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UK diy (uk.d-i-y) For the discussion of all topics related to diy (do-it-yourself) in the UK. All levels of experience and proficency are welcome to join in to ask questions or offer solutions. |
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#1
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Conservatory Heating - exploring the possibilities
Hi Folks,
Just mumbling out loud here to see what others think: Our builder has (unusually?) told us that he's happy to erect our new conservatory over the Christmas holiday period, providing that the brickwork can of course be put in place by then. This has caused me to think seriously about heating the new space. I've never owned a conservatory before, so it's all new to me. Present proposition is to add three wall radiators to the dwarf-walled conservatory and run these off my mains gas wet central heating system. Being careful with the pennies, I was thinking of adding a two-port valve to the feed for these radiators, and then controlling this valve from (say) some sort of timer such as an immersion-heater-booster device as per shown on the TLC web site he http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Ind...s_2/index.html Prior to using the space, I merely press the button for (say) a two-hour duration and this opens the valve for that time. I'll leave the house stat to decide whether the boiler needs fired, and also I'll add Thermostatic Radiator Valves to the three radiators too. Of course, this arrangement does not guarantee that the boiler will fire when the conservatory needs it, but I'm hoping that that will not be a problem (fingers crossed; this is where your opinion is sought). Instead of fancy Frost Stats I was thinking of adding an electric panel radiator to the conservatory whose thermostat is set quite low. Thus when the outside temperature plummets and there is a risk of the conservatory radiators freezing, the electric panel cuts in and lifts the temperature to avoid this. Perhaps another immersion-heater-booster switch could be wired to override the thermostat to kick the electric panel in if required. Any problems with my scheme? Any source of an electric-booster switch with more flexibility than that shown on the TLC site? Advice requested; thanks in advance. Mungo |
#3
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Conservatory Heating - exploring the possibilities
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
wrote: Hi Folks, Just mumbling out loud here to see what others think: Our builder has (unusually?) told us that he's happy to erect our new conservatory over the Christmas holiday period, providing that the brickwork can of course be put in place by then. This has caused me to think seriously about heating the new space. I've never owned a conservatory before, so it's all new to me. Present proposition is to add three wall radiators to the dwarf-walled conservatory and run these off my mains gas wet central heating system. Being careful with the pennies, I was thinking of adding a two-port valve to the feed for these radiators, and then controlling this valve from (say) some sort of timer such as an immersion-heater-booster device as per shown on the TLC web site he http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Ind...s_2/index.html Prior to using the space, I merely press the button for (say) a two-hour duration and this opens the valve for that time. I'll leave the house stat to decide whether the boiler needs fired, and also I'll add Thermostatic Radiator Valves to the three radiators too. Of course, this arrangement does not guarantee that the boiler will fire when the conservatory needs it, but I'm hoping that that will not be a problem (fingers crossed; this is where your opinion is sought). Instead of fancy Frost Stats I was thinking of adding an electric panel radiator to the conservatory whose thermostat is set quite low. Thus when the outside temperature plummets and there is a risk of the conservatory radiators freezing, the electric panel cuts in and lifts the temperature to avoid this. Perhaps another immersion-heater-booster switch could be wired to override the thermostat to kick the electric panel in if required. Any problems with my scheme? Any source of an electric-booster switch with more flexibility than that shown on the TLC site? Advice requested; thanks in advance. Mungo How is the existing heating system zoned? If you already have an S-Plan system, you could add another zone - but you'd have to connect in at the current split point rather than tapping into an existing heating zone. You could then use the secondary contacts on the new zone valve to bring the boiler (and pump) on when required - independently of the other zones. I would control the valve with a programmable room stat such as the Honeywell CM67. This acts as a frost stat in its 'off' state and will turn the heating on in the zone it controls when necessary to prevent freezing. You can normally leave it on a low setting, and then use it's 'party' setting when you want it hotter for a period. This lets you specify a higher (or lower!) temperature for a specified number of hours. -- Cheers, Set Square ______ Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid. |
#4
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Conservatory Heating - exploring the possibilities
Ta to Set and Andy for their replies.
