Fit Wireless Thermostat to Boiler

super_freddie

Hello,

I've been advised to fit a wireless thermostat in 2 separate locations in my house to improve its energy efficiency. These will then transmit back to a receiver which will be connected up to my boiler. It's a "Baxi Solo 2 40 PF" boiler. I'm a little confused about how this will work and also would appreciate some advice on getting it done.

The boiler currently runs off a timer and doesn't have heating and hot water separated i.e. when heating is on, hot water is also on and obviously when one is off, the other is also off. So 2 things that I'd like to be clear on:

(i) Am I correct in saying that when the timer is set to off, the boiler will be off, irrespective of what the thermostats say ... i.e. thermostats only have an impact when timer tells boiler to come on? I am of course assuming that the thermostat and timer will work together successfully?

(ii) How can the thermostats in the 2 rooms integrate together with one receiver (which is connected to the boiler)? Will they integrate so that the temperature needs to be at the requisite level in both rooms before the thermostat tells the boiler to switch off?

Finally - what is the best (most cost effective) way to get this done? I've seen some good prices in this kind of equipment on the web but my instinct is that this is not a DIY job (I would be average on the scale of DIY ability :-)). One option would be to buy the equipment my self and get an electrician to fit it ... thoughts? Anybody know any wireless thermostats that are compatible with this boiler?

Thanks for that,
super_freddie.

Diggerdunne

i think you need to have your heating on seperate zones to use 2 thermostats. You could use one thermostat to control the boiler. It will improve the efficency of the boiler as it only comes on when the temp is below the set temp on the thermostat. I have 3 seperate zones i.e rads upstairs, downstairs and hot water. I used 2 stats and they are wireless and easy to install. I run them thru the motorised valves and then back to the boiler.The brand i have are Celect. They seem to work well and have a number of different settings on them. There are many others available so its a personal choice what brand you use...
Hope this helps...

DoneDL

Updating a system will require a lot more than just fitting a thermostatic time clock, get advice from a good installer.

para45

Hi . I had lots of problems re boiler timeclock relating to a older house well 16 yrs old but not kitted for new stuff and then decided to do a overall re my controlls system . but kept my old boiler . Big difference since the overall. Had loads of trouble with plummers telling me no you cant do this and cant do that .To my ignorance i believed them . But one day decided to try and figure my system out for my self and relised that I was told nonsens. Read your PM

yoshytoshy

If your not a professional para45 ,then you've no business offering advice via pm.

There are regulations on where valves go on pipes and everyones heating system is different.

para45

Thats right I amnot a proffesional . But i am giving him pointers on what to ask his plummer / electrician . i am still a person thats got my heating bills cut by more than half and also more efficient . All my work was done/ commmisoned by very effiecent plummer and Sparky . that are both big and well sought after . But they understood what I wanted not like the other 3 idiot plummers that coulnt even understand or made me to look like a fool.

The 2 trades man that commissioned the new upgradeare both big into the environment and green credentials so surely if they were happy withh the work that they performed then i can give the person that asked the question a view pointers . I am not telling him to do it himself or where to put the zones . stats etc get a gripp.

youtheman

The wiring/controls is not as complicated as you think (though you should get a 'professional' to do the work).

If you are talking about two separate zones (hot water and central heating) then you need a two channel programmer (I personaly like the 'Horstmann').

You supply 220 volts to the programmer (input) and it will output two separate 220 volt signals. These signals are then wired through the thermostat and then onto the actuator on the zone valve. So the valve will only open a) if it is programmed or 'timed' to do so and b) if the temp is below the set point on the thermostat.

The limit switches on the two actuators are then wired (separately) in parallel to the boiler such that the boiler will only switch on when any one valve is open (i.e. calling for heat).

So the programmer and thermostats only open/close the zone valves. And the limit switches on the zone valves tells the boiler to fire.

You need to check that your boiler has a automatic bypass valve that will allow water to circulate when the zone valve closes.

You also need to check that you can get a wireless cylinder stat. I know you can get wireless room stat, but haven't seen a cylinder version.

para45

youtheman wrote: »

The wiring/controls is not as complicated as you think (though you should get a 'professional' to do the work).

