Re: Electric Heating Contactor Noise

[Neil Fuller <neil.fuller@xxxxxxxxx>]

How about a solid state relay?

You would need to check the full load current but assuming each of your
panels rated at 3kw, something like this should provide ample headroom

http://tinyurl.com/3b5fnn

I've never controlled this sort of load with an SSR before and there may
be issues with regs etc??? I'm sure others will chip in with the pros
and cons later . . . .

Cheers

Neil

Simon Ryley wrote:
>
> Hello everyone,
>
> I'm sure someone on the list must have had a similar problem.
>
> I've got a new build house with electric panel heating, not night
> storage. The system is wired as a separate ring main for the five
panel
> radiators, with each rad having its own thermostat, a conventional
wall
> stat in the lounge and a time clock in the fusebox upstairs.
>
> It works in a similar way to normal gas and water central heating,
when
> the time clock is in an on period, and the room temp in the lounge is
> below the stat setpoint the heating comes on. Lounge temp rises above
> stat setpoint, heating goes off.
>
> The problem is, there is a ruddy great contactor in the fuse box to
> switch the current to the radiators, and this makes a pretty loud
thump
> whenever it switches. Its loud enough to sometimes wake us up in the
> morning when it first turns on. For some reason the heating also short
> cycles, so the contactor is usually switching every 5 minutes or so,
so
> the thumping does get rather annoying.
>
> I want to start doing a few clever things with the heating, but I
can't
> until I can get the contactor noise reduced.
>
> Has anyone else has this problem and do they know of a way to quieten
> down the contactor? My suggestion to SWMBO of not using the heating
> didn't go down too well...
>
> Thanks,
>
> Simon
>
>