Let's play fix my thermostat!

BlochWave

Old school POS thermostat, none of that fancy digital ****

Fan is set to auto(the other option is off), if I, for example, turn the system to heat and move the temp selector to a temperature above where I am, everything turns on, except it's a little off(so I have to move it like 5 degrees above the current temp for it to turn)used to be more precise, but whatever, that'd be cool to fix too

More alarming, if I move the temp back below, which would normally cut off the fan and heat(since fan is on auto!)it continues to blow for a few minutes, and though it sounds like I hear a click associated with the heat cutting off, the fan is still blowing warm air

It'll even continue to blow if I cut the system to "off"(which should cut the fan off)

Same thing happens with AC, but I haven't experimented too heavily because I just know my shit's gonna get stuck to on during the night and they'll find my frozen corpse 2 weeks later when someone wonders where I am

Is there just something wrong with the thermostat, or will I need to contact apartment maintenance? I'd like to fix it tonight if it's simple enough

Successful replies get the satisfaction of being manly maintenance men

RoundBoy

open the thermostat, i bet that the temperature control is a coil of metal holding a glass vial with mercury in it.

The heat of the room expands or contracts the spring pf metal, tilting the mercury, completing a circuit, telling the heat to come on.

Moving the temp up or down changes the preset angle that the vial is sitting at, changing its time to activation.


Bottom line, adjusting the coil will adjust when it comes on for a given temp... how to do exactly this, or to what extent, is beyond my knowledge limit... google is your friend ?

BlochWave

I bet you learned that from watching Room 1402!

Plus that description sounds wrong, the mercury would be in there to move as the temperature changes, like a thermometer, not complete a circuit

Mushiwulf

Mercury can be used to do both*. My suggestion, get a new thermostat. They are even pretty simple to install (usually).

* Some older switches used mercury to make the contact. If you move the switch, you can get it to open and close even with it in the on position. I don't know if this would happen with a brand new mercury switch, as I have only ever dealt with older mercury switches.

Pussum

Dude if you can deal with it tonight just deal. Call the maintenance guys in the morning and have them look at it. There is no point messing with it and possibly screwing it up which could possibly cost you money if all you have to do is wait the night.

Mushiwulf

Ah, didn't read completely. I would just let the apartment maintenance deal with it. They get pissy about do-it-yourself repairs.

RoundBoy

BlochWave wrote: »

I bet you learned that from watching Room 1402!

Plus that description sounds wrong, the mercury would be in there to move as the temperature changes, like a thermometer, not complete a circuit

what? no really... just like a macguyver episode, the mercury completes the circuit ... the metal coil is heat sensitive and that moves

While I don't discount there are other methods of control, this is what i have seen everywhere, until people went digital.

FyreWulff

Just FYI, I've never seen a furnace instantly stop when being told to shut off. It always takes a few minutes.

nothingmo

I haven't seen any, either, at least it needs some minutes to reflect

s_86

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vytrox

I had a gas furnace that the fan would take forever to turn off, but it had nothing to do with the thermostat. It was something called a limit switch or limiter.. something like that, can't remember exactly.


Point is, it was a part inside the furnace, not the thermostat. Taking apart a gas furnace seemed like a bad idea, so I called a repair guy and everything works great now.

If this is an apartment get the landlord to deal with it. It won't cost you anything, and they are required to fix it.