Tstat Recommendation for RF

Wayco Wayne_2

contractors out with radiant floor problems, and one recommendation I always give them is to use a thermostat with no digital temperature read out. Just a dial. I use the Danfoss RET tstat with PID anticipation, all the time for this reason. A lot of customers fixate on the number shown as the air temperature and can make your life miserable if the number doesn't match the set point. Even if they are comfortable. Radiant floors have a lot of mass and for a thermostat to negotiate that mass temperature successfully is a lot to do. I know my RF sometimes lags a degree or two but I also know I am comfortable at the time, and the numbers on the air temp display don't tell the whole story. WW

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Mark Eatherton

Education is the key...

And you are correct, Americans are fixated on the air temperature, and that is not what is driving the bus of human comfort in RFH systems. Air temperature is secondary to comfort in RFH systems that are properly applied.

Use a thermostat (I prefer the use of non electric TRV's) that have a "Comfort Number", and educate the consumer to start low, and go up slow. I tell them to remember their clothiness, the surroundings, and physical activity, and to remember this "Comfort number", and whenever they find themselves in a given situation, they will remember to set the stat for THEIR comfort number, for that given situation. I tell them to ignore the air temperature, because it is the Mean Radiant Temperature and or the operative temperature that is really affecting their comfort, for the most part, and to NOT worry about the air temperature, unless someone left a door or window open...

Education, education, education...

ME

cowie_4

Tekmar 509

Hey Mark,
what do you think of Tekmar's 509 T-stat??I like the idea of the floor sensor but I have a lot of customer complaints. (I.E> how do I work it)