Ascent HydroStat 3250-EKT

Questions and Answers

J
jacob42Aug 4, 2025
Why are all the LED lights and temperature display blinking on my Ascent HydroStat 3250-EKT Control Unit?
- M
  Marco DixonAug 4, 2025
  The blinking lights indicate an overheating condition. The system should be analyzed to determine the cause of the overheating. Other possible causes: the sensor is not fully inserted into the well, a system overloading condition. Also check system wiring and operation as well as the control’s high limit setting. The control can be reset by removing power and then re-powering while simultaneously pressing the Test/Settings button. If the cause of the overheating condition is not determined, the control should be replaced.
H
Heather HuntAug 10, 2025
What to do if the house will not get or stay warm with Ascent Control Unit?
- C
  Cassandra TorresAug 10, 2025
  If your house isn't getting or staying warm, check for air-bound radiators. Also, check your thermostat settings, including the heat anticipator settings if you have a non-digital thermostat. Finally, check the Economy setting and move it to a lower setting.
G
Gabrielle BlackwellAug 17, 2025
What to do if the low water light is on or blinking on Ascent Control Unit?
- B
  Brian BrownAug 17, 2025
  A low water condition is a serious and potentially dangerous condition. Allow the boiler to fully cool before adding water. Pressing the TEST/SETTINGS button after the low water condition is resolved will reset the lock-out condition. Pull the sensor out of the well and inspect it to ensure the metal clip is making contact with the inside of the well tube. Remove the well and examine it for excessive residue build-up; clean and re-install.
M
Manuel WrightAug 22, 2025
Why does the temperature display exceed the high limit setting on my Ascent HydroStat 3250-EKT Control Unit?
- F
  fernandogriffinAug 22, 2025
  Under normal operation, boiler temperature will continue to rise after the control shuts off the burner due to thermal stacking.
M
Marcia Jones DDSAug 29, 2025
What causes pulsing hot water with Ascent Combi?
- L
  Lisa BradfordAug 29, 2025
  Pulsing warm water means the Ascent Combi is pre-heating. Reduce the domestic flow rate to allow the boiler to reach operating temperature, or increase the firing rate if desired.

Summary

Ascent HydroStat Installation and Operation Manual

Three Function Design Overview

Details the control's Temperature Limit, Low Water Cut-Off, and Boiler Reset functions.

Temperature Limit Control

Manages boiler temperature for cold start and tankless coil boilers.

Low Water Cut-Off Protection

Provides safety against low water conditions with Electro-Well™.

Boiler Reset Control Features

Includes Thermal Targeting and Outdoor Reset Ready for efficiency.

Immersion Well Installation

Ascent HydroStat with Hydrolevel Electro-Well

Installation for temp, economy, and LWCO functionality with Electro-Well™.

Ascent HydroStat with Standard Immersion Well

Installation with standard well for temp and economy functions only.

Wiring Diagrams

Emergency Replacement Wiring

Instructions and settings for replacing an existing HydroStat control.

Wiring Diagrams

Four Zone Switching Relay Wiring

Details wiring and connections for a four-zone switching relay.

Setting the Ascent HydroStat Control

Adjusting High Limit Temperature

How to set the maximum boiler operating temperature.

Setting the Low Limit Temperature

How to set the minimum temperature for domestic hot water.

Configuring the Economy Feature

Adjusting the Economy Dial for fuel savings using Thermal Targeting.

Zone;Indirect Switch Setting

Setting the Zone/Indirect switch to 'I' for correct operation.

Advanced Features and Settings

Selecting Advanced Operational Modes

Guide to activating and choosing advanced modes (OP1-OP4).

Optional Control Features

Thermal Pre-Purge Activation

Steps to enable Thermal Pre-Purge for improved boiler efficiency.

Temperature Unit Conversion

How to switch the display between Fahrenheit and Celsius.

Manual Reset LWCO Configuration

Activating manual reset for Low Water Cut-Off for code compliance.

Managing Low Water Cut-Off Function

Instructions for enabling or disabling the LWCO feature.

Additional Optional Features

High Limit Differential Adjustment

Setting fixed differentials when the Economy feature is inactive.

Restoring Factory Default Settings

Procedure to reset all control features to their original factory states.

LED Indicators and Test Button

Test;Settings Button Operations

How to test LWCO and view current control settings using the button.

Selecting Advanced Settings Mode

Process to access and choose advanced operational modes (OP1-OP4).

Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Boiler Operation Troubleshooting

Diagnosing issues like burner failure, shutdown problems, and display errors.

Water & System Performance Issues

Addressing low water lights, pulsing water, and house heating problems.

Troubleshooting Flow Chart: Burner Will Not Fire

Troubleshooting Flow Chart: Burner Will Not Shut Down

Ascent HydroStat with Electro-Well System

Electro-Well Installation Details

How the HydroStat and Electro-Well™™ provide dual functionality.

Available Electro-Well Models

Visual catalog of different Electro-Well™™ models and their specifications.

Ascent HydroStat Specifications

Limited Manufacturers Warranty

The Hydrolevel Ascent HydroStat Model 3250-EKT is a sophisticated control unit designed for Energy Kinetics Ascent Combi boilers, integrating temperature limit control, low water cut-off (LWCO), and boiler reset control functionalities. Operating on 120 VAC, this device aims to optimize boiler performance, enhance fuel efficiency, and ensure safety.

