In the article we will find out what thermostats for home heating can be. We will analyze the basic principles of work different devices of this type and tell you how to install them correctly. Let's start, however, with a few general concepts.
Why is it needed
But in fact, why do you need a thermostat for heating? Our grandparents did just fine without it and did not suffer at all ...
Saving
Do you remember what the rent was like in the days of grandparents? At the end of the seventies, in two-room apartment on the Far East where the author grew up, it was about 15 rubles. In winter, together with heating and electricity.
For comparison: the salary of a junior researcher at a local institute at that time was about 120 rubles. The average salary in the city, thanks to the northern and regional coefficients, is more than two hundred. It never occurred to anyone to worry about two or three rubles, which were overpaid for excess heat: it was easier to open the window.
However: even at the project level, all radiators were supplied with the great-grandfather of the current thermostats - three-way valve. It made it possible to reduce the flow of coolant through the radiator by completely or partially directing the flow of water into the jumper.
Now most of the state initiatives come down to two main theses:
- Citizens don't need it.
- And they have to pay for it themselves.
There are no more subsidies for the maintenance of housing, housing and communal services are in decline, rents are growing, but we ... are adapting as best we can.
Thermostats for heating radiators in conjunction with heat meters are one of the ways to reduce the cost of heating a home. Heat is consumed exactly as much as is necessary to maintain comfortable temperature Houses. Not more.
Convenience
Yes, thermostats aren't the only way to save heat. Heating radiators can also be adjusted manually - with a throttle or a conventional valve.
But, as usual, there are nuances:
- The throttle regulates the patency of the eyeliner. With fluctuations in the temperature of the coolant, the heat transfer of the heater will also change.
- The need for heat varies depending on the temperature outside. Adjusting the patency of the throttle or valve manually several times a day is somewhat tedious.
An alternative to the throttle - the thermostat - is a fully automatic and weather-compensated heating controller. If the room becomes hot due to the increased temperature of the water in the battery, it will reduce the flow of water through it.
If it's cold, it will open up. And all this will happen without your participation.
Principle of operation
There are an infinite number of specific implementations of heating controllers. At the core, there are only two basic principles adjustments.
Mechanical regulator
Let's see how the Danfoss RAW-K 5030 thermostatic head works.
- The mechanism is based on a container with a liquid or gas with a high coefficient of thermal expansion. The container tends to press the valve, blocking the flow of water; it is opposed by a conventional spring.
- Rough adjustment is carried out by the simplest screw mechanism. The closer the initial position of the temperature-sensitive element to the valve, the less stroke it needs to block the flow of water.
- In addition, many thermostats for heating radiators include an additional tuning mechanism - a simple choke. It helps to calibrate the thermostat so that the scale of conventional values on it corresponds to real temperatures in the range from 7 to 28 degrees.
However: fine adjustment can also be performed with an ordinary throttle mounted on a second, thermostat-free supply to the heater.
The same principle is used, by the way, by an automatic draft regulator for solid fuel boilers. The problem of discrepancy between the damper stroke and changing the dimensions of the temperature-sensitive container is solved extremely simply - using a lever with arms of different lengths.
Electric regulator
All electric thermostats heating use the ability of some materials to change their characteristics with temperature changes.
Of course, in this case These are the electrical specifications:
- The thermistor changes its resistance as the temperature changes. Accordingly, at constant voltage more or less current will flow through it. So, for example, the heater fan speed controller often works. With a small power input, all the current can flow directly through the thermistor.
More complex scheme, however, will allow you to control large currents. Thus, the room regulator works heating VRT 40 from Vaillant: with a fraction of an ampere current through the thermistor, it can control an electric boiler with a power of tens of kilowatts.
- The thermocouple is an even more curious device. If two plates are soldered together different metals- for example, from nichrome and aluminum-nickel alloy - a potential difference will occur at the junction. Moreover, it will dynamically change with fluctuations in the temperature of the soldering point.
The resulting current will be in millivolts, and by itself is not enough to drive any valve; however, there are transistors for that. The control signal can be arbitrarily small and still control large currents.
