Self resetting room stat?

[RF Lighting]

This is a bit of an odd request.

I an updating the heating system in a public building.

Unfortunatly it has to be heated by electric.

The controls are pretty basic. It consists of a room stat and time switch so it is only on when the building is expected to be in use.

The problem we have is that if a group is in there and they are too warm they will turn the stat right down as far as it will go. They then leave it like this, and the building is cold for the next group in. They are cold, so turn the stat upto max and leave it there. This cycle is never ending.

We have currently made the room stat non adjustable, but this is causing a lot of whinging.

What we would like is a room stat which can be manually over ridden by users so if they are too warm they can turn it down etc, BUT, it will revert to a preset temerature of say 23 degrees at the end of each session.

Does such a thing exist, or could one be built?

 

[electronicsuk]

It sounds like you just want a programmable thermostat, rather than a separate timeswitch and stat as is currently installed. I don't have a link to any specific product at hand, but these usually as a minimum have an advance button which can advance into or out of the current heating program. As everything is combined into the single unit, assuming enough switching periods, you should be able to set the heating to revert to, say, 19 degrees at the end of each period. From there, up and down controls on the unit will allow the temperature to be adjusted.

EDIT: Here's just one of the hundreds available. There are six temperature setpoints per day, so it shouldn't be hard to align these with the times that the various groups come and go.

 

[tonylec]

Had a similar request from a school recently, couldn't find anything, but a firm called Allen-Martin make some fairly elaborate thermostat control gear as do Staefa/Landis+Gyr which i'm trying to remember to investigate- thanks for reminding me, i'll look at their stuff tomorrow and report if I find anything useful.

 

[reggie perrin]

Back in the early Eighties I was the Franchise Operator of a new-build fast food restaurant.

I was intrigued as opening day approached to see one of the contractors fitting a thermostat in the dining area - it was a dummy.

Apparantly it was a well-known trick back in the US that customers loved to think they had altered the temp to suit themselves.

 

[RF Lighting]

I have heard of this before. I think they are known as a comfort stat, and then the actual room stat is tucked away somewhere out of sight.

Might be worth looking into.

I'll have a look at programmable stats too.

 

[tonylec]

Had a flick through the Allen-Martin catalogue, you can have a type ACM thermostat sensor in a programmable version with integral relay that will replace a normal stat, it also has the facility to be set for occupancy so the heat either goes up when people are in the room or is activated by people in the room. neat too.

Like the idea of the dummy stat!!!

 

[electronicsuk]

Well, if worst came to the worst I'd happily design and build something suitable. However, I'd be very surprised if there really isn't already something usable on the market, and my time doesn't come cheap either!

 

[RF Lighting]

I have every confidence that someone on here will know of the exact product I require.

 

[flameport]

a comfort stat, and then the actual room stat is tucked away somewhere out of sight.

That's the best option.

Any programmable gear will inevitably be tampered with or broken by the various users of the building, resulting in the same problems you have now.

For the 'comfort stat' option, the real stat is a fixed type with no means of adjustment, and placed out of sight.
The other one with a knob and a neon light on it, fixed in a prominent position. Wire it to the mains so the neon goes on and off as the knob is turned, but it doesn't actually control anything.

 

[AndyPRK]

get one where the installer can set a min and max limits

so it can never be turned too low, or too high.

potterton had these

 

[johno12345]

how about one of those time delay switches used for lighting where you push it in and it stays on for 30 mins or whatever. im sure some have no and nc contacts that you could use to interrupt the stat

 

[mfarrow]

how about one of those time delay switches used for lighting

That's what I was thinking - even a DIN mounted timer relay if you want something adjustable or more sophisticated.

 

[JohnD]

I was in a community building yesterday, in the boiler room (accessible to whoever opens up and has the key) your attention is directed to an Override switch, which just moves the programmer onto the next timed state - so if it is "On" pressing the button moves it to "off" and vice versa.

The timer will catch up to the next setting when it reaches that time,

My home CH programmer works the same way.
Seems fine to me. I wonder if you can connect a remote button.

But the prog might need to have quite a few on/off settings per day so that it will reset itself in time for the next group of users. In a place with lots of interfering busybodies you need to keep their fingers away from any of the other buttons or knobs.

BTW the kitchen also has an undercounter water heater, with a push-button timer switch on the wall "30 mins" "1 hr" "2 hrs" which is also great, they can't forget to turn it off

Try asking http://www.draytoncontrols.co.uk/EnquiryForm.aspx

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[Lectrician]

We wired a system in a hall not so long ago - I will try to find out the manufacturer (was purpose built panel specced by main contractor).

This system had a time control in the boiler room, locked.

There where two tamper proof room stats, one set to 15deg and one to 23deg I recall.

The time control would alternate between these two temperatures at set times, but there was an over-ride button which I am sure was linked to a timer, or worked as an 'advance' button. Pressing this would either drop the temp or increase it. It is known as a 'set back stat'.

Having any type of control where people can play is asking for trouble! They will always manage to screw up the settings within days! Tamper-proof systems are the way forward!