the flow to be cut off. When this happens the
controller will turn the pump off.
If the pump fails to turn on or fails to stay on past the initial 5 seconds or continues to run after you have hot
water at the faucet(s) where the crossover valve(s) is (are) installed, see Trouble Shooting.
LED Legend:
GREEN LED: will blink 3 times when first plugged in to indicate the unit is functioning correctly
GREEN LED: solid on when a timer is active and pump is not running
RED LED: solid on when the pump is running whether due to a timer or due to demand
BLUE LED: solid on when connected via the smart phone app
DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS
Please read over the following detailed instructions. If you are not comfortable with any part of them please
contact a licensed plumber to perform the installation.
Prior to installation you must perform the system test at the beginning of the Quickstart Guide.
Installation:
1. Note setting of water heater thermostat and then set to lowest temperature setting (do not turn off the
pilot light).
2. Shut off the cold water supply to the water heater.
3. Open the closest hot water faucet to the water heater to depressurize the hot water line. When water
quits flowing, turn off the faucet.
The following items are needed for the installation, but are not included.
PTFE (Teflon) Tape
Wire fasteners for securing wiring to the wall
QUICKSTART GUIDE
Prior to installation perform the following system test.
1. Connect the wiring harness to the controller.
2. Connect the flow meter to the wiring harness.
3. Plug the controller into a wall outlet and ensure that the LED on the controller flashes green 3 times.
4. Blow through the flow meter in the direction of the arrow and ensure the controller makes a slight
audible click and the red LED turns on. It will stay on for approximately 5 minutes but you don’t need
to wait for it to turn off. The test was to ensure that the flow meter can turn on the controller.
If this test fails, disconnect all connections and inspect the wires to ensure they are not broken or loose and that
the pins are not bent. Reconnect all connections ensuring they snap together tightly and re-test. If this test still
fails, contact customer support.
1. Install the flow meter at the cold water input to the water heater using PTFE tape ensuring the arrow on
the flow meter points in the direction of flow.
2. Connect the flow meter to the wiring harness and plug the wiring harness into the controller.
3. Plug the controller into an outlet and plug the pump into the controller.
4. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and the pump should turn on for at least the initial run time
of 5 seconds. If the hot water line is cold the pump should continue to run until hot water reaches the
thermostatic cross over valve causing it to close and the flow to be cut off. When this happens the
controller will turn the pump off.
If the pump fails to turn on or fails to stay on past the initial 5 seconds or continues to run after you have hot
water at the faucet(s) where the crossover valve(s) is (are) installed, see Trouble Shooting.
LED Legend:
GREEN LED: will blink 3 times when first plugged in to indicate the unit is functioning correctly
GREEN LED: solid on when a timer is active and pump is not running
RED LED: solid on when the pump is running whether due to a timer or due to demand
BLUE LED: solid on when connected via the smart phone app
DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS
Please read over the following detailed instructions. If you are not comfortable with any part of them please
contact a licensed plumber to perform the installation.
Prior to installation you must perform the system test at the beginning of the Quickstart Guide.
Installation:
1. Note setting of water heater thermostat and then set to lowest temperature setting (do not turn off the
pilot light).
2. Shut off the cold water supply to the water heater.
3. Open the closest hot water faucet to the water heater to depressurize the hot water line. When water
quits flowing, turn off the faucet.
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Disconnect the cold water supply line from water heater. Be careful not to bend and crease the supply line when manipulating it. Be prepared with some towels as some water will flow out of the hookup line. You don’t have to drain the tank and as long as all the faucets remain closed you should not get any back flow from the hot water line.
5. Connect the flow meter to the cold water input of water heater using PTFE tape being sure that the arrow on the flow meter is pointing toward the water heater. 6. Connect the cold water supply line to the input side of the flow meter. The supply line uses a rubber washer to seal so you don’t need use PTFE tape on this connection. Hand tighten and turn an additional ¼ to ½ turn. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN! 7. Turn on the cold water supply to the water heater and inspect for any leaks. 8. Turn water heater thermostat back to its original temperature setting. |
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9. Connect the flow meter to the wiring harness via the JST connector ensuring the connector snaps together securely.
10. Secure the wires to the wall away from the water heater. |
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11. Plug the wiring harness into the Smart Thermostatic Control via the RJ-45 connector ensuring it snaps in securely.
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12. Plug the recirculation pump into the Smart Thermostatic Control and Plug the Smart Thermostatic Control into an electrical outlet.
13. The green LED on the side of the controller will blink 3 times if everything is OK. 14. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second. This will trigger the recirculation pump to turn on and run until the thermostatic crossover valve is up to temperature. The red LED turns on while the pump is running. 15. Once the thermostatic crossover valve heats up and closes, the flow will stop and the pump will turn off. |
16. If the pump fails to turn on when a faucet is fully opened for 1 second, see Trouble Shooting item 1.
17. If the pump fails to stay on past the initial 5 seconds, see Trouble Shooting item 2.
18. If the pump continues to run after you have hot water at the faucet(s) where the crossover valve(s) is (are) installed, see Trouble Shooting item 3.
Smart Thermostatic Control Setup with Smart Phone
The Smart Thermostatic Control can be used simply as an on demand controller for your recirculation pump or, once configured using either an iPhone or Android smart device, it will also work as an advanced timer keeping the hot water line hot between specific times of day and on specific days of the week (up to 10 timers can be set). Even when a timer is active it only runs the pump until the crossover valve closes while continuing to monitor the flow demand. The app uses Bluetooth in order to communicate with the controller so you need to be sure that Bluetooth is enabled on your smart device. The app can be downloaded for free from either the Apple App Store or from Google Play by looking up “Smart Recirculation Control”.
There is no need to “pair” the Bluetooth device, running the app will find and connect to the Smart Thermostatic Control and display the timers currently set. The blue LED on the controller will illuminate when the app is connected. If the blue LED doesn’t illuminate, press the menu button in the top right of the app and select “Scan for Recirc Control”. Note: I have noticed that Android devices can sometimes have a hard time connecting so if it fails to connect after pressing the “Scan for Recirc Control” menu item a couple of times, try restarting the app.
Once connected you can tap any of the existing timers to edit or delete them or press the Add Timer button to add a new one.
The real time clock in the Smart Thermostatic Control is set when you connect to the controller with your smart phone. When a timer is active the green LED will light. When the Smart Thermostatic Control turns the pump on, the LED will change from green to red. When the hot water line is up to temperature and the thermostatic crossover valve closes, the pump will shut off and the LED will change back from red to green.
The Smart Thermostatic Control has a built in power backup that will keep the clock’s time for approximately 24 hours after which the clock will lose its time and the controller’s timers won’t function until the time is set by running the app and connecting to the Smart Thermostatic Control.
The clock does not adjust for daylight savings time so when the time changes you will need to connect to the Smart Thermostatic Control with your smart device and the time will be set to the time of your smart device.
Smart Thermostatic Control Settings:
The app also allows for controlling all the settings of the firmware of the Smart Thermostatic Control. To
access the settings press the menu button in the top right of the app and select “Settings”. There will be a list of
basic settings and the ability to expand the settings to “Show Advanced Settings”.
Basic Settings:
Sensitivity – The sensitivity setting allows the user to set how many pulses of the flow meter are required to turn the controller on and off. When the controller senses flow greater than the large value it turns the pump on. When the flow falls below the small value, the controller turns the pump off. The default on value is 20 and off value is 5 which is fine for most installations. If you find that the controller is not turning on when you turn a faucet on and off, see Trouble Shooting item 1. If the controller isn’t turning off when the plumbing is hot, see Trouble Shooting item 3.
Timers Enabled – This switch enables and disables the timers. This can be used to turn the timers off when you go away on vacation or to simply turn them off if you just want to use the on demand feature of the controller.
Advanced Settings:
Dormant Interval – The dormant interval is the number of minutes that the controller lies dormant after having run the pump and gotten the hot water line up to temperature. This setting prevents fast cycling of the pump when hot water is being turned on and off over a short period of time. This is also the number of minutes that the controller waits when a timer is active after turning the pump off before turning the pump on again to check if the thermostatic valve has opened. If you want the pump to turn on more often while a timer is active or more quickly between pump runs when you draw hot water you would reduce this value. This value is set to 10 minutes which is fine for most installations.
Flow Meter Delay – The flow meter delay is the amount of time in hundredths of a second during which time the controller counts the number of pulses that occur in the flow meter. If the number of pulses is above the sensitivity threshold then the controller deems that there is flow in the hot water line. This value is set to 75 hundredths of a second which is fine for most installations.
Initial Pump Run Time – The initial pump run time is the number of seconds that the pump runs when it first senses flow if the pump hasn’t run in the last dormant interval. This is to ensure that the pump has time to get up to speed and start moving water through the thermostatic valve before checking the flow value. When a timer is active the pump will turn on every dormant interval for the length of the initial pump run time in order to check thermostatic valve. This value is set to 5 seconds which is fine for most installations, but some pumps have electronic controls requiring longer for the pump to start running once power is connected so this value may have to be increased.
Reset to Factory – This will reset the Smart Recirculation Control back to the factory defaults. If you experience strange behavior of the controller, resetting to the factory defaults would be a good thing to try to resolve the issue. This will also reset all the timers back to the 4 factory default timers so if you have changed the timers you will need to reset them after performing a factory reset. You must type “yes” when prompted in order for the factory reset to take place.
Trouble Shooting
1. SYMPTOM: Pump won't turn on when hot water is drawn from a faucet.
ISSUE 1: If the controller has run within the dormant interval, the pump won’t automatically turn on when flow is detected.
RESOLUTION 1: Unplug the controller from power for 10 seconds and plug it back in. This will reset the controller and it will now turn on automatically when it detects flow. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and then turn it off. If it still doesn’t turn on see ISSUE 2.
ISSUE 2: The sensitivity is set to high for the controller to detect the flow provided by the faucet.
RESOLUTION 2: Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and select “Live Data”. This will show you what the controller is sensing. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and watch the flow value. If it goes greater than 20 then the pump will turn on. If it doesn’t go greater than 20 then you will need to reduce the sensitivity setting to be less than the maximum value you observed. For example, if the Flow Meter value went to 15, then set your sensitivity to 13. Then try this test again.
2. SYMPTOM: Pump won’t continue running after the initial pump run time expires.
ISSUE 1: The thermostatic crossover valve(s) is (are) already heated up and aren’t allowing flow.
RESOLUTION 1: Check the temperature of the water at the location of the crossover valve(s) and see if the water is 95F. If it is, wait for the water to cool off and test it again. If it is not 95F, see ISSUE 2.
ISSUE 2: The small sensitivity setting is set too high and the controller isn’t registering enough flow to keep the pump running.
