Slant/Fin EM-10 Installation

MODEL EM-10

ELECTRIC BOILER CONTROL

OPERATION AND INSTRUCTION MANUAL

The EM-10 Boiler Temperature Control (BTC) is an efficient
boiler operator with a digital LCD display with backlight, a
boiler pump output, an alert output, and four stage outputs.
The control regulates the boiler based upon setpoint, outdoor
reset, and several options for external boiler control.

Features:

• Setpoint Operation

• Outdoor Reset with Reset Override

• Four Stage Outputs

• External Control through BMS Signal

• External Control through Tekmar Boiler Controls

• Boiler Pump Operation

• Parallel Piping

• Primary – Secondary Piping

• Display Backlight

See Service Manual (792840000) for:

• Tekmar 275 and other External Direct Drive
Operation

• Two Setpoint Operation

• Dedicated DHW and Parallel Operation

• External Target/ Setpoint Operation

Publication No. EM-10-40

Printed in U.S.A. 809

Part No. 792820000

How to Use the Data Brochure

Item

Item

Item

This brochure is organized into three main sections.
They are: 1) Sequence of Operation, 2) Installation, and

) Control Settings.

3

Table of Contents

User Interface ..................................................................2

Display and Symbol Description ......................................3

Modes of Operation..........................................................4

Setpoint Operation ..........................................................8

Outdoor Reset Operation ................................................9

Installation ......................................................................10

Control Settings..............................................................11

DIP Switch Settings........................................................11

User Interface

The BTC uses a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) as a method
of supplying information. You use the LCD in order to setup
and monitor the operation of your system. The BTC uses
three push buttons (Item, p,q) for selecting and adjusting
settings. As you program your control, record your settings
in the settings column of the Adjust menu. The table is
found in the second half of this brochure.

MENU

The Control Settings section of this brochure describes
the various items that are adjusted and displayed by the

ontrol. The control functions of each adjustable item are

c
described in the Sequence of Operation.

Mode 4 and 5 - Outdoor Reset / Setpoint Operation ....12

Default Settings ........................................................13-16

View Menu......................................................................13

Adjust Menu ..................................................................14

View Menu......................................................................15

Error Messages ..............................................................17

Reload Factory Defaults ................................................18

Specifications ................................................................20

ITEM

The abbreviated name of the selected item will be displayed
in the item field of the display.
To view the next available item, press and release the Item
button.
Once you have reached the last available item in a menu,
pressing and releasing the Item button will return the display
to the first item in the selected menu.

All of the items displayed by the control are organized into
two menus:

1) View

2) Adjust

These menus are listed on the upper right hand side of the
display (Menu Field). The default menu for the BTC is the
View menu. While in the View menu, the VIEW segment
is displayed.

To select the Adjust menu, press and hold simultaneously
all three buttons (Item, p,q) for 1 second.

The display then advances to the Adjust menu and the
ADJUST segment is turned on in the display. The display
will automatically revert back to the View menu after 20
seconds of keypad inactivity. Once in a menu, there will be
a group of items that can be viewed within that menu.

ADJUST

To make an adjustment to a setting in the control, begin
by selecting the Adjust menu by pressing and holding
simultaneously all three buttons.
Then select the desired item using the Item button. Finally,
use the p or q button to make the adjustment.

STATUS FIELD

Additional information can be gained by observing the
Status field of the LCD. The status field will indicate which
of the control’s outputs are currently active. Symbols in
the status field are only visible when the View menu is
selected.

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EM-10-40 Operation and Instruction Manual

Item

Number Field

Displays the current value
of the selected item

Item Field

Displays the current

item selected.

Menu Field

Displays the
c

urrent menu

Buttons

Selects Menus, Items
and adjusts settings

Status Field

Displays the current status of
the control’s inputs, outputs
and operation

Display

BOILER PUMP

Displays when the boiler pump is in
operation.