If you are talking about two separate zones (hot water and central heating) then you need a two channel programmer (I personaly like the 'Horstmann').

You supply 220 volts to the programmer (input) and it will output two separate 220 volt signals. These signals are then wired through the thermostat and then onto the actuator on the zone valve. So the valve will only open a) if it is programmed or 'timed' to do so and b) if the temp is below the set point on the thermostat.

The limit switches on the two actuators are then wired (separately) in parallel to the boiler such that the boiler will only switch on when any one valve is open (i.e. calling for heat).

So the programmer and thermostats only open/close the zone valves. And the limit switches on the zone valves tells the boiler to fire.

You need to check that your boiler has a automatic bypass valve that will allow water to circulate when the zone valve closes.

You also need to check that you can get a wireless cylinder stat. I know you can get wireless room stat, but haven't seen a cylinder version.

YOUTHEMAN . Thats sound advise honeywell does a wireless room , controlstat ,hotwater and timeclock controler called sundail rf2 pack 3 . They do them in some places in Ireland but use this company in UK called Plumming Nation very effecient company http://www.plumbnation.co.uk/site/honeywell-sundial-rf2-wireless-programmer--room-thermostat---cylinder-thermostat-pack-3--y9420s1005-/honeywell-sundial-rf2-pack-3.pdf

I have also seen a similiar sundail pack in the Sunday Times property house section adapted to Ireland advertised by a local crowd cant remember their name sorry

But I dont have that system mine is hard wired. It will be interesting to see if Super freddie knows if his house is allready set up with zone valves or myabe zoning option was put in place with the option to add valves to let it operate as independant zones .

Thats the way my house was done so the original plummer had vision to put it diffrent zones in place but zonevalves werent added. Thats one of the questions I asked the plummers 3 seperate ones and they both stood in front of the boiler and told me now it wasnt and cant be done unless i want to break walls etc . If you look a few paces to one side if the boiler and have a trained eye you would notice that it was . And what makes me more annoyed they all 3 had this puzzled look of so called trade intelegence and did a quite galre then stare and a few head movements and both said the same . No cant be done . All i can say is the man 16 yrs ago was a good plummer that set this up . I sent one foto to a top plummer and he said its so clear on the foto that this system is set up for zoning i dont even need to come to your house to tell you that and will be with you in 2 weeks to do the job . Well he was true to his word and did everything as promised. He then gave detailed instruction drawing to sparky incase he hasnt had system like this and and said if he is a good sparky he would understand imediatly but if not he wont . The sparky said he has never done it like this before but understood and says that its standard methods that are used in electrical practise . Becuase the plummer isnt a sparky but works with sparkys in everyday big jobs he had a lot of knowlede of electrics . The sparky then also made some extra easier options re the electric etc that made a lot of sense to the splummer when I told him what extra did the sparky ad and said wow he is a good sparky he has done something similiar to his heating system since ( The Sparky )

yoshytoshy

para45 wrote: »

Had loads of trouble with plummers telling me no you cant do this and cant do that .To my ignorance i believed them . But one day decided to try and figure my system out for my self and relised that I was told nonsens. Read your PM

para45 wrote: »

All my work was done/ commmisoned by very effiecent plummer and Sparky .

No offence or anything ,but they're two different things.

para45

yoshytoshy wrote: »

No offence or anything ,but they're two different things.

Sorry . Maybe I didnt explain to well in my post that you read . NO OFFENCE taken. This is all about learning and asking and receiving advice from other people alike . Thats why we on Boards . Surely most people know that when they receive advise on Boards re Electrics , Plumming , Gas ,Law, etc to still speak to people that are at the top of their industry to verify this . Boards is there to enrich is with knowledge and then to do more research etc . ANd obvoiusly for the Craigh

But once I figured it out that it can be done . Thats when I contacted this proficient plummer that I know and trust and said to him what is the problem and as far as I can make out that it can be done contrary to these other 3 clowns . Thats when i sent him the fotos of my boiler room and he verified this as per the fotos . This plummer lives on the opposite side of Ireland as me so thats why I didnt use him from the begining . But then decided that it would be better and more cost efffective if i pay for his diesel also ans his other charges .