RESOLUTION 2: Unplug the controller from power, wait 10 seconds and plug it back in. Open the smart phone app and go to Settings → Advanced Settings and set the Initial Pump Run Time to 30 seconds. Go back to the menu and select “Live Data”. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and then turn it off. The pump will now run for 30 seconds and you should see the flow value that the pump is pushing through the thermostatic crossover valve(s). If this value is 0 then the crossover valve(s) is (are) closed and not allowing flow. If this value is not 0, then set the small value in Settings → Sensitivity to be less than this value and the pump will continue to run when triggered. Don’t forget to go back to Settings → Advanced Settings and set the Initial Pump Run Time back to 5 seconds.
3. SYMPTOM: Pump continues to run after hot water is detected at the faucet(s) where the thermostatic crossover valve(s) is (are) installed.
ISSUE: The thermostatic crossover valve(s) is (are) not up to 95F and therefore still allowing flow.
RESOLUTION: Check the temperature of the water at the location of the crossover valve(s) and see if the water is 95F. If it is 95F, see ISSUE 2.
ISSUE 2: The small sensitivity setting is set below the flow value the controller is registering and therefore keeping the pump running.
RESOLUTION 2: Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and select “Live Data”. The flow value that the controller is registering will be displayed. Go into Settings → Sensitivity and set the small value to be greater than this value and the pump will turn off.
4. SYMPTOM: Pump turns on when no hot water is being drawn.
ISSUE: Pressure spikes in the cold water supply line caused by abrupt turning off of the cold water (for instance when a toilet fills) or caused by fluctuations in the feed from the utility company can cause the Smart Thermostatic Control to trigger the hot water recirculation pump to turn on.
RESOLUTION: The large sensitivity setting is too low. Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and go into Settings → Sensitivity and set the large value higher by 5 and see if the issue persists.
17. If the pump fails to stay on past the initial 5 seconds, see Trouble Shooting item 2.
18. If the pump continues to run after you have hot water at the faucet(s) where the crossover valve(s) is (are) installed, see Trouble Shooting item 3.
Smart Thermostatic Control Setup with Smart Phone
The Smart Thermostatic Control can be used simply as an on demand controller for your recirculation pump or, once configured using either an iPhone or Android smart device, it will also work as an advanced timer keeping the hot water line hot between specific times of day and on specific days of the week (up to 10 timers can be set). Even when a timer is active it only runs the pump until the crossover valve closes while continuing to monitor the flow demand. The app uses Bluetooth in order to communicate with the controller so you need to be sure that Bluetooth is enabled on your smart device. The app can be downloaded for free from either the Apple App Store or from Google Play by looking up “Smart Recirculation Control”.
There is no need to “pair” the Bluetooth device, running the app will find and connect to the Smart Thermostatic Control and display the timers currently set. The blue LED on the controller will illuminate when the app is connected. If the blue LED doesn’t illuminate, press the menu button in the top right of the app and select “Scan for Recirc Control”. Note: I have noticed that Android devices can sometimes have a hard time connecting so if it fails to connect after pressing the “Scan for Recirc Control” menu item a couple of times, try restarting the app.
Once connected you can tap any of the existing timers to edit or delete them or press the Add Timer button to add a new one.
The real time clock in the Smart Thermostatic Control is set when you connect to the controller with your smart phone. When a timer is active the green LED will light. When the Smart Thermostatic Control turns the pump on, the LED will change from green to red. When the hot water line is up to temperature and the thermostatic crossover valve closes, the pump will shut off and the LED will change back from red to green.
The Smart Thermostatic Control has a built in power backup that will keep the clock’s time for approximately 24 hours after which the clock will lose its time and the controller’s timers won’t function until the time is set by running the app and connecting to the Smart Thermostatic Control.
The clock does not adjust for daylight savings time so when the time changes you will need to connect to the Smart Thermostatic Control with your smart device and the time will be set to the time of your smart device.
Smart Thermostatic Control Settings:
The app also allows for controlling all the settings of the firmware of the Smart Thermostatic Control. To
access the settings press the menu button in the top right of the app and select “Settings”. There will be a list of
basic settings and the ability to expand the settings to “Show Advanced Settings”.
Basic Settings:
Sensitivity – The sensitivity setting allows the user to set how many pulses of the flow meter are required to turn the controller on and off. When the controller senses flow greater than the large value it turns the pump on. When the flow falls below the small value, the controller turns the pump off. The default on value is 20 and off value is 5 which is fine for most installations. If you find that the controller is not turning on when you turn a faucet on and off, see Trouble Shooting item 1. If the controller isn’t turning off when the plumbing is hot, see Trouble Shooting item 3.
Timers Enabled – This switch enables and disables the timers. This can be used to turn the timers off when you go away on vacation or to simply turn them off if you just want to use the on demand feature of the controller.
Advanced Settings:
Dormant Interval – The dormant interval is the number of minutes that the controller lies dormant after having run the pump and gotten the hot water line up to temperature. This setting prevents fast cycling of the pump when hot water is being turned on and off over a short period of time. This is also the number of minutes that the controller waits when a timer is active after turning the pump off before turning the pump on again to check if the thermostatic valve has opened. If you want the pump to turn on more often while a timer is active or more quickly between pump runs when you draw hot water you would reduce this value. This value is set to 10 minutes which is fine for most installations.
Flow Meter Delay – The flow meter delay is the amount of time in hundredths of a second during which time the controller counts the number of pulses that occur in the flow meter. If the number of pulses is above the sensitivity threshold then the controller deems that there is flow in the hot water line. This value is set to 75 hundredths of a second which is fine for most installations.
Initial Pump Run Time – The initial pump run time is the number of seconds that the pump runs when it first senses flow if the pump hasn’t run in the last dormant interval. This is to ensure that the pump has time to get up to speed and start moving water through the thermostatic valve before checking the flow value. When a timer is active the pump will turn on every dormant interval for the length of the initial pump run time in order to check thermostatic valve. This value is set to 5 seconds which is fine for most installations, but some pumps have electronic controls requiring longer for the pump to start running once power is connected so this value may have to be increased.
Reset to Factory – This will reset the Smart Recirculation Control back to the factory defaults. If you experience strange behavior of the controller, resetting to the factory defaults would be a good thing to try to resolve the issue. This will also reset all the timers back to the 4 factory default timers so if you have changed the timers you will need to reset them after performing a factory reset. You must type “yes” when prompted in order for the factory reset to take place.
Trouble Shooting
1. SYMPTOM: Pump won't turn on when hot water is drawn from a faucet.
ISSUE 1: If the controller has run within the dormant interval, the pump won’t automatically turn on when flow is detected.
RESOLUTION 1: Unplug the controller from power for 10 seconds and plug it back in. This will reset the controller and it will now turn on automatically when it detects flow. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and then turn it off. If it still doesn’t turn on see ISSUE 2.
ISSUE 2: The sensitivity is set to high for the controller to detect the flow provided by the faucet.
RESOLUTION 2: Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and select “Live Data”. This will show you what the controller is sensing. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and watch the flow value. If it goes greater than 20 then the pump will turn on. If it doesn’t go greater than 20 then you will need to reduce the sensitivity setting to be less than the maximum value you observed. For example, if the Flow Meter value went to 15, then set your sensitivity to 13. Then try this test again.
2. SYMPTOM: Pump won’t continue running after the initial pump run time expires.
ISSUE 1: The thermostatic crossover valve(s) is (are) already heated up and aren’t allowing flow.
RESOLUTION 1: Check the temperature of the water at the location of the crossover valve(s) and see if the water is 95F. If it is, wait for the water to cool off and test it again. If it is not 95F, see ISSUE 2.
ISSUE 2: The small sensitivity setting is set too high and the controller isn’t registering enough flow to keep the pump running.
RESOLUTION 2: Unplug the controller from power, wait 10 seconds and plug it back in. Open the smart phone app and go to Settings → Advanced Settings and set the Initial Pump Run Time to 30 seconds. Go back to the menu and select “Live Data”. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and then turn it off. The pump will now run for 30 seconds and you should see the flow value that the pump is pushing through the thermostatic crossover valve(s). If this value is 0 then the crossover valve(s) is (are) closed and not allowing flow. If this value is not 0, then set the small value in Settings → Sensitivity to be less than this value and the pump will continue to run when triggered. Don’t forget to go back to Settings → Advanced Settings and set the Initial Pump Run Time back to 5 seconds.
3. SYMPTOM: Pump continues to run after hot water is detected at the faucet(s) where the thermostatic crossover valve(s) is (are) installed.
ISSUE: The thermostatic crossover valve(s) is (are) not up to 95F and therefore still allowing flow.
RESOLUTION: Check the temperature of the water at the location of the crossover valve(s) and see if the water is 95F. If it is 95F, see ISSUE 2.
ISSUE 2: The small sensitivity setting is set below the flow value the controller is registering and therefore keeping the pump running.
RESOLUTION 2: Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and select “Live Data”. The flow value that the controller is registering will be displayed. Go into Settings → Sensitivity and set the small value to be greater than this value and the pump will turn off.
4. SYMPTOM: Pump turns on when no hot water is being drawn.
ISSUE: Pressure spikes in the cold water supply line caused by abrupt turning off of the cold water (for instance when a toilet fills) or caused by fluctuations in the feed from the utility company can cause the Smart Thermostatic Control to trigger the hot water recirculation pump to turn on.
RESOLUTION: The large sensitivity setting is too low. Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and go into Settings → Sensitivity and set the large value higher by 5 and see if the issue persists.
Congratulations on purchasing the most advanced microprocessor-controlled hot water recirculation pump controller made. This system is designed to run the recirculation pump only when you need it thus saving both water and energy. It is designed and built with pride in the USA to provide years of service and savings.
Contents of our Controlled Hot Water Recirculation Pump installation:
Contents of our Controlled Hot Water Recirculation Pump installation:
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1 Smart Thermostatic Control with RJ-45 connector
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1 Temperature Sensor with RJ-11 connector
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1 ¾” or 1” NPT Flow Sensor with JST connector
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1 Wiring Harness with RJ45, RJ11 & JST connectors
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Needed:
The following items are needed for the installation, but are not included.
Electrical Tape
PTFE (Teflon) Tape
Wire fasteners for securing wiring to the wall
QUICKSTART GUIDE
Prior to installation perform the following system test.
1. Connect the wiring harness to the controller.
2. Connect the flow meter to the wiring harness.
3. Connect the temperature sensor to the wiring harness.
4. Plug the controller into a wall outlet and ensure that the LED on the side of the controller flashes green 3 times.
5. Blow through the flow meter in the direction of the arrow and ensure the controller makes a slight audible click and the red LED turns on for approximately 5 seconds.
If this test fails, disconnect all connections and inspect the wires to ensure they are not broken or loose and that
the pins in the RJ11 connector are not bent. Reconnect all connections ensuring they snap together and re-test.
