So, we’re out of town and our dog walker just informed us that our gas fireplace has been running for two days (on a thermostat mode). Oops. Anyone have any advice on how best to monitor the fireplace’s status remotely to make sure this never happens again?
The millivolt system fires the fireplace by completing a circuit. I’m thinking maybe there is a way to monitor whether this circuit is closed? Is there a relay or sensor particularly suited to this? Ideally it would be able to withstand some heat under the firebox (where the remote receiver is located.)
Note that I’m not looking to actually trigger the fireplace, and I’d actually like to prevent that from being possible through ST for safety (and code) reasons.
One way to set it up would be like you do when you actually trigger the fireplace with a connected dry contact relay that allows for an external switch. You can the wire the thermostat as the external switch. The fireplace would work as before, but now you see that the relay is on and would be able to turn it off remotely.
As with all fireplace automation projects… I recommend you check you local building code first though.
Thanks, I’d thought of this before but every now and then I get a random light turning on by itself. So I’d rather the ST NOT be in a position to turn on the fireplace. Also, unless I’m misunderstanding what you’re saying you’d be able to turn the fireplace on (and off of the remote isn’t calling for it) with the ST, but you couldn’t override the remote and turn it off in any event as the circuit would still be closed.
The closest I’ve come to off the top of my head is to repurpose something like a water sensor. But can the DH be hacked to change the wet/dry logos, etc?
I’d also thought about somehow wiring a relay in series with the remote’s leads so I have a master cut out that can prevent the remote from calling for the fireplace if in away mode (circuit open). The ST couldn’t on its own call for it that way as the remote’s piece of the circuit would still be open. (i.e. You’d need both the switch closed and the remote calling for the fire.)
If you simply want to monitor if it’s on could you use a multisensor with temperature near fireplace or mantel? I know our brick and mantel get pretty darn warm when the gas fireplace is on. Perhaps a notification if temperature is above normal room temp?