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Toddlers room too cold or too hot no balance

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NickDNel
NickDNel Member Posts: 4
in Thermostats and Controls
Hello, I have an issue where my electric baseboard heater in my toddlers room either heats the room very quickly to becoming sweltering or we have it off at night after heating it to 70ish degrees and it then falls quickly due to the external winter temperatures. It has a thermometer on the thermostat so I figured it would self regulate but it just builds far beyond what it's set to. I have spoke with maintenance in regards to this issue as I'm living in an apartment but after they have come in and adjusted it the issue is still the same. Is there anything I'm doing wrong or perhaps a solution to my problem that any of you more experienced folk can share. Any advice is greatly appreciated and thank you.

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  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,376
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    Get a better thermostat.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
    EdTheHeaterManHVACNUT
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 7,915
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    Some thermostats are not as accurate as others. There are many thermostats that have a heat anticipator built in. Electronic thermostats have a cycles per hour that accomplish the same thing. the idea is that you want the thermostat to anticipate how much over-run might happen when the heater shuts off. Electric heaters over-run less than steam boilers or cast iron radiator systems. so you need to match the heat anticipator to the equipment. If you have an electronic thermostat that is set for steam heat, that may be 1 cycle per hour, while electric baseboard should be set to 6 or 8 or more cycles per hour.

    Check the thermostat (after you turn off the power at the circuit breaker) to see if there is a cycle per hour setting on the back side.

    A picture of your thermostat will help

    Edward Young Retired

    After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?

    NickDNel
  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 4,871
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    @EdTheHeaterMan
    With electric baseboard aren't they built into the cabinet?
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 5,844
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    Yes, knowing the model of the thermostat, and/or a pic would be nice. 

    Mechanical line voltage thermostats with a bimetal helix can have a 4 or 5 degree swing when new, forget about an old one. 

    If it's a wall mount thermostat in a gem box, Lux makes a digital line volt that can do 120 or 240 volt switching. 

    If Maintenance has only been there once to adjust it, then they need another call. Be the squeaky wheel. 
    NickDNel
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 7,915
    edited November 2023
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    pecmsg said:

    @EdTheHeaterMan
    With electric baseboard aren't they built into the cabinet?

    Depends on the model and the electrician.

    Edward Young Retired

    After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?

    NickDNel
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,373
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    Some electric baseboards do have a thermostat in the cabinet. Those are unbeievaby inaccurate and have a huge swing. It's no big deal to turn that all the way up to full hot, if there is one, and wire a good wall mounted thermostat like the one shown above into the circuit feeding the baseboard.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    pecmsgEdTheHeaterMan
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,569
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    @NickDNel, is the T-stat on the heater itself? If so, it would be a good idea to move it to another location. More info about the location of the heater, windows, and t-stat would be helpful.
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
    EdTheHeaterManNickDNel
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 22,201
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    If it had the thermostat on the end cover, it is a line voltage, 120 or 240v
    Adding a wall thermostat would require some wiring changes, a wall box added  with romex between the baseboard and heater location. Easier said than done

    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
    NickDNel
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 7,915
    edited November 2023
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    hot_rod said:

    If it had the thermostat on the end cover, it is a line voltage, 120 or 240v
    Adding a wall thermostat would require some wiring changes, a wall box added  with romex between the baseboard and heater location. Easier said than done

    This is nothing a competent electrician couldn't do. Too bad my customers were shocked when they found out that I was not a competent electrician.

    Edward Young Retired

    After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?

    dkoZmanNickDNel
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,573
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    Electric heat thermostats are notorius for wide swings in temperature.

    I have the same model Honeywell thermostat that @EdTheHeaterMan posted above which are available at HD.

    I have 5 of them in my Condo. The accuracy of control is hit or miss. Some work very well others have been replaced until I found one that works.

