Traction force can be considered a rather heterogeneous and complex concept that includes several factors. To guarantee stable operation of the equipment, this parameter must be maintained at a certain level. This applies to the functioning of any boiler equipment, because deviations in traction force from standard indicators affect fuel combustion and energy generation.
Often violations occur during the installation of equipment that runs on solid fuel. You can cope with the problem using a draft regulator, which is used in conjunction with solid fuel boiler equipment.
Instead of a preface
Today, high technologies make it possible to create various automation tools; thanks to them, boiler equipment works independently, and there is almost no need to pay attention to it. But most of them use electricity, which is not very convenient. Along with power outages, the house is filled with cold; this situation cannot be called rare. The reason is the automatic shutdown of the heating device.
However, on sale today you can find fairly simple automation equipment that does not require electricity to operate; this includes a draft regulator, which is used in conjunction with mechanically driven boilers.
Description of traction force
This parameter depends on many factors, including:
- weather;
- chimney section;
- gas temperature.
All this can affect the operation of the device, so specific conditions must be considered individually. Another parameter that may escape the attention of consumers, but has a great influence on traction force, is the type of equipment. When using a gas device, the thrust force may change slightly, but the final value is stable. This is due to the fact that the flue gases have almost the same temperature.
The deviation occurs only when the chimney warms up, and the value changes briefly. Solid fuel equipment shows different data. It is impossible to judge the influence of models on traction. This is due to the use of different types of fuel. The heterogeneity of indicators also depends on the type of solid fuel boiler.
Benefits of using a temperature controller
Proper installation and adjustment of the heating boiler thermostat provides many benefits.
Among them the fundamental ones are:
- gas fuel savings of up to 50-60% if the temperature is set correctly;
- a similar situation with electrical equipment; with the correct settings, the boiler operates in the mode of smoothing surges in the voltage network, as well as reducing resistance losses;
- the use of a thermostat can extend the service life of the main equipment for a significant period;
- The temperature sensor eliminates the need for frequent temperature adjustments; it is enough to change the readings once, setting them to a certain level, and the room will have a comfortable environment;
- The temperature regulator of any boiler model is capable of providing round-the-clock, automatic control over the operation of the equipment, which allows for uniform heating of the room;
- Most models of temperature sensors can be installed both during the installation of the boiler and in already installed equipment;
- modern models of temperature sensors look quite compact, and therefore can fit into almost any interior in an organized manner.
Design and description of operating principle
Installation of the draft regulator is quite simple, as is the design, as evidenced by the example of the RT 10 regulator, which consists of:
Depending on what boiler design is used, the regulator can be installed in different places. The main condition for this is that the immersion sleeve must be in contact with the coolant. It contains a heat-sensitive element that is filled with gas or liquid; it expands when heated. As soon as the water temperature begins to rise, the thermoelement will begin to act on the mechanism that releases the chain drive lever. The chain will cover the valve. The air supply in this way will be limited and the combustion intensity will be reduced. When the temperature of the water in the jacket drops, the thermoelement will open the door, which will resume the air supply.
Installation of the draft regulator
The draft regulator can be installed by you yourself. This element must be located in the front or side of the equipment. The device must be installed in a special hole. The installation work is carried out using screw connections that can be adjusted, this aligns the element in the correct position, which can be horizontal or vertical.
Once all the screws can be aligned, they must be secured and sealed using special means. The lever must be installed in such a way that the hole through which the chain will come out is located above the damper. As soon as the draft regulator is installed, the boiler equipment can be heated and the coolant can be brought to 60 °C. This temperature should be set on the regulator. The regulator lever is connected using a chain, and the damper should be open approximately 2 mm or less. When calibrating the device, the damper must be closed; this must be done manually or by shortening the chain.
How to install and configure the regulator
To install the draft thermostat, it is necessary to free the boiler jacket from the coolant; for this purpose, as a rule, special taps are provided in the unit piping that cut off the circuit with the heating element. Otherwise, you will have to drain the entire volume of the system.
The next step is to remove the plug from the sleeve on the boiler, and install the prepared device in its place. After this, the system is filled with water again. To set up the draft regulator, you need to start the boiler for heat and perform a series of sequential actions.
