Why do you need a three-way valve for heating with a thermostat and how to choose it?

Three-way valve for heating with thermostat This is an important part of the heating system regulation. premises.

Heating of floors or radiators depends on water, which arrives at a certain temperature, heating the surface.

But often it's normal regulate this flow of boiling water impossible, change temperature is practically impossible. A three-way heating valve with a thermostat will help you cope with this task.

What is a three-way valve with a thermostat responsible for?

This valve narrows the duct water, due to which its amount decreases, and the outgoing heat is supplied in smaller quantities. The device is responsible for regulation of the amount of water, to control the temperature in a room or in the floor.

Device

In terms of external characteristics, a three-way valve for heating with a thermostat is very similar to a common tee for water separation, but in fact, all parts of this “tee” perform special functions.

• Thermal head with durable sensor. With the help of such a device, the temperature of the water entering the valves is adjusted and regulated.
• Upper poppet and lower poppet valves are necessary to start the mechanism, as they optimize the operation of the main valves, distilling water and thus giving it the required temperature.
• One valve, through which into the three-way valve hot water gets in.
• Second valve, through which the device gets cold water.
• Third valve, from where, with the help of the work of the upper plate and lower plate, water of the temperature that set via the thermostat.
• Pressure relief chamberThis equipment controls the water pressure in the valves, increasing their efficiency and relieving them of pressure.
• Gland seal. The device guarantees the tightness of the entire structure. It is necessary because the compartments and the heating circuit quickly fail due to any small breakdown, since water "does not like" being treated carelessly, and at a convenient opportunity tries to leak out of the pipes, flooding the surrounding space.

Operating principle

Exists two types of design:

• saddle;
• turning.

The operating principle of the device depends on the type of structure installed.

1. If this is saddle, then the displacement rests on the translational motion, where stock constantly getting into the saddle and then flying out of it.

   The saddle is either completely closed by the stem, or only slightly opens the mouth, releasing water. Thus, the saddle type of design drives water and regulates the amount of hot or cold liquid output from two valves, simultaneously mixing and transferring the resulting water, according to temperature and quantity, into the “mixing” compartment.

2. If this is turning, then the regulator is not the rod, but a small ball or sector (part of a sphere). This device works like a regular ball valve: the ball rotates, allowing the passage of liquid either from the hot water compartment or from the cold water tap, as with a saddle system, only instead of a rod there is a ball that works without a saddle. on the overlap of two valves. From 3 valves mixed water comes out, set at a temperature through a thermostat.

The temperature set through the device is saved in the gap between two compartments with hot and cold water supply. When it changes, the gas located in this place begins to narrow or expand, depending on the change in adjustment parameters.

This gas presses on the stem or on the ball, opening it slightly. one of the valves, thus the required amount of water flows out and a new temperature is formed, corresponding to the set one.

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Types of valve drives

Valve actuator types:

1. Direct acting valvesThey work as follows: when the temperature changes, the expanding gas presses on a ball, sector or rod.

   The thermal part of the three-way valve is located here, however, this equipment is not present in all devices. The sensor in such a device can be a probe located inside the pipeline.

2. Indirect acting valves. They work in much the same way as direct acting valves, differing only in a smaller, but no less important, functioning.

Three-way thermostatic mixing valves:

1. Mixing. This device has 2 pipes, one of which is an outlet. The first branch pipe is equipped with warm or hot water, and the second is connected to the "return" system, i.e. all the cooled water remaining after the previous heating returns to it. When both branches are opened, the water mixes and the desired temperature for the outlet is set under the control of the thermostat. Then the water spreads throughout the entire circuit.
2. Dividing valve — is a device that works in reverse to a mixing tap, not combining water into one stream through the outlet, but, on the contrary, dividing the whole mixture of water of different temperatures into hot or cold. For this type, there is one input and two outputs. The design is used in bathrooms, when it is necessary to have hot water only from one tap and cold water only from the other tap.

