Temperature regulators for radiators: selection and installation of thermostats
Thermoregulators are small in size, but very practical devices for controlling heat transfer in everyday life. Depending on the actual demand, temperature controllers for radiators increase or decrease the volume of the coolant. Agree, this is useful for the well-being of the owners of the house / apartment, and for their wallets.
For those wishing to purchase thermostats for equipping radiators, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with a detailed description of the types of heat transfer control devices. We have presented and compared their control methods, principle of operation, cost, specifics of installation. Our recommendations will help you choose the best variety.
We have supplemented the information presented for consideration, collected and systematized for future buyers of heat regulators, with visual photo selections, diagrams, regulatory tables, videos.
It is known that the temperature in different rooms of the house cannot be the same. It is also not necessary to constantly maintain one or another temperature regime.
For example, in the bedroom at night it is necessary to lower the temperature to 17-18 o C. This has a positive effect on sleep, allows you to get rid of headaches.
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A comfortable temperature background is selected depending on the purpose of the room and partly on the time of day
At night, you can lower the air temperature in all rooms. It is not necessary to maintain a high temperature in the dwelling if the house will be empty for some time, as well as during sunny warm days, when some electrical appliances that generate heat are operating, etc.
In these cases, the installation of a thermostat has a positive effect on the microclimate - the air does not overheat and does not dry out.
The table shows that in living rooms in the cold season, the temperature should be 18-23 o C. On the staircase, in the storeroom, low temperatures are permissible - 12-19 o C
The thermostat solves the following problems:
- allows you to create a certain temperature regime in rooms for different purposes;
- saves the boiler resource, reduces the amount of consumables for system maintenance (up to 50%);
- it becomes possible to make an emergency shutdown of the battery without disconnecting the entire riser.
It should be remembered that with the help of a thermostat it is impossible to increase the efficiency of the battery, to increase its heat transfer. People with an individual heating system will be able to save on consumables. Residents of apartment buildings with a thermostat will only be able to regulate the temperature in the room.
Let's figure out which ones exist, and how to make the right choice of equipment.
Types of thermostats and principles of operation
Thermostats are divided into three types:
- mechanical, with manual adjustment of the coolant supply;
- electronic controlled by an external thermal sensor;
- semi-electronic controlled by a thermal head with a bellows device.
The main advantage of mechanical devices is low cost, ease of use, clarity and consistency in work. During their operation, there is no need to use additional energy sources.
The modification allows you to manually regulate the flow entering the radiator, thereby controlling the heat transfer of the batteries. The device is characterized by a high precision of regulation of the degree of heating.
A significant design flaw is that it lacks markings for adjustment, so the unit will have to be set up exclusively by experience. We will get acquainted with one of the balancing methods below.
The main elements of a mechanical type regulator are a thermostat and a thermostatic valve
The mechanical thermostat consists of the following elements:
- regulator;
- drive;
- a bellows filled with gas or liquid;
Electronic thermostats are more complex designs based on a programmable microprocessor. With it, you can set a certain temperature in the room by pressing several buttons on the regulator. Some models are multifunctional, suitable for controlling a boiler, pump, mixer.
The structure, principle of operation of an electronic device practically does not differ from a mechanical analogue. Here, the thermostatic element (bellows) has the shape of a cylinder, its walls are corrugated. It is filled with a substance that reacts to fluctuations in air temperature in the home.
As the temperature rises, the substance expands, as a result of which pressure builds up on the walls, which promotes the movement of the stem, which automatically closes the valve. As the stem moves, the conductivity of the valve increases or decreases. If the temperature drops, then the working medium is compressed, as a result, the bellows does not stretch, but the valve opens, and vice versa.
The bellows have high strength, long working life, withstand hundreds of thousands of compressions for several decades.
The main element of the electronic regulator is a temperature sensor. Its functions include the transmission of information about the ambient temperature, as a result of which the system generates the required amount of heat.
Electronic thermostats are conventionally divided into:
- Closed thermostats for heating radiators do not have an automatic temperature detection function, so they are set in manual mode. It is possible to adjust the temperature that will be maintained in the room and the permissible temperature fluctuations.
- Open thermostats can be programmed. For example, when the temperature drops by several degrees, the operating mode may change. It is also possible to adjust the response time of one mode or another, adjust the timer. Such devices are used mainly in industry.
Electronic controllers operate on batteries or a special battery that comes with the charger. Semi-electronic regulators are ideal for domestic use. They come with a digital display that displays the room temperature.
The principle of operation of semi-electronic devices for regulating heat transfer by a radiator is borrowed from mechanical models, therefore, its adjustment is carried out manually
Gas and liquid thermostats
When developing a regulator, a substance in a gaseous or liquid state (for example, paraffin) can be used as a thermostatic element. Based on this, the devices are divided into gas-filled and liquid.
Paraffin (liquid or gaseous) has the property of expanding under the influence of temperature. As a result, the mass presses on the stem to which the valve is connected. The stem partially overlaps the pipe through which the coolant passes. Everything happens automatically
Gas-filled regulators have a long service life (from 20 years). The gaseous substance allows you to more smoothly and accurately regulate the air temperature in the dwelling. The devices come with a sensor that detects the air temperature in the home.
Gas bellows respond more quickly to fluctuations in room temperature. Liquid ones are characterized by higher accuracy in transferring internal pressure to the moving mechanism. When choosing a regulator based on a liquid or gaseous substance, they are guided by the quality and service life of the unit.
Liquid and gas regulators can be of two types:
- with built-in sensor;
- with remote.
If the radiator is connected to a working heating system, then drain the water from it. This can be done using a ball valve, a shut-off valve or any other device that blocks the water supply from a common riser.
After that, the battery valve, located in the area of the place where water enters the system, is opened, all taps are shut off.
After the water has been removed from the battery, it must be blown to remove air. You can also do this using a Mayevsky crane.
The next step is to remove the adapter. Before the procedure, the floor is covered with a material that absorbs moisture well (napkins, towels, soft paper, etc.).
A thermometer is placed in the room, then the valve is turned back all the way. In this position, the coolant will fill the radiator completely, which means that the heat transfer of the device will be maximum. After a while, it is necessary to fix the obtained temperature.
Next, you need to turn the head all the way in the opposite direction. The temperature will start to drop. When the thermometer shows the optimal values for the room, the valve begins to open until the sound of water is heard and a sharp heating occurs. In this case, the rotation of the head is stopped, fixing its position.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
The video clearly shows how to set up a thermostat and integrate it into a heating system. As an example, take the automatic electronic regulator Living Eco from the Danfoss brand:
You can choose a thermostat based on your own wishes and financial capabilities. For domestic purposes, a mechanical and semi-electronic unit is ideal. Fans of smart technology can give preference to functional electronic modifications. It is also possible to install devices without the involvement of specialists.