Installation of a thermostat on a gas boiler. Room thermostat (temperature regulator) for a gas boiler. Types of remote thermostats

Connection of the thermostat or programmer is provided. These devices help to automatically regulate the temperature in the house or turn the boiler on and off at a given time.

Boilers with mechanical control do not have the ability to connect an electronic thermostat.

Most often, there is a need to maintain the required air temperature in the room without human intervention. A room thermostat is used for this purpose. In the article we will talk about the principle of operation of this device and explain how to connect a thermostat to a gas boiler.

Benefits of using the device

If we already talk about the advantages, then we will describe the difference in the operation of the boiler with and without a thermostat.

Without thermostat

How does the boiler work in normal mode? We set the desired temperature with the control knob and enjoy the warmth. But what happens when it gets cold outside? The temperature in the room also drops. It seems nothing terrible - he went and set a different temperature regime on the boiler. It became hot - reduced, and the boiler continues to work, turning on and off.

with thermostat

Now let's imagine how a boiler works with an electronic thermostat connected to it. The boiler will heat the coolant until the room temperature reaches the set temperature and only then turn off. It will not turn on until the air temperature drops below the set limit. Then the process is repeated again.

Advantages

By installing even the most primitive thermostat, you can save from 15 to 30% of gas.

By itself, the automation of the process of heating a room is already a significant advantage, but some more points can be highlighted:

• The boiler will not turn on if during the daytime the sun's rays heat the room and the desired temperature is maintained in it.
• There are many people in the room and because of them the air temperature does not drop.
• The automation of the boiler wears out less, as switching on occurs less often.
• There is no large temperature difference in the room, since the minimum thermostat threshold can be 0.25°C.
• Ability to change settings.
• After turning off the boiler, the circulation pump works for some time, preventing the heat carrier from boiling, and does not turn on until the boiler starts to work.
• Any person can handle the settings.

If we talk about the shortcomings, then only one can be distinguished - in a wireless thermostat, you need to periodically change the batteries, the supply of which should always be at hand.

Even such a brief overview is enough to understand that the purchase and installation of a thermostat is a wise investment that will more than pay off in a short period of time.

Instrument selection

The choice of instrument must be approached intelligently. Often people purchase a device with a considerable number of options, which they then never use. What should be taken into account? Let's dwell on this in more detail.

The remote thermostat can be wired or wireless.

• The presence of a wire eliminates the use of batteries, but such a connection will bring a lot of other problems when the device needs to be installed in an adjacent room. Laying a wire along a wall or drilling a through hole under it is not the best solution for a room after repair (or if repairs are not planned there in the near future).
• The wireless sensor not only does not require connection, but can also be moved to any other room. Even before buying, it is important to know the range of the device and how it works through walls. For example, some cheap sensors work reliably only in the line of sight, but when the situation changes or at a strong distance, they may lose the ability to transmit a signal to a module installed near the boiler.
• To avoid some problems when connecting, the purchase of a device of the same company that manufactured the boiler will help.

As already mentioned, it would be good if a device is purchased for an installed boiler from the same manufacturer. The most successful combination came from the well-known brands Baxi (baxi), Protherm (Proterm) and Vaillant (Vailant). In the illustrations below, you can see the variety of these devices.

Adjustment method

The governing bodies may be:

• in the form of buttons, and all data is displayed on an electronic scoreboard;
• mechanical control implies the presence of a regulator with indicators printed on it.

Functions

Thermostats can be simple or multifunctional.

• simple device can only maintain the pre-set temperature in the room.
• Programmable thermostat has a rich feature set. It can be configured by changing the parameters of the boiler remotely, setting the desired temperature conditions at different times of the day. You can also set the settings for each day of the week.
• Thermostat with built-in hydrostat function will allow you to control, maintain and change the microclimate of the room, changing the level of humidity.

About manufacturers

Temperature sensors from IMIT and Siemens are very popular. They differ not only in functionality, but also in the way they are connected. It is quite clear that more functional models are more expensive. To make it clearer, we made a comparative analysis, the results of which you can see in the table below.

The cost of the product is given in rubles, but only for comparative analysis. Since prices are constantly changing, at the time of purchase, accurate data can be obtained from the manufacturer's website or from the sales company.

