Oil Boiler Isolation Switch.

An example of the wiring for a 3 zone system in  This handbook for a 3 zone timer  on page 21 and some words around that, should make the intention clear.

The advantage of putting a programmable thermostat in each zone is that they don’t actually turn the heating off, they turn it up and down .


So during the “off” periods a minimum temperature is maintained stopping homes and their plumbing from freezing; and more importantly protecting occupiers from hypothermia should they have a fall or some other problem.


You will get customers saying they just want to be able to turn the heating off, but actually in reality few of them actually want their homes to cool down to the set back temperature.


Some years ago I did electrical work for a central heating company, they supplied delay start programmable thermostats to dome of the customers and I ended up going back and replacing them, not because there was a problem with the equipment, but because people don’t understand how they are using their own heating systems or how their heating systems work.


Basically you end up trying to educate the customers and find yourself struggling to get past their ignorance and misconceptions. If at the end of the day they end up leaving the timers set to constant and turning the temperature up and down, so be it.


When I was doing work for a housing association contractor I was paid to do several call outs because tenants had reported that the economy seven heaters and immersion heaters did not work, just to depend time explaining how to use them, I ended up being an unofficial life skills tutor. But I got paid ?


 Andy B.

You might think that if the controls are not self-explanatory to mortals of normal intelligence, they are probably not fit for their intended  purpose anyway.

Software written by software engineers seems to be the main problem with a lot of timers and programmable thermostats, at least in my experience.

Have you got time to call around and set the programmer for an old ladies under floor heating?


Some of the programmers are **** but some people refuse to accept change.


Andy B.

Agreed Mike, controls can be a nightmare to set up and explain to users.

I have been fitting a few smartphone app thermostats, one of the requirements for gas boiler replacement/installs. Can be quite cheap nowadays, and users have complete (remote) control from their phone.

Surely the boiler installer should be specifying the controls package. After all they are the ones who will be notifying building control that the installation complies.

To simplify use, as requested by the tenant, I could install simple 24 hour rotary one channel programmers in each zone and a simple rotary room stat next to them as well. The rotary dial programmers will have sinple tappets to adjust to set the times. Nothing to "programme" and all completely user friendly.


I have never really wanted to heat bedrooms all day and night. Some people do not heat bedrooms at all, they just have thick warm bedclothes and/or an electric blanket. I have just worked in a house with a large family, an ex council house actually, and its only source of space heating is a log burner in the living room. Heat must rise sufficiently to warm the upstairs bedroom. Millions of people survived years ago without central heating, zones and programmers. Just a coal fire in the downstairs living room and hot water bottles for the bed at night. Life is getting just too complicated and we are spoiled these days.


The boiler installer had brought a 2 channel electronic programmer with him for the install. I told him that the tenant might struggle to use it and alter its settings. The boiler installer just said "oh it's easy to fit, it is pre-programmed."


Z.

This is the sort of thing that many people do not like. Having to fart *** about for ages, just to set up the devilish device. Too kin complicated for a lot of people.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3ECpfj-ZWU


Z.

That won't comply with the Building Regulations and isn't necessarily doing the user any favours.


The old rotary clocks only time to the nearest quarter of an hour resulting in hours of heating that is not required, also they will not be able to set a set back temperature so you will need to consider installing frost thermostats with protect their heating systems and homes creating more work and expense.

 

Obviously the outdoor boiler should have a frost stat in it anyway, so if it doesn't freeze up unless the weather is so extreme the heating oil waxes up and freezes. Heating oil should be okay most winters, there used to be farmers who has diesel boilers so they could run a pipe off the back of the tractor fuel tank to use fuel claimed as a business expense for heating their homes, but diesel freezes before heating oil so there's a greater risk of frost damage. Back in the 70's I repaired thirty seven frost damaged pipes in one farm house after the diesel froze.


Andy Betteridge

I need to go and sit at my desk and prepare a quote, earlier this week I went to a flat which is electrically heated with an E7 prepayment meter to work out how to reduce the electric bill, which I think can be reduced by at least thirty five quid a week over the winter.


On the list is replace this useless timer.




Andy B