timer on simple wall thermostat

[Dave Thermostat question]

Need a solution for a vacation home cadet heater thermostat. The thermostat is double pole I believe, meaning it actually turns off.

My elderly parents own a vacation home with two other families. One of the families has a difficult time remembering to turn the thermostat off when they leave. This has happened on numerous occasions and recently the heat was left on for two months and the usage was four times the normal monthly usage.

This is wired with a 30 amp double pole circuit breaker and 10 - 2 wire and runs two heaters in a 200 square foot poorly insulated room. I am wondering if I can install a 24 hour spring loaded countdown timer between the circuit panel and the thermostat. Or, is there a thermostat that has something like this built in?? I've seen the programmable wall thermostats but am not able to see if that's something they could be programmed to do, especially when people can't remember to turn off a simple thermostat.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks

 

[Leejosepho]

One of the families has a difficult time remembering to turn the thermostat off when they leave.

Have them put the utility bill in their name. Anything you do to turn the power off automatically will be a nuisance to everyone, and someone will mess with it just like you are doing.

 

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[JWelectric]

Lee hit the nail on the head as having the heat turned completely off could result in frozen pipes. If they forget to turn down the heat can one expect for them to remember to drain the pipes

 

[DonL]

You could use a auto setback T-stat.

You can program it to a low setting, then they can select Temporary mode to turn it up.

Then it will revert back to Programed mode after a preset time.


Good Luck

 

[Charlie.f308]

We have a cabin up north that we let our eldest daughter use. We are always scared that she is going to forget to turn things off after she leaves with her friends in the summer time. My husband connected a digital timer that has remote access to our lighting, and thermostat. Might be your best solution.