New wireless thermostat recommendations?

[stevem999]

Hi there,

I currently have a Sunvic mechanical thermostat in the hottest room in the house (thanks previous owner!) and it's getting on my nerves having to ramp up the stat to get any heat in the rest of the house and then turn it down again so you don't roast in that room.

I think a wireless thermostat would be useful as I can place it elsewhere and even try a few places to see where works best. I don't want to do a new wired one so am thinking I can attach the receiver to where my current room stat is and put the new stat elsewhere. It's a mains voltage system - is this going to be a simple DIY job of changing wires into the receiver instead of the mechanical stat? Also, what are the recommendations on manufacturer of new wireless gear - there seem so many from unbranded stuff on eBay to top dollar Honeywell stuff - what's best?

It would be good if there were some timer aspect as well so I can change the temperature for different times of the day (although not essential by any means). I've also seen an 'optimum' setting mentioned whereby the thermostat learns how long it takes to heat the room up and works back the time to turn on the heating. This sounds like an excellent idea in these times of extortionate gas prices!

Lastly I assume this new thermostat would have no impact on my hot water like my current one doesn't - that works on a cylinder stat so both can work independently (subject to the overall timer/programmer of course)

Many thanks all

 

[gas4you]

Stick to a good makek like Honeywell, Drayton or Siemens. Danfoss ok but I find them more awkward to program.

At present most wireless are programmable room stats that do time control and temp. Only one I can think of at present that is just wireless room stat is Drayton Digistat 1. perhaps someone will correct me if I am wrong.

Simple wiring job, reciever needs L & N in and switched in & out so 4 wires.

If you go for programmable as you suggest then just leave main timer heating on constant so new 'stat' does all the work. You can pick Siemens REV23RF up on internet for £88.50 + VAT. others probably about the same or slightly more. If I say wwhich one I prefer I'll only get accused of being a German again

 

[Agile]

Hi there,

I currently have a Sunvic mechanical thermostat in the hottest room in the house (thanks previous owner!) and it's getting on my nerves having to ramp up the stat to get any heat in the rest of the house and then turn it down again so you don't roast in that room.

Many thanks all

Relocating the stat will not stop you roasting!

The correct solution is to restrict the heat input to that room by turning down the radiator. Thats free too!

Tony

 

[stevem999]

Thanks for the responses. I've tried turning down the radiator but it doesn't have a TRV. If I turn down the valve then it gets just as hot, just takes a little longer to get to that temperature. If I fit a TRV then I will have the conflict between the room stat and the TRV, hence me wanting to move the room stat - am I missing something?

 

[ChrisR]

Turn it down more! It may feel hot but with less water going through it, there is less heat to lose...
Try going too low just to test - say just an eighth of a turn open.

 

[pannierstan]

All that messing around with the rad wont make any difference if the stat is knackered!
Perhaps it isnt even wired right so the anticipator aint working

Steve you are quiet right. You are not supposed to turn off the rad where the stat is nor fit a TRV to it.

Do what you said and get a wireless then you can find the best place for it.I use the Honeywll CM61 wireless which has optimum start logic and is about £100 I think. Very easy to setup and program.

Stan

 

[stevesey]

Agree with Chris and Tony - balance the flow in that room so it heats up slower (you may only need the eight of a turn open, or less, as Chris suggested).

I've just fitted heatmiser PRT (includes optimal start logic) this was approx £40 - works very well. Gets the house to 20oC with no overshoot bang on 7:00am (8 at weekends) and maintains a very even temp.

They do a remote control option for about £20 - but I think it's infa-red so you'd need to be in the same room (just for the lazy then).

 

[HarrogateGas]

What Pannierstan says is correct.....what difference does restricting a rad that gets hot do?...........surely every rad should get hot and the room stat control the temp. You cant blame a radiator for doing its job and radiating heat!!!

As Pannierstan says the Honeywell CM67 is a good wireless and hard wired stat and highly accurate too in my experience. I think changing your stat will make a world of difference. ive not yet had a customer who has swapped to digital thermostat who has not said how much of an improvement on heat control it has made.

 

[HarrogateGas]

Thanks for the responses. I've tried turning down the radiator but it doesn't have a TRV. If I turn down the valve then it gets just as hot, just takes a little longer to get to that temperature.

Exactly why what the other posters are telling you wont work!

 

[stevesey]

What Pannierstan says is correct.....what difference does restricting a rad that gets hot do?...........surely every rad should get hot and the room stat control the temp.

Simple physics - if there is less water flowing through the rad there is less energy being pumped into the room. Therefore this room will warm up slower in relation to other rooms (which are still receiving their full measure of hot water). Good balance is essential in any heating system with a single room thermostat - otherwise you get cold rooms and hot rooms exactly like the OP has.

Simple thought experiment to prove the point - what happens when you take the flow to zero in that room?

 

[HarrogateGas]

What Pannierstan says is correct.....what difference does restricting a rad that gets hot do?...........surely every rad should get hot and the room stat control the temp.

Simple physics - if there is less water flowing through the rad there is less energy being pumped into the room. Therefore this room will warm up slower in relation to other rooms (which are still receiving their full measure of hot water). Good balance is essential in any heating system with a single room thermostat - otherwise you get cold rooms and hot rooms exactly like the OP has.

Simple thought experiment to prove the point - what happens when you take the flow to zero in that room?

No a properly balanced system ensures all radiaitors heat up and that they heat up as equally as possible ( I accept some systems are balanced to heat up with downstairs getting slightly more heat first ) but in essense this is only minor adjustment.........the room thermostat and TRV's if fitted should be what controls the heat.

For your info Proffesor a radiator can only generate a certain heat out put. Putting more water though it will not mean more heat.

If you put 100,000 btus of heat output though a single 3000 btu rad you still get 3000 btu's out of the rad. The same principle applies here which is why your Physics lesson is nonsense. Once the rad is hot and at full temp and has flow to maintain the heat, the output is cant be decreased or increased.

If you take a hammer to the rad and restric the flow by buckleing it it will reduce the rads heating output, but this really is not to be advised.

 

[stevesey]

We are not taliking about getting more heat out, but less heat

You seem to be claiming that if you reduce the flow significantly (to zero even) the heat ouptut will remain the same. If you can demonstrate this I suggest you do what my old thermodyamics lecturer would suggest in this situation - apply for a patent as the ability to get more energy out of something than you put in will make you very rich.

 

[HarrogateGas]

We are not taliking about getting more heat out, but less heat

You seem to be claiming that if you reduce the flow significantly (to zero even) the heat ouptut will remain the same. If you can demonstrate this I suggest you do what my old thermodyamics lecturer would suggest in this situation - apply for a patent as the ability to get more energy out of something than you put in will make you very rich.

But what the OP is saying is he doesnt want less heat, he want controlled heat. The room thermostat and TRV's were incredible inventions for doing just this!!

Im not saying that turning a rad off will keep you rad on....this is silly talk.

Im saying that once the rad is hot and but the sound of the OP's comments there is not flow issue to the rad, that even restricting the rad will not make a jot off difference to the heat in the room. The rad will still be kicking out the same output but may take a little more time to do it.

I stand by my words that a correctly balanced system ensures all rads heat up fully and equally and the temperature of the room/rooms/house is controlled but he room thermostat and/or TRV's. NOT by turning lockshields on and off left right and centre.

 

[gas4you]

I agree with Harrogate on this one

 

[pannierstan]

Me too.