How? Drayton RF1 wireless thermostat to replace a wired one.

[piotrmacheta]

Hi all, I'm new to this and wondered if someone can help. I have bought a Drayton RF1 wireless thermostat and tried to replace the wired one but I don't know what I'm doing.
This is what I know so far. The existing one has 3 wires connected - Neutral pin 1, Live pin 2 and a yellow cable to pin3. I have used a multimeter to find out that when the stat operates it makes pin 3 to 240V Live. This then connects to the valve which activates the C/H radiators. I plugged the RF1 wireless into the same backplate for same connections but the heating doesn't come on even though thermostat demands heat. I measured the voltage from the RF1 and found that pin 3 is about 30 to 50v AC relative to Live and Neutral but and this doesn't change whether the RF1 is on or off.
The thing I notice is that the instructions say it's a SPDT (voltage free) relay switch - what does this mean? Maybe I have the wrong stat for my system but I thought that if I replace with same name then it would be easy.
Any help appreciated.
Pete

 

[Agile]

I am sure that the RF1 will work if correctly connected.

I dont encourage people to do anything that they dont fully understand.

However if you just say what make and model of boiler you have then I expect someone else has time to explain it all simply to you.

Tony

 

[piotrmacheta]

Thanks Tony,
The boiler is a Ideal Classic standard model.
Pete

 

[piotrmacheta]

I've just read an old post by 'croydoncorgi' who said about replacing a 3-wire room stat with a Drayton RF1 receiver (which has 4 connections) so could this be my problem and if so what do I connect where to get it working?
How can something so simple be so hard?

 

[Agile]

Simply the receiver has a mains live and neutral to provide its power and two volts free contacts to provide the switching.

It cannot be much simpler!

John is still around!

Tony

 

[ChrisR]

I plugged the RF1 wireless into the same backplate for same connections

You can't do that you need a permanent live!

Is it an RF (ie Radio) stat? The receiver goes by the boiler.

 

[piotrmacheta]

Thanks for the advice guys, still not sure what wires I put where. It is a wireless stat RF1 and receiver. I understand the Live and Neutral to power the receiver but not what it switches. My current wired stat has a yellow cable coming out of it which goes live when the stat is on and this connects to the valve which opens. On the wireless receiver pin 3 does not go live when it switches, maybe it makes a circuit from pin 1 and 3 (circuit diagram suggests this) but if I connect live to pin 1 there is still no live on pin 3.
Any ideas?

 

[gas4you]

No wires go to the sender unit.

As Tony said, permanent L & N from your wiring center go to L & N on the receiver.

The wire on terminal 4 in your wiring center goes to 3 in the receiver and 4 in the receiver will connect to where the existing yellow wire from your old room stat goes (often no 5)

 

[piotrmacheta]

Thanks Dave, got all excited for a minute when you said which wire went where but tried some more connecting and no joy. First of all there are 7 pins out of the back of the Drayton Tempus 3 programmer - in order L to R - E N L 1 2 3 4 and 4 is the heating 'on' line as you say. It is red and connects to the L on the current wired stat which is an RTS1. The pin 3 from the RTS1 is a yellow wire and goes to the valve. On the SCR wireless receiver there are 5 pins N L 1 2 3 where 3 is call and 1 is C (common). I don't understand what the common means and where if anywhere it should be connected. There isn't a 4 on the ACL receiver or a 5 on the Tempus 3 prorammer so not sure what you meant.
I connected the L and N to a permanent supply and pin 4 of the programmer (heat on) to pin 3 (call) on the ACL receiver but this doesn't do anything. Maybe the receiver is broken?
Appreciate all the help you're giving me.
Pete

 

[gas4you]

I was assuming that your wiring center was wired as the industry standard Honeywell wiring.

In your case forget about the programmer, just look in your wiring center. The wire from the programmer call for ch (probably the red wire to your old programmer) will go to Digistat receiver and the switched live from this will go to the terminal that the existing yellow wire from your old room stat connects to.

 

[piotrmacheta]

Do you mean that the red wire (call for heat) goes to pin 3 of the Digistat receiver (which is the 'call for heat' pin). I'm not sure what the switched live on the Digistat receiver is - is it the L or pin 1 'common'?

 

[gas4you]

Try the pin 1. L should be the permanent live to power the receiver.

 

[piotrmacheta]

Thanks again Dave. I have figured out the circuit for my system and connected up what you have suggested but it still doesn't switch so I'm begining to think that it's broken (maybe I broke it?). I connected the 'call for heat' red wire from the programmer (which goes to Live when C/H is on) to the 'common' of the Digistat. Then connected the yellow wire to pin 3 of the Digistat. The yellow wire goes to the valve. I think this should switch Live to pin 3 and hence operate the valve but it doesn't. There's no click or anything - should there be? Do you think this is a correct conclusion? This was an Ebay purchase so will probably have to buy another one to find out.
Thanks
Pete

 

[gas4you]

Did you get the full MI's with it? The wiring is pretty clear in these.

Could be you are connecting to call for cooling rather than call for heat, if you get my meaning.

What readings are you getting from the digistat terminals with a multimeter, forgetting about what is wired where?

 

[piotrmacheta]

Got all instructions and wiring diagram and it makes sense to switch from pin 1 Common to pin 3 call (pin 2 is 'SAT' - I think this means no heat). Measured the resistance between pins - pin1 to 3 is infinity and pin 1 common to L is zero. All others are infinity. Can't check pin 1 to 3 is switching without putting ac on L and N but will give it a go tomorrow. Thanks for you help. I'll keep you posted.
Pete