    Honeywell does have some newer electronic thermostats that are better and cost more $$$
    NickDNel
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,569
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    hot_rod said:

    If it had the thermostat on the end cover, it is a line voltage, 120 or 240v
    Adding a wall thermostat would require some wiring changes, a wall box added  with romex between the baseboard and heater location. Easier said than done

    It looks like the OP is not responding but this is a good conversation to have. I have had good luck installing these at the heater and then sneaking a 24-volt wire under the baseboard to a better location. A WIFI model might be desirable in this application. https://www.amazon.com/Aube-RC840T-240-Switching-Electric-Transformer/dp/B0037MXM1C/ref=asc_df_B0037MXM1C/?tag=&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309750302298&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15682005273857979727&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1014485&hvtargid=pla-493093687843&mcid=307c7504ecb93bcca6e287ba069f3a7e&ref=&adgrpid=60862048959&gclid=CjwKCAiAsIGrBhAAEiwAEzMlCxs70ILWj1sxxzS3gpjOaxs0TyU696I9W3kxvSQRy2DZtEkUZZDCAxoC2zwQAvD_BwE&th=1
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
    NickDNel
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,573
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    @Zman

    Those look promising. Do you know how many amps the realy contacts are good for? Couldn't find it in the link.

    Found it 22A marked on relay
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,569
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    @EBEBRATT-Ed I think it is rated to 22 amps. Most BB circuits don't exceed 16 amps on a 20 amp breaker.
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • NickDNel
    NickDNel Member Posts: 4
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    @Zman @EdTheHeaterMan @EBEBRATT-Ed @HVACNUT @Jamie Hall @hot_rod This is the Thermostat and baseboard pictured below. The thermostat brand is "Robertshaw". The baseboard only starts heating the room once we turn the thermostat to the 65° degree setting, but even on that low setting it will Continue to heat the room until its nearly 80°. I have a digital thermometer which I purchased on amazon that alerts my phone when his room gets too hot or too cold and as of now im waking up 3 times a night to adjust it. Perhaps I'm just missing something. I'm originally from Florida and just moved up to PA recently so im not too familiar with baseboard heaters yet. I've not yet pulled the thermostat cover off to look for any cycle per hour information as I'm quite unfamiliar with this stuff. I appreciate all of your insightful comments though thank you all for your time and knowledge.
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,569
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    It looks like the heater is located on an exterior wall and under a window. Where is the thermostat located? Ideally, it would be a fair distance away from the heater and on an interior wall.
    You may just have a bad thermostat.
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 4,871
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    Using extreme caution remove the cover and take a picture of the wiring in the t-stat. 
    NickDNel
  • NickDNel
    NickDNel Member Posts: 4
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    @Zmam Yes, it's on an interior wall about 8 feet from the window. The baseboard is under the window. I'd say the thermostat is roughly as far from the windows and baseboard as it can reasonably be in the room.
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,373
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    pecmsg said:

    Using extreme caution remove the cover and take a picture of the wiring in the t-stat. 

    please...
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    NickDNel
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 5,844
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    NickDNelEdTheHeaterMan
  • NickDNel
    NickDNel Member Posts: 4
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    @pecmsg flipping the breaker off to that room should suffice for safety right? Or do you mean also that there is a particular way to take it off as to not break it?
  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 4,871
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    NickDNel said:
    @pecmsg flipping the breaker off to that room should suffice for safety right? Or do you mean also that there is a particular way to take it off as to not break it?
    If you know the breaker YES by all means shut it off. 
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,376
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    NickDNel said:
    @pecmsg flipping the breaker off to that room should suffice for safety right? Or do you mean also that there is a particular way to take it off as to not break it?
    The breaker for the heater will not be the same one as the plugs and lights for the room. You should use a meter or voltage probe to confirm that the circuit is de-energized.

    If you don’t understand electricity and circuitry, then you really should hire an electrician.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
    EdTheHeaterMan
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 7,915
    Options
    The thermostat that @HVACNUT indicated will be more accurate because it is digital.
    There are programable features that you may not need or want.

    This Honeywell thermostat is digital and non programable, for about half the cost. If you are interested.

    https://www.supplyhouse.com/Honeywell-Home-TH401-Digital-Non-Programmable-Line-Volt-Thermostat-for-Electric-Heating-120-240-VAC-SPST

    There is also a thermostat that can be WiFi connected and you can monitor it on your smart phone

    https://www.amazon.com/Mysa-Thermostat-Electric-Baseboard-Heaters/dp/B075VBP42M/?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=thermoguide-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=7e3394ac6ac7e072e4c81eb5afb4474c&camp=1789&creative=9325

    Edward Young Retired

    After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?

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