Conventional arrangement in the house: hot tank upstairs with thermostat; programmable thermostat in hall downstairs; three-port diverter valve midships in the house. The conservatory will be tacked on to a gable wall - the route from the existing three-port valve locus to the gable end would be tortuous (not impossible, but just outside my "contemplated" range just now! :-) Mungo |
#6
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Conservatory Heating - exploring the possibilities
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#7
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Conservatory Heating - exploring the possibilities
wrote in message oups.com... Hi Folks, Just mumbling out loud here to see what others think: Our builder has (unusually?) told us that he's happy to erect our new conservatory over the Christmas holiday period, providing that the brickwork can of course be put in place by then. This has caused me to think seriously about heating the new space. I've never owned a conservatory before, so it's all new to me. Present proposition is to add three wall radiators to the dwarf-walled conservatory and run these off my mains gas wet central heating system. Being careful with the pennies, I was thinking of adding a two-port valve to the feed for these radiators, and then controlling this valve from (say) some sort of timer such as an immersion-heater-booster device as per shown on the TLC web site he http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Ind...ersion_Heater_ Timers_2/index.html Prior to using the space, I merely press the button for (say) a two-hour duration and this opens the valve for that time. I'll leave the house stat to decide whether the boiler needs fired, and also I'll add Thermostatic Radiator Valves to the three radiators too. Of course, this arrangement does not guarantee that the boiler will fire when the conservatory needs it, but I'm hoping that that will not be a problem (fingers crossed; this is where your opinion is sought). Instead of fancy Frost Stats I was thinking of adding an electric panel radiator to the conservatory whose thermostat is set quite low. Thus when the outside temperature plummets and there is a risk of the conservatory radiators freezing, the electric panel cuts in and lifts the temperature to avoid this. Perhaps another immersion-heater-booster switch could be wired to override the thermostat to kick the electric panel in if required. Any problems with my scheme? Any source of an electric-booster switch with more flexibility than that shown on the TLC site? Advice requested; thanks in advance. Mungo Don't put rads in. Install a dedicated Myson fan convector heater. http://www.myson.co.uk/hiline.htm http://www.myson.co.uk/slimline.htm You probably could take this off the rad circuit. You may want to fit a pump with non-return valve in front of the pump, just for the unit to get the flow. Have an external stat which switches on the fan and pump. This is far better than rads. |
#8
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Conservatory Heating - exploring the possibilities
On 4 Dec 2005 12:12:00 -0800, wrote:
Present proposition is to add three wall radiators to the dwarf-walled conservatory and run these off my mains gas wet central heating system. When sizing the radiators bear in mind a double glazed conservatory will have a heat loss about 8 times greater than a house room of the same size. Basically your conservatory requires as much heat as the rest of the house in total to maintain the same temperature. You might find fan assisted radiators useful as they get the temperature up somewhat quicker. Prior to using the space, I merely press the button for (say) a two-hour duration and this opens the valve for that time. Depending upon the temperature you want to achieve you will need to plan ahead by 2 hours or more anyway! I'll leave the house stat to decide whether the boiler needs fired, If the house is warm and the conservatory cold this isn't going to produce any heat. also I'll add Thermostatic Radiator Valves to the three radiators too. Bit of a waste, you would be better putting a single thermostat in the conservatory controlling the heating to it. Of course, this arrangement does not guarantee that the boiler will fire when the conservatory needs it, but I'm hoping that that will not be a problem It will be as the heat loss from the conservatory is vastly greater than the heat loss from anywhere else in the house. Instead of fancy Frost Stats I was thinking of adding an electric panel radiator to the conservatory whose thermostat is set quite low. Thus when the outside temperature plummets and there is a risk of the conservatory radiators freezing, the electric panel cuts in and lifts the temperature to avoid this. Unless you leave it unheated for days on end in very frosty weather it's unlikely the radiators would ever freeze as even in winter conservatories collect enough solar gain to keep above freezing. A better, and cheaper, solution would be to put a frost stat across your push to start switch. -- Peter Parry. http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/ |
#9
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Conservatory Heating - exploring the possibilities
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#10
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Conservatory Heating - exploring the possibilities
