ESI Thermostat Troubleshooting UK

UK heating controls company ESI Controls sell a mix of hardwired and wireless Wi-Fi-enabled programmable thermostats.

These include the popular ESRTP6WHW and ESRTPWiFi models.

However, no matter what ESI thermostat you have, there is a broad troubleshooting approach that will generally apply in each case.

Of course, it’s always best to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when troubleshooting, but this guide will provide you with an overview of what steps you should consider.

Let’s begin!

PS. We fit new combi boilers with gas installation nationwide. Simply answer these questions, get your fixed price and you could get it installed as quick as tomorrow.

How Does an ESI Thermostat Work?

Naturally, the function of ESI thermostats varies from model to model.

However, in general, the purpose of a thermostat is a heat-activated switch which uses an internal temperature sensor to adjust the temperature of your home via your heating system.

Its goal is to ensure your home is as close to the ideal temperature set for that given time as possible.

When working as expected your ESI thermostat will follow the default heating schedule or the one you’ve set based on the operating mode selected.

ESI Thermostat Troubleshooting

The Obvious Checks

While fixing an ESI thermostat that is acting up will generally involve a good bit of troubleshooting, sometimes there is a straightforward fix.

For one, double-check that it’s turned on.

More than likely you’ve already done this but sometimes we can be so focused on more complicated potential explanations that we expect to check the obvious.

What’s more, you should carefully check your circuit breakers to ensure they are operating and that you’ve chosen Cool or Heat for your thermostat depending on what time of the year it is.

You can watch our video tutorial on setting up the ESI thermostat here: 

You might even need to simply replace your thermostat’s batteries.

It’s important that your thermostat has batteries with sufficient energy and that the batteries are installed correctly.

Lastly, assuming that your thermostat is programmable you’ll want to verify that all settings are correct and that you haven’t accidentally kept the override function on.

Clean Your Thermostat

Safety Note: Before cleaning the inside of your thermostat make sure that you turn the power off at the mains. This will eliminate the risk of electrocution.

It’s also possible that your thermostat needs a little cleaning.

As dust and dirt gather on the inside of your thermostat over the months and years since installation, issues can arise by clogging its electrical and mechanical parts.

In order to address this potential problem, take the following steps:

1. Gently open the case

2. Clean the inside of your thermostat with a can of electronic air cleaner that is specifically made to clean electronics. Alternatively, you could just use a small and suitable paintbrush. Just before none of the thistles breaks off and pollutes the inside of the thermostat.

If you feel unsure about performing this work, always hire a professional.

After all, attempting to clean a thermostat DIY unless you know exactly what you’re doing could result in causing accidental damage.

Lack of Signal

One of the most common reasons why an ESI thermostat would stop working is that there is no signal.

The manufacturer’s instructions for your specific ESI thermostat model will provide the necessary details to understand how to tell if there is no signal between your thermostat and receiver and how to fix this.

Solutions can vary from model to model hence why we cannot provide a single concrete answer to fixing this problem.

Inspect the Anticipator

Safety Note: In order to adjust the anticipator, you’d need to first ensure that you turn off the power at the mains to avoid electrocution which could easily prove fatal.

When the room temperature and set temperature are almost a match, the anticipator will desensitize your thermostat’s ability to detect tiny temperature changes.

This prevents your HVAC system from cycling on and off too often, which could in turn cause harm to the thermostat.

The anticipator generally requires a power input of 0.2 to 0.8 amps in order to work properly.

It’s possible that the anticipator needs adjusting in order to work as intended.

If you suspect this is the case, undertaking this work should get your thermostat working properly again.

If your boiler is turning on and off too often, you should change your anticipator to the ‘longer’ setting by a single calibration.

Alternatively, if your boiler isn’t heating your home to a sufficient degree (pun semi-intended) then you should move it by one calibration mark toward the ‘shorter’ setting.

Once you’ve performed either of these steps, give it an hour or two before determining whether or not it’s fixed the problem.

Again, if in doubt, hire a qualified professional to inspect and adjust your thermostat’s anticipator if required.

Is it in the Right Location and Balanced Correctly?

A thermostat must be located in a suitable spot and balanced right in order to continually do its job.

Here are some reasons why moving your ESI thermostat may be necessary:

• Your thermostat is near electrical equipment.

• Your thermostat faces direct sunlight at least at some point during the day.

• In general, it’s important that your ESI thermostat isn’t exposed to any temperature extremes. It should also be free from exposure to draughts.

If you believe that changing the location is a good bet, you may only do so if it is a wireless thermostat.

This is because moving a hardwired thermostat requires the work of an electrician or another suitable professional.

If it is wireless, though, you can try it yourself once you follow the manufacturer's instructions to a T and know exactly what you’re doing. If in any doubt, always hire a professional.

Replacing Your Thermostat

While unlikely, it’s possible that your thermostat will need replacing.

If it is on its last legs and beyond economical repair, it would be best (if not the only option) to have it replaced.

Depending on the type of thermostat you currently have, you might be interested in upgrading to a more sophisticated thermostat (e.g. swapping out an old hardwired thermostat for a modern WiFi-enabled thermostat).

Smart wireless thermostats can provide many unique advantages over hardwired thermostats such as their ability to allow for remote control.

With remote thermostat communication, in many cases such thermostats can inform homeowners that they’ve left the heating on at home, allowing you to switch it off even if you are dozens of miles away with your smartphone.

Moreover, you can use remote-controlled thermostats to set the heating to turn on while you’re on the way home from work.

While more expensive, smart wireless thermostats can offer great value for money.

Hiring a Professional to Fix Your ESI Thermostat

Whether you cannot safely fix your ESI thermostat DIY, or you’d simply prefer to hire a suitable professional, you’d be looking at paying somewhere in the region of £30 to £60 per hour in labour costs.

Of course, this would depend on the type of professional you opt for.

Here are the average costs of having a professional fix an ESI thermostat:

• Cleaning your thermostat - £30 to £60

• Fixing a thermostat poor signal issue - £30 to £60

• Relocating or balancing a thermostat - £30 to £120

• Replacing your ESI thermostat - £55 to £190

Looking for the best deal on a new combi boiler? 

If so, get your boiler replacement installed with Heatable, here’s why: 

• Gas Safe installation within 24 hours

• Thousands of happy customers – an average score of 4.9 on Trustpilot (that’s better than the market leader).

• Price match guarantee – if you find a cheaper quote, we will match (must be like for like)

• Multiple payment options - interest free available

• 10 year guarantee

• Fixed price guarantee – no hidden costs

• Save your quote until later

• Use this clickable form to get a fixed price on the screen instantly.

Heat happy.