Hey guys. My girlfriends boiler had damper problems at the end of last season. I've read the boards and it sounds like it is a typical issue and recurring - she is broke. Damper is open (manually) and showing Status 19 codes. I want to leave damper open and jump the wiring.

I disconnected the harness from the damper housing. I think I want to wire Pin 2 and Pin 3 on the harness to fool the system into thinking things are good in damper land. Am I fooling myself?
Which harness holes reflect Pins #2 and #3???





Thanks
Wacko

Without knowing what's going on at the other end of the cable, I can't offer advice on how to jump it out. I will suggest that you run a self tapping screw on either side of the open damper, to ensure there is no way it could ever close while the boiler is firing. That situation can mean never waking up.

Good Idea. I will do that.
I included the diagram....
I'm wondering if at the bottom of the schematic - the Vent Damper Receptable pins #2 and #5 correspond to the top half of the 4 pin harness?

Use an ohm meter across the pins on the damper side, with the damper in different positions. You may have to jump 1-4 and 2-3. The damper probably saves her 50-$75 a yr. It costs a little over $100. Pay me now, or pay me later....



Edited 1 times.

So are you saying use the ohm meter on the damper housing side of the connection to tell me which pins go with which. Then just jump the corresponding pins on the harness?

I will make sure the damper can't close but I want the harness to be wired so that the system can go through its motions - thinking everything is working. But - the damper housing motor - is, for all intents and purposes, out of the equation. Am I thinking about this correctly?

The wires are color coded. Is the insulation not visible to determine the colors? Can you jumper inside the control panel, where the colors are visible?



Edited 1 times.

that is an effikal (field) damper. you can jump the plug BUT the damper must be locked open.
believe it or not, i have a jumper for emergency use. it was supplied by effikal and it just plugs in.
believe it or not (again) i can't find the jumper.
search for 'effikal damper plug jumper'..

Steve - thanks so much for the incredible diagram. In the past when fixing small issues on washing machines etc. I would rig a small insulated 16 gauge wire to complete a circuit; I guess that is what people mean by a jumper? Do you think if I do the same here with Pins 2&3 - I can at least test to see if it is the damper motor's lack of signaling that prevents the boiler for operating?

Thanks for your help.



Edited 1 times.

That will work.

The Damper is permanently open. And as you can see from the pic I connected Pins 2&3. Then turned on the power and got the jets to come on "after moving my jumper around" within the two pin holes. The good news is - the boiler does work!

So the damper and its housing motor are now out of the equation; totally detached electronically. My question is - will my hardwired circuit jumper between Pins 2&3 - be sufficient to handle the normal signaling the control board expects - to complete its firing process - when the thermostat calls for heat tonight? To get it fired the first time, I had to move the jumper wires in the pin holes a bit. Probably can make a much better jumper - still diagnosing everything.

If you cut the harness attached to the damper assembly, can you splice together the wires that go to 2 & 3 and then plug the modified harness connector back to the one you have jumpered? Make sure to cap off the wire for 1 & 4, to keep them from shorting out.

Steve -
Just wanted to update you and everyone.
The wiring bypass I inserted in the pic (Pins 2&3) did get the jets to come on (when I made the contact correctly) but only ran for a short time. It told me the furnace was operable but was of no use because it didn't make use of the thermostat in the house. I am no engineer and was trying to logically think through the problem.

In trying to visualize and understand your latest comment - I removed the housing cover from the damper motor to inspect the wiring coming out of receiving harness and better understand what you were suggesting. I checked the contacts to see if anything was loose but it didn't appear to be. So since I knew my jumper was no good - I removed it and reattached the harnesses. (Didn't know the power was on) Guess what? The damper arm started to move and and the furnace went through a complete cycle and the damn thing is now working again. I do think there must have been a loose wire in the housing motor or harness. So far so good. Just in time as it is beginning to cool off in NY. I wasn't really sure what you were suggesting in your last comment - if you wanted to expand - I'd be interested but in any event you were integral in fixing the problem because you pushed me to take the cover off and continue my investigation. Must have jiggled the right wire!!! Anyway thanks Steve and everyone.



Edited 1 times.

Me again . typing on phone. As you can see the forum helped me get my girlfriends Burnham going by simply reseating wire harnesses every couple of weeks. But this morning when trying to do the usual plug and unplug. It would fire up for about a minute then go back to Standby. So I know the furnace fires. It is almost as if it gets a signal to turn off. Possibly the thermostat? What is first thing for me to do???