ESBE TIPS: KEEP AN EYE ON INDOOR TEMPERATURE!

2024-01-16

During winter, the heating needs increase, leading to higher energy costs. Maintaining a consistent indoor temperature reduces energy consumption.

To keep energy costs down, it’s essential to review your energy consumption. The simplest way is to lower the indoor temperature. For every degree you lower the temperature, you reduce energy consumption by 5 percent. At the same time, you want to feel good and comfortable indoors.
ESBE’s products are designed to provide property owners with secure energy savings without compromising comfort. A shining example of this is our product range of intelligent controllers, ESBE series CRx200 .

ESBE controllers, series CRB, for all types of heating systems

We sat down with ESBE’s product manager, Joi Elebo, to learn how the series CRB200 with indoor sensor, in particular, can reduce energy consumption. He begins by explaining that a CRB controller can be integrated into any hydronic heating system, but certain considerations must be taken into account.
“To optimize the performance of the CRB controller, the water used for heating must be hotter than actually needed. This is common when using wood heating with an accumulator tank or having a system with both radiators and underfloor heating, where underfloor heating requires a lower temperature.”

What’s the difference between a thermostat and controller?

A CRB is not a room thermostat but a controller consisting of a main unit (which turns the valve) and a room unit (where you make settings and find a temperature sensor). A thermostat is more of a passive component that can only indicate whether it is warm enough or not.

ESBE series CRB200 reduces energy consumption

When you’re not actively thinking about indoor temperature, that’s when it’s right. ESBE series CRB200 is equipped with software that gathers information about its own behavior and, more importantly, the household’s heating system. Joi describes how it works.
“ESBE series CRB200 manages information efficiently, solves problems, and regulates heating optimally and safely, reducing household energy consumption. Additionally, CRB200 always creates an energy-efficient indoor environment and seamlessly operates in hydronic systems within both heating, cooling and ventilation. With the self-adaptive system of the controller, the right heat flow is quickly achieved. This results in more efficient product usage, reduced wear and tear, increased energy efficiency, and ultimately an optimal indoor climate tailored to the household's needs.”

The secret behind CRx200

How controller ESBE series CRB200 works

When we ask Joi to clarify, he provides some illustrative examples. He begins by explaining that a CRB200 always comes with a room unit containing a temperature sensor. When the sensor senses that the room temperature matches the set temperature, the controller, along with ESBE’s VRG valve, can mix in return water from the radiator system to lower the supply temperature. With a lower supply temperature, less heat is transferred from the radiators to the surrounding air. This way, the CRB controller adds only as much heat as needed to maintain a stable room temperature.

“The regulator on the radiator controls the flow, not the temperature, to avoid overheating. But for effective heating control, more is needed. Radiator thermostats alone are not enough – you need control for the supply temperature throughout the entire heating system.

For district heating systems, this occurs in the substation, and with a heat pump, this is included in its function (usually adapted to the outdoor temperature). If you instead use a wood-burning stove, where all the wood burns up, the accumulator tank can become very hot (perhaps 90 °C), which may be too high for radiators or underfloor heating loops. Here, ESBE series CRB200 comes into play, helping you mix down the temperature for even and pleasant warmth in your home.”