To create a comfortable microclimate in the room, thermostats are used. They are able to automatically adjust the temperature. Sometimes residents in their apartments open balconies or windows in winter. This is explained by the fact that they cannot otherwise regulate the heat transfer of heating radiators. To reduce excessive heat in the room, they have to open access to cold air from the outside. In order not to engage in constant ventilation, automatic temperature controllers were created that are installed on heating batteries.
The use of temperature controllers, firstly, allows you to control the flow of coolant into the radiators, and secondly, shut off the batteries in case of emergency. The price of temperature regulators for radiators is quite affordable, and the benefit is very significant.
What are they needed for?
Be sure to install such regulators:
- To save. When some rooms in the house are not used - heating in them is reduced to a minimum. 16-18 degrees in this situation is quite enough. To return to the previous heating mode, just open the tap again. It is impossible to completely turn off the heating, as the system may turn out to be frozen, and in addition, moisture condensation on cold surfaces is inevitable - on external walls and window slopes. After the appearance of such dampness, a fungus comes. It is not so easy to get rid of him, and besides, he is able to destroy surfaces.
- To balance the temperature balance between heating radiators located at different distances from the boiler in two-pipe dead-end heating systems.
Selection of valves
To achieve proper control over the flow of coolant into the radiators use:
- ball valve;
- cone valve;
- the regulator is automatic.
Ball valves are able to operate in two states - closed and open. If you set an intermediate state, then there will be no tightness, since the ball part will begin to deteriorate by the coolant.
A cone valve is the most appropriate way to control the room temperature. It can be left semi-closed. However, you should always remember that in the end it must be returned to its original position. This is both laborious and inconvenient.
The best and most convenient way to control is to install an automatic thermostat. They are located next to radiators and are called thermostats for heating radiators.
Screw valves
The screw valve operates as follows:
- The rod moves along the thread in the direction that corresponds to the required temperature regime.
- Mounted movably on the stem, the valve, together with the gasket, closes the seat, in which there is an opening through which the coolant enters the radiator.
- An O-ring or oil seal is responsible for the tightness of the stem moving along the thread.
Using a brass washer, the stuffing box packing is threaded at the bottom of the housing.
If, to limit the range of the supply, the valve is left open halfway, then even with a small output, the gland will leak. A rod that is fixed movably in a strong stream of water will begin to dangle and after some time will break, as a result of which it will cease to fulfill its purpose. You will have to repair the valve, and for this you will need to reset the circuit.
Ball Valves
The ball valve consists of a body, a ball-shaped shutter, a handle and two fluoroplastic rings (seats). Saddles are responsible for creating tightness between the body and the bolt. When the tap is open, the coolant moves freely through the shutter hole. With the valve closed, the seats are static.
If the valve is not fully closed and is in a half-closed position, the coolant will begin to leak out between the seat and the valve. This causes erosion of the sealing polymer ring from the rust, sand and other small particles in it. If there is too much such debris accumulated, then when you try to close the valve, you can damage the seat.
The principle of operation of the regulator
A bellows or a temperature regulator is an insulated chamber filled with medium, which expands and straightens the bellows when heated, and the opposite happens when cooling, the bellows contracts. The result is a pass or blockage of the movement of the heated or cooled coolant into the radiator, and as a result, automatic adjustment of the room temperature.
Manual temperature regulator. Manually temperature control is regulated using a manual thermostat. It is inexpensive, but it has a number of disadvantages that play a decisive role in the choice of buyers. The most significant minus is that you have to turn it on your own, and from this the protective cap on it often breaks.
Automatic temperature controller. In order not to turn the regulator manually, thermostats are installed on heating radiators, which automatically regulate the temperature regime, and they can even record temperature changes of only a few degrees. This device has a similar principle - the expansion and contraction of the environment. When heated, the device protrudes and blocks the coolant from flowing freely through the radiator, and when cooled, it is drawn in, allowing hot fluid to flow freely through the pipe.
