Smart heating systems

[mdrabble]

Thinking of buying one of these fancy fandangle heating systems.

 

Initially going to start with just the thermostat and then gradually buy the smart radiator thermostats with the idea to control temp in each room - especially babies room when she eventually moves into her own room.

 

Question is which one system?

 

Hive, Nest or Todo?

 

We’ve go a Worcester combi boiler with 7 radiators

 

Cheers

[mikeprice]

Anyone any idea of the security on these things??

 

can they be set up so they can't access the internet - just have local network access so no-one can see them from outside?

[mavhc]

Need sensors for temp in each room, then TRVs that are powered somehow, and possibly occupancy sensors so you know which rooms to heat. Once you have all that it's just software.

 

Do you want battery powered devices, or wired power? Wireless or ethernet. PoE would give you both power and data.

[Dos_Box]

I have Tado throughout and am very happy with it.

You do need the 'starter pack' really. In there you get the boiler link, smart thermostat, internet link module and a couple of TRV's.

I too have a Worcester combi and it works just fine and was very easy to wire in the new controller to it. The rest of the components are a doddle to fit and it only took me an hour or so to do the house once you've got the hang of fitting the adaptors if you need them.

You don't have to wire the TRV's in as they are powered by AA batteries. I just replaced my first batteries on one TRV today and it's been running for almost two years now.

The TRV's also, very handily, form a mesh network so even if you have any wifi dead spots in your house this is easily overcome.

My advice (given to me by @ZeroHour) is to buy the starter pack on black Friday (they always come on offer) and grab a couple of extra TRV's, then buy the rest when you have more cash, if you didn't get all you need initially as they often come up on offer on Amazon.

[fiza]

I recently bought the Tado starter wireless pack on Amazon Prime Day. Very happy with it. No TRVs as I only wanted an easy way to control the heating and have different settings for weekdays and weekends. Very easy to install.

[ZeroHour]

Yeah pretty happy hear with Tado as well, the sensors also tell you about humidity in the room which is nice and they came out with a new wireless sensor for rooms which means it wont use the trv thermo sensor for extra accuracy. I would always wait until its on sale on Amazon though as the trv packs and starter packs go on sale quite often.

 

It does really need the internet to work fully although homekit can work disconnected as well as trv manual control will call heat when the system is offline, just the scheduling doesnt work.

Edited November 7, 2020 by ZeroHour

[jmak]

Guess what? Another Tado user here. As a system I really like the amount of control I get - with shift workers and some non-full-time residents, I reckon there's no occupancy pattern for AI to learn in our house, so geo-fencing was essential for me.

 

While you can control stuff manually from the physical control, it is highly dependent on the internet. No programming information is stored locally - it keeps doing what it's doing until it receives a instruction to change. Earlier this week I noticed that the house was still warm a couple of hours after I'd gone to bed and found the heating was still running. The "bridge" had lost its internet connection, so didn't receive the instruction from Germany to turn off for the night. That doesn't happen often though. The only other quirk I've had is that it didn't seem to like Huawei phones. We've had Google, OnePlus, Samsung and Apple phones and they all interact reliably, but the three different models of Huawei phones quite often didn't register as leaving or returning to the house.

 

One other thing to be aware of, I think new users have to pay a subscription now for full functionality.

[MatthewL]

Other than the ones you have listed I do know Honeywell and Drayton do systems too, worth a look too.

 

With my current setup I would go Hive but I do plan on replacing my full heating system in a few years and make it properly smart and zoned so will be looking at it closer then, all depends what you want out of it.

[titch]

I have a nest system which is great but was hoping they would bring out smart TRVs. It now looks like they won't bother so I may switch at some point. Annoying

[mikeprice]

In case anyone else on here is as thick as me

 

I just looked it up and TRV means Thermostatic Radiator Valve

 

not heard their proper name before

[Andrew_C]

I went with Wiser by Drayton. Only got the room stats at the moment, but might go for TRVs. I needed to replace my previous wireless stats as it kept forgetting the settings, and was a right chore to program.

 

Gave Geo-fencing a miss, as Mrs_C's ex lives nearby, and the Sorta-dortas would have switched ours on when there.

 

If your boiler is Open Therm ready, this will improve your control if you go for a system that is compatible. Or look to see if Worster have a system.

[Dos_Box]

In case anyone else on here is as thick as me

 

I just looked it up and TRV means Thermostatic Radiator Valve

 

not heard their proper name before

 

I was the same. It was always 'turn the radiator knob'!. They never had a technical name.

[mavhc]

https://www.trustedreviews.com/news/opentherm-may-not-get-energy-savings-deserve-3633334

[mikeprice]

I was the same. It was always 'turn the radiator knob'!. They never had a technical name.

