Electric Appliance Control of heating, moderate Temperature

Portable electric heaters and many fixed electric heaters are controlled by a switch or switches mounted on the frame of the heater. In addition, the heater is switched at a switched socket-outlet or switched fused connection unit or is connected to a non-switched socket-outlet which means pulling out the plug to switch off the heater.

Integral thermostat

Wall panel heaters, oil filled radiators, convectors and other heaters operating at ‘black heat’ have an integral thermostat which is set to the required room temperature.

Room thermostats

Where a heater has no integral thermostat, thermostatic control can be arranged by wiring a room thermostat into the circuit. Where the heater is supplied from a socket- outlet, such an arrangement is not practicable. Instead a plug-in thermostat is used.

If a fixed heater is supplied from a fused connection unit, even when supplied from the ring circuit, a room thermostat can be wired into the heater circuit as shown in the illustration. If, therefore, you have a fixed heater supplied from a socket-outlet on the ring circuit you can control it by a room thermostat by replacing the socket- outlet with a fused connection unit.

Plug-in thermostat

A plug-in thermostat is a very convenient means of providing automatic control for an electric heater. It can be used at any socket-outlet and, like the heater, can be taken from room to room, it not being necessary to have one for each room. There are a number of models available all of which have an integral socket-outlet for plugging in the heater.

It is not recommended that radiant electric fires are controlled by a thermostat. Apart from being unsatisfactory, the sudden switching on of a radiant portable fire is potentially dangerous.

Time switches

A time switch is another form of control for electric heaters. It can be used as the sole means of control or it can be used in conjunction with a thermostat. One time switch of adequate capacity wired into a heater circuit can supply a number of electric heaters enabling a whole system of background heating to be switched on and off automatically as required. Alternatively, single heaters can be supplied from time switches each wired into the circuit.

Plug-in time switches

There are also available plug-in time switches, which like plug-in thermostats, can be used to control portable electric heaters. These too should be restricted to convectors and other heaters operating at ‘black heat’. It is not advisable to control radiant electric fires from time switches.

Setting the time switch

Most time switches are provided with two switch ON periods and two switch OFF periods per 24 hours; these times being set by the user. There is also a time switch having facilities for three switch ON and OFF periods each 24 hours.

A useful arrangement of switching for background heating is as follows. First switch ON about an hour before the family get up in the morning and then switch OF F as the family leaves for work. The second switch ON about an hour before the first of the family returns home and the final switch OFF during late evening.

Over-ride switch

An over-ride switch is usually incorporated into the time switch to enable the heater, or heaters to be used out of programmed hours without upsetting the time switch setting. When the time switch has no override switch, a suitable switch of the correct current rating can be wired into the circuit. This switch can be of 20 A, 30 A, or 45 A and should have a pilot light as a warning that the heating is under manual control with the time switch temporarily inoperative until the over-ride switch is turned off. Switch is turned off.

Combined thermostat and time switch control

The principal function of a room thermostat is to maintain a given temperature in a room or rooms. This can be costly, for the heating is running virtually ‘flat out’. To conserve energy and reduce one’s electricity bills a time switch can be wired into the circuit as well. A portable thermostat and a portable time switch can be plugged into each other to produce the same result.

The time switch restricts the hours of switch ON and the thermostat prevents the temperature rising above a predetermined level.

Non-storage electric central heating

An electric heating system comprising a number of non-storage panel heaters and/or oil filled radiators is available from a number of makers as a complete package. The heaters (or radiators) are controlled from a central control panel to restrict the heat output though providing adequate warmth in the various rooms.

The most recent development is a combined storage and non-storage heater. The main heating is from the storage block, charged at the overnight cheaper rate. But when this is exhausted during the latter part of the day, the direct acting non- storage heater in the same heating unit is switched on automatically at the control panel.

Zone control

Packaged electric central heating systems, which includes zone controllers are also available. These zone controllers provide different switching periods for bedroom and daytime rooms.

A typical zone controller has two time switches. One is used for the bedroom heating to switch on during the night time. The other switches on the heating it living rooms.

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