Dryer Heat Anticipator

[theripster]

Here I go showing my lack of knowledge again. Exactly what is the purpose of a heat anticipator, and how does it function? What happens when it fails to function?

As always, here's my usual thanks in advance for any info.

[woodchuck]

Found this on a google search.
It's concerning house heaters and not dryers.

The device on your Thermostat called the "heat anticipator" is a small electric heater that uses the current of the gas valve or oil burner primary to cause the thermostat to dropout the heat before the room temperature overshoots. The reason for this is that furnaces are usually sized larger than they need to be.
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Some thermostats contain an adjustable device called a "heat anticipator." This device can correct for heating overshoot. When the thermostat calls for heat, the heater begins warming up the area. By the time the heat gets to the thermostat and warms it up enough to turn off the heater, the heater has put out too much heat and the ambient temperature may, in fact, be much too high. The heat anticipator tries to compensate for this overshoot by causing the thermostat to turn off its call for heat prematurely. A common type of heat anticipator is a resistive wire inside the thermostat, strung near the bi-metallic coil that is the temperature sensor. A slider can be moved along this wire, adjusting how much of the wire will have current flowing through it. (Current will only flow through the resistive wire when the thermostat is calling for heat.)

The net result is that when the thermostat calls for heat, the resistive wire generates a small (and adjustable) amount of heat that will soon artificially lower the temperature at which the thermostat ceases its call for heat. The homeowner can experiment with the heat anticipator: If the heater comes on infrequently, and the temperature in the house fluctuates too much, turn up the heat anticipator. If the heater cycles too frequently, or comes on for too short of a period turn down the heat anticipator.

Heat anticipators compensate for less-than-perfect thermostat sensor locations. Thermostats are usually located in a position that is a compromise between the best location to sense the actual room temperature, and the best location to access the thermostat controls.

Most mechanical thermostats have heat anticipators (ours do.)

Most electronic, programmable, and remotely controllable thermostats have minimum cycle times (all of ours do), and/or some way to remote the sensor for more accurate readings (optional on all our non-mechanical thermostats.) Also, electronic thermostats tend to react to temperature changes more rapidly than mechanical ones, thus reducing the need for anticipators.
Cooling Anticipator
Just as the heat anticipator can artificially shorten the heating cycle to reduce overshoot, the cooling anticipator shortens the cooling off cycle in an attempt to prevent the temperature from rising above the setpoint. Cooling anticipators are less commonly used (or needed) than heat anticipators.
Remote Temperature Sensor

[theripster]

[QUOTE=woodchuck]Found this on a google search.
It's concerning house heaters and not dryers.

The device on your Thermostat called the "heat anticipator" is a small electric heater that uses the current of the gas valve or oil burner primary to cause the thermostat to dropout the heat before the room temperature overshoots. The reason for this is that furnaces are usually sized larger than they need to be.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Some thermostats contain an adjustable device called a "heat anticipator." This device can correct for heating overshoot. When the thermostat calls for heat, the heater begins warming up the area. By the time the heat gets to the thermostat and warms it up enough to turn off the heater, the heater has put out too much heat and the ambient temperature may, in fact, be much too high. The heat anticipator tries to compensate for this overshoot by causing the thermostat to turn off its call for heat prematurely. A common type of heat anticipator is a resistive wire inside the thermostat, strung near the bi-metallic coil that is the temperature sensor. A slider can be moved along this wire, adjusting how much of the wire will have current flowing through it. (Current will only flow through the resistive wire when the thermostat is calling for heat.)

The net result is that when the thermostat calls for heat, the resistive wire generates a small (and adjustable) amount of heat that will soon artificially lower the temperature at which the thermostat ceases its call for heat. The homeowner can experiment with the heat anticipator: If the heater comes on infrequently, and the temperature in the house fluctuates too much, turn up the heat anticipator. If the heater cycles too frequently, or comes on for too short of a period turn down the heat anticipator.

Heat anticipators compensate for less-than-perfect thermostat sensor locations. Thermostats are usually located in a position that is a compromise between the best location to sense the actual room temperature, and the best location to access the thermostat controls.

Most mechanical thermostats have heat anticipators (ours do.)

Most electronic, programmable, and remotely controllable thermostats have minimum cycle times (all of ours do), and/or some way to remote the sensor for more accurate readings (optional on all our non-mechanical thermostats.) Also, electronic thermostats tend to react to temperature changes more rapidly than mechanical ones, thus reducing the need for anticipators.
Cooling Anticipator
Just as the heat anticipator can artificially shorten the heating cycle to reduce overshoot, the cooling anticipator shortens the cooling off cycle in an attempt to prevent the temperature from rising above the setpoint. Cooling anticipators are less commonly used (or needed) than heat anticipators.
Remote Temperature Sensor[/QUOTE]

Well I read it, but don't see how it would correspond to a dryer in which the thermostat is mounted directly on top of the heat anticipator. Both would feel the heat at the same time :confused: .