Thermostat

A thermostat is an electronic device that is used to control the system’s temperature at a desired value. This regulation of temperature is accomplished by switching cooling or heating devices.

Types of Thermostats

Basically, thermostats are available in two standard forms;

• Line-voltage thermostats and
• Low-voltage thermostats.

Let us discuss these forms briefly.

Line-Voltage Thermostats

Usage of these thermostats is common in single heating system with baseboards and radiant systems too. These are fixed in series along with heaters, almost at 240V. With this connection, the power flows via the thermostat and the heater.

Low-Voltage Thermostats

These thermostats are very efficient to control the flow of current. These are employed in central heating systems, which use oil, gas, and electricity. These are also employed in water heating systems, especially in electric unitary systems and zone valves.

There are sub divisions in low-voltage and line-voltage thermostat options, which are as follows:

Programmable Thermostats: With the help of a Programmable thermostat, one can adjust the temperature according to current times. These thermostats are available in different models. The basic one among these can be used to set time for a single day, whereas the advanced and complex ones among these can be used to set days and weeks.

Mechanical Thermostats: These are easiest and cheapest thermostats that you can find in market. They feature either bi-metallic strips or vapor-filled bellows that give response to fluctuations in temperature. You should also consider mechanical thermostats; especially the most affordable models that use bi-metallic strips.

Electronic Thermostats: Contrasting mechanical thermostats, these thermostats use electronic gadgets to predict temperatures and then initiate regulation for heating system. These have very good response time against temperature variations.

Working Principle of Thermostat

The working principle of thermostat is similar to working principle of an air conditioner. In an air conditioning system, engineers are using thermostats to regulate temperatures. For understanding working of thermostats, it is sufficient to see the working of air conditioner. The only difference is thermostat is a small device, whereas an air conditioner is bigger in size.

Generally, temperature controlling methods are of two types. One method is employing a vapor pressure temperature controller to control the temperature, whereas, the other one involves usage of a multi-use electronic temperature controller. Usually, there are two segments in thermostats. They are mechanical type and electronic type.

For more information regarding thermostat types, visit this webpage: http://www.doityourself.com/stry/different-types-of-thermostats-explained#ixzz0qAx5JIdS