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| NPE-240A |
Just had a new tankless water heater installed in my house to replace a failing 22 year-old 50 gallon tank. Couldn't be happier w/ my new tankless, but was dealing with weirdness on the Navilink app to control/view my new Navien. The app's scheduling function (for the recirculation pump) was missing.
Solution:
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| NR-20DU |
- Disconnect NR-20DU remote controller. (if you want to schedule via App)
- *DIP Switches need to be set properly as well.
In my case, w/ a bridge valve in my furthest faucet, is considered "External Recirculation".
Check w/ your plumber for proper settings, they set mine properly.
If you are in the Atlanta area, I highly recommend Plumbing Express LLC.
Ask for Jonathan DeWeese.
For reference only, these were set correctly by my plumber for my setup.
- DIP Switch 1 Off, 2 On. (Internal Recirculation would be the opposite)
- Parameter 18 set to On (This is to enable Navilink)
These settings are detailed out in the installation guide.
DO NOT just look at youtube for suggestions, there are some videos out there that are just plain WRONG.
Details:
My understanding is that "External Recirculation" refers to the use of a bridge valve, typically installed in the furthest point from the water heater. Basically utilizing my cold water pipes as a poor man's hot water loop. "Internal Recirculation" is when a dedicated hot water loop is actually installed. That will be way more expensive to retrofit a house that does not have a dedicated hot water loop, so external recirculation is usually more common.
With regards to the Navilink schedule function, my plumber was just as confused as I was since this was one of the primary reasons I wanted the Navilink function. Long story short, installing the NR-20DU remote controller unit disables the apps remote scheduling capabilities. Simply disconnecting it enables the scheduling function in the Navilink app.
When thinking about it, it actually makes sense. You wouldn't want 2 devices dictating possibly conflicting schedules. Although documentation wise, it's almost as if you're led to believe that the remote controller is required for Navilink schedule function. So what is the difference between the two?
Quite simply, Navilink allows a more complex schedule. The NR-20DU controller only allows 3 schedules.
Next is to figure out how to have app enable the 'hot button'. Cursory glance appears to me that I need the hot button kit, but that appears to disable the scheduling function. This leads me to believe that the unit might be dumb in its status info to its controllers. Meaning if a 'schedule' is active, pressing/activating the hot button will turn that off. Seems like a split brain issue that Navien works around by simply disabling competing functions.
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| NaviLink App & Wi-Fi Control |
5 comments:
The app is not the most intuitive. It gives me the option to 'control' and create a weekly schedule. It does not specify what 'control' means. I assume it is for what re-circulation, but not sure. I also don't have a 'hot water' button in the app. I am not sure why not. Looking at the various videos before buying the Navilink router, they make it seem like the app would include a 'hot button' feature.
Do I need to buy anything else to get that 'hot button' in the app?
You are right. The control is recirculation only. Hot button documentation is super vague too. Hard to really know if you need button or not. Also alludes to the fact that recirculation control gets disabled too.
I have been battling this unit for 2 years. I love everything about the hardware. The Problem is the damn Navilink and the support they have from Korea. 2 yeas of this is insane. I have even had to swap out control and front panel boards to get the function to work, but they broke that with an app update. Since the app updated and removed the option to enable or disable the recirc and enable or disable the schedule, mine has not worked and defaults to every 30 mins recirc. Support has been useless for the most part and just points to Korea Dev team. I call about every 6 months to get any updates on the issue they know nothing about every time. What I am finding now is if you call at 8am Eastern time you get New Jersey. They are top tier support and know the most. They had me un-register and re-register to get it working. I am still seeing wonkey things happening but the schedule seems to work now. I am going on 1 day so far and its working. Hopefully after 2 years this crap is over with and I can not heat my basement up to 90 in the summer.
I agree. The Navilink app is "meh" at best and their documentation of the "smart" features is nonsensical. I actually only use the app to view status and utilization these days. I have even turned off the scheduling function cause it's wasteful if I'm not around and forget to turn it off. On-demand takes a bit longer to heat up, but oh well. Smarter that way, just not instant.
Dave, if you could enlighten me (other users) on what you had to do to get scheduling to work that would be great. I hate the app as it is just not user friendly. If you throw the toggle switch to enable scheduling I don't know if it is 'on' or 'off'. I would like it to recirculate in the mornings when we take showers and then not for the rest of the day. But would like to have the 'instant button' in the app that I could push in the evening, where it would recirculate the water for me on demand, and then five min later I can take a hot shower. Right now I have it on recirculate all day long, which gives me instant hot water, but wastes a lot of energy. Thanks for any insight you can provide.
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