Servo for warm floor: the principle of operation and purpose. Warm floors water in a private house

The organization of a floor heating system requires consideration of many technical aspects. Additional equipment in the form of control and management systems is a key element in the overall infrastructure of the warm floor. It includes thermostats, kits with cables, fasteners and sensors. The main task in this business is the servo-drive for the warm floor, which is based on the electromechanical principle of operation. In effect, it is responsible for controlling the water supply to the water piping. In electrical floor heating systems, similar regulators are also used, but they act differently. The mechanical functional part in them is practically non-existent, since there is no need to implement a locking action. And now it is worthwhile to understand in more detail what is the difference between a similar drive in a water heating system.

What is a servo drive?

Outwardly it is a small cylindrical device that connects to the network and a temperature sensor. The main task of the device is to control the thermostatic valves of the heating equipment. The signal for the operation of the servo is a manual switch, thermostat or collector. The latter option is used more often, since it allows to organize more extensive and efficient heating networks. In particular, the servo-drive for the collector of a warm water floor can simultaneously serve several segments of pipelines, which may not be interconnected. It is another matter that each independent collector group should also have a system for monitoring climatic parameters. On the basis of its indicators, the electromechanical servo drive will perform this or that action to correct the heating characteristics.

Principle of operation of the device

The action of the regulator is based on the principle of expansion of the bellows fluid at the moment of current flow through the integrated heating element. In this case, the working fluid must be special - as a rule, it is toluene. With this configuration, warm water floors in a private house can be controlled in automatic mode, if the interaction between the individual components of the system is correctly organized. The manufacturers themselves consider the optimal scheme of work, in which the warm floor is controlled by the air temperature until the level of its heat transfer corresponds to the normative index, that is, comfortable for the user.

Another algorithm of the work of a warm floor - with a radiator - deserves attention. Advantages of this configuration are obvious, as the heat transfer will be increased and the time for heating will be reduced. If energy costs are discarded, the next major disadvantage of this system is the imbalance in the workload of the two heaters. To reduce this difference, a servo for a warm floor can also be used. The principle of operation, based on the regulation of the surface temperature in the air, in this case would be appropriate. At a low temperature, the radiators will only be activated at times of insufficient heat dissipation in the floor heating. Conversely, when the heat output of the main system exceeds the preset mode, the heatsink will automatically turn off.

Varieties of models of servo drives

First of all, once again it should be emphasized that there are manual and automatic servos. The first option is less common and much inferior to ergonomics in automatic models. On the other hand, handheld devices are reliable and in some cases even accurate. Also distinguish between open and closed models. Open controls mean that the valve will not be locked by default. This means that in the absence of signals to the servo for the warm floor, the shutter points of the heating water pipe will be in the open position. Conversely, closed systems provide that the valves will be locked if the drive is not under load.

Connecting the servo drive

Mounting the servo is easier than installing a warm water floor as such. Typically, such devices are mounted in any position that will be acceptable and convenient in terms of operation. Before installation, it is important to make sure that the threading fit to the standard of the specific product - this should be noted if the accessories have been purchased separately. Now you can go directly to the question of how to connect the warm floor to the heating system, and with it the servo. Floor heating is introduced into the common heating infrastructure through the mentioned system of collectors, into which the regulator will enter. The drive adapter must be screwed onto the valve, and then the regulator must be attached to it, so that the corresponding latches are engaged.

Nuances of operation

All work and functional elements must have free running and visibility for the user. Special attention is required by the indicator button, which usually protrudes slightly on the surface of the case. Cleaning is only after dismantling. It is necessary to turn off the system, unscrew the servo for the warm floor and its adapter, and then proceed to delicate care. Also, it is necessary to maintain the corresponding working condition of the adjacent components, among which are the electric network elements.

Manufacturers of servo drives

Worthy variants of servo drives are offered by Valtek, Watts, Kermi, etc. These are large manufacturers of engineering equipment specializing in heating systems technology. In the same lines you can find thermostats, sensors, wiring and other auxiliary devices, which are supplemented with warm water floors in a private house or apartment. As for the cost, on average, electromechanical servo drives are estimated at 2.5-3 thousand rubles.

How to choose a servo for underfloor heating?

From the point of view of the average user, the main selection parameter will be the temperature range supported by the device. Even budget models operate in the spectrum from 0 to 60 ºС, which is the optimal value for providing a comfortable microclimate. Also it is necessary to return to the question of how to connect the warm floor to the heating system, so that it will work correctly in the future. The quality of the connection depends on how correctly the adapter was selected. In addition, the cross section of the wire that feeds the collector system is taken into account.

Conclusion

Warm water floors lose eclectic analogues just in the trouble of technical organization of the heating process. The matter is not only in laying the pipeline with a warm carrier, but also in connecting the control system. After all, what is a servo? This is an electromechanical installation, which is interfaced with several components of the heating infrastructure, among which are a thermostat and an electric network with pipes. You can expect a minimum of difficulties only in the case of working with a small area, but, for example, the heating of several rooms requires the organization of a complex management structure with several servos.