- Open the damper to fully supply air to the firebox. In this case, the chain should not be connected yet.
- It is necessary to loosen the fixing screw on the adjustment handle.
- Select the position corresponding to the required temperature, for example, 70°.
- Noting the heating with a thermometer, connect the chain to the damper when the coolant reaches a temperature of 70°. The damper, in this position, should leave the hole open by only 2 mm.
- Finally, the fixing screw is tightened again.
After the structure is assembled, the draft regulator is checked in different operating modes from maximum to minimum. You should pause for the difference between reaching the set temperature and the moment the lever is activated, because firewood is not a gas and extinguishes smoothly. For this reason, you should not rush to set up the device again without pausing. After passing all checks, the installation of the draft regulator is considered completed.
Carrying out the adjustment
The draft regulator for the boiler has two types of markings, which are used in different positions. If we are talking about the RT 10 device, then we can say that its red scale is used for working in a horizontal position, and the yellow one for working in a vertical position. You can adjust the product by disconnecting the lower end of the chain from the air damper. This loosens the screw. After choosing the scale color, you need to set the desired temperature value.
The heat generator ignites and warms up, during which the temperature of the coolant is controlled. As soon as the temperature level reaches the desired value, you should put the end of the chain on the ash pan door. When calibrating the chimney draft regulator, the chain must be tensioned and its free play should not be more than 1 mm. The handle is then secured with a screw.
Brief conclusions
Regarding the need for draft regulators for working with solid fuel boilers, we can conclude: such primitive automation is better than its complete absence. Yes, mechanical regulators cannot boast of high accuracy, but they will save you from manual control “by eye” and will allow you to save firewood and coal. In addition, they have an undeniable advantage over controllers and fans - energy independence.
For the efficient functioning of a heating unit operating on wood, coal or other types of solid fuel, it is necessary to adjust the combustion intensity. For this purpose, the ash pan door was traditionally opened or closed, increasing or decreasing the flow of air entering the firebox. The draft regulator for solid fuel boilers makes it possible to do without manual control of the unit, maintaining a stable temperature of the coolant.
Draft regulator for solid fuel boiler
Installation of the draft regulator:
The draft regulator can be installed in three ways: vertically and horizontally (from the side or front of the boiler).
1 Install the draft regulator in a vertical or horizontal position in a special 3/4 hole in the boiler body. Use special products to seal threaded connections.
2 If it is necessary to align the draft regulator relative to the boiler body, loosen screw 3 and bring the draft regulator to the required position. Fix screw 3.
3 Use the screw (2) to secure the lever (1) in the draft control body so that the hole for the chain is above the damper.
Recommendations for choosing a device
Oddly enough, you can still find budget models of wood-burning heaters on sale that are not equipped with any automation. Most of them have in the basic configuration only a sleeve mounted inside the water jacket. To automate such a boiler, you will have to buy and install a draft regulator yourself.
Hence the first recommendation: when choosing a heat generator, pay attention to the presence of such a sleeve and an ash pan door that rises upward.
To choose the right mechanical regulator, you must adhere to the following recommendations:
- the force developed by the drive (indicated in the product data sheet) must be enough to lift the door;
- select the temperature control range from 60 to 90 °C;
- make sure that the operating stroke of the drive is sufficient to fully open and close the sash;
- The threaded connection on the body must match the mating part in the boiler, usually ¾”.
You should also pay attention to the location of the liner in the boiler body. It can be on top, front or on the side panel. For the first option, you need to select a device that can work in a vertical position, for the other two - in a horizontal position. There are traction regulators, for example, Regulus rt3, which work in any position and have 2 adjustment scales.
Traction control calibration:
1 Flood the solid fuel boiler.
2 Bring to a temperature of 60 degrees.
3 We set the temperature on the regulator to 60 degrees and connect the lever and the damper with a chain, so that the damper is slightly open by 1-2 mm.
4 Use the appropriate draft control scale depending on the installation method, horizontal is the upper scale, vertical is the lower scale.