Disadvantages of mechanical regulators
Of course, you can maintain the desired temperature with the help of a classic shut-off and control valve, but this increases the risk of blocking the entire riser due to airing, and there is a high likelihood of permanent malfunctions of taps that cannot withstand regular closing and opening for a long time. In addition, with the help of a conventional valve, it will not be possible to fine-tune the temperature regime in the room.
Benefits of using thermostats
You can easily get rid of all the inconveniences associated with manually maintaining the temperature regime by installing thermostats on the radiators. This will help create comfortable living conditions in the home, and in each room you can set your own program. Electronic or mechanical temperature controllers are especially convenient in the kitchen, in rooms with windows located on the sunny side, since when heating in such rooms, it is necessary to take into account temperature jumps not only at night (cold), but also in the daytime (when the sun warms through the window ) For example, if you buy a radiator thermostat in St. Petersburg, since "white nights" are often observed in this region, you can set it up so that the temperature is regulated depending on the light. Electronic temperature controllers perfectly sense even insignificant changes in temperature, accordingly, there will be no waste of heat, and therefore no unnecessary financial expenses.
Single pipe heating system
With a single pipe heating system, all heating radiators are connected in series, one after the other. Disabling any of them inevitably leads to the termination of the circulation of the coolant. Therefore, in modern buildings where radiators can be turned off with ball valves, as well as when replacing old batteries, a bypass is installed in front of such valves. A bypass is a pipe that connects the supply pipe to the return pipe of the coolant. In this case, when you turn off one of the radiators, the circulation will not be disturbed, and heat will remain in other rooms.
Of course, you need to remember that the resistance of such a thermostat must be small so that the coolant passes freely through the radiators, and does not go primarily into the wide bypass hole. Otherwise, the radiators will remain cold. The range of temperature controllers for the Danfoss radiator has a wide selection.
Double pipe system
With a two-pipe heating organization system, radiators are connected not one after another, but in parallel. In this case, the operation of the entire system does not affect the shutdown of any one of the heating devices.
Bypass is not used with such a system, so you can install thermostats on heating radiators that have any hydraulic resistance.
Two pipe dead end heating system
Such a heating system has the form of several circuits connected in parallel, which can have different lengths. In this case, the coolant will certainly circulate only through those radiators that are located closer to the elevator or boiler and you can not do without thermostats for heating radiators.
At the time of launching such a system, it is necessary to balance - that is, the throttling of heating devices. As a result, part of the coolant volume will be redirected to distant radiators. Danfoss temperature controllers for a heating radiator in such systems are often used to fine-tune the comfortable temperature mode in individual rooms.
Rules for the use of temperature controllers
- Use only fittings designed for throttling.
- A bypass must be installed between the throttled connections. This applies without fail to multi-apartment buildings. If the bypass is not installed, then the use of a thermostat on the heating devices will lead to the throttling of the entire heating riser. Such actions in public houses are strictly prohibited. In such situations, it is easier to install a heater for a radiator with a temperature regulator, especially since such models are on sale.
- Thermal heads are much more convenient than chokes in operation.
- An external heat source, the installed thermal head should not be heated in any case.
If representatives of serving housing companies find violations in the heating system, then they:
- Bypass apartments that are located on a problem riser.
- Draw up the relevant act on the illegal introduction of changes to equipment owned by the company (risers relate to this).
- They recalculate the payment for heating services for the entire period during which the remaining tenants received less than the legal heat.
When installing a throttling device, it is necessary to place it on the radiator side on the eyeliner. If the throttle is shut off, the coolant can flow through the bypass. Neglecting this recommendation is permissible only in apartments and houses owned by private owners and having two-pipe heating systems, where thermostats for aluminum radiators are often installed. In such cases, turning off one battery will increase the amount of coolant passing through it, and will not limit its circulation through other batteries.