Installation and connection

And now, when the equipment is selected and purchased, you can proceed to install it. First, consider the recommendations for placing the sensor.

Choosing a location for the sensor

The correctness and efficiency of the entire heating system depends on where the sensor will be placed, so the following rules must be taken into account:

• The recommended installation by the sensor above the floor is 1.5 m. We all know that the room heats up unevenly with any heating system, whether it is a classic system or a warm floor. If this rule is neglected, the sensor will control the boiler in a different temperature regime.
• It is not recommended to attach the sensor to an external wall, as it is always colder than the walls inside the room.
• The sensor does not need to be installed in a remote place or hidden behind any objects - air must circulate freely around it. But you need to beware of the other extreme - the device should not be in the area of ​​​​drafts.
• The place for installation of the device should not be near heating devices or near the air conditioner, windows and entrance doors. It must not be exposed to direct sunlight.

Such an abundance of restrictions and regulations may seem too big, but in fact there is nothing complicated here, you just need to remember this when choosing a place for the thermostat sensor.

First of all, you need to disconnect the boiler from the power supply in order to protect yourself and the boiler electronics during work.

If the control unit is to be installed inside the boiler, then a suitable place must be found for it. If there is such a need, then you can use the installation box to mount the unit.

In order to connect the control unit to the boiler, special knowledge is not needed, but you will have to understand the circuit.

The red arrow shows the current path through the circuit. Entering contact L, it passes through the board and exits it through contact Tb2, in which a jumper is installed connecting it to contact Tb1. Through this contact, the current returns to the board and controls the operation of the boiler, turning it on or off.

Now you need to download the scheme of your boiler from the Internet and check if it has the ability to connect a thermostat. If you find the inscription “Room thermostat” on it (the name may differ slightly in different models of boilers), then it is possible to connect a thermostat.

If you have a floor-standing boiler, then such a check must be performed before purchasing a thermostat.

Let's return to the jumper installed between the contacts Tb1 and Tb2. In many boilers, it is located on a separately displayed block (photo above), but in some models it will have to be looked for on the board.

Having unscrewed the screws holding the jumper, it must be pulled out, and instead of it, fasten a wire of 0.75 m 2, which will connect the boiler board to the thermostat control unit (or to a wired thermostat). As you can see, the thermostat contacts are open in the diagram.

According to the thermostat circuit, we need a pair of normally open contacts - these are COM and NO. Usually it is this marking that is present on the plug-in unit.

If the block has a different marking or it is absent at all, then the contacts can be checked with a tester. One electrode is pressed against the middle contact, and the second one checks the side ones in turn. We need a pair of open contacts.

Depending on the design, the unit is connected to the network or batteries are inserted into it.

Adjustment

You need to check how the thermostat behaves. To do this, certain parameters are set on it, and see how the boiler reacts to the commands sent by the thermostat. If everything is in order, then you can perform the final configuration. How to do this is described in the product data sheet.

In order for the system to work correctly and without fail, take into account the following recommendations:

• If you work in shifts, it is better to purchase a programmable thermostat and adjust it so that the minimum temperature is maintained in the room during your absence.
• When leaving for a vacation or leaving home for a long time, switch the heating to economy mode, and just in case, install fresh batteries in the device.
• Do not wait until the batteries become unusable - change them in advance.
• Connect the boiler and the control unit through the stabilizer.

Epilogue

The thermostat will make your life easier, and by installing it yourself, you will save a lot and will know what to do with it in case of a breakdown. We hope this article will serve as a good guide for you.

Video

This video shows how to connect a room thermostat or programmer to the boiler:

Watch the video on installing the T-Control thermostat-programmer to work with the Ariston gas boiler:

A device such as a room thermostat for a gas boiler is an important element in the heating system. Its main task is to compare the user-specified data incoming from the temperature sensor. This allows you to timely turn on and off the heating, which minimizes energy consumption, while obtaining the optimal temperature in the house.

A thermostat is required to minimize energy consumption

general description

The room thermostat for a gas boiler consists of 2 metal strips used as an electrical switch contact in the heating system circuit.

The rated contact drops when the temperature rises sharply, which switches off the heating function. When the microclimate changes, the necessary valves automatically turn on and the boiler starts up again.

The body of this device is usually made of white plastic. LEDs are used to illuminate the display. The range for determining the temperature in the house for many devices is in the range of 0 ... + 45 ° C.