The cascade of transistors will theoretically allow an ordinary thermocouple to control the supply of heat not only to a radiator, but even to an entire apartment building.
At general principle operation of electrical thermostats can be analog or digital. The first allow only the simplest setting temperature and are most often equipped with a simple indicator, combined with control - a wheel with a scale. The latter can not only set the current temperature, but also be programmed for a day or a week.
In addition, digital indicators are further divided into two categories:
- Devices with closed logic only allow setting the basic parameters within the factory firmware. They are relatively easy to set up, but have manufacturer-limited capabilities. A typical example is the Calormatic 430 automatic heating controller from Vaillant.
- Open logic devices can be completely reprogrammed. Instead of so-called one-shots - non-erasable chips with firmware - they are equipped with conventional flash memory with an open interface.
These devices are rarely used in heating systems of private houses: the complexity of setting up and high price scare off buyers. But the possibilities that an open logic heating thermostat has are impressive.
Here is a list of functions of the Ukrainian heating regulator Rise RO-2:
- Temperature control taking into account the thermal inertia of the building.
- Calculation temperature chart compensating for sudden temperature fluctuations outside.
- Protection of the heating network from overloads by rationing the flow of hot water.
- Building a temperature graph for administrative buildings according to their mode of operation.
- Calculation of the heat carrier flow in accordance with the current contract with the heat supplier.
It's easier to say what this thermostat can't do. In addition, if needed additional functions- it can be reflashed.
Installation rules
thermostatic heads
If heating radiators with a thermostat are supplied ready for connection, then the thermostat purchased separately must still be mounted.
How to do it yourself right?
- The installation method itself is no different from the assembly of others threaded connections. Be aware of the brittleness of the brass body: when assembling threaded connections, avoid using too much force. The best thread take-up that is easy to find in any store is sanitary flax; to make it more durable - soak a strand of linen with any paint.
- The thermostat for heating radiators is always located on the supply line. On the reverse thread will great idea insert a valve that allows you to completely cut off the heater. If a throttle for manual calibration is not built into the thermostatic head, the valve can be replaced with a separate throttle.
Attention: the presence of a jumper when installing ANY throttle or thermostat is mandatory. Without it, you will regulate the patency of the riser or the entire heating circuit of a private house.
- When two-pipe system heating, the use of chokes is mandatory. They are needed to balance the circuit: the batteries closest to the boiler or elevator will have to be pressed, reducing the coolant flow through them. Otherwise, distant radiators simply will not heat up - up to defrosting in extreme cold.
Balancing is performed with fully open thermostatic heads(maximum temperature value on the dial). Only after all the heaters start to heat up to approximately the same temperature, you can adjust and calibrate the thermostats.
- If you are installing a heating system in a one-story private house, the best choice Leningradka will become - a single-pipe circuit along the perimeter of the house, parallel to which, without opening it, heating appliances crash.
Connection diagram - bottom or diagonal. A throttle is placed on one of the connections (balancing is not necessary here, but desirable). The second is the thermostat.
- The head is usually placed horizontally. What is the instructions for? The point is that at vertical installation the heat sensing element will often be caught in the hot air rising from the radiator. It is clear that its temperature will have little to do with the AVERAGE temperature in the room.
Electronic regulators
Installation rules depend on where the controller temperature sensor is located.
If it is built into the control panel, it must be mounted according to quite understandable restrictions:
- Height above floor level - not less than 80 centimeters. Close to the floor, the temperature is noticeably lower. Especially with an open window or door to the hallway.
- Out of the updrafts of any heating appliances and generally heated structures. Heat from the back of a refrigerator will affect sensor calibration just as much as a radiator.
- Direct Sun rays also affect the performance of the device. Place the panel with the sensor in the shade.
- Finally, it would be unwise to place the electronic control panel where the wall is often touched by the inhabitants of the house passing nearby.
If the thermostat uses remote sensor- all items except the last one will refer specifically to the location of the sensor. The panel is mounted where it is convenient for you.
