Heating controls

TKK

I have a Vokera mynute (14e, as far as I can remember) wall mounted gas boiler with a basic time clock built in.

I would like to install a 7 day controller with boost functionality. I would imagine it's a case of intercepting the power to the existing boiler, putting in the new controller and setting the existing one to constant thus allowing the new controller to handle the timing etc.

Is this doable? What type of controller would people recommend?

webels

TKK wrote: »

I have a Vokera mynute (14e, as far as I can remember) wall mounted gas boiler with a basic time clock built in.

I would like to install a 7 day controller with boost functionality. I would imagine it's a case of intercepting the power to the existing boiler, putting in the new controller and setting the existing one to constant thus allowing the new controller to handle the timing etc.

Is this doable? What type of controller would people recommend?

Yes it is very doable. I used to Drayton RF3 Digistat Wireless thermostat. Very handy if you dont have a thermostat in say the livingroom. Also I have heard of the Heatmiser system allowing control remotely via the internet etc. very handy if you want to ask the heating to come on early. There has been threads about heatmiser on boards before.

ennisjim

Perhaps you might find something at http://www.bes.co.uk/products/113.asp. There appears to be several single channel timers. Not sure if they have boost.

I bought the H37XL which is a 3 channel (not from the web site - from HeatMerchants) because I need to control 2 rad zones and the domestic hot water.

10-10-20

How much was that Horstmann unit from HeatMerchants? I need a three-channel one also.

TKK

I've already got two zones for the rads controlled by thermostats in the living room and master so I don't need any more than a single channel

ennisjim

Hi 10-10-20, not sure how much we paid for Horstmann programmer - her indoors did the buying but I think it was about €130 or so. HM are definitely expensive. After conversion, postage, etc I figured I wouldn't save much buying from UK.

ennisjim

Hi TKK, I too have stats for the rad zones. The controller is a timer which allows me to program what times I will allow the rads to call for heat. I thought that was what you were looking for in your original post, ie. time control (with boost facility) rather than (or in addition to) stat control.

ircoha

I like these
http://www.systemlink.ie/optistat-product-ireland.asp

they run on 2 aa batteries and allow up 9 hrs boost at a time

has a min max stat in built

TKK

ennisjim wrote: »

Hi TKK, I too have stats for the rad zones. The controller is a timer which allows me to program what times I will allow the rads to call for heat. I thought that was what you were looking for in your original post, ie. time control (with boost facility) rather than (or in addition to) stat control.

Sorry after re-reading I see that I didn't really make myself clear. All I'm looking for is a 5/2 day timer with boost.

f1_jb

What you need to do is just bypass the basic onboard clock, don't just break the main supply to the boiler. The main reason you shouldn't break the main supply is that the pump over run won't work without a permanent live, this is one of the reasons heat exchangers go on vokera boilers because of incorrect wiring. There is a 7 day 2 channel programmer that will fit in the same hole in the boiler panel. If not using that then here the right way to wire it.

There is a terminal block inside the drop down front panel on the boiler disconnect the internal clock completely. You will then have your live, neutral and earth still connected and beside them you have a gray and black wire from the boilers PCB. The Gray is a 240v supply out of the boiler and the Black is the switched live.

When you setup you clock there's 2 ways to wire it to the boiler, you can do what most electricians do and just bring a switched Live into the terminal on the boiler and connect it to the black wire which is the 5th connection on the block. If you do it this way the On/Off control knob on the boiler will not shut off when in the off position, but it will in reset. This is not a problem as it will always be in the On position anyway.

The other way is to bring a live out to the back plate for the clock from the Gray wire on the terminal block and instead of fitting the Loop Wire between Live and #2 on the time clock back plate, connect the Wire from the Gray to #2. Then bring you switched Live from #4 on the back plate into the Black wire on the terminal block, this way the Off position on the control knob will shut the boiler off.

It will work either way just make sure you don't break the permanent live to the boiler.

10-10-20

f1_jb wrote: »

What you need to do is just bypass the basic onboard clock, don't just break the main supply to the boiler. The main reason you shouldn't break the main supply is that the pump over run won't work without a permanent live, this is one of the reasons heat exchangers go on vokera boilers because of incorrect wiring. There is a 7 day 2 channel programmer that will fit in the same hole in the boiler panel. If not using that then here the right way to wire it.

There is a terminal block inside the drop down front panel on the boiler disconnect the internal clock completely. You will then have your live, neutral and earth still connected and beside them you have a gray and black wire from the boilers PCB. The Gray is a 240v supply out of the boiler and the Black is the switched live.

When you setup you clock there's 2 ways to wire it to the boiler, you can do what most electricians do and just bring a switched Live into the terminal on the boiler and connect it to the black wire which is the 5th connection on the block. If you do it this way the On/Off control knob on the boiler will not shut off when in the off position, but it will in reset. This is not a problem as it will always be in the On position anyway.

The other way is to bring a live out to the back plate for the clock from the Gray wire on the terminal block and instead of fitting the Loop Wire between Live and #2 on the time clock back plate, connect the Wire from the Gray to #2. Then bring you switched Live from #4 on the back plate into the Black wire on the terminal block, this way the Off position on the control knob will shut the boiler off.

It will work either way just make sure you don't break the permanent live to the boiler.

Thanks for that! I'm off to get a controller and wire it in properly instead of the half-arsed job which was done for me...!

TKK

f1_jb wrote: »

What you need to do is just bypass the basic onboard clock, don't just break the main supply to the boiler. The main reason you shouldn't break the main supply is that the pump over run won't work without a permanent live, this is one of the reasons heat exchangers go on vokera boilers because of incorrect wiring. There is a 7 day 2 channel programmer that will fit in the same hole in the boiler panel. If not using that then here the right way to wire it.