Function Description

The Ascent HydroStat 3250-EKT serves as a comprehensive boiler management system. Its primary functions include:

Temperature Limit Control: This feature is designed for both cold-start and tankless coil boilers, regulating the boiler's operating temperature to ensure efficient heating and domestic hot water production.
Low Water Cut-Off (LWCO): When installed with a Hydrolevel Electro-Well™ (sold separately), the control provides crucial protection against potentially dangerous low water conditions in the boiler. This safety feature automatically activates upon proper installation with the Electro-Well™.
Boiler Reset Control: This advanced function incorporates several technologies to optimize boiler temperature based on demand:
- Thermal Targeting™: An on-board microprocessor continuously analyzes heating demand and adjusts the boiler temperature accordingly. In colder conditions with high heat demand, the HydroStat raises the target temperature. During milder weather with lower demand, it lowers the target temperature, saving fuel while maintaining comfort.
- Outdoor Reset Ready: With the addition of the Hydrolevel OS-100 Outdoor Sensor Kit (sold separately), the control gains outdoor reset and warm weather shut-down capabilities, further enhancing fuel efficiency by adjusting boiler operation based on external temperatures.
- Thermal Pre-Purge: This feature maximizes boiler efficiency by utilizing latent heat remaining in the boiler from a previous run cycle to satisfy a new heating call. The control monitors the rate of temperature decline and only activates the burner if the latent heat is insufficient.
- Prioritizes Domestic Hot Water: The system gives priority to calls from the hot water flow switch, ensuring a consistent supply of hot water. During a hot water call, the control de-energizes circulator contacts (C1/C2) to prioritize domestic hot water, re-energizing the heat circulator once the hot water call ends.
- Reduces Condensation: The control incorporates condensation protection, enabling reliable cold-start operation for both heating and hot water calls, which helps prolong the life of the boiler.

Usage Features

The Ascent HydroStat offers several features to facilitate operation and monitoring:

Dynamic Display: A digital display provides real-time boiler water temperature and allows for verification of setting adjustments, making it easy to monitor and configure the system.
Operating Indicators (LEDs): Various LEDs provide continuous and on-demand status checks:
- TEMP ACTIVE: Indicates the control is powered and the temperature function is active.
- TEMP HI TEMP: Illuminates when the boiler water temperature reaches the high limit setting, remaining lit until the temperature drops 10° below the set point.
- LWCO ACTIVE: Indicates the low water cut-off function is active when installed with an Electro-Well™.
- LWCO LOW WATER: Illuminates when the boiler is in a low water condition, preventing burner operation. If blinking, it indicates a lock-out condition, which can be reset by pressing the Test/Settings button after the condition is resolved.
- ECONOMY ACTIVE: Indicates that the Thermal Targeting function is active and reducing boiler temperature to conserve fuel.
- ECONOMY TARGET: Illuminates when the boiler water reaches the target temperature set by the Economy feature, signaling burner shutdown.
Test/Settings Button: This button allows users to:
- Test Low Water Cut-Off: Pressing and holding for 5 seconds initiates an LWCO test, displaying "LCO" and de-energizing the burner circuit.
- View Current Settings: Short presses sequentially display current settings for High Limit, Low Limit, Economy, Operating Mode, and Current Target Temperature.
- Access Advanced Settings: Pressing the button cycles through system parameters and advanced options (OP1, OP2, OP3, OP4). Holding the button causes the display to flash, allowing selection of an Option Mode.
Adjustable Settings:
- High Limit Setting: Factory set at 190°F, adjustable from 100°F to 220°F using the HI TEMP Dial.
- Low Limit Setting: Factory set at 170°F, adjustable from OFF or 110°F to 200°F using the LO TEMP Dial. For combi systems, cold start is achieved by setting the boiler to OP2 mode.
- Economy Dial: Factory set for a 1-zone heating system, adjustable to match the number of heating zones (OFF, LO, 1-5, HI). This feature conserves fuel by reducing boiler temperature.
- Zone/Indirect Switch: Must be set to the "I" position for proper operation.
Advanced Operating Modes (OP1-OP4): These modes offer varying levels of efficiency and convenience for domestic hot water production:
- OP1 (Always Ready/Plate Warming): Good efficiency, best hot water convenience. Maintains a minimum temperature (factory set to 145°F with LL 170°F) for instant hot water.
- OP2 (Cold-start On Demand Hot Water): Best efficiency, good convenience. Boiler operates as a cold-start system for heat and hot water, not maintaining temperature. A 'double pump' action (turning hot water on/off twice quickly) can activate preheating.
- OP3 (Advanced Learning - Better Efficiency, Better Convenience): Boiler learns usage schedule over two weeks and preheats when a hot water draw is imminent. Uses more fuel than OP2 but less than OP1.
- OP4 (Advanced Learning - Better Efficiency, Even Better Convenience): Similar to OP3, but identifies periods of no hot water demand (e.g., nighttime) to further optimize preheating. Uses more fuel than OP2/OP3 but less than OP1.
Degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius: The control can display temperatures in either Fahrenheit or Celsius. This setting is accessible through the Program Mode.
Manual Reset Low Water Cut-Off: Allows the LWCO to operate in manual reset mode, shutting down the burner immediately upon low water detection and locking out if sustained for 30 seconds. This meets CSD-1 code requirements.

Maintenance Features

Electro-Well™ Maintenance: The Electro-Well™ should be removed every five years for cleaning to remove scale or sediment deposits from parts exposed to boiler water. After cleaning, it should be reinstalled using pipe sealing compound.
Troubleshooting Flow Charts: The manual provides detailed flow charts for common issues such as "Burner Will Not Fire" and "Burner Will Not Shut Down," guiding users through diagnostic steps.
Restore Factory Default Settings: The control allows users to restore all features to their factory default settings through the Program Mode, simplifying troubleshooting or re-configuration.

The Ascent HydroStat 3250-EKT is designed to be a reliable and efficient control solution for modern boiler systems, offering advanced features for energy savings, safety, and user convenience.