Conclusion
In the video at the end of the article, you can take a closer look at some types of thermostats and the rules for their installation. At different manufacturers installation requirements can vary quite markedly, so be sure to read the instructions.
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Article 300662 Producer VAILLANT Measurement units pcs Mechanical control Weekly programming — Daily programming — Display — Battery indicator — Temperature controller yes Frost protection — Temperature and time indicator —
On/off regulator VRT40 from the company Vaillant is a device for controlling the temperature of the air in the building. The most important difference for this model is quality and reliability. Due to the lack of a display, energy costs are reduced, which makes these devices wonderful way savings.
Thermostat Vaillant VRT 40 is a very important element in heating systems. The regulator helps to reduce the money that is spent on heating, and does not allow the water heater to wear out. For example, if you purchased a heating boiler with a capacity many times greater than is necessary to warm up your area, the heating boiler will constantly turn on and off. This reduces the service life of hot water boilers, and indeed the entire heating system. This can be easily explained - all heating boilers initially equipped with automation, this automation works, relying on the temperature of the water in the pipes. Boilers equipped with excessive power heat the house to the required limit much faster than necessary, and then turn off. But for the period until the heated coolant enters the radiator through the pipes, it cools down quite quickly and the temperature sensor gives a new signal to the heating boiler to turn on, and longer in a circle.
But if you install a room thermostat and include it in the system, the boiler will read the temperature in the air, and not in the heating system, due to the sensor installed in the thermostat. Thus, the boiler will work in those moments when the room becomes cooler.
Also in heating systems there are circulation pumps that work constantly, and it does not depend on whether the burner in the heating boiler is on or not. Due to the fact that circulation pumps are dependent on electricity, they use a large number of energy, and if you calculate the expenses for the whole heating season, it will turn out to be an impressive amount. The room regulator will cope with such a problem, when the set temperature is reached, it turns off not only the boiler, but also the pump. All this significantly reduces the cost of not only electricity, but also gas, and also extends the life of your equipment.
In addition, thanks to the room regulators Vaillant VRT 40. there is no need to spend so much time near the boiler, because when it comes cold season you need to keep the boiler under control and adjust the temperature of the coolant for a long time in order to understand when the heated air becomes comfortable. Almost all room thermostats regulated mechanically, using the rotation button, due to which you can visually view the set temperature. The Vaillant VRT 40 thermostat is equipped with two positions on/off and with smooth switching between temperature marks. The regulator is connected to the boiler using three wires (3-4-5), as well as an electric cord connected to a 230 V network.
Connecting the thermostat to boiler Vaillant 242 | Journal forum .
Bought room thermostat. which depends on the room temperature and
time of day. discoveries gas valve and exhaust speed
fan. Which one is better for Boiler Vaillant 242-3 ?
http://forum.c-o-k.ru/viewtopic.php?t=5441
Thermostat-T-Control programmer - YouTube
It would be much easier if the same temperature was kept outside at all times of the year, then there would be no need to adjust the heating. But in winter very coldy are replaced by thaws with a positive temperature and vice versa, it is clear that the heating system must adequately respond to weather surprises.
Ways to adjust heating
For any task, as a rule, there are several ways to solve it, and adjusting the operation of heating is no exception.
The following adjustment methods can be distinguished:
- the simplest option is to install a special regulator in front of each radiator. Such thermostats for home heating can be used in all heating systems without exception, and the principle of operation is that the coolant current through the battery is regulated;
Note! In some cases, for example, in city apartments, this adjustment method is the only one available.
- if the basis of the operation of the thermostat is data on changes in the air temperature in the room (or on the street), then the adjustment of the boiler operation involves a change in the temperature of the coolant. In this case, the control device is located directly at the boiler;
- "Smart" circulation pumps with a slight stretch, but can also be attributed to the class of heating regulators. If a conventional regulator is installed on a radiator, then the pump is located directly at the boiler (on the pipeline supplying the cooled coolant). The adjustment process is performed by changing the speed of rotation of the pump rotor.