If this test still fails, contact customer support.
1. Install the flow meter at the cold water input to the water heater using PTFE tape ensuring the arrow on the flow meter points in the direction of flow.
2. Attach the temperature sensor to copper piping near the hot water outlet from the water heater with electrical tape ensuring the entire length of the sensor is in contact with the pipe. Cover the temperature sensor with insulation.
3. Plug the controller into an outlet and plug the pump into the controller.
4. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and the pump should turn on for at least the initial run time of 5 seconds. If the hot water line is cold the pump should continue to run until hot water reaches the thermostatic cross over valve causing it to close and the flow to be cut off. When this happens the controller will turn the pump off. If the pump fails to turn on or fails to stay on past the initial 5 seconds or continues to run after you have hot water at the faucet(s) where the crossover valve(s) is (are) installed, see Trouble Shooting.
LED Legend:
GREEN LED: will blink 3 times when first plugged in to indicate the unit is functioning correctly
GREEN LED: solid on when a timer is active and pump is not running
RED LED: fast blinking indicates that the temperature sensor is not connected properly
RED LED: solid on when the pump is running whether due to a timer or due to demand
BLUE LED: solid on when connected via the smart phone app
DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS
Please read over the following detailed instructions. If you are not comfortable with any part of them please
contact a licensed plumber to perform the installation.
Prior to installation you must perform the system test at the beginning of the Quickstart Guide.
Installation:
1. Note setting of water heater thermostat and then set to lowest temperature setting (do not turn off the pilot light).
2. Shut off the cold water supply to the water heater.
3. Open the closest hot water faucet to the water heater to depressurize the hot water line. When water quits flowing, turn off the faucet.
The following items are needed for the installation, but are not included.
Electrical Tape
PTFE (Teflon) Tape
Wire fasteners for securing wiring to the wall
QUICKSTART GUIDE
Prior to installation perform the following system test.
1. Connect the wiring harness to the controller.
2. Connect the flow meter to the wiring harness.
3. Connect the temperature sensor to the wiring harness.
4. Plug the controller into a wall outlet and ensure that the LED on the side of the controller flashes green 3 times.
5. Blow through the flow meter in the direction of the arrow and ensure the controller makes a slight audible click and the red LED turns on for approximately 5 seconds.
If this test fails, disconnect all connections and inspect the wires to ensure they are not broken or loose and that
the pins in the RJ11 connector are not bent. Reconnect all connections ensuring they snap together and re-test.
If this test still fails, contact customer support.
1. Install the flow meter at the cold water input to the water heater using PTFE tape ensuring the arrow on the flow meter points in the direction of flow.
2. Attach the temperature sensor to copper piping near the hot water outlet from the water heater with electrical tape ensuring the entire length of the sensor is in contact with the pipe. Cover the temperature sensor with insulation.
3. Plug the controller into an outlet and plug the pump into the controller.
4. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and the pump should turn on for at least the initial run time of 5 seconds. If the hot water line is cold the pump should continue to run until hot water reaches the thermostatic cross over valve causing it to close and the flow to be cut off. When this happens the controller will turn the pump off. If the pump fails to turn on or fails to stay on past the initial 5 seconds or continues to run after you have hot water at the faucet(s) where the crossover valve(s) is (are) installed, see Trouble Shooting.
LED Legend:
GREEN LED: will blink 3 times when first plugged in to indicate the unit is functioning correctly
GREEN LED: solid on when a timer is active and pump is not running
RED LED: fast blinking indicates that the temperature sensor is not connected properly
RED LED: solid on when the pump is running whether due to a timer or due to demand
BLUE LED: solid on when connected via the smart phone app
DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS
Please read over the following detailed instructions. If you are not comfortable with any part of them please
contact a licensed plumber to perform the installation.
Prior to installation you must perform the system test at the beginning of the Quickstart Guide.
Installation:
1. Note setting of water heater thermostat and then set to lowest temperature setting (do not turn off the pilot light).
2. Shut off the cold water supply to the water heater.
3. Open the closest hot water faucet to the water heater to depressurize the hot water line. When water quits flowing, turn off the faucet.
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4. Disconnect the cold water supply line from water heater. Be careful not to bend and crease the supply line when manipulating it. Be prepared with some towels as some water will flow out of the hookup line. You don’t have to drain the tank. As long as all the faucets remain closed you should not get any back flow from the hot water line.
5. Connect the flow meter to the cold water input of water heater using PTFE tape being sure that the arrow on the flow meter is pointing toward the water heater. 6. Connect the cold water supply line to the input side of the flow meter. The supply line uses a rubber washer to seal instead of PTFE tape so you don’t need use PTFE tape on this connection. The rubber washer will seal the line to the flow meter. Hand tighten and turn an additional ¼ to ½ turn. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN! 7. Turn on the cold water supply to the water heater and inspect for any leaks. 8. Turn water heater thermostat back to its original temperature setting. |
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9. Place the temperature sensor against the hot water outlet pipe of the water heater and tape it securely in place ensuring it is in contact with the copper piping for its entire length. Cover the temperature sensor with insulation. Note: If installing on PEX you may need to plumb in a short section of copper pipe to which to attach the temperature sensor. PEX is a pretty good insulator and will cause a lag in the controller sensing the temperature.
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10. Connect the temperature sensor to the wiring harness using the RJ-11 connector ensuring it snaps together securely.
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11. Connect the flow meter to the wiring harness via the JST connector ensuring it snaps together securely.
12. Secure the wires to the wall away from the water heater |
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13. Plug the wiring harness into the Smart Thermostatic Control via the RJ-45 connector ensuring it snaps in securely.
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14. Plug the recirculation pump into the Smart Thermostatic Control and plug the Smart Thermostatic Control into an electrical outlet.
15. The green LED on the side of the controller will blink 3 times if everything is OK. If the red LED flashes see Trouble Shooting item 1. 16. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second. This will trigger the recirculation pump to turn on and run until the thermostatic crossover valve is up to temperature. The red LED turns on while the pump is running. 17. Once the thermostatic crossover valve heats up and closes, the flow will stop and the pump will turn off. |
18. If the pump fails to turn on when a faucet is fully opened for 1 second, see Trouble Shooting item 2.
19. If the pump fails to stay on past the initial 5 seconds, see Trouble Shooting item 3.
20. If the pump continues to run after you have hot water at the faucet(s) where the crossover valve(s) is (are) installed, see Trouble Shooting item 4.
21. If the pump runs for 30 seconds and then shuts off before there is hot water throughout the house, see Trouble Shooting item 5.
Smart Thermostatic Control Setup with Smart Phone
The Smart Thermostatic Control can be used simply as an on demand controller for your recirculation pump or, once configured using either an iPhone or Android smart device, it will also work as an advanced timer keeping the hot water line hot between specific times of day and on specific days of the week (up to 10 timers can be set). Even when a timer is active it only runs the pump until the crossover valve closes while continuing to monitor the flow demand. The app uses Bluetooth in order to communicate with the controller so you need to be sure that Bluetooth is enabled on your smart device. The app can be downloaded for free from either the Apple App Store or from Google Play by looking up “Smart Recirculation Control”.
There is no need to “pair” the Bluetooth device, running the app will find and connect to the Smart Thermostatic Control and display the timers currently set. The blue LED on the controller will illuminate when the app is connected. If the blue LED doesn’t illuminate, press the menu button in the top right of the app and select “Scan for Recirc Control”. Note: I have noticed that Android devices can sometimes have a hard time connecting so if it fails to connect after pressing the “Scan for Recirc Control” menu item a couple of times, try restarting the app.
Once connected you can tap any of the existing timers to edit or delete them or press the Add Timer button to add a new one.
The real time clock in the Smart Thermostatic Control is set when you connect to the controller with your smart phone. When a timer is active the green LED will light. When the Smart Thermostatic Control turns the pump on, the LED will change from green to red. When the hot water line is up to temperature and the thermostatic crossover valve closes, the pump will shut off and the LED will change back from red to green.
The Smart Thermostatic Control has a built in power backup that will keep the clock’s time for approximately 24 hours after which the clock will lose its time and the controller’s timers won’t function until the time is set by running the app and connecting to the Smart Thermostatic Control.
The clock does not adjust for daylight savings time so when the time changes you will need to connect to the Smart Thermostatic Control with your smart device and the time will be set to the time of your smart device.
Smart Thermostatic Control Settings:
The app also allows for controlling all the settings of the firmware of the Smart Thermostatic Control. To access the settings press the menu button in the top right of the app and select “Settings”. There will be a list of basic settings and the ability to expand the settings to “Show Advanced Settings”.
Basic Settings:
Sensitivity – The sensitivity setting allows the user to set how many pulses of the flow meter are required to
turn the controller on and off. When the controller senses flow greater than the large value it turns the pump on.
When the flow falls below the small value, the controller turns the pump off. The default on value is 20 and off
value is 5 which is fine for most installations. If you find that the controller is not turning on when you turn a
faucet on and off, see Trouble Shooting item 2. If the controller isn’t turning off when the plumbing
is hot, see Trouble Shooting item 4.
Timers Enabled – This switch enables and disables the timers. This can be used to turn the timers off when
you go away on vacation or to simply turn them off if you just want to use the on demand feature of the
controller.
Advanced Settings:
Dormant Interval – The dormant interval is the number of minutes that the controller lies dormant after having run the pump and gotten the hot water line up to temperature. This setting prevents fast cycling of the pump when hot water is being turned on and off over a short period of time. This is also the number of minutes that the controller waits when a timer is active after turning the pump off before turning the pump on again to check if the thermostatic valve has opened. If you want the pump to turn on more often while a timer is active or more quickly between pump runs when you draw hot water you would reduce this value. This value is set to 10 minutes which is fine for most installations.
Flow Meter Delay – The flow meter delay is the amount of time in hundredths of a second during which time the controller counts the number of pulses that occur in the flow meter. If the number of pulses is above the sensitivity threshold then the controller deems that there is flow in the hot water line. This value is set to 75 hundredths of a second which is fine for most installations.
Initial Pump Run Time – The initial pump run time is the number of seconds that the pump runs when it first senses flow if the pump hasn’t run in the last dormant interval. This is to ensure that the pump has time to get up to speed and start moving water through the thermostatic valve before checking the flow value. When a timer is active the pump will turn on every dormant interval for the length of the initial pump run time in order to check thermostatic valve. This value is set to 5 seconds which is fine for most installations, but some pumps have electronic controls requiring longer for the pump to start running once power is connected so this value may have to be increased.
Reset to Factory – This will reset the Smart Recirculation Control back to the factory defaults. If you experience strange behavior of the controller, resetting to the factory defaults would be a good thing to try to resolve the issue. This will also reset all the timers back to the 4 factory default timers so if you have changed the timers you will need to reset them after performing a factory reset. You must type “yes” when prompted in order for the factory reset to take place.
