Water defrosting

[FamSetsaas 0]

Hi,

At my cabin, some of the water pipes are outside. They can handle frost, but of course won't be able to provide water when frozen. They contain a heating element, which is now controlled by a Fibaro switch, meaning i can turn this on/off as desired. All good.

 

Then I wanted to automate this. I do have an outdoor temperature sensor, and I could connect this to the switch, and use a heating panel, just like I do for example in the living room.

 

So I was thinking of using a heating panel. Ideally, I would then set the following temperatures:

* Nightime (01:00 - 06:00) - Temperature = -99 (i.e. never heat, at least I would hope not )

* Daytime (the rest) - Temperature = 0 (or maybe 1). This will then ensure that the pipe heater is on whenever the temperature is below 0

* Vacation mode - Temperature = -99

 

The problem is that the lowest value I can set in the heating panels is 4 degrees.

 

1) Is there a way to change the "floor" of 4 degrees in the dialogs?

2) Any ideas on how to get around this?

   - I was thinking maybe reading the JSON data using the REST, updating the values, and writing it back. For one I am not sure this would work, and second, my guess is that any modification in the heating panel (e.g. changing the schedule) would change the data.

   - Alternatively, I would write my own script, which loops every 5 min and checks for temperature and vacation mode. This seems unecessary if there is a simple fix to my problem.

 

Would be great if somebody has some input to this.

 

br

John Erik

 

 

 

 

 

[Sjakie 157]

Hello,

I asume your pipes are insulated?

here you have a nice ZWave temp sensor, I should connect on the pipes!

Practically you can have colder spots by wind, or other strange air flows. Also the hight from the ground is depending for temperature.

Best solution should be trace the pipes and put thermostat in and set temp on 3-6 degrees if the outside temp is < 1 degree

 

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//Sjakie

[FBerges 52]

Hi there

Everything is possible with the heating and the temperature.
Now comes the but!
If the HC3 or HC2 etc. does not work because of something or the software crashes and it is very cold in Norway, the pipes freeze over and are destroyed.
If it happens to thaw the next day, you will have a flood.
I would only leave such existential functions to a hard truth or try to prevent them through other measures.
Pipe heating with monitoring e.g.
Ask a plumber who also builds and maintains industrial plants.
There are professional solutions for such problems, but they are expensive.
A smart home system is certainly not suitable.
Insurance companies can also cause problems if they have to pay for water damage.
Certainly everything is a bit overdone but water damage is not a great thing, especially in winter.

Greetings from Germany / Sauerland
Frank

[10der 832]

1 hour ago, FBerges said:

but they are expensive.

so, HC3 (HC2) is not expensive with "the software crashes"  

good logic, yeah!  

[SmartHomeEddy 1,008]

HC is too cheap

[10der 832]

Just now, SmartHomeEddy said:

HC is too cheap

 

Well, yesterday I went to buy some french rolls from the market and in change i was bough two HC3 and one HC2... TBH shopmen trying to give me HCL as a gift but my hands were full...

[Martin_N 154]

On 1/8/2021 at 9:18 AM, 10der said:

 

Well, yesterday I went to buy some french rolls from the market and in change i was bough two HC3 and one HC2... TBH shopmen trying to give me HCL as a gift but my hands were full...

Yes, that's a shame. I would take (HCL) to the tooth and bring to the home. I would give it to children for play ..

 

[FamSetsaas 0]

Hi All,

 

And thank you for your input. And for your concern regarding frozen pipes. Frozen pipes is not the problem, as these are hanging outside, and are created to freeze during winter. I only need to turn on the heater to ensure that water passes through them when i need water.

 

My problem is that the heating panel does not allow me to set temperatures lower than 4 degrees.

 

 

[10der 832]

40 minutes ago, FamSetsaas said:

My problem is that the heating panel does not allow me to set temperatures lower than 4 degrees.

mybe it 'fool-tolerance"? cuz it's risk frozen your house if you trying to use heating panel here.

do not use heating panel, as for me heating panel / cool panel developed things are in a bad day