Of these methods, the first is considered the most flexible, since it allows you to change the temperature not only in a single room, but also in individual radiators. The remaining 2 methods change the operation of the heating system as a whole, that is, the temperature will change immediately in all rooms in the house.
Thermostats for radiators
Such devices are a thermal head, which is installed on the section of the supply pipe directly in front of the battery. The principle of operation is simple - when the temperature in the room exceeds a predetermined limit, the device simply slightly reduces, and the volume of coolant entering the battery also decreases accordingly.
The simplest manual regulator is an ordinary tap, in which case the adjustment will have to be done manually. But automatic models are more often used.
Types of thermostats
If the principle of operation is chosen as the main criterion, then all devices of this type can be divided into mechanical and automatic. In mechanical ones, a person regulates the temperature with his own hands, constantly turning the valve, in automatic ones - after setting the device works by itself.
You can also classify by the location of the sensor.
There are 3 options:
- the temperature sensor is located directly in the thermal head (in this case, you need to carefully monitor the installation of the control device, because there is a heating radiator nearby);
- the sensor is taken out a couple of meters - it allows you to more accurately regulate the operation of heating;
- the sensor is placed outside - as a result, we get a weather-dependent heating controller. It will instantly respond to temperature changes outside.
Note! When using indoor temperature sensors there is always a time gap between changing weather conditions outside and changing the heating mode. The use of external temperature sensors solves this problem.
Device, principle of operation and preparation of the thermostat for operation
Thermostats for heating radiators operating in automatic mode, use the property of liquids and gases to expand and contract when heated / cooled. There is a hermetic chamber (bellows) in the head, in which the working fluid or gas is located.
The wall of the bellows is made corrugated, so that when the internal volume changes, it lengthens or shortens. Due to this, there is a change in the clearance in the pipe supplying the coolant to the radiator.
The diagram below shows the device of the Danfoss thermal head. It can be seen that when the bellows is extended, the valve will partially block the supply pipe.
Even when using automatic devices pre-adjustment is required.
Heating radiators are adjusted in the following order:
- first you need to ensure an unhindered flow of coolant into the radiator, so the valve opens completely;
- as soon as the temperature in the room exceeds the required value by 5-7ᵒС, the valve closes completely;
- now you just need to wait until the temperature in the room drops to the required value;
- as soon as the temperature has become comfortable, you can slowly open the valve until the radiator warms up and the murmur of water becomes audible. We can assume that the thermostat for heating radiators is configured and ready for operation.
Adjusting the operation of convectors
Quite often, floor convectors are used instead of the usual batteries for space heating. A feature of such devices is that they are installed to improve air exchange.
The fan speed controller of the heater allows you to reduce the amount of air passing through the fins of the convector, due to this the temperature in the room changes. Without adjusting devices, the fan always runs at 100% speed.
In advanced models, after the temperature in the room drops by 1.5ᵒС, the fan turns on and, due to the airflow, increases the heat transfer of the heater. Moreover, one regulator can simultaneously work with several fans.
Boiler regulation
In private houses, to change the operating modes of heating in a wider range, you can use devices that regulate the operation of the boiler as a whole. This will reduce the temperature of the coolant in the system and solve 2 tasks at once: save on fuel and get the optimum temperature in the rooms.
Devices for regulating the operation of the boiler
Such heating controllers consist of 2 blocks:
- 1st block- consists of a temperature sensor, which can be placed both in the room and on the street. Placing it outdoors has a number of advantages, in particular, the speed of the system's response to changing weather conditions increases;
- 2nd block- the adjustment device itself, located in the immediate vicinity of the boiler. Between themselves, both blocks are connected by a metal wire.
The principle of operation of the device is based on the fact that electrical characteristics conductors change as their temperature changes. The main working element of the thermostat is a thermocouple or thermistor.
The principle of their work is somewhat different:
- electric heating thermostats with the use of thermistors record the change in the resistance of the thermistor;
- there are devices that use a thermocouple - that is, a plate soldered from 2 different metals. The types of metals are selected in such a way that a sufficiently high potential difference arises at the junction; when the temperature of the soldering point changes, the potential difference also changes.
