Save energy with wireless heating control packs

(06/05/2010)

85 percent of domestic energy is used for heating and hot water, so simply upgrading existing heating controls with the latest energy efficient products is a very easy and cost effective way to save energy and cut fuel bills - much more cost effective than replacing a boiler.

The heating cannot be controlled properly without a room thermostat, yet 8.5 million homes do not have one. The controls save energy but do not make a home any less comfortable: quite the opposite, they match temperatures with the household’s lifestyle.

Sundial RF2 packs from Honeywell are designed to make the upgrade clean, quick and simple. They include a wireless enabled timer and a wireless thermostat, so there are no control cables to run and no cable holes to drill. There is no disruption and no damage to the décor. The new energy saving timer simply replaces the existing timer and the wireless thermostat works automatically, with no need to change the wiring to the rest of the system. In many cases the timer slots in place of the old unit and on the existing backplate.

The controls and their large clear displays have been very carefully designed to be very easy to use by people of all ages and abilities. They feature TPI (Time Proportional and Integral) advanced energy saving control, which provides more accurate temperature control than traditional controls and matches boiler firing to the demands for heat from the heating system, so the boiler can operate much more efficiently.

Tests by TACMA (The Association of Controls Manufacturers) show that under a single cycle steady state test, energy savings due to TPI control can be as much as 10% compared with other room thermostats. In addition, as they maintain the room temperature much more accurately than traditional thermostats, the set point can be lowered without loss of comfort, providing extra savings.

The thermostat in Honeywell Sundial RF2 packs has an ECO button: an energy saving feature which gives timed setback to reduce energy demand. It is also “intelligent”: a self learning facility recognises how the heating system responds to its demand signals. It then adjusts to match to the thermal characteristics of the building and the heating system to give better control.

The Honeywell thermostat also provides hypothermia and frost protection: the installer can set them so even when in the “off” setting, the temperature comes on if the room temperature falls to a preset minimum temperature. The current room temperature is clearly displayed in the extra large digital display. A flame symbol indicates when the thermostat demands heat and the boiler fires.

The packs can be used with all types of boiler, with radiator and underfloor systems and zoned heating systems.

The two way RF wireless communication used by Honeywell is robust and reliable and is what makes installation so simple. A signal strength test feature allows the installer to position the thermostat where signal reception is strong.

Related categories:  Boilers - Domestic   Energy Conservation   Heating controls   Radiators: panel, convector, towel rails