thermostatic control for oil filled radiators

[darrude]

Hi Guys, I new here (well was a member years ago but lost my details!) and hoping somebody will be able to help, because lots of googling and I've got nowhere!

We have recently moved into a converted mill (apartments), and it's all electric. There are some pretty big oil filled radiators doing the heating in the rooms, but there is only a timer and heat setting of 1-6 to control them (on the side of the radiator)

Does anybody know what type of thermostat I would need to buy to be able to control these for both time and temperature and where to buy them from.

Thank you all very much.

Darren

 

[sparkticus]

Is there a plug on the end of the cable or is it hard wired into an FCU?

 

[darrude]

Hi, they are just plugged in, although to tidy it up I was planning to run a dedicated switch instead of have a plug with wires dangling.

Thanks

Daz.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Timers are easy enough, but the problem with thermostats is that the heater cables won't be anywhere near where they'd need to be positioned, so there'd be a lot of chasing to do...

I can conceive of a wireless one operating remote units with relays for switching the loads, but IHNI if such a product is on the market.

Do you have just one circuit for all of the heaters?

 

[ericmark]

There are thermostats designed for underfloor heating

able to take the current required and often have remote sensors for heat. But they tend to be on pricey side. This was cheapest I could find at around £40 but I also found what seemed the same item rated at both 13A and 3A so seems one has to be very careful. But if one looks at thermostat oil filled radiators one can buy whole radiator for price of thermostat so seems not really worth doing.

 

[darrude]

Cheers guys, sounds like the reason I haven't managed to find an off the shelf answer is because there isn't one. I'll have a look at underfloor controllers, but think I'll also try ringing the manufacturer to see what they recommend.

Thanks

darren.

 

[EFLImpudence]

heat setting of 1-6 to control them

Isn't this equivalent to a thermostat? How are you using the control?

May not be perfect but will save a lot of work and you already have the timer.

 

[Steve]

Oil rads usually only have 2 or 3 settings on them max, so a dial reading 1-6 sounds like a thermostat. To set it, get a thermometer (digital) and place it in the middle of the room. Turn the heater on maximum, with the stat high (6). When the thermometor reads 21 degrees (or 19 if you're eco-friendly), turn the thermostat back until it clicks off. Should be about 3 or 4. The heater will then cycle on and off, maintaining the temperature.

Bear in mind a thermostat attached to the heat source it controls will not be 100% accurate, due to the casing temperature fluctuating during the thermostat's operation. So its not perfect, but better than nowt lad.

 

[timtheenchanter]

I have 3 oil filleds, of varying sizes, and the dial is indeed a thermostat on all three, 2 of mine have 3 "heat" settings, equivalent to 800W, 1200W and 2K. after that its the thermostat.

quote from 2 of the manuals, turn the dial to the maximum, when the room reaches desired temperature, turn the dial down until it clicks off (light will extinguish) the desired temperature will be maintained.

depending on the size of the room, the in-built thermostat is pretty good.

If you really need to there are some oil-filleds with a wireless remote/thermostat and some with just timers built in.

 

[darrude]

Cheers guys I will have a play this weekend, hopefully it will work like a thermostat then my problems are solved. I just assumed it would be a power setting with it not having a temperature reading on it.

Fingers crossed.

Thanks for the replies

Daz.

 

[darrude]

It is a thermostat. Thanks for the help guys. I feel a bit daft now... But at least being saved from wasting money.

Thanks

Daz.