Central Heating System

[david]

Is it safe whilst leaving my house unattended to

1) Leave the Combi-boiler on (to avoid frozen pipes) 2) Turn the water mains off (in case my pipes leak, etc.)

[IMM]

Yes. Just leave the system on 24 hours and set the thermostat to a lower temperature.

Good thing to do.

[PoP]

I would consider fitting a frost stat, and turn the CH off.

If the temperature plummets below the setting of the frost stat it will override the CH setting and turn the system on, to raise the temperature by a few degrees.

This can be better than leaving the CH on as you would typically set it to come on/go off on a timer - if the temperature plummeted outside of the timed "on" period(s) then the system will have to cope until the next on period.

Not so with the frost stat.

PoP

[IMM]

A frost stat is a fail safe mechanism in that is brings on the CH even if the time clocks are off. It is best to have the system set to 12C. Below

10C the furnishings can start to be effected with cold and damp.

[Dave Plowman]

The IMM misinformation machine in overdrive...

[Owain]

"Dave Plowman" wrote | IMM wrote: | > Below 10C the furnishings can start to be effected with cold and damp. | The IMM misinformation machine in overdrive...

I had a previous computer keyboard that refused to work in the mornings until I'd got the temperature in the lounge up to about 15-16C.

Mind you, I was a bit sluggish at those temperatures too.

Owain

[IMM]

In commercial offices 15C is the low limit, when unoccupied. When I am away I always tend to leave the heating around 15C.

[Dave Plowman]

Well, yes, but then the house isn't unoccupied.

[geoff]

In message , IMM writes

Really ?

affected

[PoP]

The OP was concerned about protecting against pipe rupture if the pipes froze. The actual setting of the frost stat isn't particularly important here, so long as it is on the positive side of zero degrees.

I've always worked on the principle of a frost stat being set to about

5C for protecting pipework. Nowt wrong with 12C, though the boiler might be burning more often than is strictly necessary.

PoP

Replying to the email address given by my news reader will result in your own email address being instantly added to my anti-spam database! If you really want to contact me try changing the prefix in the given email address to my newsgroup posting name.....

[The Natural Philosopher]

The most tellin exapmples of temperature sensitivity I came across were in pretty much teh forts and last bits of hardware I ever built.

The first one was a kit radio reciever. It stopped working in teh sun. It tokk me about 4 more years to understand why, and realise that at teh tender age f 16, I was now a better designer than teh bloke who designed that one..

..the last was in a sqweaty basement of a computer manufacturing company, with an 8088 in circuit emulator. It used to start to show crap about lunchtime. I remembered my early exoeriences, and we read teh fine prnt on the case 'operating range 0-25 degreec C ambient).

We begged a thermometer off the hardware boys, and stuck it on the case. Sure enough, and 26 degrees, it packed up,.

We got our air conditioning after that..

Most consumer electronics is good for 0-50C. LCD's pack up under heat, but reciver.

Howbver the reality of teh cxomplexcity of digital design often means that the odd sample board with tolerances all the wrong way will not do the full temp range, even tho every component will, to its spec. Only mil spec equipment is designed so that it works with EVERY component at WORST case.

with commercial eqpt, its a design so that 99% will work in average user conditions, and replace the other 1% under warranty. Cheaper.

[IMM]

Yes. It overrides everything as long as power is on. Provided it is implemented properly.

[IMM]

You got it wrong. Frost stat to fire up above 0-2C. Just run the CH 24 hrs at 12-15C.

[Dave Plowman]

One minute you're on and on about saving energy, and the next you throw it away. Keeping a house at 15 degrees while you're on holiday in the winter is nonsense.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Of course. What did you expect?

[IMM]

I assume this foolish comment is from the DeWalt wearing boot man. Yellow Boots!!!! Some mothers.... And he boasts about not having his boiler serviced for 10 years, and thinks that is a cool thing to do. Then he knows all about heating. Morale of the story? Yellow boots go to your head.

You expect the furnishing to deteriorate under 15C. Duh!! Another know it all who knows nothing!!

[Dave Plowman]

Wonder what planet he's from?

[Dave Plowman]

Perhaps IMM buys the same quality house furnishings as he does power tools?

Everything from B&Q - nice.

[geoff]

You've been attending the IMM skul of speling, haven't you

[IMM]

I do it to confuse him,. I have succeeded.