Re: zoned or not zoned?? thermostatic control of multiple spaces

[Marc_F_Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

You might get the thermostats to implement the practical solution I suggested
in an earlier post for as little as about $35.

See
http://home.listings.ebay.com/Heating-Cooling-Air_Thermostats_W0QQfc
lZ3QQfromZR11QQsacatZ115947QQsocmdZListingItemList

in general and specifically:
http://cgi.ebay.com/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250060361945#ShippingPayment

This solution recognizes that your only actual control choice is ON or OFF.

Consider adding a way to sense the position of the relays and 1) log them so
that you know what is 'normal' and what is extreme and 2) send you email/other
notification if one or more of the TooHot or TooCold conditions is triggered.

... Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol.org

On 18 Dec 2006 08:36:20 -0800, "Lighthouse" <gruntledlark@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in
message  <1166459779.843638.234070@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

>you forget that 2 out of 3 tenants currently have no control over the
>temp at all. they rely on one tenant who has the thermostat in his unit
>to set it at a reasonable temp. My thought was to really have temp
>monitors in all the units and have a central thermostat (available to
>me) to keep the units warmer than say 68, but no hotter than 72.
>
>
>Jim Baber wrote:
>> Jim Baber wrote:
>> Your tenants will undoubtedly complain when their adjustments to the
>> thermostats within their unit don't have the effect they wanted
>> because some other thermostat overrode their changes....
>>
>> I can't even get my wife to agree how to set the thermostat....
>>
>> And if there was ever a fire and your non standard HVAC controls were
>> found, even if they were not at fault themselves, I am sure the
>> insurance company would consider that as sufficient reason to disallow
>> ALL claims against them for any damages.  The insurance companies do
>> love to find any reason to avoid paying any claims.
>>
>> Lighthouse wrote:
>> > don't know how this would be "tormenting" my tenants. it's not like i'm
>> > going to have them wear panties on their heads while i install this.
>> > i'm not installing high voltage security fencing in the living units.
>> > i'm looking to replace an existing thermostat. i won't do anything
>> > unless i understand it completely. that's why i asked for some
>> > additional clarification. i used to build, test, and operate nuclear
>> > power plants so i'm pretty confident that i can wire up a few
>> > thermostats w/o blowing anything up.
>> >
>> >
>> > Bill Kearney wrote:
>> >
>> >>>i could possibly camo the therms
>> >>>inside the casing of a smoke alarm unit.
>> >>
>> >>Realizing the problems with the electrical code and possible insurance
>> >>risks, right?
>> >>
>> >>Honestly, for rental units you're asking for trouble with dumb ideas like
>> >>that.  Likewise, cobbling together some sort of hack, and tormenting your
>> >>tenants in the process, really doesn't seem like a good idea.
>> >>
>> >>When I suggested a contractor it was intended to avoid various problems
like
>> >>that.  Installations that follow code, professional time spent in/out of
the
>> >>tenant space, avoiding risks to existing boiler gear, etc.
>> >>
>> >>-Bill Kearney
>> >
>> >