With a room thermostat for a gas boiler, your home will always have the perfect temperature!
A thermostat or thermostatic controller is an important component in a heating system. Its main function is comparison of data received from the temperature sensor with the user's individual settings.
This helps to turn the heating on and off in time, achieving the optimal temperature in the room and minimal energy consumption.
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Thermostat for gas heating boilers: what is it, operating principle, is it needed
Thermoregulator consists of two steel strips, which are used as an electrical contact for a switch in the heating circuit of a gas boiler.
The nominal contact drops in the event of a sharp drop in temperature, thereby switching off the heating function.
After the climate changes, the necessary valves open automatically, and the boiler starts working again.
The thermostat body is usually made of white plastic. LEDs are used to illuminate the screen. The room temperature measurement range for most devices is from 0 to 40 °C.
Basically, thermostats are bought in order to save money. Lowering the temperature in the house even One degree reduces gas consumption by 4%. Due to the fact that the device reduces the number of boiler activations, the apartment owners' expenses on gas are also reduced. In addition, this helps to ensure the preservation of all equipment components, which wear out less and last longer.
Reference. For most models, the response threshold is 0.25 degrees: if the temperature in the house is a quarter of a degree lower than the set temperature, the boiler turns on.
What does buying a thermostat give you:
- savings on utility costs (minus 15-25%);
- setting a comfortable temperature - the ability to choose from 2 to 6 modes;
- reducing the frequency of boiler switching on;
- protection against room overheating and dry air;
- increasing the service life of the equipment, in particular the circulation pump, due to careful use of the boiler.
Individual temperature setting will suit for families with children, where you always need to maintain a comfortable regime, as well as for people with particular sensitivity to temperature changes.
Types of thermostats and how they work
There are many types of thermostats, from expensive wireless programmers to mechanical room units. Due to the simple electronic design, the cost of purchasing this device is minimal. But the benefits of its use are enormous and many owners of gas equipment have long understood this.
Thermostats work due to:
- electricity;
- built-in battery;
- connections to the electronic board of the gas appliance.
Devices can be built-in, remote (room), analog, digital, wired and wireless.
The price depends on the model chosen and varies on average from 180 to 12 thousand rubles. The most expensive are wireless models that control the boiler operation using a radio signal. Cheaper are mechanical ones that are connected with a special cable.
The most advanced options are wireless with a digital display that shows the current room temperature and other data. Modern models provide the ability to use up to 5-6 temperature modes.
Device type: mechanical, electronic, electromechanical
Mechanical thermostats are the most affordable models. They are connected to the bottom of the boiler using a two-wire cable and are attached to the wall at a distance of 0.5 m away from windows or doors and away from direct sunlight.
Technical parameters:
- measurement range +5 from +50 °C;
- measurement accuracy - +1 °C (error up to 1-2%);
- gas-filled bellows;
- average power 3.5 kW.
The thermostat is connected to the boiler by two copper wires, through which control commands are sent. The required temperature parameters are set by turning the knob with divisions.
Electronic thermostats are more modern models of temperature controllers, which also provide precise regulation (error maximum 1%). Inside the thermostat there is a temperature sensor, a signal transmitter and a thermal relay. There are electronic models more expensive, than mechanical ones.
Photo 1. Electronic thermostat for a gas boiler. Has an LCD display on which you can see the heating temperature.
Technical parameters:
- measurement range from +5 to +35 °C;
- convenient operating display;
- humidity controller;
- temperature indication with accuracy up to 0.5 or 0.1ºC;
- built-in LED for backlight;
- multi-core wire with a tip.
Electronic models can be programmed for a day or for a week, ask up to 6 time intervals with individual temperature, as well as sleep mode and "vacation". The boiler operating status is monitored using the LCD display. Inside electromechanical thermostats there is a relay, which is responsible for turning the boiler on and off. These devices are a little more expensive than mechanical ones, but cheaper than electrical ones.
Reference. There are models with bimetallic plate and contact group, as well as thermostats with a capillary tube. In the first case, the boiler starts up due to the plate, heating up to a certain temperature, bending and opening the contacts. In the second case, the signal is given as a result of the expansion of the liquid in the tube during heating.
Technical parameters:
- measurement range from +5 to +40 °С;
- stainless steel bellows;
- convenient display for setting the temperature;
- Automatic heating switch-on.
The accuracy of regulation in thermostats of this type is not very high.
Temperature control method: wired, with remote control
Wired thermostats. The device uses a special cable to transmit the control signal. These are affordable devices that are rarely found on sale anymore.
