Can I use the Emergency Turn Off for extended periods to turn off my
oil furnace? I'm afraid it disconnects the power to my thermostat and
will run the thermostat battery down.

At the moment, it's hard for me to reach the thermostat, but there is
a switch next to the door in the basement with a red wall plate around
it marked Emergency Turn Off.


Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

mm wrote:
Can I use the Emergency Turn Off for extended periods to turn off my
oil furnace? I'm afraid it disconnects the power to my thermostat and
will run the thermostat battery down.

At the moment, it's hard for me to reach the thermostat, but there is
a switch next to the door in the basement with a red wall plate around
it marked Emergency Turn Off.


Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

If your thermostat is powered by the furnace, then yes you will run down
the battery.

On the other hand, your thermostat may be powered by the battery only.
In that case, it won't matter if the switch is off or not.

Brad

"mm" wrote in message
...
Can I use the Emergency Turn Off for extended periods to turn off my
oil furnace? I'm afraid it disconnects the power to my thermostat and
will run the thermostat battery down.

At the moment, it's hard for me to reach the thermostat, but there is
a switch next to the door in the basement with a red wall plate around
it marked Emergency Turn Off.

Yes, you can use the switch, but what type of system do you have? Does it
also make the how water for your domestic use? turning it off and on
frequently can do more harm that the fuel saved. The constant expansion and
contraction of the boiler puts a lot of stress on it. If by extended
period you are talking about a week or two, yes, it will save. If you are
talking hours or overnight, no, don't do it.

Thanks Edwin. The furnace doesn't heat the hot water. that's
separate and electric.

On Sun, 09 Oct 2005 19:20:02 GMT, Brad Bruce
wrote:

mm wrote:
Can I use the Emergency Turn Off for extended periods to turn off my
oil furnace? I'm afraid it disconnects the power to my thermostat and
will run the thermostat battery down.

At the moment, it's hard for me to reach the thermostat, but there is
a switch next to the door in the basement with a red wall plate around
it marked Emergency Turn Off

If your thermostat is powered by the furnace, then yes you will run down
the battery.

This is the part I didn't know. I guess it makes sense, that this red
switch is the AC power for the entire furnace. Sometimes I don't
think too clearly, and I didn't see anything in the furnace owner's
manual. Thanks.

On the other hand, your thermostat may be powered by the battery only.

I've been using the same battery for 20 years, so I doubt it. :-)

In that case, it won't matter if the switch is off or not.

OK, I"ll go turn off the furnace at the thermostat, and turn it back
on at the red switch.

You know I guess this means I've been running the control board of the
furnace for at least 5 months a year for 20 years when I was using
neither heat nor AC. Maybe I should have turned the furnace off and
paid for replacement batteries.

Which would be better for the envirionment and energy prices?

Brad

Oops. I went to the thermostat and the display was empty. I guess
the battery died! Some time in the last 20 years, or most likely the
last 3 or 5.I don't know when, because I haven't had a light in the
diningroom for about 3 years. (I just fixed it.). This particular
set-back thermostat using mechanical settings of the tempersatures and
setback times, and applicable days.. The only thing the battery did
was make sure the actual time was right.

But thanks for your answer. It is very valuable to me.

Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

You'd probably save a lot more money with a programmable thermostat
that has more set-back periods-- morning, day, evening and night are
typical. They do run on batteries (mine runs on 2 AA which last at
least a couple of years) but they're not expensive to buy.

How about if it's a T87? I don't know if anyone asked the OP to describe the
thermostat.

--

Christopher A. Young
Do good work.
It's longer in the short run
but shorter in the long run.
..
..


"Brad Bruce" wrote in message
news:C3e2f.2359$Iq3.1683@trndny01...
mm wrote:
Can I use the Emergency Turn Off for extended periods to turn off my
oil furnace? I'm afraid it disconnects the power to my thermostat and
will run the thermostat battery down.

At the moment, it's hard for me to reach the thermostat, but there is
a switch next to the door in the basement with a red wall plate around
it marked Emergency Turn Off.


Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

If your thermostat is powered by the furnace, then yes you will run down
the battery.

On the other hand, your thermostat may be powered by the battery only.
In that case, it won't matter if the switch is off or not.

Brad