Author Topic: Radiator zone valves  (Read 5332 times)

logrus

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Radiator zone valves
« on: September 05, 2008, 12:05:25 pm »
I'm currently renovating a flat and I'm having central heating installed. Unfortunately having a manifold with separate zones would be too expensive to do, so I'm considering getting motorized radiator zone valves that I can add over time, turning each room into a separate zone and using 1-wire thermometers/linuxmce as thermostats. I've looked at what's out there and there seem to be a few options. Either Honeywell (proprietary protocol), Siemens (DDC driven) and others like them.

Does anyone have any experience with integrating this? How have you achieved this? I'd like to control them either by 1-wire or plcbus if possible.

jondecker76

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Re: Radiator zone valves
« Reply #1 on: September 05, 2008, 01:07:08 pm »
just a heads up - last time I checked, LMCE had a device template for a 1-wire usb interface, however it appeared to be incomplete and did not work last I checked.

Also, just to share my plan for heating this winter (I will be using a centralized heat source - a corn burner). I plan to have temperature sensors in each room which control a fan or series of fans for each room which will be used to "move" the heat from the central room throughout the house. For instance, if a bedroom upstairs gets too cold, it will kick on a fan at the bottom of the stairs, and at the top of the stairs pointing towards that room. Then have each room set up like this, controlling fans independantly to circulate the heat to where it is needed. I've been experimenting with this for the last month or so with some promising results (If it works well enough, I will permanently cut holes and mount fans above every dooway in the house to make it an integral part of my heating/cooling system)

Just another method to consider for central heat sources...

Techstyle

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Re: Radiator zone valves
« Reply #2 on: September 05, 2008, 02:11:31 pm »
Logrus,

I guess going forward support for this device:

http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/New-Products/Danfoss-Launch-Z-Wave-Radiator-Thermostat.html

could be added.  it is a Z-wave motorised radiator control valve

logrus

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Re: Radiator zone valves
« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2008, 04:20:09 pm »
just a heads up - last time I checked, LMCE had a device template for a 1-wire usb interface, however it appeared to be incomplete and did not work last I checked.

Hm. That's not good. I'm rather surprised by that as it seems to have good support in other HA applications. I guess I have to get into Ruby as from what I gather it's fairly easy to extend...

Also, just to share my plan for heating this winter (I will be using a centralized heat source - a corn burner). I plan to have temperature sensors in each room which control a fan or series of fans for each room which will be used to "move" the heat from the central room throughout the house. For instance, if a bedroom upstairs gets too cold, it will kick on a fan at the bottom of the stairs, and at the top of the stairs pointing towards that room. Then have each room set up like this, controlling fans independantly to circulate the heat to where it is needed. I've been experimenting with this for the last month or so with some promising results (If it works well enough, I will permanently cut holes and mount fans above every dooway in the house to make it an integral part of my heating/cooling system)

Living in a flat over two stories built of bricks it's unfortunately not a good solution because of limited space, looks and noise limitation between rooms. I'd certainly go for a recycling HVAC system if I were to build a new house though. :)

logrus

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Re: Radiator zone valves
« Reply #4 on: September 06, 2008, 04:21:41 pm »
I guess going forward support for this device:
http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/New-Products/Danfoss-Launch-Z-Wave-Radiator-Thermostat.html
could be added.  it is a Z-wave motorised radiator control valve

That looks quite interesting. Unfortunately for me it's yet another system, however I guess that might be the only way...

hari

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Re: Radiator zone valves
« Reply #5 on: September 06, 2008, 09:30:46 pm »
Logrus,

I guess going forward support for this device:

http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/New-Products/Danfoss-Launch-Z-Wave-Radiator-Thermostat.html

could be added.  it is a Z-wave motorised radiator control valve

supported by the new driver in charon-merge,

best regards,
Hari
rock your home - http://www.agocontrol.com home automation

Monkgs

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Re: Radiator zone valves
« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2008, 02:03:28 pm »
There are lots of z-wave controlled relays with isolated contacts. Such as the ACT ZRF113 or the ZRW113X. I think temperature sensors were the one thing that actually works for 1-wire stuff. Although I've never tried it personally. I have a 1-wire network that I will test out later and let you know.