Such a heating thermostat allows you to control the temperature in a wide range, regardless of the power of the heating system. It can be used both in private construction and in high-rise buildings, the cascade of thermistors will allow in this case to create an intelligent heating system.
Examples of devices that regulate the operation of the boiler
Such devices vary greatly depending on the complexity of the design, the possibility of programming behavior in different days and different time days, as well as the accuracy of temperature control.
There are several models in order of increasing complexity and cost:
- room heating controller VRT 40 - can be called one of the most simple devices to regulate the operation of the boiler (belongs to the class of analog electric controllers). The temperature regime is set manually, and the temperature sensor itself is located directly in the room. In addition to several temperature modes, there are no additional settings;
- automatic heating controller Calormatic 430 - provides an order of magnitude more options for adjusting the temperature. Refers to electronic regulators with closed logic (that is, only the operating modes provided by the manufacturer can be used). Such a device costs about 13-15 times more than the VRT 40 model;
- Vzlet-RO 2 - among the devices for heating control on the market, it can be called the leader in terms of flexibility and control accuracy. In addition, the user can set an arbitrary mode of operation, because this device is produced with open logic, that is, it can be reprogrammed. True, there is a downside to this - the average consumer is unlikely to want to fiddle with fine settings, and the price will make you think twice before buying.
Devices like the last one on the list are most often used in industry in rooms where special meaning It has temperature regime. In addition to simple adjustment, such devices make it possible to use them for collecting statistics and even for research purposes, but conventional thermostats for heating radiators are unsuitable for these purposes.
Adjustment of the operation of solid fuel boilers
in gas or electric boiler the control unit regulates either the heating temperature of the heat exchanger (electric boilers), or the frequency and duration of operation gas burner (gas boilers). In case of solid fuel boilers the process of fuel combustion cannot be interrupted every 20-30 minutes, and therefore a different principle for adjusting their work is needed.
The rate of fuel combustion, and hence the intensity of heat generation, depends on the rate of fuel combustion, and this parameter is directly affected by thrust. The draft regulator for solid fuel boilers changes the volume of fresh air entering the combustion chamber and thus regulates the operation of the boiler as a whole.
During operation, such a device constantly monitors the temperature of the coolant (for this, an immersed hollow sleeve is used), and the actual change in the position of the boiler damper is performed through a mechanical transmission.
After installation, you need to configure the regulator, the setup instructions look something like this:
- the desired temperature is set by turning the knob;
Note! If the device is installed horizontally, then you need to use a red scale, if vertically - yellow.
- after that, you need to flood the boiler and bring the temperature to the required one;
- then the chain is put on the damper. It is important that it does not sag, the maximum free play should not exceed 1 mm.
Such a thermostat for heating will change the size of the gap through which Fresh air. As soon as the temperature exceeds the required one, the thermostat slightly raises the chain through the lever system, and with it the damper - the air supply increases, which means that the combustion process proceeds more intensively.
Heating control with circulation pump
In the past, unregulated pumps were used, that is, there was no way to regulate the flow of the coolant through the pipes. Today, such rarities can only be found in old buildings, and in most cases, adjustable circulation pumps have come in their place.
If a conventional regulator on a heating radiator changes the coolant current in a single radiator, then changing the operating modes of the pump affects the efficiency of the entire heating system as a whole. For example, at night, the rotor speed decreases, because there is no need for intensive heating.
More complex models make it possible to set the operating mode of the device by day of the week, as well as by time of day. Available operating modes such as "Party", "Vacation", "Weekend", etc.
The scheme of the heating system provides for the installation of a pump directly in front of the boiler on a pipeline section with a cooled coolant. If you try to install it at the outlet of the boiler, then heat coolant will significantly reduce the life of the pump.
Summarizing
Heating radiators with a thermostat allow you to create a truly “smart” heating system that adapts to changing weather conditions. Meanwhile, battery regulators are far from the only way adjustment of the heating system. The proposed material is an attempt to generalize existing ways regulation of heating in the house.
The video shows an example of connecting a thermostat to a boiler.
