The introduction of automatic controls in the regulation system of heating equipment has been practiced for many years. The configurations and implementation schemes of such devices are changing, but in general, the principles of autonomous and “smart” control are put by developers at the forefront. The new generation of thermostats is called weather-dependent automation, which reflects the nature of the tasks of the control infrastructure.
System purpose
To begin with, it is worth recalling the principle of operation of simple temperature controllers for heating boilers. In the most primitive versions, they were used to supply a direct signal to the equipment to set a particular temperature mode. In more developed devices, regulation was carried out on the basis of predetermined algorithms with an emphasis on daily time, seasonality, etc. In weather-dependent automation for heating systems, the level of regulation complexity increased due to the possibility of taking into account the current parameters of the street climate. That is, the key task has remained the same - to control the temperature condition of a conventional boiler so that a comfortable microclimate is maintained in the house. But this is achieved in a slightly different way, in which commands for regulation are given based on current weather conditions outside the home.
Workflow Features
The main operational parameter of this automation is the temperature range of the coolant, which varies from 40 to 105 ° C. In conditions of room heating, this spectrum can be laid in a frame from 5 to 30 ° C. In choosing a specific device model, it is important to pay attention to the regulation step and the error. As for the first value, in most cases it does not exceed 1 ° C, and possible deviations can reach 3 ° C depending on the conditions of use of the equipment.
Particular attention is also paid to the organization of the work of weather-dependent automation for heating in terms of means for regulating and fixing temperature indicators. For these functions, sensors are used that monitor the temperature characteristics outside the house and in the target room for heating. In advance, the method of transmitting information is calculated - remotely or by cable. The first option is more consistent with the concept of independent automation and may well be implemented via Wi-Fi. Modern regulation tools are equipped with wireless data transmission modules, synchronizing with the boiler’s own control system. If we talk about monitoring the temperature inside the house, then most often integrated thermometers are used in the control complex itself, but if desired, a distribution system for several sensors for each room can be used.
Features of hardware setup
In order for the operating indicators to be correctly calculated automatically adjusted for street weather conditions, it is necessary to set the correct mode for evaluating the thermal regime even at the stage of adjusting the regulator. The user is required to establish the calculated factor of the relationship between the initial temperature readings on the remote sensors and the required microclimate in the room.
For example, the setting of weather-dependent automation can fix two values - the step of the relationship between the temperature outside the window and the correlation between the water temperature and the thermal regime in the house. A simple setup scheme in this case may look like this: at a temperature of -20 ° C outdoors, the room should be 20 ° C. As for the coolant, the average temperature in this configuration will be about 60 ° C. At the same time, conditional violations in direct configuration schemes are not excluded, when the self-adaptation function of the equipment can be activated. For example, if the weather conditions on the street remain the same, but the room is warm due to open windows. Accordingly, completely different capacities are required. Based on the readings of sensors located indoors, automation will take into account such nuances, making appropriate corrections in operation.
Installation of weather-dependent automation
During the installation process, special preparation of the points where the devices are supposed to be placed may be required. Automation control and management modules are usually integrated into wall niches. For this, gating is preliminarily performed for the wiring channels, after which the supporting system is mounted - the mounting base or frame elements that facilitate the installation of the panel body. Sensors of the weather-dependent automation system are also mounted using special equipment.
On the street, such installation is carried out using insulating housings that protect the device from precipitation, wind and accidental mechanical damage. For fasteners and installation of electrical communications, complete clamps, brackets, and holders that are fixed to reliable surfaces are usually used.
System maintenance
To maintain the proper functioning of all components of automation, it is necessary to regularly check, clean them and, if necessary, carry out repair measures. This is especially true for remote sensors. It is necessary to periodically disassemble their bodies, checking the connections and conditions of structural parts. Contaminated and oxidized connectors are gently wiped with alcohol, after which it is recommended that the device be checked with a multimeter. In the house, components of weather-dependent automation are checked for the quality of electrical connections. About once a month, it is necessary to revise the status of the fuse, overheat protection devices and the cable route as a whole.
Pros and cons of the system
The main advantages of this method of regulation are user convenience. Provided that the working algorithms are correctly tuned, you can save yourself from everyday manipulations with the regulator, thinking through the optimal heating parameters. On the other hand, fully rely on weather-dependent automation is also not worth it. At the present stage of development of control systems, complete intellectual control, taking into account many factors, is not yet discussed. The problem, first of all, is the natural lag of equipment from changing weather conditions. It is obvious that equipment with many sensors requires energy costs for its own power, not to mention the indirect costs of the same maintenance and repair.
Conclusion
The need to use automated communications management tools was, in principle, initially caused by the troublesome manual settings in multi-apartment, public and commercial buildings. The difficulty was precisely in the fact that the operator had to manually set the operation parameters of the same heating system for dozens of consumption points.
In modern weather-dependent automation for the boiler, such tasks are easily solved by remote control of the smartphone. Almost every major manufacturer of heating equipment offers its own applications for controlling this equipment. As for the possibility of precisely calculating the optimal temperature regime, similar functions have appeared recently and are still, rather, experimental in nature.