Hot Water Recirculating Pump Troubleshooting
1. SYMPTOM: Red LED flashes quickly after the controller is plugged in and never stops.
ISSUE: The Smart Recirculation Control is not able to get temperature information from the temperature sensor.
RESOLUTION: Unplug the Smart Recirculation Control from the wall, disconnect the connection to the temperature sensor, disconnect the wiring harness from the Smart Recirculation Control. Inspect the pins in the connectors and ensure they are not bent or broken. Inspect the wires connecting to the connectors and ensure they are not broken or loose. Reconnect the temperature sensors ensuring they are firmly connected and snapped together. Plug the wiring harness back into the Smart Recirculation Control. Plug the Smart Recirculation Control back into the wall outlet.
2. SYMPTOM: Pump won't turn on when hot water is drawn from a faucet.
ISSUE 1: If the controller has run within the dormant interval, the pump won’t automatically turn on when flow is detected.
RESOLUTION 1: Unplug the controller from power for 10 seconds and plug it back in. This will reset the controller and it will now turn on automatically when it detects flow. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and then turn it off. If it still doesn’t turn on see ISSUE 2.
ISSUE 2: The sensitivity is set to high for the controller to detect the flow provided by the faucet.
RESOLUTION 2: Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and select “Live Data”. This will show you what the controller is sensing. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and watch the flow value. If it goes greater than 20 then the pump will turn on. If it doesn’t go greater than 20 then you will need to reduce the sensitivity setting to be less than the maximum value you observed. For example, if the Flow Meter value went to 15, then set your sensitivity to 13. Then try this test again.
3. SYMPTOM: Pump won’t continue running after the initial pump run time expires.
ISSUE 1: The thermostatic crossover valve(s) is (are) already heated up and aren’t allowing flow.
RESOLUTION 1: Check the temperature of the water at the location of the crossover valve(s) and see if the water is 95F. If it is, wait for the water to cool off and test it again. If it is not 95F, see ISSUE 2.
ISSUE 2: The small sensitivity setting is set too high and the controller isn’t registering enough flow to keep the pump running.
RESOLUTION 2: Unplug the controller from power, wait 10 seconds and plug it back in. Open the smart phone app and go to Settings → Advanced Settings and set the Initial Pump Run Time to 30 seconds. Go back to the menu and select “Live Data”. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and then turn it off. The pump will now run for 30 seconds and you should see the flow value that the pump is pushing through the thermostatic crossover valve(s). If this value is 0 then the crossover valve(s) is (are) closed and not allowing flow. If this value is not 0, then set the small value in Settings → Sensitivity to be less than this value and the pump will continue to run when triggered. Don’t forget to go back to Settings → Advanced Settings and set the Initial Pump Run Time back to 5 seconds.
4. SYMPTOM: Pump continues to run after hot water is detected at the faucet(s) where the thermostatic crossover valve(s) is (are) installed.
ISSUE: The thermostatic crossover valve(s) is (are) not up to 95F and therefore still allowing flow.
RESOLUTION: Check the temperature of the water at the location of the crossover valve(s) and see if the water is 95F. If it is 95F, see ISSUE 2.
ISSUE 2: The small sensitivity setting is set below the flow value the controller is registering and therefore keeping the pump running.
RESOLUTION 2: Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and select “Live Data”. The flow value that the controller is registering will be displayed. Go into Settings → Sensitivity and set the small value to be greater than this value and the pump will turn off.
5. SYMPTOM: The pump turns off after 30 seconds and the water at the faucets is only lukewarm.
ISSUE 1: If the temperature of the water coming out of the water heater after 30 seconds is not at least 95F, the controller will turn the pump off.
RESOLUTION 1: Check that the temperature sensor is securely attached to copper piping coming out of the water heater. If it has come loose, tape it back in place ensuring that the entire length of the sensor is contacting the piping. Secure insulation over the temperature sensor. If the temperature sensor is firmly in place, see RESOLUTION 2.
RESOLUTION 2: Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and select “Live Data”. The temperature that the controller is sensing will be displayed. If a lot of hot water has been recently used the tank may cool off to below 95F. If this happens the water won’t be hot enough to cause the thermostatic crossover valve(s) to close. If the controller senses that this has happened it will turn the pump off and wait the duration of the dormant period before turning on again. This is to give the tank time to heat up rather than run the pump and recirculate lukewarm water.
6. SYMPTOM: Pump turns on when no hot water is being drawn.
ISSUE: Pressure spikes in the cold water supply line caused by abrupt turning off of the cold water (for instance when a toilet fills) or caused by fluctuations in the feed from the utility company can cause the Smart Thermostatic Control to trigger the hot water recirculation pump to turn on.
RESOLUTION: The large sensitivity setting is too low. Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and go into Settings → Sensitivity and set the large value higher by 5 and see if the issue persists.
For any questions or concerns about your Controlled Hot Water Recirculation Pump installation, be sure to contact our team today. We are happy to assist.
19. If the pump fails to stay on past the initial 5 seconds, see Trouble Shooting item 3.
20. If the pump continues to run after you have hot water at the faucet(s) where the crossover valve(s) is (are) installed, see Trouble Shooting item 4.
21. If the pump runs for 30 seconds and then shuts off before there is hot water throughout the house, see Trouble Shooting item 5.
Smart Thermostatic Control Setup with Smart Phone
The Smart Thermostatic Control can be used simply as an on demand controller for your recirculation pump or, once configured using either an iPhone or Android smart device, it will also work as an advanced timer keeping the hot water line hot between specific times of day and on specific days of the week (up to 10 timers can be set). Even when a timer is active it only runs the pump until the crossover valve closes while continuing to monitor the flow demand. The app uses Bluetooth in order to communicate with the controller so you need to be sure that Bluetooth is enabled on your smart device. The app can be downloaded for free from either the Apple App Store or from Google Play by looking up “Smart Recirculation Control”.
There is no need to “pair” the Bluetooth device, running the app will find and connect to the Smart Thermostatic Control and display the timers currently set. The blue LED on the controller will illuminate when the app is connected. If the blue LED doesn’t illuminate, press the menu button in the top right of the app and select “Scan for Recirc Control”. Note: I have noticed that Android devices can sometimes have a hard time connecting so if it fails to connect after pressing the “Scan for Recirc Control” menu item a couple of times, try restarting the app.
Once connected you can tap any of the existing timers to edit or delete them or press the Add Timer button to add a new one.
The real time clock in the Smart Thermostatic Control is set when you connect to the controller with your smart phone. When a timer is active the green LED will light. When the Smart Thermostatic Control turns the pump on, the LED will change from green to red. When the hot water line is up to temperature and the thermostatic crossover valve closes, the pump will shut off and the LED will change back from red to green.
The Smart Thermostatic Control has a built in power backup that will keep the clock’s time for approximately 24 hours after which the clock will lose its time and the controller’s timers won’t function until the time is set by running the app and connecting to the Smart Thermostatic Control.
The clock does not adjust for daylight savings time so when the time changes you will need to connect to the Smart Thermostatic Control with your smart device and the time will be set to the time of your smart device.
Smart Thermostatic Control Settings:
The app also allows for controlling all the settings of the firmware of the Smart Thermostatic Control. To access the settings press the menu button in the top right of the app and select “Settings”. There will be a list of basic settings and the ability to expand the settings to “Show Advanced Settings”.
Basic Settings:
Sensitivity – The sensitivity setting allows the user to set how many pulses of the flow meter are required to
turn the controller on and off. When the controller senses flow greater than the large value it turns the pump on.
When the flow falls below the small value, the controller turns the pump off. The default on value is 20 and off
value is 5 which is fine for most installations. If you find that the controller is not turning on when you turn a
faucet on and off, see Trouble Shooting item 2. If the controller isn’t turning off when the plumbing
is hot, see Trouble Shooting item 4.
Timers Enabled – This switch enables and disables the timers. This can be used to turn the timers off when
you go away on vacation or to simply turn them off if you just want to use the on demand feature of the
controller.
Advanced Settings:
Dormant Interval – The dormant interval is the number of minutes that the controller lies dormant after having run the pump and gotten the hot water line up to temperature. This setting prevents fast cycling of the pump when hot water is being turned on and off over a short period of time. This is also the number of minutes that the controller waits when a timer is active after turning the pump off before turning the pump on again to check if the thermostatic valve has opened. If you want the pump to turn on more often while a timer is active or more quickly between pump runs when you draw hot water you would reduce this value. This value is set to 10 minutes which is fine for most installations.
Flow Meter Delay – The flow meter delay is the amount of time in hundredths of a second during which time the controller counts the number of pulses that occur in the flow meter. If the number of pulses is above the sensitivity threshold then the controller deems that there is flow in the hot water line. This value is set to 75 hundredths of a second which is fine for most installations.
Initial Pump Run Time – The initial pump run time is the number of seconds that the pump runs when it first senses flow if the pump hasn’t run in the last dormant interval. This is to ensure that the pump has time to get up to speed and start moving water through the thermostatic valve before checking the flow value. When a timer is active the pump will turn on every dormant interval for the length of the initial pump run time in order to check thermostatic valve. This value is set to 5 seconds which is fine for most installations, but some pumps have electronic controls requiring longer for the pump to start running once power is connected so this value may have to be increased.
Reset to Factory – This will reset the Smart Recirculation Control back to the factory defaults. If you experience strange behavior of the controller, resetting to the factory defaults would be a good thing to try to resolve the issue. This will also reset all the timers back to the 4 factory default timers so if you have changed the timers you will need to reset them after performing a factory reset. You must type “yes” when prompted in order for the factory reset to take place.
Hot Water Recirculating Pump Troubleshooting
1. SYMPTOM: Red LED flashes quickly after the controller is plugged in and never stops.
ISSUE: The Smart Recirculation Control is not able to get temperature information from the temperature sensor.
RESOLUTION: Unplug the Smart Recirculation Control from the wall, disconnect the connection to the temperature sensor, disconnect the wiring harness from the Smart Recirculation Control. Inspect the pins in the connectors and ensure they are not bent or broken. Inspect the wires connecting to the connectors and ensure they are not broken or loose. Reconnect the temperature sensors ensuring they are firmly connected and snapped together. Plug the wiring harness back into the Smart Recirculation Control. Plug the Smart Recirculation Control back into the wall outlet.
2. SYMPTOM: Pump won't turn on when hot water is drawn from a faucet.
ISSUE 1: If the controller has run within the dormant interval, the pump won’t automatically turn on when flow is detected.
RESOLUTION 1: Unplug the controller from power for 10 seconds and plug it back in. This will reset the controller and it will now turn on automatically when it detects flow. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and then turn it off. If it still doesn’t turn on see ISSUE 2.
ISSUE 2: The sensitivity is set to high for the controller to detect the flow provided by the faucet.
