Smart Thermostatic Control 32
for Tank Water Heaters Troubleshooting Guide

Table of Contents

TROUBLESHOOTING

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 the pump is not running
GREEN LED: will blink every 10 seconds when no other LED is lit (e.g. no timer active, pump not running)
RED LED: fast blinking indicates that the temperature sensor is not connected properly
RED LED: will blink every 5 seconds when Max Pump Run Time is exceeded.
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 smartphone app

1. SYMPTOM: Red LED flashes quickly after the controller is plugged in and never stops.

ISSUE: The Smart Thermostatic Control 32 is not able to get temperature information from the temperature sensor.

RESOLUTION: Unplug the Smart Thermostatic Control 32 from the wall and disconnect the temperature sensor from the coupler and the coupler from the wiring harness. Inspect the pins in the connectors and ensure they are not pushed to one site or the other. If they are you can straighten them with a small screwdriver or pen knife. If they are not visibly bent then it can help to wiggle the RJ-14 connectors as you insert them to ensure the pins drop into the slot in the connector and make solid contact. Plug the wiring harness back into the Smart Recirculation Control 32. Plug the Smart Recirculation Control 32 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: 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 high sensitivity value is set to high for the controller to detect the flow provided by the faucet.

RESOLUTION: Open the smartphone app to the “Live Flow”TM view. 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 value to be less than the maximum value you observed. NOTE: If you are seeing very low flow at the faucet it is possible the aerator in the faucet is clogged. Removing it and tapping it to remove any accumulated sediment can restore the flow, but they are inexpensive so replacing it is recommended.

3. SYMPTOM: The 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: Check the temperature of the water at the location of the crossover valve(s) and see if the water is 100°F. If it is, wait for the water to cool off and test it again. If it is not 100°F, see ISSUE 2.

ISSUE 2: The low sensitivity value is set too high and the controller isn’t registering enough flow to keep the pump running.

RESOLUTION: Open the smartphone app and go to Settings → Advanced Settings and set the Initial Pump Run Time to 30 seconds. Go back “Live Flow”TM and touch the “Trigger Pump” button. 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 low 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: The pump continues to run after hot water is detected at the faucet(s) where the thermostatic crossover valve(s) is (are) installed.

ISSUE 1: The thermostatic crossover valve(s) is (are) not up to 100°F 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 100°F. If it is 100°F, see ISSUE 2.

ISSUE 2: The low sensitivity value is set below the flow value the controller is registering and therefore keeping the pump running.

RESOLUTION: Open the smartphone app and go to the menu and select “Live Flow”TM. The flow value that the controller is registering will be displayed. Go into Settings → Sensitivity and set the low value to be greater than this value and the pump will turn off.

5. SYMPTOM: The pump turns off after 1 minute and the water at the faucets is only lukewarm.

ISSUE: If the temperature of the water coming out of the water heater after 1 minute is not at least 100°F, 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 smartphone app and go to the menu and select “Live Data”TM. The temperature that the controller is sensing will be displayed. If the water coming out of the tank is less than 100°F it 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: The pump turns on when no hot water is being drawn.

ISSUE: Pressure spikes in the cold water supply line caused by abrupt turning on or off of the cold water (for instance when a toilet fills or a sprinkler system turns on or by fluctuations in the feed from the utility company) can cause the Smart Recirculation Control 32 to trigger the hot water recirculation pump to turn on.

RESOLUTION: The sensitivity value of the Smart Thermostatic Control 32 is too low and should be adjusted higher. The default value of 20 works well, but can be susceptible to these false triggers. It is recommended to increase it by 5 pulses at a time to filter out these anomalies.

7. SYMPTOM: No flow is seen on the “Live Flow”TM screen when a faucet is opened.

ISSUE 1: A wire connecting the flow meter is broken.

RESOLUTION: Inspect the wiring harness where it connects to the flow meter to ensure none of the three wires appear broken. If they are contact Leridian Dynamics to get a replacement harness. If it looks good see ISSUE 2.

ISSUE 2: Sediment or scale is blocking the flow meter.

RESOLUTION: To ensure that this is indeed the issue perform the following test. Remove the sensor from the flow meter that is held on with 2 small silver screws (don’t worry, it won’t leak water when the sensor is removed). Start the smartphone app, view the “Live Flow”TM screen and quickly wave a magnet back and forth over the sensor. You should see the flow value change. The flow meter works by spinning a magnet on a turbine that is read by the sensor. If you see a flow value in the smartphone app then the flow meter is blocked with sediment or scale and will need to be removed and cleaned. If you do not see a flow value then there is an issue with the sensor and/or the wiring harness and it will have to be replaced.