An example of a completed draft regulator installation on a Cooper boiler:
An example of a completed installation of a draft regulator on a ZOTA MIX boiler:
Regulus draft control installation:
Installing a Honeywell draft control:
Installing the Esbe draft regulator:
Temperature regulator Boilers
Automation in the heating system allows you to more accurately control the temperature in heated rooms and save on fuel. By installing a thermostat for the heating boiler, the owner of the cottage increases the efficiency of the boiler equipment by 20–30% and greatly simplifies its maintenance.
We will talk about the types of thermostats used in practice, the rules for their location and connection features. The article we have proposed describes in detail the options and diagrams for connecting devices. Taking into account our advice, you can choose the device wisely and install it if desired.
Types of regulators and which ones are better
On the modern market there are samples capable of performing both automatic and mechanical draft control for boilers operating on solid fuel. An automatic regulator can provide a wider range of adjustments, but is more expensive. In addition, the device requires an uninterrupted connection to the electrical network, and such a draft regulator for solid fuel boilers is difficult to install with your own hands.
For this reason, for solid fuel boilers, mechanical draft regulators are more often chosen, capable of providing control regardless of energy sources. The most popular are sectional units made of cast iron. The regulator provided by the design allows the device to be used to control the temperature in a selected range, which allows the use of a long-burning boiler in an economical mode without direct participation. It is best if the adjustable temperature range is from 60 to 90 degrees.
Among imported manufacturers, the most popular is the Czech one, which produces draft regulators for solid fuel boilers of the “Regulus” series, which are suitable for equipping not only branded products, but also other units.
How does a heating thermostat work?
A conventional heating system with water as a coolant consists of heating equipment or a connection point to a centralized network, internal wiring pipes and radiators.
To regulate the volume of heat coming from it into the rooms, you have to either constantly monitor the boiler or regularly close/open the valves on the radiators.
At the same time, the inertia of such a system does not allow maintaining the desired temperature throughout the day at the set level. If you put more firewood into the stove or supply gas to the boiler, the coolant in the pipes will heat up more, and it will also release more heat through the radiators.
This is good at low temperatures outside. But with sudden warming outside, the heat in the house becomes unbearable. The fuel is already in the firebox, and the water has already heated up, there is no way to get rid of the heat. Plus the boiler continues to work.
Without a thermostat in the system, you have to turn it off manually. You can, of course, open the windows for ventilation and let out the heat, but then the fuel bills for your home boiler room will definitely ruin you. The conclusion suggests itself: a heating thermostat simplifies living and makes it as comfortable as possible.
The thermostat for the heating system consists of:
- temperature-sensitive sensor (element);
- tuning unit;
- control module;
- electromagnetic relay or mechanical valve.
In the simplest models there is no control unit. Everything happens due to pure mechanics and changes in the physical properties of the temperature-sensitive element.
Programmable room thermostat
A programmable electronic room thermostat allows you to select the desired and comfortable temperature at any time; it is easy to reconfigure and change the operating mode. The timer allows you to set a different heating pattern on weekdays and weekends. Some timers allow you to set different settings for each day of the week, which can be useful for people who work part-time or shift work. Many Terneo and KChM models are equipped with such thermostats.
Programmable room thermostat
A programmable room thermostat allows you to set individual heating standards for each day in accordance with your lifestyle and maintain the temperature of the house all the time, regardless of the presence or departure of the owners. Video: Connecting a room thermostat to a gas boiler
If the heating system is controlled by a boiler with a radiator, as a rule, only one programmable room thermostat is needed to control the entire house. Some patterns need to be adjusted in the spring and fall as the clocks move forward and backward or certain changes in climatic conditions occur. We also recommend changing the temperature settings when changing from day to night.
This climate controller has several options that expand its capabilities:
- “Party”, which stops heating for several hours, then resumes;
- “Override” allows you to temporarily change the programmed temperatures during one of the configured periods;
- “Holiday” increases the heating intensity or reduces it for a certain number of days.
Types of thermostats for boilers
The main difference between thermostats is different types of temperature-sensitive sensors. Some are installed on the heating pipe, others inside it, and others are mounted on the wall. Some are designed to measure air temperature, and the second - coolant.