RESOLUTION 2: Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and select “Live Data”. This will show you what the controller is sensing. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and watch the flow value. If it goes greater than 20 then the pump will turn on. If it doesn’t go greater than 20 then you will need to reduce the sensitivity setting to be less than the maximum value you observed. For example, if the Flow Meter value went to 15, then set your sensitivity to 13. Then try this test again.
3. SYMPTOM: Pump won’t continue running after the initial pump run time expires.
ISSUE 1: The thermostatic crossover valve(s) is (are) already heated up and aren’t allowing flow.
RESOLUTION 1: Check the temperature of the water at the location of the crossover valve(s) and see if the water is 95F. If it is, wait for the water to cool off and test it again. If it is not 95F, see ISSUE 2.
ISSUE 2: The small sensitivity setting is set too high and the controller isn’t registering enough flow to keep the pump running.
RESOLUTION 2: Unplug the controller from power, wait 10 seconds and plug it back in. Open the smart phone app and go to Settings → Advanced Settings and set the Initial Pump Run Time to 30 seconds. Go back to the menu and select “Live Data”. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and then turn it off. The pump will now run for 30 seconds and you should see the flow value that the pump is pushing through the thermostatic crossover valve(s). If this value is 0 then the crossover valve(s) is (are) closed and not allowing flow. If this value is not 0, then set the small value in Settings → Sensitivity to be less than this value and the pump will continue to run when triggered. Don’t forget to go back to Settings → Advanced Settings and set the Initial Pump Run Time back to 5 seconds.
4. SYMPTOM: Pump continues to run after hot water is detected at the faucet(s) where the thermostatic crossover valve(s) is (are) installed.
ISSUE: The thermostatic crossover valve(s) is (are) not up to 95F and therefore still allowing flow.
RESOLUTION: Check the temperature of the water at the location of the crossover valve(s) and see if the water is 95F. If it is 95F, see ISSUE 2.
ISSUE 2: The small sensitivity setting is set below the flow value the controller is registering and therefore keeping the pump running.
RESOLUTION 2: Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and select “Live Data”. The flow value that the controller is registering will be displayed. Go into Settings → Sensitivity and set the small value to be greater than this value and the pump will turn off.
5. SYMPTOM: The pump turns off after 30 seconds and the water at the faucets is only lukewarm.
ISSUE 1: If the temperature of the water coming out of the water heater after 30 seconds is not at least 95F, the controller will turn the pump off.
RESOLUTION 1: Check that the temperature sensor is securely attached to copper piping coming out of the water heater. If it has come loose, tape it back in place ensuring that the entire length of the sensor is contacting the piping. Secure insulation over the temperature sensor. If the temperature sensor is firmly in place, see RESOLUTION 2.
RESOLUTION 2: Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and select “Live Data”. The temperature that the controller is sensing will be displayed. If a lot of hot water has been recently used the tank may cool off to below 95F. If this happens the water won’t be hot enough to cause the thermostatic crossover valve(s) to close. If the controller senses that this has happened it will turn the pump off and wait the duration of the dormant period before turning on again. This is to give the tank time to heat up rather than run the pump and recirculate lukewarm water.
6. SYMPTOM: Pump turns on when no hot water is being drawn.
ISSUE: Pressure spikes in the cold water supply line caused by abrupt turning off of the cold water (for instance when a toilet fills) or caused by fluctuations in the feed from the utility company can cause the Smart Thermostatic Control to trigger the hot water recirculation pump to turn on.
RESOLUTION: The large sensitivity setting is too low. Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and go into Settings → Sensitivity and set the large value higher by 5 and see if the issue persists.
For any questions or concerns about your Controlled Hot Water Recirculation Pump installation, be sure to contact our team today. We are happy to assist.
Congratulations on purchasing the most advanced microprocessor-controlled hot water recirculation pump controller made. This system is designed to run the recirculation pump only when you need it thus saving both water and energy. It is designed and built with pride in the USA to provide years of service and savings.
Contents of our Controlled Hot Water Recirculation Pump installation:
Contents of our Controlled Hot Water Recirculation Pump installation:
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1 Smart Countdown Control with RJ-45 connector
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1 ¾” or 1” NPT Flow Sensor with JST connector
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1 Wiring Harness with RJ45 & JST connectors
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Needed:
The following items are needed for the installation, but are not included.
PTFE (Teflon) Tape
Wire fasteners for securing wiring to the wall
QUICKSTART GUIDE
Prior to installation perform the following system test.
1. Connect the wiring harness to the controller.
2. Connect the flow meter to the wiring harness.
3. Plug the controller into a wall outlet and ensure that the LED on the controller flashes green 3 times.
4. Blow through the flow meter in the direction of the arrow and ensure the controller makes a slight audible click and the red LED turns on. It will stay on for approximately 5 minutes but you don’t need to wait for it to turn off. The test was to ensure that the flow meter can turn on the controller.
If this test fails, disconnect the flow meter from the wiring harness and the wiring harness from the controller. Inspect the wires to ensure they are not broken or loose and that the pins are not bent. Reconnect all connections ensuring they snap together tightly and re-test. If this test still fails, contact customer support.
1. Install the flow meter at the cold water input to the water heater using PTFE tape ensuring the arrow on the flow meter points in the direction of flow.
2. Connect the flow meter to the wiring harness and plug the wiring harness into the controller.
3. Plug the controller into an outlet and plug the pump into the controller.
4. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and the pump should turn on and run for approximately 5 minutes.
If the pump fails to turn on see Trouble Shooting item 1.
LED Legend:
GREEN LED: will blink 3 times when first plugged in to indicate the unit is functioning correctly
GREEN LED: solid on when a timer is active and pump is not running
RED LED: fast blinking indicates that the temperature sensor is not connected properly
RED LED: solid on when the pump is running whether due to a timer or due to demand
BLUE LED: solid on when connected via the smart phone app
DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS
Please read over the following instructions. If you are not comfortable with any part of them please contact a licensed plumber to perform the installation.
Prior to installation you must perform the system test at the beginning of the Quickstart Guide.
Installation:
1. Note setting of water heater thermostat and then set to lowest temperature setting (do not turn off the pilot light).
2. Shut off the cold water supply to the water heater.
3. Open the closest hot water faucet to the water heater to depressurize the hot water line. When water quits flowing, turn off the faucet.
The following items are needed for the installation, but are not included.
PTFE (Teflon) Tape
Wire fasteners for securing wiring to the wall
QUICKSTART GUIDE
Prior to installation perform the following system test.
1. Connect the wiring harness to the controller.
2. Connect the flow meter to the wiring harness.
3. Plug the controller into a wall outlet and ensure that the LED on the controller flashes green 3 times.
4. Blow through the flow meter in the direction of the arrow and ensure the controller makes a slight audible click and the red LED turns on. It will stay on for approximately 5 minutes but you don’t need to wait for it to turn off. The test was to ensure that the flow meter can turn on the controller.
If this test fails, disconnect the flow meter from the wiring harness and the wiring harness from the controller. Inspect the wires to ensure they are not broken or loose and that the pins are not bent. Reconnect all connections ensuring they snap together tightly and re-test. If this test still fails, contact customer support.
1. Install the flow meter at the cold water input to the water heater using PTFE tape ensuring the arrow on the flow meter points in the direction of flow.
2. Connect the flow meter to the wiring harness and plug the wiring harness into the controller.
3. Plug the controller into an outlet and plug the pump into the controller.
4. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and the pump should turn on and run for approximately 5 minutes.
If the pump fails to turn on see Trouble Shooting item 1.
LED Legend:
GREEN LED: will blink 3 times when first plugged in to indicate the unit is functioning correctly
GREEN LED: solid on when a timer is active and pump is not running
RED LED: fast blinking indicates that the temperature sensor is not connected properly
RED LED: solid on when the pump is running whether due to a timer or due to demand
BLUE LED: solid on when connected via the smart phone app
DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS
Please read over the following instructions. If you are not comfortable with any part of them please contact a licensed plumber to perform the installation.
Prior to installation you must perform the system test at the beginning of the Quickstart Guide.
Installation:
1. Note setting of water heater thermostat and then set to lowest temperature setting (do not turn off the pilot light).
2. Shut off the cold water supply to the water heater.
3. Open the closest hot water faucet to the water heater to depressurize the hot water line. When water quits flowing, turn off the faucet.
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4. Disconnect the cold water supply line from water heater. Be careful not to bend and crease the supply line when manipulating it. Be prepared with some towels as some water will flow out of the hookup line. You don’t have to drain the tank. As long as all the faucets remain closed you should not get any back flow from the hot water line.
5. Connect the flow meter to the cold water input of the water heater using PTFE tape being sure that the arrow on the flow meter is pointing toward the water heater. 6. Connect the cold water supply line to the input side of the flow meter. The supply line uses a rubber washer to seal so you don’t need use PTFE tape on this connection. Hand tighten and turn an additional ¼ to ½ turn. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN! 7. Turn on the cold water supply to the water heater and inspect for any leaks. 8. Turn water heater thermostat back to its original temperature setting. |
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9. Connect the flow meter to the wiring harness via the JST connector ensuring it snaps together securely.
10. Secure the wires to the wall away from the water heater. |
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11. Plug the wiring harness into the Smart Countdown Control via the RJ-45 connector ensuring it snaps in securely.
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12. Plug the recirculation pump into the Smart Countdown Control and plug the Smart Countdown Control into an electrical outlet.
13. The green LED on the side of the controller will blink 3 times if everything is OK. 14. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second. This will trigger the recirculation pump to turn the pump on and run for the duration of the countdown time (default 5 minutes). The red LED turns on while the pump is running. 15. Once the time is up, the pump will turn off and won’t turn on again until the dormant interval has expired (default 10 minutes). 16. If the pump fails to turn on when a faucet is fully opened for 1 second, see Trouble Shooting. |
Smart Countdown Control Setup with Smart Phone
The Smart Countdown Control can be used simply as an on demand controller for your recirculation pump or, once configured using either an iPhone or Android smart device, it will also work as an advanced timer keeping the hot water line hot between specific times of day and on specific days of the week (up to 10 timers can be set). Even when a timer is active it only runs the pump for the countdown time amount and then goes to sleep for the dormant interval. The app uses Bluetooth in order to communicate with the controller so you need to be sure that Bluetooth is enabled on your smart device. The app can be downloaded for free from either the Apple App Store or from Google Play by looking up “Smart Recirculation Control”.
There is no need to “pair” the Bluetooth device, running the app will find and connect to the Smart Countdown Control and display the timers currently set. The blue LED on the controller will illuminate when the app is connected. If the blue LED doesn’t illuminate, press the menu button in the top right of the app and select “Scan for Recirc Control”. Note: I have noticed that Android devices can sometimes have a hard time connecting so if it fails to connect after pressing the “Scan for Recirc Control” menu item a couple of times, try restarting the app.