In addition to saving money, there are many more advantages.

Typically, thermostats for a gas heating boiler are purchased to save money. Lowering the room temperature by even a few degrees reduces gas consumption by 5%. Due to the fact that the device reduces the number of cycles of turning on heating equipment, the costs of the owners for utilities are also reduced. At the same time, the equipment additionally ensures the safety of all boiler elements that do not wear out so much.

Advantages of using a thermostat:

• setting a comfortable microclimate - you can select up to 7 modes;
• savings when paying for gas (about 20%);
• increase in the operating time of all elements of the heating system, including the circulation pump;
• does not allow severe dry air and overheating in the house;
• reduction in the number of inclusions of boiler equipment.

Individually set temperature settings for the thermostat are especially relevant for families with children, when it is necessary to maintain a comfortable microclimate all the time, as well as for those people who are particularly sensitive to temperature changes.

In this video you will learn how the wireless thermostat works:

Varieties and principle of operation

There are a large number of varieties of room thermostats for the boiler from expensive wireless devices to mechanical devices. Thanks to even simple electronic equipment, the cost of acquiring it quickly pays off. But the benefits of using it are very significant, and this has long been noticed by many owners of gas boilers.

Thermostats can work with:

• connection to the electronic board of the boiler;
• built-in rechargeable battery;
• electrical network.

Equipment can be remote, built-in, digital, analog, wireless and wired.

The cost will depend on the specific model, which varies in the range of 200-15000 r. The most expensive are wireless devices that control the operation of the boiler using a radio signal. The cheapest are mechanical models that are connected using a special cable.

The thermostat can be operated, for example, from a battery

The most advanced are wireless devices with a digital screen that displays the current room temperature and other parameters. Modern thermostats for a gas heating boiler have the ability to select up to 7 temperature setting modes.

Electromechanical, electrical, mechanical

Mechanical equipment is the most affordable device. They are connected to the boiler with a two-wire cable and fixed to the wall at a distance of 50 cm from window or door openings, as well as away from direct sunlight.

Main characteristics:

• measurement error - 1°;
• the measurement range varies in the region of 3−45°;
• approximate power 4 kW;
• gas-filled siphon.

The thermostat is connected to the boiler with two copper cables, and the necessary commands are transmitted through them. The required temperature parameters are set by turning the knob.

Electromechanical models are the most modern devices, which at the same time can provide temperature control with an error of no more than 1%. Inside this equipment there is a thermal relay, signal and temperature sensors. The cost of electronic devices is higher compared to mechanical ones.

Main characteristics:

• convenient digital screen;
• the measurement range is within 7−30°;
• determination of temperature with an accuracy of 0.2 °;
• humidity control;
• multicore cable;
• installed LED for illumination.

These devices have a very small error.

Electrical devices can be programmed for a day or a week, set up to 7 time intervals with a specific temperature, there is also a "vacation" mode and a sleep mode. The operation of the boiler is controlled using the LCD screen. Inside electrical appliances there is a relay, it is responsible for turning the boiler equipment on and off. This equipment is slightly more expensive than mechanical devices, but cheaper than electromechanical ones.

There are devices equipped with a capillary tube, as well as with a group of contacts and a bimetallic plate. In the latter version, the boiler is switched on due to the fact that the plate, warming up to a predetermined temperature, bends and opens the contacts. In the first version, the signal is transmitted due to the expansion of water in the tube during heating.

Basic indicators:

• stainless steel siphon;
• the measurement range varies within 7−45°;
• automatic shutdown of heating;
• convenient screen for temperature programming.

The accuracy of regulation in these devices is not very high.

Remote controlled and wired

There is a special wire in the device for transmitting the command. These are affordable devices, which today are rarely found in stores.

These thermostats can be manually programmed to the desired temperature. There are also expensive wired devices that regulate the coolant in the heating circuit due to the temperature characteristics in the room.

In devices with remote control there is a remote control that broadcasts a signal with a distance of up to 50 m.

The hardware memory is non-volatile. In the event of a power outage, all data is saved. In some cases, one remote control can run several devices at the same time. Connecting a GSM module or control system via Wi-Fi can only be done for wireless thermostats.

