Is my bypass switch wiring correct for a room thermostat ?

[eclat]

You don't seem to have much faith in modern technology. Is that due to a bad experience?

Bad experience ? - yes and no, depending on how you see it. But I do know that they don't make them as they used to. These days, they are made to be thrown away and don't usually last long. Companies these days are more profit orientated than having pride in what they do and care for their customers. Being in my early 60s, (and not adverse to modern tech, I must add), I've seen the changes in people's and companies' attitude over the years.

As a couple of examples, I've had a well know brand electric shaver that I was given as a present back in the mid 1970s and that is still working. Problem is no more replacement part for the cutter. I bought a newer model a few years ago, and its no longer worked before reaching its 4th year

Worst case was when I paid over a 1,000 pound for a Sony laptop about 6 years ago ( I had a good job then ) and towards the end of last year, the graphic card went. It seems this graphic card had this known problem due to poor quality control during production. But Sony won't replace it saying there's nothing wrong with that particulalr graphic card even though the problem was well documented. Oh welll....! I can cite more bad examples than good ones, tho

In any case, back to my questions on whether there are different rated switches for various votage use. Still hoping someone could clarify this although I suspect there is. Just need confirmation as playing with electricity is not a joke !

 

[eclat]

way to go to over complicate things, total waste of time, are you going to put another switch in just incase the first one you fit goes wrong & then another & another

Well, you are entittled to your oninion and I have my reason for doing what I wish to do.

 

[eclat]

The boiler stat will prevent overheating, but I do question if this is really required.

You have over-complicated your diagram in my opinion. While it will work, all you need to do is this:

Untitled

• Lectrician
• 3 Apr 2013
• 1

The thing is, this should hardly ever go wrong, and if it does, you could just bridge the connection with a short piece of cable until you have a replacement.

Following my earlier reply/comment to yours and having taken a second look at your suggested wiring, I have another question for clarification which is:

....on your suggested wiring, wouldn't it mean that the thermostat is still connected (live) even when the bypass switched is turned on ? Is seems even when the switch is turned on, the circuit via the thermostat relay is completed as it is still fully connected to the mains.

...compared to my suggested wiring, if the switched is flipped UP to position B, then isn't the circuit via the thermostat relay not completed as it is cut off at position B (bottom of the switch in case A and B is not showing up clearly in the diagram) ? So the circuit via the thermostat relay is not completed and instead, the circuit via the bypass switch is completed ?

I hope you understand what I mean and that my thinking is correct or is it not ? I'd like to wire up in such a way that only one circuit is completed (live and working) while the other is open (dead). That is - either it is completed via the thermostat relay or via switch while the other is dead.

Let me know what you think. Thanks.

 

[D_Hailsham]

But I do know that they don't make them as they used to. These days, they are made to be thrown away and don't usually last long.

That's generalizing far too much.

Jut take cars as an example. In the 1950's, an engine wasn't expected to last more than 25-30,000 miles before it needed to be stripped down and overhauled - decoke the cylinder head, new bearings, new valves, new pistons and ring etc etc. Nowadays an engine will last well over 100,000 miles with the timing belt as the only major replacement. They don't even need to be run-in.

 

[JohnD]

My Toyota will probably be throw-away by the time it's done 500,000 miles.

That's OK by me.

 

[picasso]

The button on the front of the relay box does exactly what your proposed switch will do.

 

[eclat]

But I do know that they don't make them as they used to. These days, they are made to be thrown away and don't usually last long.

That's generalizing far too much.

Jut take cars as an example. In the 1950's, an engine wasn't expected to last more than 25-30,000 miles before it needed to be stripped down and overhauled - decoke the cylinder head, new bearings, new valves, new pistons and ring etc etc. Nowadays an engine will last well over 100,000 miles with the timing belt as the only major replacement. They don't even need to be run-in.

I have not been involved with cars these days like I did when I was much younger. But I wondered can a modern day car engine be overhauled like those made in the olden days ? My mid 1975 Lancia was still going strong way past 65k miles. They said on average use, a car will do 10k a year and this is how to tell if a car have been clocking up above average usage a year. And in modern cars, when one part of the electrics was not working, I bet the whole circuit board need to be changed instead of just the part affecting the fault function ?

 

[eclat]

The button on the front of the relay box does exactly what your proposed switch will do.

You mean even when the relay box or the room thermostat is faulty and not functioning ?

 

[eclat]

My Toyota will probably be throw-away by the time it's done 500,000 miles.

That's OK by me.

Can a Toyota reached up to 500k miles ?

 

[D_Hailsham]

My mid 1975 Lancia was still going strong way past 65k miles.

But in those days they were not your average mass-produced car.

My first car was a 1937 Lancia Aprilia, which I took to Italy on one holiday, and I had Lancias for the next 20 years, ending up with a 2000HF, which had to go when the children grew up.

 

[eclat]

My mid 1975 Lancia was still going strong way past 65k miles.

But in those days they were not your average mass-produced car.

My first car was a 1937 Lancia Aprilia, which I took to Italy on one holiday, and I had Lancias for the next 20 years, ending up with a 2000HF, which had to go when the children grew up.

Not sure if they are mass produced or not. But I suspect they are, though the production line speed may not be that fast.

My favourite is the coupe.

Anyway, I think we are getting distracted from the intention of my original post and it would be good to get some concrete suggestions or answers regarding proper writing on what I had in mind.

 

[Tipper]

Could it be that the OP just wants an overrride button to turn the heating off when it's on and on when it's off? Many newer Thermostat/Programmers don't seem to have this facility any more?

I have a Vaillant VRC 430F with weather compensation and it is almost impossible to turn the heating off for half a day and then get it successfully back on again! This actually means that we leave it on all day every day even if we are out for 5-6 hours. My wife doesn't stand a chance of changing any settings either.

 

[eclat]

Could it be that the OP just wants an overrride button to turn the heating off when it's on and on when it's off? Many newer Thermostat/Programmers don't seem to have this facility any more?

I can switch the heating on and off from the room thermostat and the thermostat can also be program as to when the heating comes on or off and at what temperature. I wanted a over ride switch so that if the thermostat fails or ran out of battery in the middle of the night, I can still manually switch the heater on via the over ride switch. But it seens I am not getting any help on how to fit this switch or if my proposed wiring is correct and safe so far

I have a Vaillant VRC 430F with weather compensation and it is almost impossible to turn the heating off for half a day and then get it successfully back on again! This actually means that we leave it on all day every day even if we are out for 5-6 hours. My wife doesn't stand a chance of changing any settings either.

Couldn't you add a timer or a programmable thermostat between the mains 3 pin plug to your Vaillant so that you can set the time when to switch it on and off ? Wouldn't that solve your problem ?

 

[Tipper]

Err, no.

It's already got one...the VRC 430f is a programmable thermostat!

 

[eclat]

Err, no.

It's already got one...the VRC 430f is a programmable thermostat!

Sorry, my mistake.