Adding second thermostat?

[Simon Foster]

Hi,

We've currently got a wired programmable thermostat downstairs in the lounge, this works great keeping the downstairs nice and warm but in the evening and during the night the upstairs is a little colder.

What would be best way of adding a second upstairs thermostat - is it possible to run a second programmable thermostat in parallel as the thermostat simply makes an on connection?

Ideally I would like the downstairs to control the heating during the day, and upstairs at night - having a baby we just leave the heating on permanently and let the thermostat control when it runs.

Si

[Paul]

I would have thought so, there's no reason why two programmable stats can't be put in parallel, but of course downstairs may then overheat!

How about thermostatic valves on all downstairs rads and move the stat upstairs? (Replacing it with a wireless one might be simplest.) Although assuming you don't have a combo boiler, this may cycle the boiler more frequently than desirable.

The proper solution of course is to divide the house into two zones with independant systems in each zone. Anything else is tinkering to some extent.

Paul.

Sim> Hi,

[Richard Faulkner]

In message , Simon Foster writes

Does the thermostat control temperature as well as time/ If so, why not set it a few degrees higher at night. Downstairs will be warmer than necessary, but upstairs will be just right, (unless that is what you are doing already).

[David Hansen]

On Thu, 26 Jan 2006 12:38:42 -0000 someone who may be "Simon Foster" wrote this:-

Assuming the public rooms are downstairs and bedrooms upstairs, sounds like its working as it should. Bedrooms are generally colder by design. If you want one of the bedrooms warmer, try adjusting the radiator in the room.

It sounds like what you need is a heating zone downstairs and a heating zone upstairs. Each will have a programmable thermostat controlling a motorised valve. How easy such a system is to fit depends on the pipe layout in your house. It will cost more money than a bodge.

[John Stumbles]

As others have said you can divide the system into zones.

However assuming the upstairs doesn't get warm enough even with rad valves (TRVs I hope) turned up then you should get an improvement by turning

*down* the radiator(s) in the room where the thermostat is. (This also assumes there aren't other faults in the system e.g. rads not balanced.)

[Simon Foster]

I think you're probably right that the radiators need re-balancing - they've been on and off all year for decorating and not set back up properly.

Si

[meow2222]

If you want to switch the downstairs heat only off during the night, one way to do it is to use a timer that comes on at night, running, via atransformer, a 2w resistor on each downstairs TRV. That'll make them close when the timer is on. A simple way to create 2 heating zones.

NT