Programmable and regular

Conventional devices have an on/off switch and a rotating manual temperature dial. This is the simplest equipment, very cheap. As a rule, it is purchased for summer cottages or other housing, in which strict control over the heating system is rarely necessary.

Programmable devices make it possible to set the required temperature indicators. They have a programming function (approximately up to 7 temperature switching functions per day). You can set one daily program for weekdays and another for weekends or individually for all days of the week. Optimal programming of the sensor lowers the room temperature when there are no occupants in the house, and also, for example, at night.

Savings with programmable hardware are much higher than with a simple thermostat (up to 45%). Expensive devices may have an EBus communication bus and other features. EBus makes it possible to exchange information between the sensor and the heating boiler and, thus, change the power according to the signal from the thermostat, taking into account the programmed temperature in the house.

Devices with a hydrostat are not ordinary devices, but equipment with the ability to control the level of humidity in the house. You can monitor the humidity and select the decrease or increase function.

Indoor and outdoor

There are weather-dependent thermostats that control the temperature in the room, taking into account the weather conditions outside. If it is cold outside, the boiler will independently increase fuel consumption, and during warming, heating will decrease.

You can control this device using your phone or other gadget. The price of weather-dependent devices starts from 7 thousand rubles. Thermoregulators are more economical and are quite in demand today.

Outdoor equipment is protected from frost. The thermostats can contain modes such as "vacation" or "meeting", that is, it is possible to meet the owner after the absence of the required temperature or reduce energy consumption to a minimum during the absence of the tenants at home.

Room equipment is installed indoors and works due to air circulation, and not heating the coolant in the boiler. The device is equipped with a digital screen, it can be programmed. One device is installed for the whole house and it functions with the help of a bimetallic spring.

This equipment can only be installed at a distance of 1.2 m from the floor level and away from a constant source of draft. The device will turn off the boiler if the room temperature reaches the set threshold and turn it on if the temperature drops by several degrees.

Features of choice

To choose this device correctly, you need to decide how often the thermostat will be used. If regular use is expected, then it is better not to find wireless devices with different temperature functions.

When choosing this model, you need to pay attention to the presence of a control mode using a smartphone connected to the smart home system.

Frequent operation of the thermostat is possible if a double-circuit boiler is installed and you heat the bathing water daily.

Important: frequent switching on and off can provoke not only unnecessary costs, but also equipment wear. After acquiring a thermostat, manually adjusting the boiler will become a thing of the past.

If the boiler turns on and off rarely, then the simplest devices with a small number of functions and modes are quite enough. All the time, attention should be paid to what savings will come out in the future due to the installation of a thermostat, as well as to the time of its operation. Ease of use is also important. For example, using the remote control, you can set all the necessary parameters without getting up from your chair.

Optimal solution

The thermostat is a pretty handy thing in any household. Using this device, you can reduce the cost of paying for electricity or gas, as well as increase the operating time of an expensive boiler. An increase in temperature above the threshold of +22°C increases fuel consumption by almost 15%. The thermostat will make it possible to reduce costs by 30% in winter, and at the same time will be able to maintain a comfortable temperature in the room.

Weather-compensated devices are the most expensive, but if you live in a cold area, this is the best way to intelligently heat rooms without overpaying. By the way, the savings from using these devices are higher than from conventional ones. According to users, thermostats quickly pay for themselves thanks to savings on utility bills.
The most popular thermostats:

• "Monolith";
• "Overtrop";
• salus. Protherm;
• Vaillant;
• Bosch.

When choosing a model, you need to pay attention to ease of operation, installation method, functionality and other important technical characteristics.

Installing room thermostats will enable you to organize a comfortable microclimate and ease of operation of boiler equipment, while reducing gas consumption. But we must not forget that significant savings can be obtained only after the prevention of heat loss in the house. Otherwise, the gas flow will only increase, since the thermostat will not stop the boiler until the required room temperature is reached.

A room thermostat is a device that allows you to regulate the operation of your heating unit in the form that is most convenient for you. It will help to reduce the cost of gas and electricity, increase the life of the boiler and ensure a constant temperature in the room. The article contains a lot of useful tips on choosing a thermostat, its installation, connection and further use.

In this article:

Principle of operation

The gas boiler operates cyclically, turning on when the temperature of the coolant (water) drops to a certain value that you set manually. Then the pump starts to work.