 

That's not a very nice way to refer to you!!

 

and why did they want the radiator rotated

 

 

 

sorry

 

anyway - thanks for making me feel less thick!!!!!

[Andrew_C]

Unlike the traditional "radiator knob" a TRV has a thermostat in it. It can switch off a radiator if that room needs to be cooler than the room with the thermostat/controler.

 

The really clever wireless TRVs can switch the boiler on and heat just the cool room, if you fit them in all rooms. You can improve the comfort by careful planning if you can't justify fitting £35 heads to all your existing valves, or draining down and fitting bases throughout.

 

I would if a) I had existing valves, or b) thought I'd be living here more than a few years. Will definitly be doing aproper job in the next house.

[stevejp]

In case anyone else on here is as thick as me

 

I just looked it up and TRV means Thermostatic Radiator Valve

 

not heard their proper name before

 

Glad I wasn’t the only one. Never had such things when I were a lad...

[dblight]

Hive here, 360 hub and thermostat. Just heating as combi boiler.

 

Thermostat is pretty good on the whole. The app is polished and works well. Only criticism for us is we wanted to control a bedroom with a TRV (new baby nursery).

 

The issue with the TRV’s is you need to have one on each radiator as the heating needs to be on for it to kick in. So we wanted that room to kick in if it was below 18 degrees, if the thermostat (downstairs hallway) had already reached its set temp the TRV for the nursery wouldn’t kick in.

 

The thermostat is now Apple HomeKit compatible, a great addition for us as house runs off HomeKit. TRV’s are not HomeKit compatible though.

 

Hub runs on IOT vlan with no issues. Access from outside world to control whilst out and about.

Edited November 9, 2020 by dblight

[Brimstone]

Hive here, 360 hub and thermostat. Just heating as combi boiler.

 

Thermostat is pretty good on the whole. The app is polished and works well. Only criticism for us is we wanted to control a bedroom with a TRV (new baby nursery).

 

The issue with the TRV’s is you need to have one on each radiator as the heating needs to be on for it to kick in. So we wanted that room to kick in if it was below 18 degrees, if the thermostat (downstairs hallway) had already reached its set temp the TRV for the nursery wouldn’t kick in.

 

The thermostat is now Apple HomeKit compatible, a great addition for us as house runs off HomeKit. TRV’s are not HomeKit compatible though.

 

Hub runs on IOT vlan with no issues. Access from outside world to control whilst out and about.

 

 

I've had Tado as well for ages, very good system although people are now complaining that they have to pay a subscription for "Auto Assist" which automatically turns off/on the heating when you leave/arrive.

 

If you are very technical and prepared to deal with the command line you could try Homebridge software which makes a huge number of non compatible HomeKit Smart devices compatible...

 

https://homebridge.io

[dsmith8]

I've got one of those horstmann thermostats with with boost button that I want to convert to being smart so that when my Octopus Energy Price goes cheap it heats my water heater.

 

Was looking at getting some switchbots and a hub to link to alexa as it seemed real cheap to do.

 

https://www.switch-bot.com/products/switchbot-bot (they sell on amazon too)

[Danp]

I had Hive fitted in Jan this year, British Gas had a deal (we have a service contract with them) it was about £110 fully fitted with all the kit. I'm sure I've saved that in heating costs since (two teenage daughters who turn the heating up and forget about it!).

[howartp]

I've got the Honeywell system.

 

Four TRVs in use (where they replaced normal TRVs) and another four in a box for when I can be bothered draining the radiators to install the TRV taps.

 

Peter

[PyROm]

Honeywell evohome here, had it ages and it works great, central wireless boiler controller with trv`s. The newer evohome system can work with an opentherm equipped boiler to adjust the water temperature based on demand, to increase efficiency.

[mdrabble]

Thanks for all the reply - certainly some food for thought etc.

 

Think I need to find the model of our Combi boiler to see if it supports OpenTherm - although it not essential.

 

Will be keeping my eye on Black Friday deals - think may go with Tado as seem some good reviews etc.

 

Cheers

[mikeprice]

on a similar theme

is there a system that just controls the TRVs

 

and how easy is it to replace a normal TRV with a 'smart' one - or do I need a plumber (note - I have a tame plumber/heating expert - but he gets busy so it can be a pain getting hold of him!)

[Andrew_C]

is there a system that just controls the TRVs

I went Wiser as the TRVs are quite a bit cheaper than other brands. However, I don't know if you can have just TRVs and boiler interface, or whether you need the controller too, though I suspect that it isn't worth not doing.

and how easy is it to replace a normal TRV

Easy. No wet stuff to deal with, you are on the 'dry' side of the valve.