Control radiators using thermostat dial?

[JonathanM]

But won't the rads still heat up every so oftern like they do when it's timed to be off but still fire up and then off again.

Yes, but that's a good thing. Otherwise the pipes might freeze and burst.

 

[MNW67]

Also, if it is a programmable thermostat, the boiler timeswitch should be set to be permanently 'on' 24/7 and looking at the tappets that doesn't seem to be the case with yours.

I think just to the right of the ring of tappets there is a switch which is in the down position, which I think means permanently on. The position is not very clear in the photo, but I think it is down.

 

[MNW67]

Really the timeswitch on the boiler should be permanently on?
I just want to stop the rads firing up every couple of hours while I'm away for a week and turning the sat down to 5c does turns the rads off it doesn't stop them firing up every couple of hours or so.

The black dial timewsitch on the boiler needs to be permanently on so that it doesn't interfere with the thermostat. It looks like it already is to me, in which case it's best just to leave it alone.

I don't know where you are, but lots of the country is set to be below freezing for the next week. You need the boiler and the radiators to come on, otherwise you might end up with a broken boiler and burst pipes.

 

[Mottie]

Really the timeswitch on the boiler should be permanently on?
I just want to stop the rads firing up every couple of hours while I'm away for a week and turning the sat down to 5c does turns the rads off it doesn't stop them firing up every couple of hours or so.

My digital thermostat has the facility to set a frost protection setting for the SYSTEM when set in holiday mode as well as the boiler having its own frost protection facility. If you only have a boiler protection facility, I'd be inclined to either turn it on permanently leave it on a low setting or leave it on timed setting and turn the temp down. You wont use that much gas.

 

[ianmcd]

you need to switch the small boiler timer to constantly on , as it is in your pictures, and the boiler controls to winter (heating and HW on) then set the room thermostat to OFF, open all radiator TRVs, the thermostat will now activate the heating only when the temp where the thermostat is situated reaches 5 degrees (factory set) this can be adjusted in parameter D" between 3 and 10 degrees but best left at factory set, it is important that you set the room thermostat to off or it will still come on at the times it is programmed to do

 

[blackcloud]

What if while away next week, I turn sat to 5c, then turn all rads down manually to frost bite protection? Or leave the sat as it is ie coming on when temperature drops below 21c at set times and just turn all the rads down manually to frost bite protection ie the photo?

 

[stem]

Really the timeswitch on the boiler should be permanently on?
I just want to stop the rads firing up every couple of hours while I'm away for a week and turning the sat down to 5c does turns the rads off it doesn't stop them firing up every couple of hours or so.

Yes the timeswitch should be permanently 'on' which doesn't mean the heating will be permanently 'on' this is because your room thermostat can provide both time and temperature control in the one device, and you use that to control what room temperature you require and at what times. If it were a new installation with a programmable thermostat, a boiler without a timeswitch would be installed.

Having two devices trying to do the same thing simultaneously will never work properly, one will interfere with the other.

I think just to the right of the ring of tappets there is a switch which is in the down position, which I think means permanently on. The position is not very clear in the photo, but I think it is down.

It's not a clear photo, but with some timeswitches, the switch moves to the 'on' and 'off' positions as the timeswitch physically turns the heating on and off. Set all of the tappets to 'on' to be sure and use the room thermostat to give you the control it is designed for.

 

[Mottie]

What if while away next week, I turn sat to 5c, then turn all rads down manually to frost bite protection? Or leave the sat as it is ie coming on when temperature drops below 21c at set times and just turn all the rads down manually to frost bite protection ie the photo?

Leave the TRV's on max while you are away. They are only to control the maximum temperature so no benefit of turning them down.

 

[ianmcd]

What if while away next week, I turn sat to 5c, then turn all rads down manually to frost bite protection? Or leave the sat as it is ie coming on when temperature drops below 21c at set times and just turn all the rads down manually to frost bite protection ie the photo?

No you cant rely on thermostatic radiator valves, set it up as I already said and the boiler will only come on when the temp reaches 5 degrees, your Vokera Room thermostat MUST be set to OFF

 

[blackcloud]

Leave the TRV's on max while you are away. They are only to control the maximum temperature so no benefit of turning them down.

Here's a clearer pic of the timeswitch on boiler.
I know you advised an alternative option but I know when I turn the TVR on the radiator down to the lowest setting or to frost protection that particular rad only heats to whatever is the lowest temperature I've set it too, even if the other rads are on a high setting and heat to a high setting. It would make things much less complex if I just turn the rads down to Turn all the radiators to frost control while I am away and that will have the same results as turning the sat to 5c and turning the sat not to come on at all. As it's a right hassel setting the timer on that sat and would be much easier to just set all the rads to frost control or the lowest setting and leave the sat as it is, meaning all the rads in the flat will only heat to either the lowest setting or to frost control, whichever I set it too right?

 

[stem]

Here's a clearer pic of the timeswitch on boiler.

That is already permanently 'on'

 

[blackcloud]

What should I set the radiator dial at on the front of the boiler while away?

 

[blackcloud]

Well my test now is to see what happens.
I've set the room temperature to 12.6c on thermostat and left the rads fully on.
The thermostat is not due to turn on the heating until 6pm. So what I expect is that between now and 6pm the radiators should NOT fire up unless room temperature goes below 12.6c. And at 6pm when the timer starts the radiators should again NOT fire up unless room temperature drops below 12.6? Is this correct what I am expecting?

I've set the economy temperature to 12c and the room temperature to 12.6c. Is that OK? The guy at Vokera said the economy temperature is too high at 13c it should be 5c??

 

[MNW67]

Well my test now is to see what happens.
I've set the room temperature to 12.6c on thermostat and left the rads fully on.
The thermostat is not due to turn on the heating until 6pm. So what I expect is that between now and 6pm the radiators should NOT fire up unless room temperature goes below 12.6c. And at 6pm when the timer starts the radiators should again NOT fire up unless room temperature drops below 12.6? Is this correct what I am expecting?

That is correct, with one exception:

The radiators may still come on briefly (for a few minutes) if the boiler gets very cold. This is because the boiler has its own frost protection. That is what seems to have been happening before. It only uses a small amount of gas, so is nothing to worry about.

 

[ianmcd]

will have the same results as turning the sat to 5c and turning the sat not to come on at all.

Some people just wont be told, YOU dont turn the stat to 5 degrees, the frost stat is inbuilt to the stat but programmes will over ride it, you turn the stat to OFF and everything else is automatic