Often the jumper is installed together with a crane, which allows you to completely block it. In this case, the air temperature can be slightly raised in a separate room, since the entire coolant goes into the battery and warms up even the remote sections. When chokes or inlet valves are closed, the jumper must be fully open on the jumper.
The temperature regulator of the heater can be:
- Cork three-way valve. They were used before when installing heating systems. They were installed at the crosshairs of one of the eyeliners with a jumper. With its help, it was possible to direct the coolant into the jumper, into the radiator or completely shut off.
- The reminding screw valve a needle throttle. It differs in the conical shape of the valve, which forms part of the stem.
- Regulating the circulation of the thermal fluid. The control is carried out by expanding the solid or liquid working environment depending on its temperature. When cooling, the bellows hides the stem with a spring, and the coolant passes unhindered through the inlet, and when heated, lengthens and, extending the stem, blocks its path.
Three-way cork cranes have not been used for a long time, and they can be found only in houses that were built before the 60s.
Chokes have the disadvantage that the room temperature only starts to change one to two hours after adjustment. This is due to the fact that at first some time is required to stabilize the coolant flow through the inlet, and only then does the radiator temperature begin to change.
But the thermal head works absolutely automatically and requires only an initial one-time adjustment. The cost of a set for one radiator of the Danfoss temperature regulator is from 1500 to 5000 rubles.
Devices, especially electronic ones, which are able to maintain a microclimate in a room in automatic mode and allow you to do this with high accuracy, as well as program cycles of temperature conditions are more expensive.
The adequate operation of the installed thermostat for the radiator depends on the correct installation.
Often, instead of the "American" and the throttle, the radiator is connected using an angular battery valve - fitting. It combines the thermostat and the "American".
The thermal head is easy to install yourself. The main thing is to observe the following simple rules. It should NOT be located:
- In a fairly lit place.
- In a rising stream of warm air from a battery or its lead.
- Close to other heating appliances (convectors, oil radiators, IR heaters).
Regulator mounting recommendations
- Use the instructions that came with the device you are selling.
- A temperature regulator is installed not lower than 80 centimeters from the floor.
- Sunlight should not fall on the thermostat.
- The regulator should not get warm air from other heating devices.
- The temperature sensor must be fixed to the wall with brackets.
- It is not recommended to close the thermostat with curtains, furniture, any screens and other interior items.
Installation of temperature controllers
After choosing a place for mounting the thermostat for the radiator, you need to carefully consider how to connect the thermostat to the heating battery . This appliance should always be located considering the direction in which the flow of coolant is moving. On the body of the device you need to find the arrow, in the direction of which the flow of the heated coolant should move. This means that the regulator should be installed in this position.
Another important point is the position of the thermostat. It should be placed strictly parallel to the floor structure. If you install the device vertically, like a regular tap or valve, with the flywheel pointing upwards, the heated air flow from the valve (more precisely from its body) and from the return pipes of the system will prevent the regulator from responding correctly to changes in ambient temperature.
In addition, thermostats are not used on cast iron radiators due to inefficiencies. Cast iron radiators are excessively inertial and for a very long time heat the air after a shutdown. Thermostats for oil radiators behave a little better, but they are most effective on bimetallic or aluminum radiators.
Thermostat calibration
It is possible to adjust the temperature regulator only after the installation is completed, and also after the heating system is completely filled with coolant. Pre-heat the radiators evenly. Then proceed to calibration.
When performing this operation, all the requirements of the instructions for the thermostat for the radiator must be strictly followed. In addition, you need to select the mode that is needed in the room for each specific radiator.
Controller setting:
- Close all windows and doors in the room to minimize heat loss.
- Open the valve completely by turning its head to the far left.
- Wait until the coolant begins to heat up the battery.
- When the temperature rises by 5-6 degrees, the head turns to the right until it stops, blocking the valve.
- After the air begins to cool, the head is smoothly turned to the left, until you feel a sharp heating of the radiator and you will hear a noise flowing through the coolant battery.
- On a graduated scale on the regulator, this position is stored.
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