The lack of automation leads to the need to adjust the parameters of the heating system throughout the cold season. But even manual adjustment does not guarantee that on especially cold days an apartment or house will not freeze, and on a warm sunny day it will not turn into a sauna.

This is what thermostats are for.

They are equipped with an air temperature sensor of the heated room. You yourself can set the desired temperature on the thermostat - it will automatically turn on the gas boiler and pump at the right time, and only for the required period of time.

Unlike a gas boiler, for which the most important parameter is the temperature of the coolant, the temperature of the air in the room is important for the thermostat.

You set the lowest possible temperature once at which you are comfortable in a room without heating. As soon as the air temperature drops below this value by 0.25-1 degrees (the step depends on the model of the device), the thermostat automatically starts the boiler and the pump.

If the temperature exceeds the threshold you set by the same 0.25-1 degrees, the thermostat will automatically turn off the heating system.

Three main advantages of thermostats

Automation for a gas boiler

The air in the room does not cool as quickly as the coolant in the circuit, so the number of starts of the heating unit is reduced many times, which favorably affects its service life and your financial condition.

As stated above:

1. they increase the level of comfort - the temperature in the room will be stable in any weather, only the frequency of switching on the heating system will change;
2. eliminate the need for frequent adjustment of the boiler parameters;
3. significantly reduce heating costs.

In normal mode, the boiler works on average once every 10 minutes and heats the water for 1-2 minutes, while the pump runs constantly. In the presence of automation, the boiler will turn on much less frequently, and the pump will only work at times of need, pumping the heated coolant along the circuit.

According to some reports, savings can be up to 25-30%, which makes the device very efficient and quickly pays for itself.

Types of room thermostats

Automation for adjusting the operation of the boiler can be divided into:

• Wired– communication of the boiler with the controller is provided by a wired connection (requires additional installation).
• Wireless– the whole working process is controlled by radio signal.

The wireless thermostat kit includes two blocks, one of which is installed near the boiler and connected to its terminals, and the second is installed in the room from which the heating system is supposed to be controlled.

Both blocks are connected to each other by radio. For ease of use, the control unit is equipped with a mini-keyboard and a liquid crystal display.

Wireless thermostat programmer

According to the functions performed, room thermostats are divided into:

• Simple– can only maintain a pre-set room temperature.
• Programmable They are also called programmers. They have a rich set of functions: you can change a number of boiler parameters remotely, set the temperature modes "day" and "night", program the heating system by day of the week.
• With built-in hydrostat function- they allow you to monitor the level of humidity in any room where there is a need to control the microclimate. Have the built-in mode of decrease and increase of humidity.

Popular models and manufacturers

The most popular in the Russian market are thermal sensors of such brands as Siemens, IMIT, Thermolink and Baxi.

The range of manufacturers is very wide and includes both entry-level models and serious thermostats for multi-circuit boilers with a wide range of additional functions.

Consider several popular models and compare their characteristics.

Model	Range	Dif-tion, °С	Degree protection, IP	Connection	Display	Program	Price
IMIT TA3N 70	+5 - +30 °С	1	30	2-wire	Not	Not	600
Siemens RAA 21	+8 - +30 °С		30	2-wire	Not	Not	1200
IMIT BLUE	+6 - +35 °С	0,2-0,4	20	2-wire	There is	Yes	3300
IMIT BLUE RADIO	+6 - +35 °С	0,2-0,4	20	radio channel	There is	Yes	10 900

Device selection

The selected thermostat should meet your needs and be technically suitable:

• If it is not possible to install conductors from the thermostat to the boiler, then the wireless model will suit you.
• If you want to optimize the operation of the heating system as much as possible, you should take a closer look at the programmers and.

Thermostats-programmers usually have 2-3 weekly modes, and 3-4 daily ones. This will ensure that the apartment is warmed up to the required temperature while you are at home, and the system automatically switches to economy mode while you are away.

Most models have inertia. That is, the heating system is switched on so as to have time to warm up the room by your arrival.

A good option would be to choose a device from the same manufacturer as your gas boiler. This will avoid difficulties during installation ().

Installation and connection

Connection points: 1 (N0) and 2 (COM) - boiler control, 2 (COM) and 3 (NC) - cooling control

When installing, remember that the quality of its operation depends on the correct choice of placement of the device.

