thremostat for steam system

Dave_23

Steamhead,
I have a properly working Trane vapor system in a 2100 sq ft two story Michigan home. In this situation, what would you consider sluggish heating. I'm preparing to install a new programmable stat. I've been advised to set the CPH as low as one. Intuitively, three sounds more reasonable, as you suggest. Thoughts?

johnnyge

thermostat for steam system

Does anyone have any experience with the digital thermostat RiteTemp that Home Depot sells. Are they good or reliable for one pipe steam system. I am trying to buy one. the sells persom told me that it is good with steam .It says it is an universal replacement for any thermostat. Is that accure. How do i know it will work good with steam. It is digital 7 day programable.

Al Letellier_9

tstat for steam

As long as it has battery back up it should work. Without it, when the pressuretrol shuts off the burner, the stat will go blank.

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Steamhead (in transit)

You also need

to be able to reset the number of cycles per hour. Most programmables come preset for 6 CPH, that's only good for scorched-air. If your steam system responds quickly a setting of 3 CPH will be fine. If you're tempted to use a lower CPH setting, I'd first see why the system responds sluggishly.

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johnnyge

ok i read the instruccion on the Rite Temp thermostat and it has something title Swing that it says the swing setting determines the temperature difference from 0n to off that the thermostat will comand the heating/cooling system to run .. blablabla The pre set swing is at 3 bla blabla ...the lower the number the furnace(i guess boiler also) will cycle more as it tries to keep your set point constat. I guess this is the cycle number that steamhead was talking about it.that 3 it means 3CPH???? I didn't get the part of "the system redspomdind sloggishly"

Pete_24

Hi Johnny,

I just tossed out my garbage Honeywell t-stat today (surpised that the most popular brand of thermostats was such a piece of garbage) for a Homedepot brand Ritetemp 8030c (made in China). At least the people that answer the phone are actually helpful.

I also am wondering what Swing Temp to use on my new t-stat, I upped the default of 3 to 4, but haven't had cold weather enough to see if it cycles too often or too long.

The Ritetemp doesn't offer a Cycles Per Hour setting (like the Honeywell) instead it has the Temp Swing setting that you mentioned.

Pete_24

Ritetemp Swing

Each # is equal to 1/3 degree. So a value of 3 (default ) = the fact that the thermostat will stop calling for heat when your temperature is 1 degree higher than your set temp. This is one of those things where you'll need to experiment and raise it if you feel you're not getting a long enough cycle.

BillW@honeywell

What was the problem with the Honeywell Stat?

And what model was it?

Pete_24

T87 digital round. Unfortunately since I just returned it I don't have the exact model #, but it was something like ct8775.

The outsourced tech support in India was unfortunately very unhelpful and frustrating to deal with when I kept explaining to them that it was reading the room temperature way off and then magically fluctuating multiple degrees. All they wanted to do was tell me that it worked fine since when I made it call for heat, the heat was turning on.

Steamhead (in transit)

Main vents are a big thing here

The steam should fill the mains in about a minute or two, measured from the point at which the boiler starts producing steam. This gets rid of the air in a super hurry and lets the steam reach the rads quickly. If your Trane is set up this way, you should have no problem with a 3 CPH setting.

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johnnyge

to clarify cph

Just to clarify cph that means how many times my bolier will run in one hour. For example 3 cph means the boiler coming on 3 times in an hour????
On the other hand Pete You are right my Ritetemp thermostat it does call for head when is 1 degree below the set point and goes off after 1 degree pass the set point. I havent check it how many times the boiler goes on and off in and hour. maybe i do it tomorow due to a cold forecast here in NJ.