Electric Cranes

Advantages:

• The main advantage of electric cranes is easy assembly or disassembly. In order to install the device, the technician does not need to be a highly qualified specialist who understands the intricacies of electricity, mechanics, or simply technical crafts. Anyone can install the equipment, which reduces the final cost of purchasing and installing additional materials for the heating system.

  

  Photo 1. Electric drive for a three-way valve model Elbi, manufacturer - "Ariston", Italy.

• The design of the device itself expands the boundaries of position control crane using two microswitches, conveniently installed and having multi-color LEDs, responsible for different temperatures, both hot and cold, and warm. Simplification of regulation is also carried out with the help of a simple indicator-handle of manual control, allowing you to control the temperature and set more precise parameters of heating or cooling.
• Another positive feature, which distinguishes a three-way valve with an electric drive from a conventional one - this is quick attach crane due to additional fittings, included in the set of provided heating equipment. Again, the buyer can carry out installation or dismantling himself, without resorting to the help of specialists.

The principle of operation of such a valve is not much different from the usual one. However, there are some subtleties. Unlike a simple device, here the temperature is regulated by an electric drive, which takes temperature readings (sensor). Next, information is sent to the controller, it gives the command to the rod or ball (segment) to rise or fall to achieve the required heating of the water.

Valve for underfloor heating

In the toilet or bathroom, and sometimes in the kitchen (in rooms with a small area), heated floors are installed without mixing unit. There is no technical need for such a compartment.

For good regulation and fine temperature control, use simple system with a rod. This is more practical and much cheaper, because the floors are heated with the help of small branches, so the mixing unit will be simply useless.

How to choose

It is usually not possible to return defective equipment in this area because the shortcomings are immediately visible, but here are the necessary parameters that are still worth checking to be sure of the quality of the product:

1. License or certificate about the quality of the equipment. The first and main thingto ensure that the product is not being resold.

   Attention! Otherwise, the three-way valve for heating with a thermostat will be held fewer years, if it doesn't leak at all after the first minutes of use.

2. It is worth considering that the best metals that combine well and can withstand hot water are: gold, bronze and brass. By purchasing products made from such metals, the consumer increases their resistance to leakage for a large number of years.

3. 

   The main criterion is attentiveness to thread of the product and its dimensions. Many buyers often miss this point, purchasing other sizes, differing by a few millimeters.

   In this way they prescribe themselves wet floors and flooding from the first seconds of heating the room.

Wiring diagram

Each device is usually supplied with hints, a connection guide that must be used.

1. There is a direction two types devices: with a symmetrical or T-shaped scheme, with an asymmetrical or L-shaped scheme. When installing T-shaped model water enters the valve through end holes. After mixing, the water comes out through the central hole. in the second version The warm flow enters from the end, and the cold one enters from below. The liquid exits through the second end after mixing to the required temperature.

2. 

   When installing a mixing valve, if it is necessary, it cannot be placed with the actuator or thermostatic head facing down.

3. A check is required before starting the launch. They shut off all the taps and water, check the pipeline and the remains of bags and other parts in it after opening the box with the three-valve.

   If everything is ok, then you can start up, but not at full power, but graduallyto quickly notice a leak or accumulation of water in one place due to blockage. It is best to prevent such things immediately to ensure long-term operation of the equipment.

How to install in the heating system

To install, you will first need to assemble the three-way valve itself, attaching a thermostat to it.

After completing this easy procedure in three holes Usually hoses or pipes with water of different temperatures are connected: One is hot, the second is cold, and the third remains empty.

Having thus connected the heating system, connected to the main heating circuit, before that it is necessary having checked the tightness work done. When the water is turned on and supplied to the entire heating system, the rod or ball will work automatically using physical forces, without requiring special activation.

Useful video

Check out this video on how to properly install a three-way valve.

Relevance

There are a huge number of them on the market completely different in design, and by the angle of the valve outlet and inlet, which have very diverse characteristics, so finding the one that suits a specific case is not the slightest bit difficult.