In order for the thermostat to accurately estimate the average room temperature, some rules must be observed:

• Place the device at a height of 1.5 meters above the floor. This is due to the fact that warm air rises, and cold air concentrates below. The same should be done if you have underfloor heating installed.
• Build automatics only in internal walls. External walls are always slightly cooler, even despite the quality of the thermal insulation.
  Air must circulate freely around the temperature sensor.
• The device must not be placed inside cabinets or covered with curtains. The design of most models will perfectly fit into any interior.
  Eliminate external influence.
• The thermostat must be located away from heating devices or sources of cold (windows, doors). It should not be exposed to air jets from the air conditioner and direct sunlight.

Wiring diagrams can be found in the instructions supplied with the device..

You can also use the following information:

1. Turn off the power supply to make work safe.
2. Find a suitable installation location. If necessary, install the installation box and connect the phase and zero to it.
3. Connect the thermostat to the boiler. To do this, connect the zero, phase and ground of the thermostat to the corresponding contacts of the gas boiler (standard markings are N, L and PE, respectively).

To reduce the cost of fuel and electricity, it is worth adopting several important points:

• Lower the thermostat temperature if you are going to leave the room for a long time.
• It makes sense to set the temperature lower by 3-4 degrees at night. The first member of the family to rise in the morning can increase the temperature and warm the room. Automate this process if you have purchased a programmable thermostat.
• Keep your device in working order. Change batteries without waiting for the device to fail.
• Make sure that in rooms for the elderly and the disabled, the temperature does not fall below 16 degrees.
• Recommended temperature:
  • 20 degrees for common areas;
  • 18 degrees for a children's room;
  • 16-19 degrees at night;

The choice of a gas boiler and a thermostat from one well-established manufacturer will allow you to avoid many problems associated with the operation of the heating system in the future.

In order to create the most comfortable conditions in the room for the heating period, the heating system must be balanced and have the possibility of constant regulation. Modern gas boilers, unlike their predecessors, provide the ability to change power over a wide range without a significant loss in efficiency.

Due to modulation, some models allow you to change the power from 6 to 24 kW, this creates the prerequisites for creating the necessary thermal conditions in residential premises and obtaining significant savings on fuel consumption. By itself, the heating installation cannot perform control functions - its task is to provide heating of the coolant, but the frequency of boiler starts and power can be adjusted using external control devices. One of these devices is just a thermostat, which will be discussed in this article.

Why do I need a thermostat for a gas heating boiler?

Any heating system is a closed circuit filled with water or antifreeze. The boiler heats the coolant, the circulation pump pumps it through a system of pipes and radiators, heating radiators transfer heat to the end consumer - heating the air in the room. In a perfectly balanced system, the boiler must operate continuously at maximum efficiency so that the amount of heat generated by the heating installation is neither more nor less than what is required at a particular time.

For this you need:

regulate the temperature of the coolant

receive data on the current temperature in the heated room

The temperature of the heat carrier is regulated depending on the temperature outside. As a rule, this device is called an outdoor temperature sensor. That is, with a connected sensor, the boiler will independently select the desired coolant temperature. This is very convenient, because sometimes the temperature outside can change over a wide range in short periods of time. Basically, these changes occur at night and the owner of a gas boiler that is not equipped with such automation is forced to constantly run around and “tweak” these settings. A particular inconvenience occurs when the boiler is located in a separate boiler room or basement.

It remains to find out what the current temperature is in the room to make a decision to turn on the boiler and constantly monitor the further change in this temperature in order to turn off the boiler when the desired value is reached. This is what is needed thermostat for gas heating boiler! It gives a signal to start and stop the boiler, depending on the set temperature in the room.

A room thermostat and an outdoor temperature sensor are different devices with different purposes, but they are an integral part of one system.

It must also be understood that the best result can only be achieved if the heating system is initially designed correctly and the rooms are properly insulated. After all, if the house has low energy efficiency, frequent switching on of the gas boiler cannot be avoided and the system will have a strong inertia.

Frequent starts of the gas boiler inevitably lead to a decrease in the resource of the actuators: fan, pump, electronic control board. Some relays used on the board have a passport reserve of 100 thousand cycles. If, for example, the boiler is turned on every ten minutes, then the passport number of cycles will be reached in about 3 years.

