Measuring and graphing indoor temps

rrg

UPDATE: New results are In (see my newest post)

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After correcting my steam boiler with a new vaporstat and new Gorton valves everything is so much more comfortable. Thanks to The Wall.



I have started to track and plot my indoor temps with a Netatmo weather station.

Expensive but I also use it to track rising and falling pressures. That's another story.



If you are looking to track what the temperature is doing and how long it takes the boiler to move the temperature in the house this device works well IMHO.



Here's a pic of one day and one week.

It can also show a month and year view, if you wanted.



Thx.

knotgrumpy

Curious

Just curious- why are there 5 degree temperature fluctuations indoors?



My system is hot water and the TRV's peg the temp within a degree throughout the day.  It's almost scary, I put the batteries in a digital thermometer weeks ago and the bedroom temp has fluctuated by 1 degree in that time.

rrg

Thermostat window?

I think the thermostat has something to do with that.



I think it has a 3 degree window so a boiler does not cycle very often.

Once the thermostat stops asking for heat the hot radiators continue to warm the house.



That is my best educated guess. I wish I could do what your water system does.



The tstat is 18 years old with 7 day basic programming. No learning features.



Are there any new thermostats that can control the window of temp to help minimize the over shoot in temps??

JeffM

better stats

Yes, I think you could get better temp control with a newer thermostat. I've got an inexpensive Honeywell TH2110D running my steam system, and I don't get more than a degree or two of fluctuation from scheduled temps. This stat has intelligent recovery (starts early to achieve setpoints at set times), so I bet the programming helps with normal accuracy too as it learns your system response.

vaporvac

Lowe's

I don't know how inexpensive yours was, but I just go a two-stage wireless Honeywell 6500 seiries from Lowe's for $99 bucks. It's push button and $50 cheaper than the touch-screen one. I like the wireless feature because i actually have a secretary that's make it difficult to access. My 8 yr old one kept it spot on. It was amazing, but I now needed staging.

Gordy

What is your Tstat

Set at for room temps?

rrg

Tstat temps

I am comfortable at 67-68.



On windy days I can feel it being more chilly.



It's an 87 yr old house and still has some old windows.



I do want to upgrade the tstat. I will investigate the one mentioned.

thx JeffM at that price on Amazon it's a good deal. I did read it holds +-1 degree. NICE



I just notice it does not have individual days. I have an empty house 3 days a week and I want the temp lower by a few degrees. Darn.



thx



Update: I'm on e-bay and have a new tstat in my sight with the 7day and +- 1 deg.

Gordy

Just wondering

How to decipher the graph as to temp trying to hold..



You do not hold your set point for very long periods. You can flatten out the peaks, and valleys by a tighter swing in the thermostat. Plus be more comfortable.



This is also an indicator of insulation upgrades.



Before we go to far with this where are the sensors? Are they effected by solar gain which appears to be no.

rrg

Very little insulation.

Great deduction on the insulation.

I have very little.



A new tstat will show a new graph if it responds and works at +-1.



The indoor sensor is next to the tsat in the middle of the house hallway.

No sun ever.



There is an outside sensor I mounted behind a window shutter on the pouch.

So there is no sun there either but covered from rain.



Update: Great deal on a HONEYWELL TH8110U1003 7day programmable. With adaptive learning. It has high reviews.

nicholas bonham-carter

Choosing a thermostat

You could always go with a standard round Honeywell thermostat if you believe as many here do, that daily setbacks are a waste of fuel at worst, or use the same amount of fuel at bestif you go away for a week, and want to set the temperature down, then you could have some savings.

Make sure it is the model which can be set for steam (1CPh).--NBC

rrg

Tstat is in and the short eval is very positive.

Just got the new HONEYWELL TH8110U1003 installed on my Utica one pipe, two wire thermopile 750mv system.



I just reconnected the W and RC wire to the tstat.



You guys were right it's holding the temps very tight at around 67.5 to 68.2 with a setting of 68.



After I get a weeks worth of data I'll do a side by side.

The tstat has a bunch of setting I have no clue about so I'm sure it not optimized, yet.



thx.

knotgrumpy

Excellent!

Can't wait to see the graphs.

rrg

New Graph from the New Thermostat > Works great IMO

Guys,

The Honeywell has done a great job of keeping the temps in the house an average of 1 degree swing.



Some of the dips are related to the kids who open the kitchen door to go outside to play in the snow.



My wife just rolls her eyes when I explain the new tstat has Adaptive Intelligent Recovery with +-1 temp swings.



You can really see how the temps don't overshoot at all from the 68 setting.



I'm still learning how this works.

I just couldn't wait to show some of the results.



JeffM you were correct with your recommendation about getting a new tstat.



Thanks.



PS The graph is exactly one day so comparing it to the old tstat values,

it's easy to see how bad the temp swings were.



Here's a pic of my setup with the HONEYWELL TH8110U1003, Netatmo sensor and an old Radio shack thermometer that reads degrees to a decimal. like 68.5 which the tstat does not show but the graph does.

rrg

Cycle Per Hour Change - Tstat option improves the temp swing

The graph speaks for itself.

I changed the default option of 1 to a 2 cycles per hour in the thermostat.



HONEYWELL TH8110U1003

Setup Function Option 0240 = 2 CPH



This seems to help so far.

I need to keep an eye on the furthest rads to see if they heat well.