Replacement for a Flash 31031

macplaxton

The clock has stopped working on my Flash programmer 31031.

I'm looking for alternatives, as I want to add a little more control to the heating whilst I'm at it.

• The heating system is oil.
• The boiler is outside - Firebird Popular 90
• The boiler is connected by plug top to an unswitched double socket.
• Also connected by plug top to the unswitched double socket is a circulation pump.
• There is no thermostat on the water tank.
• There is no room thermostat in the house.
• When the boiler is on, both heating and hot water comes on.
• There are no TRVs on the radiators.

Now I know that it's a basic system, but is there any way of refining the switching? When the heating is on, it eventually gets too hot in the front of house downstairs. So I was looking at a wireless room thermostat, so during a timer ON period, if it gets to a certain temperature on the room thermostat the boiler is switched off. However, looking at most of the central heating programmers for single channel systems, they seem to have fairly low (typically 3A (1A)) switch ratings compared to the 31031's 6A (2A) rating.

I would welcome any thoughts/suggestions.

smjm

My system is very similar to yours. I even had to swap my 31031 for a new one the other week, also because the clock stopped working!

Although I hope you get a more informative answer from some of the posters here, I'd just note that I do have TRV's on the rads, and they do provide a good basic level of control which should prevent any part of your house from getting too hot.

imnorobot

What i did for my father in law was simple enough
picked up this set on ebay ( link is to amazon for picture )
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Salus-RT300RF-Radio-Frequency-Thermostat/dp/B003EQ8FMC/ref=pd_bxgy_60_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=JKBGFHAXR1Y8F76NPH1R

have a simple analouge ( mechanical time clock ) woodies €13
so between hours of 8:00 -10:00 it supplies power to the junction box in picture ( not thermostat )
that junction box ( receiver ) then connects power to the boiler
You can set the wireless thermostat to say 21 degrees and when the temp in the room reaches that it tells the junction ( receiver to switch off power to the boiler
When the temp drops to around 20.5 the thermostat sends a signal to power up again so during the day the boiler is switching on an off as the temp rises and falls
very simple
This is also on an outdoor oil boiler

of course not as simple as just replacing the existing clock
http://www.davies.ie/heating/controls/flash-24-hour-time-clock-31031

BowWow

I have a very old "Flash Programmer", probably 30 years. Clock is now slowing down and loosing time. Probably finished, but it certainly doesn't owe me anything.

Simplest thing is probably just replace timer unit - Q. Can you buy that?
Second Option - Buy model 31031, Q. Could I take timer unit out of that and swap into existing unit?
Third Option, replace existing unit with a 31030 - whilst the backing plate may be the same, the switch is in a different place, so probably cant just swap the front.
Is model 31031 ok? Seems to be old also, but very available.

I'm happy with a simple analogue device, override switch is probably used more than anything.

John.G

I replaced my old flash timer (installed ~ 1992) with a 31031 in 2013, straight swap, no problems.

DGOBS

Why not replace with something like a Hive?

BowWow

DGOBS wrote: »

Why not replace with something like a Hive?

Retired couple, home most of the time, put it on as needed basically.

Thought about changing it to something like that, but would then have to explain to Mrs. BowWow how to work it....

DGOBS

The Stat is really easy to boost on/off, not a lot of explaining to it really.