BURNER

Displays when stage 1, 2, 3, or 4 contact
is on.

WWSD

Displays when the control is in Warm
Weather Shut Down.

DEMAND 1

Displays when a call for heat on demand
1 is present.

DEMAND 2

Displays when a call for heat on demand
2 is present.

ERROR

Displays when an error message is
present.

POINTERS

Displays operation as indicated by the text.

°F,°C

°F or°C

Displays the temperature units.

Symbol Description

EM-10-40 Operation and Instruction Manual

3

Symbol Description

Boiler Outlet

Sensor

Boiler Inlet

Sensor

Boiler Outlet

Sensor

Boiler Supply

Sensor

Boiler Inlet

Sensor

POWERING UP THE CONTROL

When the control is powered up, the control turns on all

egments in the display for 2 seconds. Next, the software

s
version is displayed for 2 seconds. Last, the control enters
into the normal operating mode.

ISPLAY BACKLIGHT

D

The control’s display has a backlight that is permanently
on while the control is powered.

PIPING

The boiler can be piped in parallel or in primary/secondary to
the system. The type of piping chosen affects the location of
the control’s operating temperature sensor. The
control can either use the boiler outlet sensor or the boiler
supply sensor.

PARALLEL PIPING

In parallel piping applications, the boiler outlet temperature
is typically the same as that delivered to the system.
Therefore the operating temperature sensor is the boiler
outlet sensor.

PRIMARY/SECONDARY PIPING

In primary/secondary applications, the boiler outlet

emperature (primary loop) is typically hotter than the

t
system supply temperature (secondary loop). This occurs
when the system supply pipe has a larger flow rate than
the boiler outlet pipe. Therefore, the control requires an
additional sensor (boiler supply) to measure the temperature
delivered out to the system. The operating temperature
sensor is the boiler supply sensor.

MODES OF OPERATION (MODE)

The control allows for seven modes of operation in order to
define the control operation and piping arrangement used.
The piping arrangement can be categorized into parallel
and primary / secondary. The mode of operation is selected
using the MODE item in the Adjust menu. The temperature
being controlled out to the heating system is measured by the
operating sensor.

The piping arrangement determines which sensor the
control uses as the operating sensor. The operating sensor is
either the boiler outlet sensor or the boiler supply sensor.

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EM-10-40 Operation and Instruction Manual

MODE 4

BTC

Mode 5

Boiler
Outlet
Sensor

Boiler Inlet Sensor

Boiler
Supply
Sensor

Outdoor
Sensor

Relay

BTC

Mode 4

Relay

Boiler
Outlet
Sensor

Boiler Inlet Sensor

Outdoor
Sensor

(Outdoor Reset and Setpoint with Parallel Piping)
Mode 4 is designed for outdoor reset and setpoint operation
using parallel piping. The heat demand is available to provide
outdoor reset for space heating systems. The
setpoint can be used to heat an indirect domestic hot
water tank.

Once a heat demand is present, the control stages the
boiler to maintain the calculated outdoor reset target at the
boiler outlet sensor. Refer to “Outdoor Reset Operation”
section for a description of outdoor reset operation.

Once a setpoint demand is present, the control stages the
boiler to maintain the boiler target at the boiler outlet sensor.
If both demands are present at the same time, the control
targets the higher of the two requirements. Refer to “Setpoint
Operation” section for a description of setpoint operation.

MODE 5 (Outdoor Reset and Setpoint with Primary/
Secondary Piping)
Mode 5 is designed for outdoor reset and setpoint operation
using primary / secondary piping. The heat demand is
available to provide outdoor reset for space heating systems.
The setpoint demand can be used to heat an indirect
domestic hot water tank.

Once a heat demand is present, the control stages the
boiler to maintain the calculated outdoor reset target at the
boiler supply sensor. Refer to “Outdoor Reset Operation”
section for a description of outdoor reset operation.

