*Silent* Central Heating Thermostat/Timer

*Silent* Central Heating Thermostat/Timer

Author
Discussion

Chucklehead

Original Poster:

2,769 posts

215 months

Saturday 2nd November
quotequote all
As part of the aging process, I can no longer handle the loud clicking from the relay in our central heating timers and want to replace them with something else.. but what?

The house is occupied nearly 24/7 so we wouldn't benefit from any of the bells and whistles. It's a system boiler with two zones plus hot water, so two required. I've heard about solid state relays and triac, whatever that is. It doesn't seem to be a feature that most talk about when I'm trying to find a replacement.

Any ideas?

Mr Pointy

11,818 posts

166 months

Saturday 2nd November
quotequote all
What do you have at the moment - two timers wired to two thermostats? Which bit is doing the clicking & where is it located - is it the thermostat or the timer, is it located on the wall in the lounge/kitchen or near the boiler?

Relays are used because they provide isolation from the mains voltages present in the boiler circuitry & older thermostats often had a spring type contact that clicks when they switch. Some of the newer ones might be silent but replacing the existing timers might not be simple depending on the wiring you have.

Do you have good Wi-FI coverage around the house - a wireless solution might be an option.

Edited by Mr Pointy on Saturday 2nd November 12:55

Chucklehead

Original Poster:

2,769 posts

215 months

Saturday 2nd November
quotequote all
I've got 2x danfoss tp7001. One in the hall downstairs does zone 1 (downstairs plus main bathroom) and then zone 2 is in our bedroom and handles bedrooms and ensuites.

The click is coming from those two wall mounted units. Mains powered, but also with batteries which I assume powers the relay. WiFi throughout the house is excellent with various unifi APs.

Defcon5

6,300 posts

198 months

Saturday 2nd November
quotequote all
I feel you OP. Quite why they have to click so loudly I have no idea.

My living room is its own zone, and I despise that thermostat on the wall clicking on and off every few minutes whilst I’m trying to watch TV

Chucklehead

Original Poster:

2,769 posts

215 months

Tuesday 5th November
quotequote all
Is this not a thing?

DonkeyApple

58,890 posts

176 months

Tuesday 5th November
quotequote all
Chucklehead said:
Is this not a thing?
I'm reading the thread as I've never once come across a house thermostat that makes much of a noise ever.

I'm struggling to actually understand the situation.

I've never heard a mechanical thermostat make a noise of consequence, or any of the digital ones.

But maybe that's because I've never had one inside a room such as a living room or bedroom and never run heating beyond 10pm?

Surely you just convert over to wireless, portable thermostats these days and ensure all the mechanical bits are somewhere else?

TimmyMallett

2,975 posts

119 months

Tuesday 5th November
quotequote all
Nest. Electronic and are silent.

miniman

26,286 posts

269 months

Tuesday 5th November
quotequote all
TimmyMallett said:
Nest. Electronic and are silent.
This, or Hive.

Mr Pointy

11,818 posts

166 months

Tuesday 5th November
quotequote all
miniman said:
TimmyMallett said:
Nest. Electronic and are silent.
This, or Hive.
I'd suggest both of you post links to suitable three-zone versions of those products.

Sheepshanks

34,968 posts

126 months

Tuesday 5th November
quotequote all
I went to someone’s house who had two quite large neon lamps on the wall in the living room to tell him when the ch & hw was on. I suppose they’re silent though.

OP: Don’t ever get motorised TRVs - don’t know if they’re all the same but the Tado ones are mentally loud. If we have people to stay I isolate the TRV in the guest room and leave it open otherwise it’d wake them up.

Mr Pointy

11,818 posts

166 months

Tuesday 5th November
quotequote all
DonkeyApple said:
Chucklehead said:
Is this not a thing?
I'm reading the thread as I've never once come across a house thermostat that makes much of a noise ever.

I'm struggling to actually understand the situation.

I've never heard a mechanical thermostat make a noise of consequence, or any of the digital ones.

But maybe that's because I've never had one inside a room such as a living room or bedroom and never run heating beyond 10pm?

Surely you just convert over to wireless, portable thermostats these days and ensure all the mechanical bits are somewhere else?
I have a Honeywell CM707 programmer/stat in the living room & the relay makes a very noticeable click when it switches. I can understand the OPs issue if it triggers him.

craig1912

3,693 posts

119 months

Tuesday 5th November
quotequote all
Mr Pointy said:
I'd suggest both of you post links to suitable three-zone versions of those products.
A quick google suggests both can or am I missing something

TimmyMallett

2,975 posts

119 months

Tuesday 5th November
quotequote all


Mr Pointy said:
I'd suggest both of you post links to suitable three-zone versions of those products.
The op said he has 2?


Just replace them with 2 nest thermostats?

https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/92509...

OutInTheShed

9,298 posts

33 months

Tuesday 5th November
quotequote all
Chucklehead said:
As part of the aging process, I can no longer handle the loud clicking from the relay in our central heating timers and want to replace them with something else.. but what?