There is a terminal block inside the drop down front panel on the boiler disconnect the internal clock completely. You will then have your live, neutral and earth still connected and beside them you have a gray and black wire from the boilers PCB. The Gray is a 240v supply out of the boiler and the Black is the switched live.

When you setup you clock there's 2 ways to wire it to the boiler, you can do what most electricians do and just bring a switched Live into the terminal on the boiler and connect it to the black wire which is the 5th connection on the block. If you do it this way the On/Off control knob on the boiler will not shut off when in the off position, but it will in reset. This is not a problem as it will always be in the On position anyway.

The other way is to bring a live out to the back plate for the clock from the Gray wire on the terminal block and instead of fitting the Loop Wire between Live and #2 on the time clock back plate, connect the Wire from the Gray to #2. Then bring you switched Live from #4 on the back plate into the Black wire on the terminal block, this way the Off position on the control knob will shut the boiler off.

It will work either way just make sure you don't break the permanent live to the boiler.

Cheers for that. Will hopefully get to this sometime during the week.

10-10-20

I got around to this job yesterday after getting the 3-ch Horstman for €134 instead of €170 in HeatMerchants (not 100% sure why). I located the factory installed loop in the boiler and took a pair of wires from it to a 'Wiring Centre' outside the boiler. Here I connected this pair to the paralleled switches on the zone valves.
The room stats sit in series on the power to the zone valves and when the stat calls for heat, they provide power to the zone valve. Once a valve opens completely the internal switch closes, making the circuit and kicking on the boiler.
The only thing that gets me with this new setup is that the boiler remains 'on' at all times and I just hope it's designed to do so.

It wasn't the easiest of wiring jobs, made difficult by the very poor initial installation. The zones were previously manually switched at the time-clock between upstairs, downstairs and hot-water. The hot-water valve is located in the hot-press and does not have the open/close switch wired back to the boiler, just the supply which is only on a manual switch and has no thermal control. So, my next task is to wire up a cylinder stat and then provide some sort of device to feedback the 'call for heat' from the cylinder to the boiler. This is going to be tricky as the cylinder is at the far side of the house…
I can see potential here for the use of an FM radio sender of my own design…

etcetc

I got around to this job yesterday after getting the 3-ch Horstman for €134 instead of €170 in HeatMerchants (not 100% sure why). I located the factory installed loop in the boiler and took a pair of wires from it to a 'Wiring Centre' outside the boiler. Here I connected this pair to the paralleled switches on the zone valves.
The room stats sit in series on the power to the zone valves and when the stat calls for heat, they provide power to the zone valve. Once a valve opens completely the internal switch closes, making the circuit and kicking on the boiler.
The only thing that gets me with this new setup is that the boiler remains 'on' at all times and I just hope it's designed to do so.

It wasn't the easiest of wiring jobs, made difficult by the very poor initial installation. The zones were previously manually switched at the time-clock between upstairs, downstairs and hot-water. The hot-water valve is located in the hot-press and does not have the open/close switch wired back to the boiler, just the supply which is only on a manual switch and has no thermal control. So, my next task is to wire up a cylinder stat and then provide some sort of device to feedback the 'call for heat' from the cylinder to the boiler. This is going to be tricky as the cylinder is at the far side of the house…
I can see potential here for the use of an FM radio sender of my own design…

how did you get on with this project

i presume ive given you enough time to get around to it:pac:

nm1

Hi,

I know this is an old thread but hopefully someone will be able to help me. I have moved into a new house where we have a horstmann channel plus h37xl series 2 installed. i have set the times for each day for downatairs, upstairs and the water (so it comes on in the am, afternoon and evening/night).

it seems that the downstairs and hot water are coming on ok but the upstairs heat isn't coming on at all.

the upstiars heat was working when we moved in (with the default times that were set) - i only changed the times a few days ago and i have checked loads of times that the upstairs ones are correct for each day and they are.

even when i but the boost on for upstairs this morning for 1 hr the radiators did not heat up at all upstairs.

has anyone had a similar problem or does anyone have any adivce.

thanks.

NM

youtheman

I'm not familiar with the Horstmann, but I had a quick look at the instructions on the internet.

Sughest the following:

1. I assume you have checked that the controller is 'ON' for the upstrains (whatever channel that might be).

2. switch the upstairs on and off (via the controller) and check that the zone valve for the upstairs is opening/closing.

3. if the controller is switching on/off and the zone valve is opening/closing then you should hear the boiler also switching on/off.

If I was a betting man then I would put my money on a faulty zone valve.

Also check that the rads upstairs are not full of air (bleed them). Unlikely that they are all full of air.

rebelyellow

I have the exact same programmer. It may be as simple as checking if your upstairs stat is turned up high enough, thats if you have one, or if the mototrised valve is coming on. I had problems with my upstairs heating in the begining, turns out mr electrician buddy of the sei approved contractor didnt wire it correctly at the programmer and tried to convince me the stat wasnt up high enough, and this was during the freezing cold in december.
Most approved contractors dont want to know about boiler controls as a large portion of it is electrical. Make sure you get someone who knows what they are doing!

Ah! that better.

brianlenny

Does anyone have manual for this controller / timer? Also I have one brand new in the box if anyone is interested.

Robbie.G

brianlenny wrote: »

Does anyone have manual for this controller / timer? Also I have one brand new in the box if anyone is interested.

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/DataSheets/Horstmann/HOH37XL-InstallSeries2.pdf