The choice of thermostat model depends on:
- boiler type;
- heating system wiring diagrams;
- availability of free space;
- required functionality.
Many modern boilers are pre-designed to connect thermostats to them. Moreover, the manufacturer of boiler equipment immediately writes down all the nuances of this installation in the technical data sheet.
Ideally, the thermostat should regulate the operation of the heating device itself, that is, the supply of fuel to it. This is the most efficient connection scheme in terms of fuel economy. In this case, the energy carrier will be burned exactly as much as the heat required.
But such a thermostat can only be installed on a gas or electric heating unit. If the boiler is solid fuel, then a thermostat with a mechanical valve, which is mounted on the pipe, will help regulate the room temperature.
Regulators installed on batteries are designed to shut off the water supply if the temperature in the room or coolant is too high. In this case, the boiler stops working a little later, when its own temperature sensor inside is activated, preventing overheating of the equipment.
Group #1: mechanical
The operation of a mechanical temperature sensor is based on a change in the characteristics of a material when its temperature changes. This is an easy-to-use, budget-friendly, fairly effective and completely power-independent option. It is designed for installation on pipes of a water heating system to regulate the flow of coolant.
The following substances are used in mechanical thermostats as a substance that responds to temperature changes:
When the liquid is heated, the gases expand, which leads to their pressure on the shut-off valve stem. When the temperature drops, they compress, the constipation is returned by a spring, and the heated water again flows through the pipes into the heating radiators.
Battery thermostats are characterized by low sensitivity and large adjustment errors. They only work when the temperature rises by 2 degrees or more. Plus, over time, the bellows filler loses its characteristics, the numbers on the knob for setting the required temperature parameters and the actual degrees begin to diverge.
These thermostats are quite large in size. The vast majority of them are designed to measure the temperature of the water in the batteries, and not the air in the room. It is often difficult to precisely adjust them the way the home owner wants.
Group #2: electromechanical
These thermostats operate on principles similar to their purely mechanical counterparts. Only a metal plate is used here as a heat-sensitive element.
When heated, it bends and closes the contact, and when cooled, it returns to its original position and opens the circuit. And through this circuit a signal is sent to the burner control unit.
Another option for an electromechanical thermostat is a device with a sensor in the form of two plates made of different metals. In this case, the heat-sensitive element is installed directly into the firebox of the solid fuel boiler.
At high temperatures, a potential difference occurs between the plates, affecting the electromagnetic relay. The contacts in the latter alternately open and close. As a result, air injection into the combustion chamber is turned on/off.
Connection diagrams
All methods of connecting a thermostat to a heating system are divided into three connection options:
- Directly to the boiler.
- To the circulation pump.
- On the pipe supplying coolant to the radiator.
The first two schemes eliminate the deterioration in the throughput of the heating pipeline. No additional locks are placed in it, and the hydraulic resistance of the entire system does not change. The thermostat here only controls the operation of the pump or boiler; it “does not come into contact” with water.
When installing a thermostat on a battery or a common pipe with several radiators, the hydraulic resistance, on the contrary, increases. Even when fully open, the thermostat valve slightly slows down the flow of coolant.
Ideally, the boiler piping project should be carried out immediately, taking into account all thermostatic and other devices.
If the water heating system in the house is made according to a single-pipe scheme, then it is better to immediately abandon the third option. When the temperature sensor is triggered, the valve will immediately shut off the entire radiator line in several rooms, and then you can immediately forget about comfort in rooms far from the boiler.
The thermostat should be connected to the radiator input via a bypass. So, when triggered, it will redirect the coolant flow bypassing the battery. In this case, the water will return uncooled back to the boiler. The latter will stop heating it, thereby reducing the consumption of gas fuel or electricity.
The temperature sensor must be mounted:
- in a place where there is no direct sunlight;
- away from cold bridges, drafts and rising heat flows from radiators;
- so that it is not covered by decorative screens or curtains;
- at a height from the floor within 1.2–1.5 meters.
If the sensor is installed incorrectly, the thermostat will produce false signals. This can lead to overheating not only of the air in the room, but also of the coolant in the system. And in the second case, it won’t be long before there are problems with the boiler.