"somebody" wrote in message ... In message .com, writes Hi Folks, Just mumbling out loud here to see what others think: [snip] This has caused me to think seriously about heating the new space. I've never owned a conservatory before, so it's all new to me. Present proposition is to add three wall radiators to the dwarf-walled conservatory and run these off my mains gas wet central heating system. [snip] I don't know the size/makeup of your proposed conservatory, but please bear the following in mind.... In our 2.5m x 7m conservatory, using our radio thermostat (cm67), it could take up to four hours to get the conservatory to a reasonable temp (not warm, just liveable). That's with a nice big double rad in there. During those fours hours, the boiler would be running non stop. If you fancied just popping in there of an evening at this time of year... forget it. On a seperate note, the rest of the house would be cooking at the time. In the end we bought a 1.8Kw ceramic fan assisted heater from Argos (30 quid) and it now takes 10 to 15 minutes to bring it up to 22 degrees (our stat temperature in the house). To be honest, I think using one of them 'as and when' may be your better bet. Someone That is why it is best to use a Myson Fan convector heater, they can pour out up to 9kW. Circulating air is the best method in a conservatory as convection just rises to the glass ceiling and the heat floats out the top. But it must have water flow through it. Tapping into 15mm rad pipes at the end of a line will not be good enough. Installing a pump just on the fan convector increasing the water flow through the heater is an option. |
#11
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Conservatory Heating - exploring the possibilities
Present proposition is to add three wall radiators to the dwarf-walled
conservatory and run these off my mains gas wet central heating system. (...) OK, but replace the timer with a programmable thermostat. This mean that you needn't bother with TRVs and you have much better control of temperature. Finally rather than radiators, consider a fan convector. These are superb for conservatories because they are a fraction of the size of radiators and can heat the room up in a fraction of the time, making it very suitable for an hour boost etc. I would recommend a Myson Hiline above the door, so it doesn't waste valuable wall or floor space at all. I wouldn't bother with the electric heater. However, if you are worried about frost protection, stick a frost thermostat in there which turns on your boiler/pump. Almost any programmable thermostat will have built in frost protection and will already be calling for heat for the conservatory, so the zone valve will already be open. Christian. |
#12
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Conservatory Heating - exploring the possibilities
Many thanks for all the kind replies to my query.
As I said in my opening gambit, I have no experience of owning a conservatory hence I am torn between wanting to install sufficient heating facilities (just in case the new room is well used all the year round) versus not wanting to have added a "heat sink" to the house to waste valuable pennies when the room is not in use! I know, I'm being awkward. I'm just hedging my bets. Having read all the generous replies I'm now swithering over delaying a full installation for a season or two and just relying on an electric fan-assisted heater meantime. Thus if the room gets well used (beyond the initial "novelty" stage) I can trade up to the thoughtful suggestions outlined by the repliers above, or chicken out and leave it with fan-assisted heating. Not trying to irk the group's kindness, but I may take some days mulling this over and might revisit the topic later. Regards Mungo |
#13
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Conservatory Heating - exploring the possibilities
wrote in message ups.com... Many thanks for all the kind replies to my query. As I said in my opening gambit, I have no experience of owning a conservatory hence I am torn between wanting to install sufficient heating facilities (just in case the new room is well used all the year round) versus not wanting to have added a "heat sink" to the house to waste valuable pennies when the room is not in use! I know, I'm being awkward. I'm just hedging my bets. Having read all the generous replies I'm now swithering over delaying a full installation for a season or two and just relying on an electric fan-assisted heater meantime. Thus if the room gets well used (beyond the initial "novelty" stage) I can trade up to the thoughtful suggestions outlined by the repliers above, or chicken out and leave it with fan-assisted heating. Not trying to irk the group's kindness, but I may take some days mulling this over and might revisit the topic later. With a Myson fan heater it is a quickish heat up and when turned off no heat, unlike UFH and rads. |
#14
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Conservatory Heating - exploring the possibilities
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#15
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Conservatory Heating - exploring the possibilities
Thanks Andy.
I was always planning to build some sort of "trap" access into the floor of the conservatory (away from the normal foot traffic) just in case there is a need at a later date to run another cable or so. I'll now also drill a couple of holes through the gable wall for any future pipework. Regards Mungo |
#16
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Conservatory Heating - exploring the possibilities
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