Heating Automation - Phase 1 complete!

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  • JonS
    Automated Home Guru
    • Dec 2007
    • 202

    Heating Automation - Phase 1 complete!

    With the discussion on retrofitting I thought I'd share an update on my long runnning project to automate my heating while retaining the standard controls (a SWMBO prerequisite). As mentioned in an earlier pot I spent hours first tracing out where all the original wires went, figuring out why they went there and what they did and then working out how to automate. TBH a pencil and paper would have been way quicker than Visio, but Visio does at least allow you to move things around and keep them connected. In the end the penny dropped when it was pointed out that wiring two outputs of relays together so that either could e.g. "call for heat" was not a problem as long as they don't compete for control.
    The second hurdle was finding out I had a over-temp cut out in the circuit and then figuring out how to include that.
    So I have a pair of change over switches (an old double gang light switch, on left in pic) to swap the power to either the timeclock and UFH control or automation; the second switches the output of the over-temp device to the appropriate pump control.
    Finally SWMBO embargoed me from starting until it got warmer so a brief spell of sunshine had me heading for the understairs cupboard!
    Phase1 was to incorporate the change over switches and allow "normal" controls to continue. So I don't have automation yet, but I do now have a green light to proceed to Phase 2
    I hope this encourages anyone else struggling to get their heads around heating. Many thanks to those that have answered my PMs and put me on the right road.
    Attached Files
    JonS
  • eddr
    Automated Home Sr Member
    • Mar 2011
    • 51

    #2
    Jesus that box looks complicated.....

    It's funny you posted this, I've been telling a few people what we plan on doing in our house with the automation etc.... and everyone who I have told has always asked "Are you going to be able to control the heating" - This isn't something I'd thought about until now, and your thread reminded me again.

    I don't know how our heating is controlled in our new house yet, but reading through your post.... doesn't look simple ?

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    • JonS
      Automated Home Guru
      • Dec 2007
      • 202

      #3
      There is a learning curve! There are some standard wiring layouts for heating http://www.home-heating-systems-and-...ng-design.html
      Mine is S-plan Plus for upstairs rads, downstairs under floor heating, hot water.

      Running down from the top the picture contains
      Heating isolator switch
      a pair of patress boxes containing what plumbers call a "wiring centre"
      an underfloor heating controller.

      The only addition from the standard controls here is an additional patress box (on the left) with a twin change over switch.

      So instead of having a heating and hot water timer relay "calling for heat" there will be an Idratek relay doing the same job.
      The wires here feed into the existing thermostats in hot water cyclinder and the appropriate zone valves.

      Get your head around heating control, incl the wiring of zone valves (so many wires!) and adding automation to an existing scheme won’t seem so bad… after a time

      It is more complex than lighting and even wall sockets, but I hope worth it in the end!
      JonS
      JonS

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