Heated towel rail, hot water (not electric), what kind of object to add?

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  • marcuslee
    Automated Home Ninja
    • Dec 2009
    • 279

    Heated towel rail, hot water (not electric), what kind of object to add?

    Hi All,

    We've a heated hot water towel rail (powered by a pump which gets activated to pump hot water through).

    Should the relay [switching the pump] get added as an electrical load relay or zone valve?

    I ask, as it seems like if you add it as an electrical load relay, you can't add connections to it to the HVAC object.

    And if you add it as a zone valve, you create a user menu manually turning on/off the zone valve object?

    Advice appreciated,

    Marcus
  • Karam
    Automated Home Legend
    • Mar 2005
    • 863

    #2
    Could you elaborate a bit further on what you want to achieve? I.e Is the towel rail the source of heat for the room such that it is directly responsible for room temperature control? Or is it just to be used on some kind of schedule and/or with user overrides? Other?

    Comment

    • marcuslee
      Automated Home Ninja
      • Dec 2009
      • 279

      #3
      Originally posted by Karam View Post
      Could you elaborate a bit further on what you want to achieve? I.e Is the towel rail the source of heat for the room such that it is directly responsible for room temperature control? Or is it just to be used on some kind of schedule and/or with user overrides? Other?
      Hi Karam,

      Thanks for reply.

      I was thinking I would have configured it for use as the supplementary heating source for the bathroom. However I also wanted to retain the ability for users to turn it on and off manually too some how.

      Comment

      • chris_j_hunter
        Automated Home Legend
        • Dec 2007
        • 1713

        #4
        HVAC objects can be enabled / disabled …

        and it's possible to have multiple HVAC objects …

        so wonder if that gives a route … ??
        Our self-build - going further with HA...

        Comment

        • Viv
          Automated Home Ninja
          • Dec 2004
          • 284

          #5
          When Idratek has done installations towel rail control is usefull to be as an HVAC object and the towel rail switching as a HVAC slave object.

          Typically you want the towel rail to come on even if the room is up to temperature. By defining a temperature on occupied that is perhaps higher than typical room temperature (rooms HVAC) it ensures most of the time it comes on for required period and duration. Also if the room gets very warm (perhaps summer) then it does not come on. Also its easy to override and bring on as required.

          Viv

          Comment

          • marcuslee
            Automated Home Ninja
            • Dec 2009
            • 279

            #6
            Originally posted by Viv View Post
            When Idratek has done installations towel rail control is usefull to be as an HVAC object and the towel rail switching as a HVAC slave object.

            Typically you want the towel rail to come on even if the room is up to temperature. By defining a temperature on occupied that is perhaps higher than typical room temperature (rooms HVAC) it ensures most of the time it comes on for required period and duration. Also if the room gets very warm (perhaps summer) then it does not come on. Also its easy to override and bring on as required.

            Viv
            Thanks for everyone's replies! To confirm, does that mean:
            - create another HVAC object, but connect it to relay controlling towel rail
            - connect existing room HVAC object via "to Supplementary Heat Source connections" to this towel rail HVAC object (<- I ask as it only seems to list zone valves in the connections, General)
            - with set point of room higher than what you want it will call heated towel rail HVAC object into action
            - you can still have a manual menu to switch the HVAC object on/off manually?

            Comment

            • Viv
              Automated Home Ninja
              • Dec 2004
              • 284

              #7
              - create another HVAC object, but connect it to relay controlling towel rail

              Yes create a second HVAC object just to control the towel rail.
              Using a relay container, assign one of the relays to a Slave Control which will be used to turn towel rail on/off.

              - connect existing room HVAC object via "to Supplementary Heat Source connections" to this towel rail HVAC object (<- I ask as it only seems to list zone valves in the connections, General)

              No. Connect the new towel rail HVAC Heating Zone connection to the Towel rail Slave control as a normal load.
              No need for Supplimental heating connections or use, which is a different subject.

              - with set point of room higher than what you want it will call heated towel rail HVAC object into action

              Yes.

              - you can still have a manual menu to switch the HVAC object on/off manually?

              You can interact with the towel rail HVAC as normal

              NOTE: You can, if required, have the normal rooms HVAC call the towel rail to heat the room as well as the Towel rail HVAC. That is if your room is heated by underfloor heating or a radiator and they are not man enough for the job, the towel rail can also be pressed into service.
              This can be the case every time room heat is called for by using the Heating Zone connection of the main room HVAC to the towel rail slave control.

              Equally if room heating is struggling some time, the towel rail could be used as a supplimental heat source with its appropriate conditions of use.
              Perhaps a connection diagram is required?

              Viv.

              Comment

              • marcuslee
                Automated Home Ninja
                • Dec 2009
                • 279

                #8
                Originally posted by Viv View Post
                - create another HVAC object, but connect it to relay controlling towel rail

                Yes create a second HVAC object just to control the towel rail.
                Using a relay container, assign one of the relays to a Slave Control which will be used to turn towel rail on/off.

                - connect existing room HVAC object via "to Supplementary Heat Source connections" to this towel rail HVAC object (<- I ask as it only seems to list zone valves in the connections, General)

                No. Connect the new towel rail HVAC Heating Zone connection to the Towel rail Slave control as a normal load.
                No need for Supplimental heating connections or use, which is a different subject.

                - with set point of room higher than what you want it will call heated towel rail HVAC object into action

                Yes.

                - you can still have a manual menu to switch the HVAC object on/off manually?

                You can interact with the towel rail HVAC as normal

                NOTE: You can, if required, have the normal rooms HVAC call the towel rail to heat the room as well as the Towel rail HVAC. That is if your room is heated by underfloor heating or a radiator and they are not man enough for the job, the towel rail can also be pressed into service.
                This can be the case every time room heat is called for by using the Heating Zone connection of the main room HVAC to the towel rail slave control.

                Equally if room heating is struggling some time, the towel rail could be used as a supplimental heat source with its appropriate conditions of use.
                Perhaps a connection diagram is required?

                Viv.
                Thanks for reply Viv. Hmm I think I'll give it a go first and see if I can do it / connection diagram hopefully not needed.

                Comment

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