So we figured out that thermostat necessary to control the on and off of the gas boiler - then we will consider the principle of its operation.

What is the working principle of a gas boiler thermostat?

In modern heating systems, all processes are controlled by an electronic board. In most cases, there is a place on it for connecting a thermostat - these are two contacts connected by a jumper. The principle of operation is extremely simple: the contacts are closed - the boiler turns on, open - it does not turn on. The jumper in the standard supply of the boiler constantly closes the contacts, and the cycle of operation occurs according to its own logic set in the settings (for example, by a timer).

In the case when a thermostat is connected instead of a jumper, the contacts are closed or opened according to the logic already set by the thermostat. It turns out a switch that, either mechanically or electronically, closes and opens contacts instead of a jumper.

If the temperature of the room in which the thermostat is installed is lower than the set one, the switch will close and the boiler will start, as soon as the temperature rises to the desired one, the contacts will open and the boiler will turn off the burner. Schematically, the principle can be seen in the figure.

Depending on how the room temperature is measured, thermostats can be mechanical or electronic. The main difference is the accuracy of the readings themselves and the possibility of additional settings. Electronic room thermostats allow for a more flexible approach to temperature control and have the functions of programming operating modes at different times of the day or on different days of the week.

For example, lowering the temperature in some rooms during the day, even by a few degrees, can provide tangible savings in gas consumption over a long period of time.

What are thermostats?

According to the method of communication with the heater, thermostats can be wired and wireless.

In the latter, the module with a temperature sensor is located directly in the room in which the adjustment is carried out, and the module for closing the contacts is already installed next to the boiler and receives signals via a radio channel.

Proven in practice: the use of regulation allows you to get significant - up to 30% savings in gas consumption.

Conventional thermostats for a gas heating boiler, which were mentioned above, allow you to achieve a certain comfort and savings, but the maximum can be obtained only with the use of special temperature control schemes in each room.

This is possible only with the use of a central control unit and regulators in each room.

With this regulation, the controller makes a decision to switch on based on the set temperature parameters in each room, and to maintain the temperature in the rooms, special controllable valves on the radiators are used. The use of such systems allows for full-fledged climate control in the house and provides maximum energy savings, but their cost is, of course, significantly higher.

Also, the user gets the opportunity to remotely control the boiler via GSM connection or via a smartphone, the possibility of programming and informing about emergency situations. This is especially true for owners of country houses. Timely received information about the accident can prevent unpleasant consequences.

How is the thermostat installed?

In principle, installing a thermostat is not difficult, but if you are not sure that you have the necessary skills, it is better to use the services of a specialist.

So, the first thing to do is open the instructions (operating manual) for the gas boiler and find the layout of the connectors on the board. On the wiring diagram, the location of the place for connecting the thermostat is clearly marked and it remains only to remove the top cover of the boiler and the protective cover of the control board. There are usually no other jumpers on the board itself, and the thermostat connection point is indicated by the letters “Ta”.

Before carrying out work, it is imperative to make sure that the gas boiler is de-energized and there is no voltage on the terminals! Some Internet sources say that the signal voltage for connecting the thermostat on the boiler side is not dangerous 24 Volts - ALWAYS check it !!! For example, in BAXI boilers there are exactly 220 Volts !!!

Further, according to the instructions for the thermostat, it is necessary to connect it to the boiler board instead of a jumper and assemble everything in the reverse order. It is better to connect with an insulated copper cable with a cross section of at least 0.5 mm2.

Some thermostats support the connection of both heating and heating installations and there may be several outputs. Those. there will be a fundamental difference in the operation of the switch: what state will be in the initial position - normally closed or normally open. For heating installations, the connection must be made to a normally open initial state. When the temperature drops, the contacts will close and a signal will be sent to turn on the boiler (as an example, see the connection diagram for the ZONT H-1B GSM thermostat).

As a rule, manufacturers of boiler equipment offer thermostats as additional accessories, in principle, at fairly reasonable prices. In principle, these devices do nothing supernatural, so when choosing, first of all, you should pay attention to the price of the device and the presence of really useful functions in it, such as the ability to program and set the temperature hysteresis and accuracy. Electronic models will be preferable, as they have more precise adjustment. It is very important to choose the right place to install the thermostat. It should be located in a neutral place with respect to heat sources, preferably where it will not be exposed to sunlight.