Once a setpoint demand is present, the control stages the
boiler to maintain the boiler target at the boiler supply
sensor. If both demands are present at the same time, the
control targets the higher of the two requirements. Refer to
section “Setpoint Operation” for a description of setpoint
operation.

EM-10-40 Operation and Instruction Manual

5

STAGING MODE (STGMODE)

175 °F
17 0°F

180°F Setpoint

Proportional Staging

185°F

190°F

155 °F
150°F
145 °F
140 °F

160°F

165°F

Stage 4

Stage 3

Stage 2

Stage 1

water

temperature

droop

water

temperature

droop

water

temperature

droop

175 °F
17 0°F

180°F Setpoint

P. I .D . Staging

very little
temperature
droop

185°F

165°F

Stage 4
Stage 3
Stage 2
Stage 1

P. I .D . = Proportional + Integral + Derivative

The control can operate up to four stages in order to
supply the required target temperature. The method of
staging used by the control is either P (proportional) or
PID (Proportional & Integral & Derivative), and is selected
using the STGMODE item in the Adjust menu.

STAGE DELAY (STG DLY)

The stage delay is the minimum time between firing first
to second stage, second to third stage, and third to fourth
stage and is determined by the Stage Delay setting. It can
be manually set, or it can be set to automatic in which the
boiler mass determines the stage delay time.

BOILER MASS (BOIL MASS)

The boiler mass setting allows the installer to adjust the
control to the thermal mass of different types of heat sources
used. The boiler mass setting automatically determines the
stage delay on, stage delay off, minimum on time and
minimum off time of the stages. A higher thermal mass
setting provides slower staging, while a lower thermal mass
provides faster staging.

Proportional (P)

Proportional staging, also known as step staging, is based
on manually adjusted settings that determine when the
next stage is required to turn on. These manual settings are
based on temperature and time. The interstage differential
sets the temperature drop at which the next stage turns on.
However, in order for a stage to fire, the interstage delay
on and minimum off times must first elapse.

Proportional & Integral & Derivative (PID)

PID staging allows the control to determine when the next
stage is required to turn on. After a stage is turned on in
the firing sequence, the control waits a minimum amount of
time (Stage Delay) before turning on the next stage. After
the minimum time delay between stages has expired, the
control examines the control error to determine when the
next stage is to fire. The control error is determined using
PID logic.

Proportional logic compares the actual operating sensor
temperature to the boiler target temperature. The colder the
temperature, the sooner the next stage is turned on.
Integral logic compares the actual operating sensor
temperature to the boiler target temperature over a period
of time.

Derivative logic determines how fast or slow the operating
sensor temperature is changing. If the temperature is
increasing slowly, the next stage is turned on sooner. If
the temperature is increasing quickly, the next stage is
turned on later, if at all.

6

Interstage Differential (STG DIFF)

The interstage differential is the temperature drop at which
the next stage will turn on. Once a stage turns on, the
next stage cannot turn on until the temperature drops
the interstage differential below the temperature at which
the previous stage turned on. The interstage differential
is adjustable through the STG DIFF setting in the Adjust
menu.

Interstage On Delay (ON DLY)

The interstage on delay is the amount of time that must
elapse before turning on the next stage. Once a stage turns
on, the next stage cannot turn on until the interstage delay
on time elapses. The interstage on delay is adjustable
through the ON DLY setting in the Adjust menu.

Interstage Off Delay (OFF DLY)

The interstage off delay is the amount of time that must
elapse before turning off the next stage. Once a stage turns
off, the next stage cannot turn off until the interstage delay
off time elapses. The interstage off delay is adjustable
through the OFF DLY setting in the Adjust menu.

Minimum On Time (MIN ON)

The minimum on time is the minimum amount of time that
a stage must be on before it is allowed to turn off. Once a
stage turns on, it cannot turn off until a minimum on time
elapses. The minimum on time is adjustable through the
MIN ON setting in the Adjust menu.

EM-10-40 Operation and Instruction Manual