Air Con control problem

[Bongtrees]

Can I buy a simple remote on off switch to control my air conunits?

House I am renting out has these units in each with their own controls but holidaymakers keep fiddling with them so want to set temp and swing with the unit and turn on and off with separate control to stop them changing temperature etc.

[peteroldracer]

May I suggest that the only way you will control guest's use of air-con is to install cash payment meters. Whatever else you do they will still leave doors and windows open so they are trying to cool the whole of Andalucia, and the units running all day whilst they are out - unless you hit the misuse hard in their pocket.

[ashtondav]

I use econoair.

They sense movement. No movement then after 15, 30 or 45 minutes (you set the tolerances) the sensor sends a signal to the unit to turn off. Works like a dream. You can also have a night setting so people can have air con on regardless of whether there is any motion under the sheets, during night hours. I guess if people were to close the persiana grills on the windows the units would still remain on night setting, but so far so good.

Cost me about £50 or £60 each unit a few years ago and paid for itself first year!

Coin operated is sooooo down market

[peteroldracer]

They look to be a good buy! http://www.econoair-eu.com/

[Bongtrees]

They look to be a good buy! http://www.econoair-eu.com/

website says none available to buy

[ian.wilson]

Try this new technology , now being used on the Costa del Sol.

http://www.ecokey.es

By the way it´s nothing to do with me, i just know real estate companies have started advising owners of rental properties to use it to bring down their electricity bills.

Looks good.

Regards
Ian

[ashtondav]

Their eco-air product looks to perform the same function as the econoair units. As I say, they work well.

[Campo Steve]

A simple solution, maybe. Most air on units have an on/off button on the unit so, after selecting the settings you want, remove the remote control. Then visitors will only be able to use the settings you have selected.

A drawback may be that the units may be a bit too high to reach easily so people may not bother switching them off so take that into account.

[ashtondav]

Most air on units have an on/off button

Yes that's all mine have - no timer etc. So it's useless for controlling anything. The unit would either be on all the time (subject to temperature setting). Or off all the time. Not really much use.

You do need some sort of timer, or movement detector to reduce consumption and still provide air-con.

[El Cid]

Can I buy a simple remote on off switch to control my air conunits?
.

Getting back to the original question, yes it is possible to get such a remote control.

You won't find one specifically for aircon but there are loads of "universal Remotes" designed to control TV/Video/HiFi etc. Many of them are able to learn the codes from the original controller. I have one that controls up to eight devices, including the aircon but only on/off.

It's a sledgehammer to crack a nut but it does work.

Sid

[Bongtrees]

Can I buy a simple remote on off switch to control my air conunits?
.

Getting back to the original question, yes it is possible to get such a remote control.

You won't find one specifically for aircon but there are loads of "universal Remotes" designed to control TV/Video/HiFi etc. Many of them are able to learn the codes from the original controller. I have one that controls up to eight devices, including the aircon but only on/off.Sid

Thanks Sid, can you tell me the make of the one you use please.

The original link led to a site which looked promising, however with no tel no, no address and no stock I lost faith.............. The second link offers the exact same item for twice the price but if original site doesnt have any stock what hope is there that the second one does........

[El Cid]

Thanks Sid, can you tell me the make of the one you use please. .

It's a Sunwave SRC 3000 but I don't think they are available any more.

You need something really simple. This one looks promising http://goo.gl/HT2Zs

You program it by pointing the original R/C at it and pressing the button that you want it to remember - in your case just the on/off button.

Sid

[Bongtrees]

Thanks Sid

have placed an order and will get back with results as is a bargain compared to other one

[Bongtrees]

The remote has arrived but the person looking after the house says he has tried several times but cant make it work despite fololowing the instructions.

Does anyone have any suggestions that he might try.... I think he is not very good with the TV set up etc so wonder if there might be a shortcut or something.

[El Cid]

The learning process is normally pretty simple. There is a receptor (as opposed to the transmitter) which receives the signal from the original unit.

Normally you point the two units at each other and press the key that you want to teach and then press the corresponding key on the old remote.

Perhaps he is just expecting it to work out of the box - which it won't.

Sid

[Bongtrees]

The learning process is normally pretty simple. There is a receptor (as opposed to the transmitter) which receives the signal from the original unit.

Normally you point the two units at each other and press the key that you want to teach and then press the corresponding key on the old remote.

Perhaps he is just expecting it to work out of the box - which it won't.

Sid

Its just on and off so if I understand you correctly does he set the temp on the air con unit then point the original control at the new one and press off and then the same for on?

[El Cid]

I thought there was an up/down button to control the temperature but I would not program that as that is what you wanted to stop them doing.

Just program the on and off buttons and then set the temp from the main control before you hide it.

Sid

[probe]

I use econoair.

They sense movement. No movement then after 15, 30 or 45 minutes (you set the tolerances) the sensor sends a signal to the unit to turn off. Works like a dream. You can also have a night setting so people can have air con on regardless of whether there is any motion under the sheets, during night hours. I guess if people were to close the persiana grills on the windows the units would still remain on night setting, but so far

There are 2 versions of this - battery powered and mains. Anyone have an idea on what happens to all the setting with the mains version if you get a power cut?

Probe

[scotty]

Anyone have an idea on what happens to all the setting with the mains version if you get a power cut?

Probe

Why dont you email them off the site and ask ?

[probe]

I did that a week ago and haven't had a reply - perhaps they're on holiday...