Trane 16xli + Oil Boiler Control

11 years ago

Hi all,

I live in a 80-year old 2-story single family home about 1900 sq ft in central VA. The entire house is heated by an oil-fired boiler + baseboards. We currently have 2 15-yr old a/c units -- one in each floor to cool in the Summers.

I am replacing the two a/c's with heat pumps. Trane 16xli for the 1st floor and Trane 15xli for the 2nd floor. The idea is to use them in Fall and Spring when it is milder outside (is that a good idea?). The plan is to activate the boiler and baseboards on colder days.

I would appreciate any advice on how I can integrate the a/c units (or at least one on the 1st floor) with the oil fired boiler into one thermostat. The Trane dealer tells me that any thermostat that is not Trane will void the warranty. His recommended Thermostat the TCONT803 according to him can be wired with the 1st floor a/c unit so I can switch to boiler manually but the fan on the air handler will have to run at 50%. Does anybody have a work around? OR can you a recommend a thermostat that can do this seamlessly?

Thank you and appreciate the responses.

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Comments (7)

mike_home
11 years ago
I am not an expert for your setup, but I will offer some comments.

I have never heard the Trane warranty will be voided if you don't use their thermostat. The Honeywell Vision Pro thermostats are used frequently with Trane equipment. Call Trane if you want to get an answer on this.

I assume you have a thermostat for the boiler? Then my suggestions is to lock out the two heat pumps and the boiler at a set temperature. For example if you determine you want the set point to be 35 degrees, the two heat pumps would be locked below this temparature, and the boiler would be locked out above this temperature. You would need thermostats which have an outside temperature senser. I am not sure if the Trane TCONT803 has this feature. Others on this forum can comment on this.
RaminVA
Original Author
11 years ago
Right now, my downstairs thermostat (Honeywell 7-day programmable) controls the down stairs a/c and the boiler. Sometime in the Fall, I switch over to heat and just use it for the boiler. Works fine.

I want to do something along the lines mike_home suggests -- depending on the outside temperature, the system chooses he heat pump or the boiler. When in boiler mode, I want the HP/air handler "off" -- presumably the newer Honeywell thermostats can do that?
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The lower system currently has switchable electric or hot water as auxilary heat (currently an oil fired hot water heater is acting as a boiler). The end goal is to have a true boiler installed to feed the 'hot water heater/exchanger', the downstairs water coil , the upstairs water coil, and a bonus room above the garage that is not finished yet.. (so 3 separate systems) I was looking at zoning the new upstairs unit to include the Bonus room, but the trane guy talked me out of it. The room is sandwiched between an attic and a garage, so the most comfortable solution was believed to be a separate system. Electric heat is expensive. Oil is also expensive, but the btu output is high making it an attractive alternative. Each system has it's own return. So the hallway return is just for upstairs air handler. I had a clean effects installed on the lower system when it was replaced and was unimpressed. Sorry for adding more confusing info, but hey if it helps... As far as thermostat, all that was mentioned was a "Trane touch screen programmable comfort control", if more detail is needed, I can ask. I'll have to check with the Am. Std. guy about his part numbers.
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mike_home
11 years ago
The Honeywell Visionpro IQA thermostat with an outside temperature sensor should be able to accomplish want you want to do. It would lock out the heat pump and enable the boiler at a specific outdoor temperature. You should also lock out the upstairs heat pump at the same temperature.

It sounds like this contractor only wants to work with Trane thermostats. Trane may have an equivalent theromstat, but I am not aware of it. I also don't understand the comment that the air handler needs to run at 50% if you switch it manually. Do you have confidence in this contractor?
RaminVA
Original Author
11 years ago
The contractor is highly rated (on Angies list). They were very professional; did a detailed Manual J; looked through my electric/fuel bills to see what sort of system fits, etc. I assumed Trane was imposing such constraints.

Trane has a t-stat the Comfort Link II which I believe can do what you suggest --but is pricey and charges $8.99/ month for Wifi enabling it. Something like the Honeywell Prestige series does everything it does so perhaps that is the route to take...
harlemhvacguy
11 years ago
RaminVA,

You do not have to use a Trane t-stat. The use of any other t-stat in no way voids any warranty from Trane.

The 50% fan thing he is talking about however is correct. Trane xl16i requires a variable speed air handler that will only run at 50% with a call for continuous fan. There are easy ways to work around it though if you know what you are doing.
RaminVA
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks, harlemhvacguy. The systems are going to be installed next week. I might as well install a t-stat that integrates well. Any recommendations on the t-stat? Or is the workaround something I can do (via the operating system) after installation?
harlemhvacguy
11 years ago
It can be done in the setup of the thermostat. They will have to set it up as a dual fuel with back up heat as gas with furnace( boiler in your case) controlling the fan. in this case no fan. The tcont803 and tcont402(non programmable ) will both do this as well as many other honeywell t-stats.

Trane 16xli + Oil Boiler Control

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Trane 16xli + Oil Boiler Control

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