The house is occupied nearly 24/7 so we wouldn't benefit from any of the bells and whistles. It's a system boiler with two zones plus hot water, so two required. I've heard about solid state relays and triac, whatever that is. It doesn't seem to be a feature that most talk about when I'm trying to find a replacement.

Any ideas?
We had a generic wireless programmer timer.
The room unit of that made no noise at all.
Any noise the receiver at the boiler made was a bit of moot point as the boiler is always going to make some noise as the gas valve comes on and off?

Surely there's any number of 'RF' or wireless thermostats if you don't want to get involved with all the 'smart' stuff?

UBt, there is a lot to be said for a better system where you have 'load' or 'demand compensation.
The 'thermostat' not only fires the boiler on or off, but sets the flow temp according to how much lower the room temp is than the set temp.

Richard-390a0

2,572 posts

98 months

Tuesday 5th November
quotequote all
Mr Pointy said:
DonkeyApple said:
Chucklehead said:
Is this not a thing?
I'm reading the thread as I've never once come across a house thermostat that makes much of a noise ever.

I'm struggling to actually understand the situation.

I've never heard a mechanical thermostat make a noise of consequence, or any of the digital ones.

But maybe that's because I've never had one inside a room such as a living room or bedroom and never run heating beyond 10pm?

Surely you just convert over to wireless, portable thermostats these days and ensure all the mechanical bits are somewhere else?
I have a Honeywell CM707 programmer/stat in the living room & the relay makes a very noticeable click when it switches. I can understand the OPs issue if it triggers him.
I'd second what the O/P & Mr Pointy have said as I have an identical CM707 unit which you can hear click pretty much anywhere on the ground floor of my home.

DonkeyApple

58,890 posts

176 months

Tuesday 5th November
quotequote all
Richard-390a0 said:
Mr Pointy said:
DonkeyApple said:
Chucklehead said:
Is this not a thing?
I'm reading the thread as I've never once come across a house thermostat that makes much of a noise ever.

I'm struggling to actually understand the situation.

I've never heard a mechanical thermostat make a noise of consequence, or any of the digital ones.

But maybe that's because I've never had one inside a room such as a living room or bedroom and never run heating beyond 10pm?

Surely you just convert over to wireless, portable thermostats these days and ensure all the mechanical bits are somewhere else?
I have a Honeywell CM707 programmer/stat in the living room & the relay makes a very noticeable click when it switches. I can understand the OPs issue if it triggers him.
I'd second what the O/P & Mr Pointy have said as I have an identical CM707 unit which you can hear click pretty much anywhere on the ground floor of my home.
The solution for the three of you is therefor simple. Take up shooting. I've never heard a thermostat clicking before. biggrin

To be honest, I've never had a thermostat anywhere other than in a hall so even if the do make a noise I would hear and these days it's some moveable wifi unit anyway.

Agree with people re the motorised TRVs but the noise is a whirring sound which doesn't disturb like a mechanical click would in the dead of night.

andy43

10,549 posts

261 months

Tuesday 5th November
quotequote all
Any wireless thermostat would work. Isolate existing cables to room. Fit wireless stat in the room, fit receiver next to wiring centre/valves near the boiler - it’s the receiver that has the relay in, the stat itself will be silent. Honeywell are good.

Mr Pointy

11,818 posts

166 months

Tuesday 5th November
quotequote all
andy43 said:
Any wireless thermostat would work. Isolate existing cables to room. Fit wireless stat in the room, fit receiver next to wiring centre/valves near the boiler - it’s the receiver that has the relay in, the stat itself will be silent. Honeywell are good.
But the OP needs a three zone system so the receiver & wiring center need to support two heating zones & the HW circuit. So far the only one I have found is a Drayton Wiser system, althogh I suspect Evohome could do it if I could understand the website.

https://www.draytoncontrols.co.uk/product/wiser-th...


andy43

10,549 posts

261 months

Tuesday 5th November
quotequote all
Mr Pointy said:
andy43 said:
Any wireless thermostat would work. Isolate existing cables to room. Fit wireless stat in the room, fit receiver next to wiring centre/valves near the boiler - it’s the receiver that has the relay in, the stat itself will be silent. Honeywell are good.
But the OP needs a three zone system so the receiver & wiring center need to support two heating zones & the HW circuit. So far the only one I have found is a Drayton Wiser system, althogh I suspect Evohome could do it if I could understand the website.

https://www.draytoncontrols.co.uk/product/wiser-th...
All down to cost and space around the boiler. Could be cheaper to fit three single channels systems but I’ve no idea how much the Drayton costs.

OutInTheShed

9,298 posts

33 months

Tuesday 5th November
quotequote all
Mr Pointy said:
But the OP needs a three zone system so the receiver & wiring center need to support two heating zones & the HW circuit. So far the only one I have found is a Drayton Wiser system, althogh I suspect Evohome could do it if I could understand the website.

https://www.draytoncontrols.co.uk/product/wiser-th...
Or you could use any timer and a couple of RF thermostats?

Whatever control electronics you choose, the zone valves will still make a noise?