Device to Warm Up Wall Thermostats

[ac-inc]

Next week, I will be surveying 8 sites, each with about 20-30 Variable Refrigerant Units. I will not have access to a front-end, and am looking for a way to force each unit into a cooling mode to calculate the superheat.

Ideally, I would like to find a device that I could attach to a wall sensor to temporarily raise the temperature, theoretically throwing the unit into cooling. Something like a handwarmer is what I had in mind.

Does anyone know of such a device, or does anyone have other suggestions on how to accomplish my goal?

Thanks in advance.

[skwsproul]

A hand warmer is actually a good idea. They are probably around 110* f and are cheap. Use some sort of reconfigured paper clip to hang it over the stat.

Other wise if you know what type of stats you could possibly wire in a decade box and set it at the temp your trying to fake using the temp to ohm scale for the particular sensor.

[kontrolphreak]

What about a coffee machine, computer, fax or copier? Seems to work for regular office folk.

kontrol out

[ac-inc]

A hand warmer is actually a good idea. They are probably around 110* f and are cheap. Use some sort of reconfigured paper clip to hang it over the stat.

Other wise if you know what type of stats you could possibly wire in a decade box and set it at the temp your trying to fake using the temp to ohm scale for the particular sensor.

The only problem with the handwarmer is that they lose their heat after a few hours and I was looking to avoid having to carry around a case of them. I will be traveling with public transportation, so the more stuff I have with me, the bigger the hassle.

Good thought on the the decade box, I was not aware of such a device. It won't work for my application, but good to know something like that is out there.

Thanks for the useful advice.

[ControlsInMT]

We had a guy use a car battery warmer!

[Chris_Worthington]

Next week, I will be surveying 8 sites, each with about 20-30 Variable Refrigerant Units. I will not have access to a front-end, and am looking for a way to force each unit into a cooling mode to calculate the superheat.

Ideally, I would like to find a device that I could attach to a wall sensor to temporarily raise the temperature, theoretically throwing the unit into cooling. Something like a handwarmer is what I had in mind.

Does anyone know of such a device, or does anyone have other suggestions on how to accomplish my goal?

Thanks in advance.

This is the reason that the user gave:
I'm looking for useful advice, not a joke on how ignorant office workers are.

This post has been reported by the OP for the reason above......

So I am going to throw out the best advice I/we have here....

Take a TECH with you and they will know how to accomplish this and be able to report the findings back to the office worker(s)

No Joke

[kontrolphreak]

Dude if you don't have a sense of humour find another trade and site. If you can't laugh in this line of work you're going to drive yourself crazy. I know, I have.

kontrol out

[Chris_Worthington]

to all:

Phreak has lost it and has become a french fry salesman at a beach near you, you will notice him by the zero's and one's stuck in eye's, be aware, very aware

[kontrolphreak]

It's being so close to France that has made me give up my sanity!

Actually I am a little bit off due to the time change and will try not to post when I wake up first thing in the morning. As the Suisse call me dummkopf.

kontrol out (have a fat Cuban and wet Scot that need my attention - and I'm not talking about people)

[Chris_Worthington]

It's being so close to France that has made me give up my sanity!

Actually I am a little bit off due to the time change and will try not to post when I wake up first thing in the morning. As the Suisse call me dummkopf.

kontrol out (have a fat Cuban and wet Scot that need my attention - and I'm not talking about people)

LMAO !! Where you at and the Cuban I know you saved for me? better yet...

[kontrolphreak]

Sitting in Turgi, just down the street from Baden (ABB HQ) and a train ride from Zurich.
Drinking Johnnie Walker Explorers' Club Collection - The Spice Road whisky and a selection of Bolivar, Monte Christo and Romeo & Juliette. Tomorrow is my naked (birthday suite) day, JW ECC The Gold Route and Cohiba are on the itinerary, dinner and WWZ at the cinema (luckily ABB and Alstrom use English as their primary language and the local cinema show films in English with Suisse subtitles). Then the search for the JW ECC The Royal Route and something else to chuff on for an hour, any recommendations for a good smoke?

kontrol out

BTW so this isn't a , Zippo makes a hand warmer that uses lighter fluid. So you could carry it and a can of Zippo fluid. http://www.zippo.com/product.aspx?id=1025148

kontrol out again

[Chris_Worthington]

Sitting in Turgi, just down the street from Baden (ABB HQ) and a train ride from Zurich.
Drinking Johnnie Walker Explorers' Club Collection - The Spice Road whisky and a selection of Bolivar, Monte Christo and Romeo & Juliette. Tomorrow is my naked (birthday suite) day, JW ECC The Gold Route and Cohiba are on the itinerary, dinner and WWZ at the cinema (luckily ABB and Alstrom use English as there primary language and the local cinema show films in English with Suisse subtitles). Then the search for the JW ECC The Royal Route and something else to chuff on for an hour, any recommendations for a good smoke?

kontrol out

R&J can be dime store and IMO not as good as a Monte Christo .... JMO

Time to check my humidor to see what I have left

[crab master]

A resistor in place of the tstat.

Hand warmers are cheap, just buy multiple.

The other option would be a material wrap and a microwave.

Favorite to date, the ACID Kuba Kuba's. And happy belated birthday!

[NiHaoMike]

Take a power resistor (25W or so would be good) and connect it to a "wall wart" power supply. Run the resistor well below its rated power or it will get hot enough to burn you. A variable power supply is a good way to adjust the heat.

[NiHaoMike]

Or if you want a ready made solution:
http://www.amazon.com/X-10-Thermosta.../dp/B001A58T70
It's just overpriced even compared to buying the parts from Radio Shack.

[JohnLoves2ski]

Resistor in place of the thermostat is the simplest, you can even install it at the unit and avoid having to be in the spaces with occupants. It doesn't require any energy source, you can reuse it, and it's cheap.

[qtip]

What about a coffee machine, computer, fax or copier? Seems to work for regular office folk.

kontrol out

I don't get it! Who would use one of those to fake a sensor out?

[TheControlsFreak]

Ok, I am a controls guy and not a mechanical service tech with guages and all... so maybe I am missing something.

BUT

Why would you not just take alligator clips or something and jump out the right 24VAC relays or terminals the stat would normally 'hit' to call or fan and cooling?

If this stat is just an analog input to some other internal controller then look for the outputs from that controller to those same relays or terminals to turn on fan and cooling.

[crab master]

Whoops, that was a triac and not a relay....

Granted you said the right, but sometimes knowing the right one is a problem....

[TheControlsFreak]

What?! are you saying that every unit doesn't have the paper sticker schematics on the inside doors/panels glistening all shiny and white??? HUSH YOUR MOUTH!