Room Thermostat advice

[BarCar]

I have inherited a conventional heating system with a Drayton LP522 timer and an RTS-1 thermostat hard-wired in the downstairs hall. None of the radiators have TRVs.

For any given setting of the RTS-1 the house gets too hot upstairs and too cold downstairs.

I've tweaked the lock-shield valves on the radiators to try and pump more heat downstairs but the thermostat seems to cut out too early (there also seems to be a lot of play in the thermostat's cut in/out range).

So I'm thinking of a low effort upgrade along the lines of replacing the RTS-1 with a Drayton RF receiver (I think these have the same wiring and I have experience of them from my the combi system where I used to live) and a Drayton programmable RF room thermostat which I then easily can move from the hall into one of the downstairs rooms (since it's wireless).

I'd then programme the LP522 to be always on for heating and allow the new RF thermostat to control timing and temperature. The hot water would be left timed on the LP522.

Does that seem like a reasonable approach? Or are there other (easier) suggestions?

I'm cautious about replacing the LP522 since it's wired into a junction box like spaghetti junction with the various pumps and immersion heater connections.

I guess my ultimate objective is a wireless programmable room thermostat at low cost and low complexity.

Phase two would be to get somebody to install TRVs everywhere except the room with the new RF thermostat - that's beyond my DIY skills.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[EliteHeat]

It's easy enough to change to a programmable RF room thermostat, but you have to be prepared to take the cover off the wiring centre.

Basically, you disable the CH side of the LP 522, enable the RF receiver to switch 230V to the MV, pop the batteries in the programmer and job done.

But, like I say, you have to change the wiring.

 

[D_Hailsham]

Get a Honeywell CM921 or CM927 wireless programmable thermostat. They are much better than the Drayton ones.

Yes, you should be able to put the receiver where the old thermostat is provided it has a neutral connection - the receiver needs power for the electronics. Though you should check that you get good wireless communication between transmitter and receiver before fixing the receiver in place.

You will find that the old stat common terminal is fed from the LP522 CH ON terminal. I would advise connecting it to a permanent live, so it can't be turned off accidentally at the LP522.