It is also wrong to place it close to heating radiators - in this case it will quickly heat up and stop the boiler ahead of time. The location for the thermostat should be chosen to best match the comfort temperature for the occupants. Recommendations for installing a room thermostat can be found in the operating instructions.

All commercially available gas boilers, regardless of the manufacturer and the number of different functions, can initially maintain the temperature of the coolant in the supply pipe using an internal sensor. The choice of this temperature falls on the homeowner, who, with every change in weather conditions, is forced to visit the furnace and adjust the power of the water heating installation. To get rid of such inconveniences, you can install a room thermostat for a gas boiler in the house. These simplest means of automating the operation of the heating system will be discussed in this material.

Why do you need a room thermostat?

The traditional regulation of the operating power of the unit by turning the coolant temperature knob is considered indirect, since the gas boiler “does not know” the temperature in the premises of the house, but only heats the water at your command. When the weather outside worsens, heat losses increase, the room begins to cool, and heating devices give off heat more intensively. At the same time, the water in the return pipeline becomes colder, the temperature difference between the supply and return increases, and the boiler consumes more fuel to maintain the set temperature of the coolant. With further cooling, the installed power is not enough and you go to the furnace to “turn the knob” or give a new command to the controller.

Of course, during operation, each homeowner will empirically determine the position of the handle or what to set the controller, depending on the weather conditions overboard. But this will not save him from visiting the furnace, while the process can be significantly simplified by applying direct control of the power of the gas boiler according to the air temperature in the rooms. One simple way to make direct rather than indirect regulation is to use a room thermostat.

The principle of operation of the simplest thermostat is as follows: when the air temperature in the room you set is reached, the device closes the electrical circuit, which connects it to the gas boiler. The temperature-sensitive element with an expanding medium placed inside the case is responsible for this, mechanically acting on the electrical contacts. In more complex products, such an element is an electronic temperature sensor.

After the circuit is closed, the combined gas valve or the controller of the heating installation turns off the operation of the burner or switches it to the “low flame” mode, depending on the design of the unit. The coolant in the batteries cools down, the air temperature drops, as a result of which the thermocouple breaks the circuit and the burner operation resumes.

Direct control is more efficient than indirect control, since the heating of water in the system depends on the microclimate in the house, and the fuel is used exactly as much as required.

Types of thermostats

Basically, these devices can be divided into 2 groups:

• remote temperature controllers connected with wires;
• wireless room thermostats for gas boilers.

Devices of the first type are distinguished by their simplicity and reliability, as well as low cost. The design provides for constant maintenance of one temperature, set by the handle on the front side of the product. As a rule, the control range is from 10 to 30 ºС.

Different manufacturers offer models powered from an external electrical network, powered by batteries or directly from the controller of the boiler plant. The main disadvantage of this type of thermostats is that only one air temperature can be set. If you need to change it, then you need to go “turn the knob” again. In addition, some inconvenience is associated with laying wires, so it is better to install such devices during new construction and installation of a heating system.

You can set several air temperatures, which must be observed at different times of the day, on the display of the programmable controller. Moreover, it is possible to set a program for a week in advance and in this way fully automate the control of a gas boiler. In conditions where the heating system is already in operation, it is more convenient to install a programmable wireless thermostat, then the interior details will not be disturbed by the wiring.

Such devices have one drawback that deserves attention, this is the battery life, which must be monitored and changed on time. Otherwise, the device will turn off and the gas boiler will focus only on the readings of the internal sensor, heating the coolant to a high temperature.

Note. All modern battery-powered thermostats have a warning function about a low charge and the need for an early replacement of batteries.

When installing wireless appliances, connecting the thermostat to a gas boiler consists in installing a combustion unit in the room - a signal receiver and connecting it to the controller or the gas valve of the heater. That is, the installation of devices will not take you much time and money, although the product itself will cost significantly more than a simple wired thermostat.

Conclusion

Installing room temperature controllers will allow you to create comfortable conditions for the microclimate and operation of heating equipment, as well as reduce gas consumption. But it should be remembered that fuel savings are possible only after measures to prevent heat losses in the building. Otherwise, the gas flow can only increase, because the thermostat will not stop the boiler until the set temperature in the room is reached.