I then used him which is a plummer for the plumming stuff . And the sparky for the Electrical stuff . The plummer drew a digram fo rthe sparky as the way he wants it to work . This included relays etc as my system is a little bit diffrent to what fast freddy wants but same principles

Bruthal

super_freddie wrote: »

Hello,

I've been advised to fit a wireless thermostat in 2 separate locations in my house to improve its energy efficiency. These will then transmit back to a receiver which will be connected up to my boiler. It's a "Baxi Solo 2 40 PF" boiler. I'm a little confused about how this will work and also would appreciate some advice on getting it done.

The boiler currently runs off a timer and doesn't have heating and hot water separated i.e. when heating is on, hot water is also on and obviously when one is off, the other is also off. So 2 things that I'd like to be clear on:

(i) Am I correct in saying that when the timer is set to off, the boiler will be off, irrespective of what the thermostats say ... i.e. thermostats only have an impact when timer tells boiler to come on? I am of course assuming that the thermostat and timer will work together successfully?

(ii) How can the thermostats in the 2 rooms integrate together with one receiver (which is connected to the boiler)? Will they integrate so that the temperature needs to be at the requisite level in both rooms before the thermostat tells the boiler to switch off?

Finally - what is the best (most cost effective) way to get this done? I've seen some good prices in this kind of equipment on the web but my instinct is that this is not a DIY job (I would be average on the scale of DIY ability :-)). One option would be to buy the equipment my self and get an electrician to fit it ... thoughts? Anybody know any wireless thermostats that are compatible with this boiler?

Thanks for that,
super_freddie.

It all depends on how your system is piped. Just because heating and hot water comes on and off together does not mean it definitely cant be seperated into seperate zones, at least for the hot water and heating anyway. But if the feed and return just go straight to radiators and the cylinder coil all in one circuit, then modifications of the piping would be required for seperate stats to be of any benefit in terms of more efficient operation.

Ideally the boiler should have a feed and return going straight to the hot water cylinder position which gives the option of setting up the hot water as a zone seperate from the radiators at least. And then a 2 channel time clock would be used to seperately time hot water and heating via 2 motorised valves and stats, one of which would be on the cylinder.

These days there are usually 3 zones installed at least. Upstairs heating, downstairs heating, and hot water, and a 3 channel timeclock for controlling all 3 seperately via 3 motorised valves and 3 thermostats.

Bruthal

para45 wrote: »

Sorry . Maybe I didnt explain to well in my post that you read . NO OFFENCE taken. This is all about learning and asking and receiving advice from other people alike . Thats why we on Boards . Surely most people know that when they receive advise on Boards re Electrics , Plumming , Gas ,Law, etc to still speak to people that are at the top of their industry to verify this . Boards is there to enrich is with knowledge and then to do more research etc . ANd obvoiusly for the Craigh

Its hard for others to verify stuff sent by pm though, which is probably why yoshytoshy says its not a great idea, no matter how good the plumber or sparks were that installed your system.

yoshytoshy

para45 wrote: »

Sorry . Maybe I didnt explain to well in my post that you read . NO OFFENCE taken. This is all about learning and asking and receiving advice from other people alike . Thats why we on Boards . Surely most people know that when they receive advise on Boards re Electrics , Plumming , Gas ,Law, etc to still speak to people that are at the top of their industry to verify this . Boards is there to enrich is with knowledge and then to do more research etc . ANd obvoiusly for the Craigh

But once I figured it out that it can be done . Thats when I contacted this proficient plummer that I know and trust and said to him what is the problem and as far as I can make out that it can be done contrary to these other 3 clowns . Thats when i sent him the fotos of my boiler room and he verified this as per the fotos .

Theres nothing to be learned from PMing users ,thanks for the lecture about boards though.
If we all PMed each other ,it wouldnt be a good site

Bruthal

PM sent:pac: