Anyone know anything about heating controls?

[uksparks]

Hi,

I have just swapped my ancient potterton room stat with a new Honeywell DT90E, just because there's now no argument about what temperature its at.

I have a a non condensing boiler with indirect heating via a coil thing (i think) which is unvented.

Its a Potterton Suprima 60L 78.15 Efficient D rated boiler which kicks out 17.6kW.

See link: Potterton Suprima 60L Gas - Boiler Efficiency Ratings

Reason for my concern and want to do something is because the gas bill for the last 4 weeks was £150, the last house it was only £35 per month ish, but this was 312 units, £150 of actual usage not guesstimated.

Anyway, see the photos below of what I have.

I have 15 Radiators and want to know if I can make it all wireless and have a stat in each room, so would want probably 8 room stats.

Can I do this with what I have? I have a TRV on each radiator, but what I want to know is, can I change them all for wireless and pair them all with the relevant radiators so that I can turn the heating up in one room and it opens the stat or something?

Do you see what im getting at?

 

[Octopus]

The meter readings, I took them myself and did it online.

See below.

View attachment 27402

nice. Is your house "occupied" during the day? Have you considered a programmable room stat?

 

[uksparks]

Yes the Mrs is here most of the day, to be honest now I e set the temp to 20 degrees is feels a bit nippy.

what am I looking for with the frost thing? Can you describe what it might look like please.

 

[uksparks]

UK Sparks. These are some really good points from LeeSparky. Spot on.

Yes it is indeed, you are all very helpful thank you.

 

[David M]

Having the stat on the boiler turned right up shouldn't really make a difference on your gas bill as long as you have a room thermostat and hot water cylinder thermostat, these thermostats determine when to switch the boiler on and off , the thermostat on the boiler just controls the flow temperature so in theory if this is down low it would cost you more to run as it will take longer to heat the hot water and get the room up to temp. If you have a frost stat you should also have a pipe stat without the pipe stat the boiler will just keep running until the frost stat gets up to temperature. Also is the room thermostat in a room with a trv? ( they could be competing against each other).

I had a quick chat with my colleague (he is an experienced central heating engineer) Yeah you are quite correct, on a boiler of this age the flow rate temp set high might not significantly effect the efficiency of the boiler. Unless the return temperature was significantly different than the outgoing. I know that more modern boilers are more efficient when the flow rate temp is set at around 70% of its max.

One thing he did mentioned is that to try and balance the system as best possible

hope this helps

 

[Octopus]

how different is the old house to the new one? construction? size? age?

 

[uksparks]

I'll one was 1985, 3 bed semi, large double rooms, has had 8 rads.

the new one is a 4 bed detached, 4 double rooms.

The old house, it had an electric shower, it's now off the tank.

 

[uksparks]

I had a quick chat with my colleague (he is an experienced central heating engineer) Yeah you are quite correct, on a boiler of this age the flow rate temp set high might not significantly effect the efficiency of the boiler. Unless the return temperature was significantly different than the outgoing. I know that more modern boilers are more efficient when the flow rate temp is set at around 70% of its max.

One thing he did mentioned is that to try and balance the system as best possible

hope this helps

ill have ago at balancing it, the flow and return, I guess I could measure the temp of the pipes if that would achieve anything?

 

[Simon-0116]

Just a quick thought is boiler coming on on own ie someone next door on wireless and turning it on. Mine did couldnt under stand why house warm boiler on when i came home. Changed dip switches and now good.

 

[David M]

ill have ago at balancing it, the flow and return, I guess I could measure the temp of the pipes if that would achieve anything?

I don't think it would make that much difference to be honest, just crank it down to about 3/4 the way and see if it has any adverse effect. There'd be no harm done in doing so.

Its always worth balancing the system as best possible anyhow, so I would recommend you do that even if this does not have a positive effect on your gas bill.

On a side note, you are comparing two completely different dwellings with different systems, boilers, rads, insulation.....

 

[Deleted member 72666]

I'll one was 1985, 3 bed semi, large double rooms, has had 8 rads.

the new one is a 4 bed detached, 4 double rooms.

The old house, it had an electric shower, it's now off the tank.

Well that explains a lot, you have lost your next door neighbours 'subsidy' and bigger and more rooms to heat!

 

[Leesparkykent]

Google Honeywell t4360A this is what a frost stat looks like, you normally only have a frost stat if the boiler is located in a garage, loft,outhouse, etc if the boiler is located inside the house ie the kitchen I doubt you will have frost protection. Is the room thermostat located in the direct draft of the front door? Every time the front door opens it could be dropping the temperature a lot and kicking the thermostat in.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Stick a thermometer next to your room thermostat and monitor it, to make sure the room thermostat reading is true.

 

[tazz]

My house was built in 1832, and no cavity walls, been 10 year renovating it. So now double glazing, loft insulating is all I can really do.....After big gas bills, I fitted a condenser combi, with one way valve in each room, each valve is controlled by its own timed digi stat. With bathroom and landing being free flow radiators, to continue after run flow. Now each bedroom has its own temp setting as does the lounge. Main bedroom 22 deg, spare bedroom 16 deg and lounge 23 deg. During the day all bedrooms are off, and only lounge is on. After 9pm bedrooms can then call for heat. 12am all off, 6am all on, 8am lounge only etc....next good thing, if we lite our open fire lounge goes off, due to heat, and bedrooms come on at 9pm so still warm upstairs........has cut bill from £120 to £75 per month. Note there must be at least one radiator uncontrolled in the system to allow pump to circulate.

 

[Octopus]

How much insulation in the loft?

Moving from a semi to a larger detached was always going to result in higher bills

Best bet would be to install the IT Salus 500 and you'll be able to monitor what your misses does with the heating controls when you are out and about!

 

[davesparks]

If a frost stat is fitted it is very sensible to also have a pipe stat on the return to the boiler (set at ~20C) this prevents it from running for a long time on the frost stat.