Once connected you can tap any of the existing timers to edit or delete them or press the Add Timer button to add a new one.
The real time clock in the Smart Recirculation Control is set when you connect to the controller with your smart phone. When a timer is active the green LED will be lit. When the Smart Recirculation Control turns the pump on, the LED will change from green to red. When the loop is up to temperature the pump will shut off and the LED will change back from red to green.
When connected to the controller via the smart phone app, the blue LED will always be lit. To know if the pump is running or a timer is active, select “Live Data” from the menu and it will provide the status of the pump and timers.
The Smart Recirculation Control has a built in power backup that will keep the clock’s time for approximately 24 hours after which the clock will lose its time and the controller’s timers won’t function until the time is set by running the app and connecting to the Smart Recirculation Control.
The clock does not adjust for daylight savings time so when the time changes you will need to connect to the Smart Recirculation Control with your smart device and the time will be set to the time of your smart device.
Smart Countdown Control Settings:
The app also allows for controlling all the settings of the firmware of the Smart Countdown Control. To access the settings press the menu button in the top right of the app and select “Settings”. There will be a list of basic settings and the ability to expand the settings to “Show Advanced Settings”.
Basic Settings:
Sensitivity – The sensitivity setting allows the user to set how many pulses of the flow meter are required to turn the controller on. The default value is 20 which is fine for most installations. If you find that the controller is not turning on when you turn a faucet on and off, you would decrease this value to make the controller more sensitive to flow (require fewer pulses to turn the controller on). Correspondingly, if you find that the controller is turning on when there is no timer active and no hot water being drawn, you would increase this number to make the unit less sensitive to fluctuations in flow (require more pulses to turn the controller on).
Run Time – This setting allows you to set the amount of time the controller will run the pump when it is triggered. It is configurable up to 15 minutes with the default being 5 minutes.
Timers Enabled – This switch enables and disables the timers. This can be used to turn the timers off when you go away on vacation or to simply turn them off if you just want to use the on demand feature of the controller.
Advanced Settings:
Dormant Interval – The dormant interval is the number of minutes that the controller lies dormant after having run the pump. This setting prevents fast cycling of the pump when hot water is being turned on and off over a short period of time. This is also the number of minutes that the controller waits between runs when a timer is active. If you want the pump to turn on more often while a timer is active or more quickly between pump runs when you draw hot water you would reduce this value. This value is set to a default of 10 minutes.
Flow Meter Delay – The flow meter delay is the amount of time in hundredths of a second during which time the controller counts the number of pulses that occur in the flow meter. If the number of pulses is above the sensitivity threshold then the controller deems that there is flow in the hot water line. This value is set to 75 hundredths of a second which is fine for most installations.
Reset to Factory – This will reset the Smart Countdown Control back to the factory defaults. If you experience strange behavior of the controller, resetting to the factory defaults would be a good thing to try to resolve the issue. This will also reset all the timers back to the 4 factory default timers so if you have changed the timers you will need to reset them after performing a factory reset. You must type “yes” when prompted in order for the factory reset to take place.
Trouble Shooting
1. SYMPTOM: Pump won't turn on when hot water is drawn from a faucet.
ISSUE 1: If the controller has run within the dormant interval, the pump won’t automatically turn on when flow is detected.
RESOLUTION 1: Unplug the controller from power for 10 seconds and plug it back in. This will reset the controller and it will now turn on automatically when it detects flow. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and then turn it off. If it still doesn’t turn on see ISSUE 2.
ISSUE 2: The sensitivity is set to high for the controller to detect the flow provided by your faucet.
RESOLUTION 2: Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and select “Live Data”. This will show you what the controller is sensing. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and watch the flow value. If it goes greater than 20 then the pump will turn on. If it doesn’t go greater than 20 then you will need to reduce the sensitivity setting to be less than the maximum value you observed. For example, if the Flow Meter value went to 15, then set your sensitivity to 13. Then try this test again.
2. SYMPTOM: Pump turns on when no hot water is being drawn.
ISSUE: Pressure spikes in the cold water supply line caused by abrupt turning off of the cold water (for instance when a toilet fills) or caused by fluctuations in the feed from the utility company can cause the Smart Countdown Control to trigger the hot water recirculation pump to turn on.
RESOLUTION: The sensitivity of the Smart Recirculation Control is to low and should be adjusted higher.
The Smart Countdown Control can be used simply as an on demand controller for your recirculation pump or, once configured using either an iPhone or Android smart device, it will also work as an advanced timer keeping the hot water line hot between specific times of day and on specific days of the week (up to 10 timers can be set). Even when a timer is active it only runs the pump for the countdown time amount and then goes to sleep for the dormant interval. The app uses Bluetooth in order to communicate with the controller so you need to be sure that Bluetooth is enabled on your smart device. The app can be downloaded for free from either the Apple App Store or from Google Play by looking up “Smart Recirculation Control”.
There is no need to “pair” the Bluetooth device, running the app will find and connect to the Smart Countdown Control and display the timers currently set. The blue LED on the controller will illuminate when the app is connected. If the blue LED doesn’t illuminate, press the menu button in the top right of the app and select “Scan for Recirc Control”. Note: I have noticed that Android devices can sometimes have a hard time connecting so if it fails to connect after pressing the “Scan for Recirc Control” menu item a couple of times, try restarting the app.
Once connected you can tap any of the existing timers to edit or delete them or press the Add Timer button to add a new one.
The real time clock in the Smart Recirculation Control is set when you connect to the controller with your smart phone. When a timer is active the green LED will be lit. When the Smart Recirculation Control turns the pump on, the LED will change from green to red. When the loop is up to temperature the pump will shut off and the LED will change back from red to green.
When connected to the controller via the smart phone app, the blue LED will always be lit. To know if the pump is running or a timer is active, select “Live Data” from the menu and it will provide the status of the pump and timers.
The Smart Recirculation Control has a built in power backup that will keep the clock’s time for approximately 24 hours after which the clock will lose its time and the controller’s timers won’t function until the time is set by running the app and connecting to the Smart Recirculation Control.
The clock does not adjust for daylight savings time so when the time changes you will need to connect to the Smart Recirculation Control with your smart device and the time will be set to the time of your smart device.
Smart Countdown Control Settings:
The app also allows for controlling all the settings of the firmware of the Smart Countdown Control. To access the settings press the menu button in the top right of the app and select “Settings”. There will be a list of basic settings and the ability to expand the settings to “Show Advanced Settings”.
Basic Settings:
Sensitivity – The sensitivity setting allows the user to set how many pulses of the flow meter are required to turn the controller on. The default value is 20 which is fine for most installations. If you find that the controller is not turning on when you turn a faucet on and off, you would decrease this value to make the controller more sensitive to flow (require fewer pulses to turn the controller on). Correspondingly, if you find that the controller is turning on when there is no timer active and no hot water being drawn, you would increase this number to make the unit less sensitive to fluctuations in flow (require more pulses to turn the controller on).
Run Time – This setting allows you to set the amount of time the controller will run the pump when it is triggered. It is configurable up to 15 minutes with the default being 5 minutes.
Timers Enabled – This switch enables and disables the timers. This can be used to turn the timers off when you go away on vacation or to simply turn them off if you just want to use the on demand feature of the controller.
Advanced Settings:
Dormant Interval – The dormant interval is the number of minutes that the controller lies dormant after having run the pump. This setting prevents fast cycling of the pump when hot water is being turned on and off over a short period of time. This is also the number of minutes that the controller waits between runs when a timer is active. If you want the pump to turn on more often while a timer is active or more quickly between pump runs when you draw hot water you would reduce this value. This value is set to a default of 10 minutes.
Flow Meter Delay – The flow meter delay is the amount of time in hundredths of a second during which time the controller counts the number of pulses that occur in the flow meter. If the number of pulses is above the sensitivity threshold then the controller deems that there is flow in the hot water line. This value is set to 75 hundredths of a second which is fine for most installations.
Reset to Factory – This will reset the Smart Countdown Control back to the factory defaults. If you experience strange behavior of the controller, resetting to the factory defaults would be a good thing to try to resolve the issue. This will also reset all the timers back to the 4 factory default timers so if you have changed the timers you will need to reset them after performing a factory reset. You must type “yes” when prompted in order for the factory reset to take place.
Trouble Shooting
1. SYMPTOM: Pump won't turn on when hot water is drawn from a faucet.
ISSUE 1: If the controller has run within the dormant interval, the pump won’t automatically turn on when flow is detected.
RESOLUTION 1: Unplug the controller from power for 10 seconds and plug it back in. This will reset the controller and it will now turn on automatically when it detects flow. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and then turn it off. If it still doesn’t turn on see ISSUE 2.
ISSUE 2: The sensitivity is set to high for the controller to detect the flow provided by your faucet.
RESOLUTION 2: Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and select “Live Data”. This will show you what the controller is sensing. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and watch the flow value. If it goes greater than 20 then the pump will turn on. If it doesn’t go greater than 20 then you will need to reduce the sensitivity setting to be less than the maximum value you observed. For example, if the Flow Meter value went to 15, then set your sensitivity to 13. Then try this test again.
2. SYMPTOM: Pump turns on when no hot water is being drawn.
ISSUE: Pressure spikes in the cold water supply line caused by abrupt turning off of the cold water (for instance when a toilet fills) or caused by fluctuations in the feed from the utility company can cause the Smart Countdown Control to trigger the hot water recirculation pump to turn on.
RESOLUTION: The sensitivity of the Smart Recirculation Control is to low and should be adjusted higher.
Congratulations on purchasing the most advanced micro processor controlled, hot water recirculation pump
controller made. This system is designed to run the recirculation pump only when you need it thus saving both
water and energy. It is designed and built with pride in the USA to provide years of service and savings.
Contents:
controller made. This system is designed to run the recirculation pump only when you need it thus saving both
water and energy. It is designed and built with pride in the USA to provide years of service and savings.
Contents:
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1 Smart Recirculation Control with RJ-45 connector
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1 Temperature Sensor with RJ-11 connector.
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1 ¾” or 1” NPT Flow Sensor with JST connector
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1 Wiring Harness with RJ-45, RJ-11 and JST connectors
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Needed: The following items are needed for the installation, but are not included.
Electrical Tape for connecting temperature sensor to piping
PTFE (Teflon) Tape
Wire fasteners for securing wiring to the wall
QUICKSTART GUIDE
Prior to installation perform the following system test.
1. Connect the wiring harness to the controller.
2. Connect the flow meter to the wiring harness.
3. Connect the temperature sensor to the wiring harness.
4. Plug the controller into a wall outlet and ensure that the LED on the controller flashes green 3 times.
5. Blow through the flow meter in the direction of the arrow and ensure the controller makes a slight audible click and the red LED turns on. If this test fails, disconnect all connections and inspect the wires to ensure they are not broken or loose and that the pins in the Y connector are not bent. Reconnect all connections ensuring they snap together and re-test. If this test still fails, contact customer support at support@smartrecirculationcontrol.com or 831-761-8659.
1. Install the flow meter at the cold water input to the water heater ensuring the arrow on the flow meter points in the direction of flow.
NOTE: PTFE tape is necessary when joining to a female NPT connector. PTFE tape is NOT necessary when connecting to a flexible hook up line.
2. Attach the temperature sensor to copper piping near the hot water outlet from the water heater with electrical tape ensuring the entire length of the sensor is in contact with the pipe. Cover the temperature sensor with insulation.
3. The temperature sensor line can be extended with standard RJ11 telephone line extensions if needed.
4. Connect the temperature sensor to the wiring harness using the RJ11 connector, connect the flow meter to the wiring harness and plug the wiring harness into the controller.
5. Plug the controller into an outlet and plug the pump into the controller.
6. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and the pump should turn on. If the hot water line is cold the pump should continue to run until hot water recirculates throughout the house and raises the temperature of the return sensor to within 5 F degrees (default) of the outgoing hot water sensor. If the pump fails to turn on or fails to stay on past the initial 10 seconds or continues to run for longer than 5 minutes and the piping feels hot, see Trouble Shooting on page 7.
LED Legend:
GREEN LED: will blink 3 times when first plugged in to indicate the unit is functioning correctly
GREEN LED: solid on when a “Smart Timer”TM is active and pump is not running
RED LED: fast blinking indicates that one or both of the temperature sensors are not connected properly
RED LED: solid on when the pump is running whether due to a timer or due to demand
BLUE LED: solid on when connected via the smart phone app
DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS
Please read over the following detailed instructions. If you are not comfortable with any part of them please contact a licensed plumber to perform the installation.
Prior to installation you must perform the system test at the beginning of the Quickstart Guide.
Installation:
1. Note setting of the water heater thermostat and then set it to lowest temperature setting (do not turn off the pilot light).
2. Shut off the cold water supply to the water heater.
3. Open the closest hot water faucet to the water heater to depressurize the hot water line. When water quits flowing, turn off the faucet.
Electrical Tape for connecting temperature sensor to piping
PTFE (Teflon) Tape
Wire fasteners for securing wiring to the wall
QUICKSTART GUIDE
Prior to installation perform the following system test.
1. Connect the wiring harness to the controller.
2. Connect the flow meter to the wiring harness.
3. Connect the temperature sensor to the wiring harness.
4. Plug the controller into a wall outlet and ensure that the LED on the controller flashes green 3 times.
5. Blow through the flow meter in the direction of the arrow and ensure the controller makes a slight audible click and the red LED turns on. If this test fails, disconnect all connections and inspect the wires to ensure they are not broken or loose and that the pins in the Y connector are not bent. Reconnect all connections ensuring they snap together and re-test. If this test still fails, contact customer support at support@smartrecirculationcontrol.com or 831-761-8659.
1. Install the flow meter at the cold water input to the water heater ensuring the arrow on the flow meter points in the direction of flow.
NOTE: PTFE tape is necessary when joining to a female NPT connector. PTFE tape is NOT necessary when connecting to a flexible hook up line.
2. Attach the temperature sensor to copper piping near the hot water outlet from the water heater with electrical tape ensuring the entire length of the sensor is in contact with the pipe. Cover the temperature sensor with insulation.
3. The temperature sensor line can be extended with standard RJ11 telephone line extensions if needed.
4. Connect the temperature sensor to the wiring harness using the RJ11 connector, connect the flow meter to the wiring harness and plug the wiring harness into the controller.
5. Plug the controller into an outlet and plug the pump into the controller.
6. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second and the pump should turn on. If the hot water line is cold the pump should continue to run until hot water recirculates throughout the house and raises the temperature of the return sensor to within 5 F degrees (default) of the outgoing hot water sensor. If the pump fails to turn on or fails to stay on past the initial 10 seconds or continues to run for longer than 5 minutes and the piping feels hot, see Trouble Shooting on page 7.
LED Legend:
GREEN LED: will blink 3 times when first plugged in to indicate the unit is functioning correctly
GREEN LED: solid on when a “Smart Timer”TM is active and pump is not running
RED LED: fast blinking indicates that one or both of the temperature sensors are not connected properly
RED LED: solid on when the pump is running whether due to a timer or due to demand
BLUE LED: solid on when connected via the smart phone app
DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS
Please read over the following detailed instructions. If you are not comfortable with any part of them please contact a licensed plumber to perform the installation.
Prior to installation you must perform the system test at the beginning of the Quickstart Guide.
Installation:
1. Note setting of the water heater thermostat and then set it to lowest temperature setting (do not turn off the pilot light).
2. Shut off the cold water supply to the water heater.
3. Open the closest hot water faucet to the water heater to depressurize the hot water line. When water quits flowing, turn off the faucet.
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4. Disconnect the cold water supply line from water heater. Be careful not to bend and crease the supply line when manipulating it. Be prepared with some towels as some water will flow out of the hookup line. You don’t have to drain the tank. As long as all the faucets remain closed you should not get any back flow from the hot water line.
5. Connect the flow meter to the cold water input of the water heater using PTFE tape being sure that the arrow on the flow meter is pointing toward the water heater. 6. Connect the cold water supply line to the input side of the flow meter. The supply line uses a rubber washer to seal so you don’t need to use PTFE tape on this connection. Hand tighten and turn an additional ¼ to ½ turn. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN! 7. Turn on the cold water supply to the water heater and inspect for any leaks. 8. Turn the water heater thermostat back to its original temperature setting. |
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9. Locate the recirculation pump.
10. Place the temperature sensor against the recirculation loop return pipe immediately before (preferable) or after the pump and tape it securely in place ensuring it is in contact with the copper piping for its entire length. Cover the temperature sensor with insulation. Note 1: If installing on PEX you will need to plumb in a short section of copper pipe to which to attach the temperature sensors. PEX is a pretty good insulator and will cause a lag in the controller sensing the temperature change. Note 2: Temperature sensor MUST be placed before the return line T’s back into the cold water supply line. |
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11. Connect the temperature sensor to the wiring harness using the RJ-11 connector ensuring it snaps together securely.
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12. Connect the flow meter to the wiring harness via the JST connector ensuring it snaps together securely.
13. Secure the wires to the wall away from the water heater. |
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14. Plug the wiring harness into the Smart Aquastat Control via the RJ-45 connector ensuring it snaps in securely.
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15. Plug the recirculation pump into the Smart Aquastat Control and plug the Smart Aquastat Control into an electrical outlet.
16. The green LED on the side of the controller will blink 3 times if everything is OK. If the red LED flashes quickly see Trouble Shooting item 1. 17. Turn a hot water faucet fully on for 1 second. If the hot water line is cold the recirculation pump should turn on. The red LED turns on while the pump is running. 18. The temperature of the sensor and the status of the pump can be monitored via the smart phone app by selecting “Live Data”TM from the menu. |
19. If the pump fails to turn on when a faucet is fully opened for 1 second, see Trouble Shooting page 7, item 2.
20. If the pump continues to run long after the piping feels hot see Trouble Shooting page 7, item 3.
Smart Recirculation Control Setup with Smart Phone
The Smart Aquastat Control can be used simply as an on demand controller for your recirculation pump or, once configured using either an iPhone or Android smart device, it can be configured via “Smart Timers”TM to keep the recirculation loop hot between specific times of day and on specific days of the week (up to 10 timers can be set). They are called “Smart Timers”TM because if the controller doesn’t sense hot water usage for 24 hours the timers are automatically disabled until hot water flow is detected. And even when a timer is active it only runs the pump until the recirculation loop has heated up and then it shuts the pump off while continuing to monitor the recirculation loop temperature.
The app uses Bluetooth in order to communicate with the controller so you need to be sure that Bluetooth is enabled on your smart device. The app can be downloaded for free from either the Apple App Store or from Google Play by searching for “Smart Recirculation Control”. There is no need to “pair” the Bluetooth device, running the app will find and connect to the Smart Aquastat Control and display the timers currently set. The blue LED on the controller will illuminate when the app is connected. If the blue LED doesn’t illuminate, press the menu button at the top right of the app and select “Scan for Recirc Control”. Note: I have noticed that Android devices can sometime have a hard time connecting so if it fails to connect after pressing the “Scan for Recirc Control” menu item a couple of times, try restarting the app.
Once connected you can tap any of the existing timers to edit or delete them or press the Add Timer button to add a new one. The real time clock in the Smart Aquastat Control is set when you connect to the controller with your smart phone. When a timer is active the green LED will be lit. When the Smart Aquastat Control turns the pump on, the LED will change from green to red. When the loop is up to temperature the pump will shut off and the LED will change back from red to green.
When connected to the controller via the smart phone app, the blue LED will always be lit. To know if the pump is running or a timer is active, select “Live Data”TM from the menu and it will provide the status of the pump and timers.
The Smart Aquastat Control has a built in power backup that will keep the clock’s time for approximately 48 hours after which the clock will lose its time and the controller’s timers won’t function until the time is set by running the app and connecting to the Smart Aquastat Control.
The clock does not adjust for daylight savings time so when the time changes you will need to connect to the Smart Aquastat Control with your smart device and the time will be set to the time of your smart device.
Smart Aquastat Control Settings:
The app allows for controlling all the settings of the firmware of the Smart Aquastat Control. To access the settings press the menu button in the top right of the app and select “Settings”. There will be a list of basic settings and the ability to expand the settings to “Show Advanced Settings”.
Basic Settings:
Sensitivity – The sensitivity setting allows the user to set how many pulses of the flow meter are required to turn the controller on. The default value is 20 which is fine for most installations. If you find that the controller is not turning on when you turn a faucet on and off, you would decrease this value to make the controller more sensitive to flow (require fewer pulses to turn the controller on). Correspondingly, if you find that the controller is turning on when there is no timer active and no hot water being drawn, you would increase this number to make the unit less sensitive to fluctuations in flow (require more pulses to turn the controller on).
Temperature Range – The temperature range setting allows the user to set the temperature values that cause the controller to turn the pump on and off. When a timer is active or the controller senses flow, it compares the temperature sensor value to the configured low temperature and if is less than this value (default of 100F) it turns the pump on. It will continue to run the pump until the temperature is greater than the configured high temperature (default of 105F). You need to ensure that your water heater is set to a temperature greater than the high temperature setting or the pump will never turn off.
Timers Enabled – This switch allows you to manually disable the timers. This can be used to turn the timers off when you go away on vacation or to simply turn them off if you just want to use the on demand feature of the controller. Regardless of this setting, if the controller doesn’t detect hot water flow for 24 hours it will disable all timers until hot water flow is detected.
Advanced Settings:
Flow Meter Delay – The flow meter delay is the amount of time in hundredths of a second during which time the controller counts the number of pulses that occur in the flow meter. If the number of pulses is above the sensitivity threshold then the controller deems that there is flow in the hot water line. This value is set to 75 hundredths of a second which is fine for most installations.
Reset to Factory – This will reset the Smart Aquastat Control back to the factory defaults. If you experience strange behavior of the controller, resetting to the factory defaults would be a good thing to try to resolve the issue. This will also reset all the timers back to the 4 factory default timers so if you have changed the timers you will need to reset them after performing a factory reset. You must type “yes” when prompted in order for the factory reset to take place.
Hot Water Recirculating Pump Troubleshooting:
1. SYMPTOM: Red LED flashes quickly after it is plugged in and never stops.
ISSUE: The Smart Aquastat Control is not able to get temperature information from the temperature sensor.
RESOLUTION: Unplug the Smart Aquastat Control from the wall, disconnect the temperature sensor connector and disconnect the wiring harness from the Smart Aquastat Control. Inspect the pins in the connectors and ensure they are not bent or broken. Inspect the wires connecting to the connectors and ensure they are not broken or loose. Reconnect the temperature sensor ensuring it snaps firmly into the connector. Plug the wiring harness back into the Smart Aquastat Control. Plug the Smart Aquastat Control back into the wall outlet.
2. SYMPTOM: Pump won't turn on when hot water is drawn from a faucet.
ISSUE 1: If the temperature of the water at the temperature sensor is greater than the low temperature value configured in Settings→Temperature Range the pump won’t turn on when flow is detected. If the temperature is below the configured low temperature value see ISSUE 2.
RESOLUTION 1: Wait until the temperature drops below the configured low temperature value or increase the low temperature value via the smart phone app and test it again.
ISSUE 2: The Settings → Sensitivity value is set to high for the controller to detect the flow provided by the faucet.
RESOLUTION 2: Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and select “Live Data”TM. This will show what flow value the controller is sensing. Turn the hot water faucet fully on and watch the flow value. If it goes greater than 20 then the pump will turn on. If it doesn’t go greater than 20 then you will need to reduce the sensitivity setting to be less than the maximum value you observed. For example, if the Flow Meter value went to 15, then set your sensitivity to 13. Then try this test again.
3. SYMPTOM: Pump continues to run even though the piping feels hot.
ISSUE: The controller isn’t sensing a temperature greater than the configured high temperature.
RESOLUTION 1: Ensure that the temperature sensor is securely connected to the copper piping on the return line, covered with pipe insulation and is connected to the piping before it T’s into the cold water feed into the water heater. If it is loose, re-secure it in place with electrical tape, cover it with insulation and test it again. If it continues to run see RESOLUTION 2.
RESOLUTION 2: Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and select “Live Data”TM. It will display the temperature value. If this value is less than the high temperature setting configured in Settings → Temperature Range (default 105 F degrees) then the pump won’t turn off. Adjust the Temperature Range values down so that the high value is less than the observed value and the pump will turn off.
4. SYMPTOM: Pump turns on when no hot water is being drawn.
ISSUE: Pressure spikes in the cold water supply line caused by abrupt turning off of the cold water (for instance when a toilet fills) or caused by fluctuations in the feed from the utility company can cause the Smart Aquastat Control to trigger the hot water recirculation pump to turn on.
RESOLUTION: The sensitivity of the Smart Recirculation Control is to low and should be adjusted higher.
20. If the pump continues to run long after the piping feels hot see Trouble Shooting page 7, item 3.
Smart Recirculation Control Setup with Smart Phone
The Smart Aquastat Control can be used simply as an on demand controller for your recirculation pump or, once configured using either an iPhone or Android smart device, it can be configured via “Smart Timers”TM to keep the recirculation loop hot between specific times of day and on specific days of the week (up to 10 timers can be set). They are called “Smart Timers”TM because if the controller doesn’t sense hot water usage for 24 hours the timers are automatically disabled until hot water flow is detected. And even when a timer is active it only runs the pump until the recirculation loop has heated up and then it shuts the pump off while continuing to monitor the recirculation loop temperature.
The app uses Bluetooth in order to communicate with the controller so you need to be sure that Bluetooth is enabled on your smart device. The app can be downloaded for free from either the Apple App Store or from Google Play by searching for “Smart Recirculation Control”. There is no need to “pair” the Bluetooth device, running the app will find and connect to the Smart Aquastat Control and display the timers currently set. The blue LED on the controller will illuminate when the app is connected. If the blue LED doesn’t illuminate, press the menu button at the top right of the app and select “Scan for Recirc Control”. Note: I have noticed that Android devices can sometime have a hard time connecting so if it fails to connect after pressing the “Scan for Recirc Control” menu item a couple of times, try restarting the app.
Once connected you can tap any of the existing timers to edit or delete them or press the Add Timer button to add a new one. The real time clock in the Smart Aquastat Control is set when you connect to the controller with your smart phone. When a timer is active the green LED will be lit. When the Smart Aquastat Control turns the pump on, the LED will change from green to red. When the loop is up to temperature the pump will shut off and the LED will change back from red to green.
When connected to the controller via the smart phone app, the blue LED will always be lit. To know if the pump is running or a timer is active, select “Live Data”TM from the menu and it will provide the status of the pump and timers.
The Smart Aquastat Control has a built in power backup that will keep the clock’s time for approximately 48 hours after which the clock will lose its time and the controller’s timers won’t function until the time is set by running the app and connecting to the Smart Aquastat Control.
The clock does not adjust for daylight savings time so when the time changes you will need to connect to the Smart Aquastat Control with your smart device and the time will be set to the time of your smart device.
Smart Aquastat Control Settings:
The app allows for controlling all the settings of the firmware of the Smart Aquastat Control. To access the settings press the menu button in the top right of the app and select “Settings”. There will be a list of basic settings and the ability to expand the settings to “Show Advanced Settings”.
Basic Settings:
Sensitivity – The sensitivity setting allows the user to set how many pulses of the flow meter are required to turn the controller on. The default value is 20 which is fine for most installations. If you find that the controller is not turning on when you turn a faucet on and off, you would decrease this value to make the controller more sensitive to flow (require fewer pulses to turn the controller on). Correspondingly, if you find that the controller is turning on when there is no timer active and no hot water being drawn, you would increase this number to make the unit less sensitive to fluctuations in flow (require more pulses to turn the controller on).
Temperature Range – The temperature range setting allows the user to set the temperature values that cause the controller to turn the pump on and off. When a timer is active or the controller senses flow, it compares the temperature sensor value to the configured low temperature and if is less than this value (default of 100F) it turns the pump on. It will continue to run the pump until the temperature is greater than the configured high temperature (default of 105F). You need to ensure that your water heater is set to a temperature greater than the high temperature setting or the pump will never turn off.
Timers Enabled – This switch allows you to manually disable the timers. This can be used to turn the timers off when you go away on vacation or to simply turn them off if you just want to use the on demand feature of the controller. Regardless of this setting, if the controller doesn’t detect hot water flow for 24 hours it will disable all timers until hot water flow is detected.
Advanced Settings:
Flow Meter Delay – The flow meter delay is the amount of time in hundredths of a second during which time the controller counts the number of pulses that occur in the flow meter. If the number of pulses is above the sensitivity threshold then the controller deems that there is flow in the hot water line. This value is set to 75 hundredths of a second which is fine for most installations.
Reset to Factory – This will reset the Smart Aquastat Control back to the factory defaults. If you experience strange behavior of the controller, resetting to the factory defaults would be a good thing to try to resolve the issue. This will also reset all the timers back to the 4 factory default timers so if you have changed the timers you will need to reset them after performing a factory reset. You must type “yes” when prompted in order for the factory reset to take place.
Hot Water Recirculating Pump Troubleshooting:
1. SYMPTOM: Red LED flashes quickly after it is plugged in and never stops.
ISSUE: The Smart Aquastat Control is not able to get temperature information from the temperature sensor.
RESOLUTION: Unplug the Smart Aquastat Control from the wall, disconnect the temperature sensor connector and disconnect the wiring harness from the Smart Aquastat Control. Inspect the pins in the connectors and ensure they are not bent or broken. Inspect the wires connecting to the connectors and ensure they are not broken or loose. Reconnect the temperature sensor ensuring it snaps firmly into the connector. Plug the wiring harness back into the Smart Aquastat Control. Plug the Smart Aquastat Control back into the wall outlet.
2. SYMPTOM: Pump won't turn on when hot water is drawn from a faucet.
ISSUE 1: If the temperature of the water at the temperature sensor is greater than the low temperature value configured in Settings→Temperature Range the pump won’t turn on when flow is detected. If the temperature is below the configured low temperature value see ISSUE 2.
RESOLUTION 1: Wait until the temperature drops below the configured low temperature value or increase the low temperature value via the smart phone app and test it again.
ISSUE 2: The Settings → Sensitivity value is set to high for the controller to detect the flow provided by the faucet.
RESOLUTION 2: Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and select “Live Data”TM. This will show what flow value the controller is sensing. Turn the hot water faucet fully on and watch the flow value. If it goes greater than 20 then the pump will turn on. If it doesn’t go greater than 20 then you will need to reduce the sensitivity setting to be less than the maximum value you observed. For example, if the Flow Meter value went to 15, then set your sensitivity to 13. Then try this test again.
3. SYMPTOM: Pump continues to run even though the piping feels hot.
ISSUE: The controller isn’t sensing a temperature greater than the configured high temperature.
RESOLUTION 1: Ensure that the temperature sensor is securely connected to the copper piping on the return line, covered with pipe insulation and is connected to the piping before it T’s into the cold water feed into the water heater. If it is loose, re-secure it in place with electrical tape, cover it with insulation and test it again. If it continues to run see RESOLUTION 2.
RESOLUTION 2: Open the smart phone app and go to the menu and select “Live Data”TM. It will display the temperature value. If this value is less than the high temperature setting configured in Settings → Temperature Range (default 105 F degrees) then the pump won’t turn off. Adjust the Temperature Range values down so that the high value is less than the observed value and the pump will turn off.
4. SYMPTOM: Pump turns on when no hot water is being drawn.
ISSUE: Pressure spikes in the cold water supply line caused by abrupt turning off of the cold water (for instance when a toilet fills) or caused by fluctuations in the feed from the utility company can cause the Smart Aquastat Control to trigger the hot water recirculation pump to turn on.
RESOLUTION: The sensitivity of the Smart Recirculation Control is to low and should be adjusted higher.
For any questions or concerns about your Controlled Hot Water Recirculation Pump installation, be sure to contact our team today. We are happy to assist.