Magnum 'intelligent control' thermostat - automatic mode

[dl8860]

I have moved into a new house with one of these thermostatic controllers for electric underfloor heating

https://www.toolstation.com/underfl...l-digital-clock-thermostat-with-sensor/p51026

http://www.free-instruction-manuals.com/pdf/pa_790712.pdf

It works all fine except for the 'automatic' mode, which should work according to a timed program.

My problem is even after I've set a program, once I put it on automatic mode, then it still calls for heating even outside of the set program times. The LED is orange (see section 3.1 in manual) at this time, even though I think it should be green. It actually goes green for half a second after selecting automatic, then clicks onto orange and shows the 3 wavy lines in section 3.2, stating that heating is being called. I've verified that it is in fact being called by checking my smart meter demand.

I've tried setting short program times to see if it kicks itself off and on automatically and things like that, and of course have triple checked the day/date that the unit thinks it is.

Driving me nuts as I really need it to come on on this timer as my outdoor office takes ages to warm up on these cold mornings!

Thanks

 

[Roddy Young]

If it's a smart controller, it will decide when to come on in order to achieve the required temperature at the set time.

The instruction manual says,

"3.4 Intelligent function:
The thermostat has a self thinking and adaptive system. This function
enables the thermostat to calculate when it needs to switch on so that
the required temperature is reached at the set time. (i.e. if the set time is
08.00, the thermostat will switch on earlier so that the set temperature is
reached at 08.00). This intelligent function can be turned off in the
menu: Other functions (ref 2.4 point 7)

Could that be the cause of the behavious you have seen?

 

[bernardgreen]

It may be that the controller has to do some " self thinking" and using trial and error work out how much heat is needed to bring the house up to temperature. This could mean it does several days of measurement before it can calculate how much heat the house needs.

 

[dl8860]

Thanks for replies chaps.

If it's a smart controller, it will decide when to come on in order to achieve the required temperature at the set time.

The instruction manual says,

"3.4 Intelligent function:
The thermostat has a self thinking and adaptive system. This function
enables the thermostat to calculate when it needs to switch on so that
the required temperature is reached at the set time. (i.e. if the set time is
08.00, the thermostat will switch on earlier so that the set temperature is
reached at 08.00). This intelligent function can be turned off in the
menu: Other functions (ref 2.4 point 7)

Could that be the cause of the behavious you have seen?

That's a good spot, but I've tried turning off the 'Intelligent' function and the same issue is happening.

It may be that the controller has to do some " self thinking" and using trial and error work out how much heat is needed to bring the house up to temperature. This could mean it does several days of measurement before it can calculate how much heat the house needs.

Maybe I do need to leave it on auto mode for a while. It's only for one room (external home office ~3m * 6m). If I have told it to be on at 7.30am to 9.30am at 21 degs, it doesn't make an awful lot of sense for it to be set to 'on' at 3pm when it's 16 degs in here. In the 4 months that it's seen some on and off use (let alone all the years it was in here before I moved in) I would have hoped it would have learnt it doesn't require 16 hours (now until tomorrow morning) to go up 5 degrees. Though maybe it only learns in automatic mode and I've only been using manual.

 

[Si2000]

Hi, did you ever get to the solution. I tried all above, but intelligent stat knows best! Wanted only to use with Economy 7, but no good if turns on at any time of 24 HR cycle it sees fit to do so! Grumble.

 

[ericmark]

I had to turn off all the functions on my Nest Gen 3 smart thermostat as doors are not always closed, so it can never learn, as parameters are always changing.

I found with electric UFH the floor would stay hot for some time, but no where near long enough to use Economy 7 supply. There are two types of electric, some are simple resistive cables which need a sensor in the floor to stop over heating, others use a chemical impregnated cable which changes resistance as it warms up, so is reasonably self regulating.

However to use Economy 7 it would need to be a wet system, with a storage tank which heats up over night and can then be used as required, this is quite a complex system, normally used in conjunction with solar panels, and wood burners, the solar panels have a device which turns on an immersion heater when other wise it would be exporting power, so the reserve of heat is topped up over the day.

I have seen total electric Economy 7 in council houses where there is a central heat store and fans to distribute the heat when required, but not seen it was directly heating the floor, can't see how that would work.

 

[Si2000]

That is interesting reading, things are never simple. When only electric UFH is used a.m. like for breakfast, then E7 might payoff. Certainly feels comfy underfoot on cold mornings. Thanks for post.