TRIAL SYSTEM IS COST-EFFECTIVE WITH CM ZONE WIRELESS CONTROLS
Alternative to night storage heaters and conventional systems with LPG and oil-fired boilers
A unique working trial by Stove Shop using Honeywell CM Zone wireless controls has proved the cost-effectiveness of central heating using electric immersion heaters. The installation in a private home in Cornwall uses a unique water interface cylinder which Stove Shop is marketing as “Casaverde”. This heats the water for a four-zone radiator system using Honeywell CM Zone to ensure optimum comfort whilst minimising energy wastage. The design can also provide underfloor heating.
The CM Zone system uses wireless RF signals from central units to every radiator, so delivering “right temperature, right time, right place” for maximum comfort and minimum energy wastage.
“The new heating system has transformed our home,” say the householders. “Running costs are comparable to those for our previous night storage radiators, but now very room in the home is as warm as we need, whenever we want, and we have instant mains pressure hot water. We are delighted too with the Honeywell CM Zone controllers which are very easy and convenient to use and, being wireless, can rest on a surface or slot into a wall bracket.
Stove Shop notes that many properties in the West Country do not have mains gas and that oil and LPG have become very expensive. It says the use of electricity to heat an interface cylinder – in effect, the boiler for the system – is economically very attractive, particularly when coupled with Honeywell controls which ensure the heating system is highly energy-efficient.
Domestic hot water passes through a coil in the top of the Casaverde cylinder to be heated by the stored hot water. The fall in stored water temperature is detected by a Honeywell thermostat which operates (via a contactor) a 3Kw immersion heater in the top half of the cylinder. This rapidly restores the stored water temperature and enables continuous hot water to the taps.
Water in the radiator system is heated directly in the bottom half of the Casaverde storage cylinder. Space heating control is similar to that for a system with a conventional gas or oil boiler. Honeywell wireless thermostats are fitted to every radiator as part of the CM Zone system. When these call for heat, they transmit a wireless signal to a CM Zone boiler unit which aggregates demand and starts the central heating pump.
Heat drop in the stored mass is detected by thermostats which switch on (via a contactor) a 6Kw immersion heater at the bottom of the cylinder to restore the stored water temperature.
A third immersion heater (3Kw) is installed to provide a fast boost to the stored water temperature, if necessary. It starts at the press of a button and will remain on for a period from thirty minutes to three hours, as set on a timer.
Stove Shop has designed a control box to house the electrical controls and wiring interface, so the system is easy to operate. To assist system evaluation, a monitor box has been installed temporarily, to log the run times of the immersion heaters.
The home owners are delighted with the comfort and reliability of the heating system and also with the Honeywell CM Zone controls which, they say, is very easy and convenient to use and the programmers, also being wireless, can be wall-mounted or placed on a table.
Stove Shop is at 7 Pike Street, Liskeard, Cornwall PL14 3JE.
Tel: 01579 345018. Fax: 01579 345601. Email: sales@stoveshop.co.uk
Web: http://www.stoveshop.co.uk/
Details of Honeywell CM Zone are available from freephone 0800-521121, email literature@honeywell.com and at http://www.honeywelluk.com/