They can be programmed to the desired temperature in manual modeThere are also expensive wired models that regulate the heat supply in the heating circuit based on the temperature readings in the apartment.
Thermostats with remote control - a remote control is used that transmits a signal from a distance up to 30-40 meters (the sensor is built into the remote control).
The device has non-volatile memory. In case of power failure, all settings are saved in memory. Sometimes, one remote control can be used to start several objects at once. Connection GSM module or control systems via Wi-Fi Available for wireless models only.
Differences in functionality: conventional, programmable, with hydrostat function
Ordinary Thermostats have an on/off button and a manually rotating temperature control dial. These are the simplest models and are quite inexpensive. They are usually purchased for a summer house or other housing where control over the heating system is rarely required.
Programmable thermostats allow you to set the desired temperature parameters. They have a programming function (on average up to 5-6 switching of temperature modes per day). It is possible to have one daily program for weekdays and another for the weekend, or an individual one for each day of the week. Optimal sensor settings reduce the temperature in the house when no one is there, as well as, for example, at night.
Photo 2. Programmable electronic thermostat for a gas boiler. The device can be used to set the required parameters.
The savings with such a programmable device are much higher than with a conventional thermostat (up to 30%). Expensive models may have EBus communication bus and other useful functions. EBus allows data exchange between the heating boiler and the sensor and, accordingly, changes the power according to the signal from the thermostat depending on the set temperature in the room.
Thermostats with hydrostat function — these are not ordinary thermostats, but devices with the ability to control the humidity level in the room. You will be able to track this indicator and use the mode to decrease or increase humidity.
By location: outdoor, indoor
Street thermostat. There are weather-dependent programmers that control the temperature inside the apartment, based on the weather outside.
If it is freezing outside, the boiler will automatically increase gas consumption and, conversely, when it gets warmer, heating will decrease.
It is possible to control such a device via a smartphone or other gadget. Cost of weather-dependent thermostats from 6 thousand rublesThey are considered more efficient in terms of cost savings and are in high demand in the market.
Outdoor thermostats are protected from freezing. They can have functions such as "meeting" or "vacation", i.e. the ability to meet the owner after an absence with the desired temperature or reduce energy consumption to a minimum for a period of rest outside the home.
Indoor thermostat. This type of device is installed in the room and works by circulating air, and not heating water in the boiler. The device is equipped with a digital display and can be easily programmed. One device is installed for the entire house and works on the principle of a bimetallic spring.
The device can only be mounted at a distance of 1.5 meters from the floor and away from constant drafts. It will turn off the gas boiler when the temperature in the house reaches a set point and turn it on when the temperature drops 1-2 °C lower.
How to choose a thermostat for a gas boiler?
To select a thermostat you need to decide how often it will be usedIf you plan to use it constantly, you won’t find better wireless models with different temperature modes.
When choosing this option, pay attention to the presence of a control function via telephone, integration into the smart home system.
Frequently used thermostat is possible, for example, if you have a double-circuit boiler and you heat water for bathing every day.
Attention! Frequent switching on and off provokes not only extra costs, but also wear and tear on the boiler. By purchasing a thermostat, manual boiler adjustment will become a thing of the past.
If the heating unit starts and stops from time to time, then it is quite possible to get by with the simplest models with a minimum of modes and functions. Always pay attention to how much you can save in the future by using a thermostat, as well as its service life. Ease of control is also important, for example, using the remote control you can set all the necessary modes without getting up from the couch.
Useful video
Watch the video to see how to connect a room thermostat to a gas boiler.
Optimal choice
Thermostats are a convenient thing to use in the household. With their help, you can reduce your gas or electricity costs, as well as extend the service life of an expensive boiler. Increasing the temperature above the mark at 20 degrees leads to an increase in fuel consumption of almost by 10%. The thermostat will help reduce expenses by 25% only for the winter season and maintain an individual and comfortable temperature in the house.
Weather-dependent models will cost the most, but if you live in a cold region, this is the best way to sensibly heat your home without overpaying.
By the way, the savings from using such models are higher than from installing conventional ones. According to the users themselves Thermostats pay for themselves quickly through savings on utility costs.
The most popular are thermostats "Overtrop", "Monolith", Protherm, Salus. Bosch, Vaillant. When choosing a model, pay attention to functionality, installation method, ease of control and other important technical parameters.
If the sensitivity range does not suit you, it can be adjusted using the jumper on the thermostat board. And if it is difficult to do it yourself, it is better to contact the service center. Usually, they have a sensitivity range of 1 degree from the factory, which is quite acceptable. The main thing is to install it at a height of 1.5 meters and away from heating devices and the door, since it should sense the average temperature in the room.