Where the hell is my thermostat?

[Tim]

The knob appears to do nothing.

It happens to all men at some point.

I have a feeling that your heat is centrally controlled, as others have said. I'll bet the zones are comprised of several apartments, maybe with a valve in a basement somewhere for starting the heat.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Where I am now, the gas (heat) charges get prorated among each apartment building.

I lived in a Chicago hi-rise about 10 years ago, that had the baseboard heater and the only way to control it was to adjust the valve for the incoming heated water. The valve was right on one end of the baseboard.

 

[Jadzia]

The knob appears to do nothing.

Maybe it controls the heating for your neighbours?

 

[RoJoHen]

That would not surprise me at all.

 

[Crusher Disciple]

The knob appears to do nothing.

Must not quote out of context... must not quote out of context...


(NOTE: this might only be funny to British people )

Well, it's funny to me and I ain't British!

 

[RoJoHen]

The knob appears to do nothing.

Must not quote out of context... must not quote out of context...


(NOTE: this might only be funny to British people )

Well, it's funny to me and I ain't British!

I don't get it. Or I do get it and just don't find it funny.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

The knob appears to do nothing.

Must not quote out of context... must not quote out of context...


(NOTE: this might only be funny to British people )

Well, it's funny to me and I ain't British!

It's a very flimsy concept that, once grasped and firmly handled, becomes quite hard to visualise at first, but if you can tackle it well then ultimately its conception is pretty easy.

 

[the 4th hanson bro]

Must not quote out of context... must not quote out of context...


(NOTE: this might only be funny to British people )

Well, it's funny to me and I ain't British!

It's a very flimsy concept that, once grasped and firmly handled, becomes quite hard to visualise at first, but if you can tackle it well then ultimately its conception is pretty easy.

brilliant!

 

[FordSVT]

I know where the thermostat in my apartment is, but I'm not convinced it actually does anything.

Oh, it does something...

Every time you turn it up someone you don't know dies!

 

[RoJoHen]

There has to be central heating in this building. It has been way too comfortable in here for how cold it's been outside. I'm not complaining, nor am I worried about the bill. This is the perfect temperature.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

There has to be central heating in this building. It has been way too comfortable in here for how cold it's been outside. I'm not complaining, nor am I worried about the bill. This is the perfect temperature.

My central heating works by keeping a comfortable temperature - no boosts, no downtimes of freezing temperatures (unless of course I wish to choose these through altering the thermostat settings). It's a set-up where it's truly working when you don't realise it's working.

 

[RoJoHen]

Hey, if I can be comfortable without actually having to do anything, I'm all for it.

 

[RoJoHen]

There was a note on my door when I got home today. It said that "the pump to the heating unit is being repaired, so please keep your windows and doors shut to keep the warm air inside."

I am intrigued.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

There was a note on my door when I got home today. It said that "the pump to the heating unit is being repaired, so please keep your windows and doors shut to keep the warm air inside."

I am intrigued.

At least they aren't asking you to keep the windows and doors open to let any gas out. That's probably a good thing then.

 

[RoJoHen]

Yes, but now there's a pump thrown into the mix. First a miscellaneous knob, and now a mystery pump!

 

[Zulu Romeo]

Is it a Swedish pump?

 

[Jadzia]

There was a note on my door when I got home today. It said that "the pump to the heating unit is being repaired, so please keep your windows and doors shut to keep the warm air inside."

I am intrigued.

This is what happens when you fiddle with knobs you don't understand.

To locate this mystery pump, turn the knob again and listen for the screams from the workmen.

 

[Plecostomus]

There was a note on my door when I got home today. It said that "the pump to the heating unit is being repaired, so please keep your windows and doors shut to keep the warm air inside."

I am intrigued.

This is what happens when you fiddle with knobs you don't understand.

To locate this mystery pump, turn the knob again and listen for the screams from the workmen.

That made my day. Being a Technical Dood I am convinced there are people who actually think in those terms.


Post a picture of your mystery knob and I'll see if I can figure out how to pry it open or even possibly tell you what it does. Once we get the faceplate off and locate the wires I'll show you how to rig up a basic multi-signal tracing probe (using simple household objects, a pencil sharpener two old transistors, and a digital TV tuner.) Once we get that built it's a simple matter to take control of whatever is on the other end of the wires.

 

[RoJoHen]

Ugh, it seems that the heat is centrally controlled, which is really annoying because it's in the mid-60s outside and the heat is on. It is so warm in here! I am going to be so uncomfortable trying to sleep tonight.

 

[Mysterion]

Excerpt from the American Thermostat Society pamphlet Health Concerns About You and Your Thermostat (copyright 1992)

QUESTION 325 - Where the hell is my thermostat?

If you were born before 1950, it should be in that soft spot behing your left knee-cap.

If you were born after 1950, you will need to consult your family physician about any adjustments that need to be made. The good news is that it is (in most cases) an outpatient procedure requiring a minimum of anesthesia and recovery time.