Best Wifi enabled thermostat

[Pheo]

sjj84 said:

Not expecting it to save me anything, I just like technology.

Thats the idea!

[recalluk]

garyhun said:

So are people getting real benefit from these WiFi units or is it more a case of a technology looking for a peoblem?

I love my gadgets but I can't help feeling that a WiFi enabled thermostat may by slightly OTT.

Well on balance it seems my TADO is saving me about 25% I think ... so more than paying for itself and also very convenient

[jon-]

recalluk said:

garyhun said:

So are people getting real benefit from these WiFi units or is it more a case of a technology looking for a peoblem?

I love my gadgets but I can't help feeling that a WiFi enabled thermostat may by slightly OTT.

Well on balance it seems my TADO is saving me about 25% I think ... so more than paying for itself and also very convenient

I've got an empty house quite a lot, so the TADO not heating nothing must be saving something.

Unfortunately my hot water has been stuck on, so it might be a while before I see a real saving

[RossP]

I used Tado email support on Saturday as my internet connection failed while I was asleep. This locked my heating in 'sleep' mode so woke up to a cold house and I couldn't change the temperature! They've replied today to say that it is a known issue when using an extension unit and they are working on a fix...

[jon-]

RossP said:

I used Tado email support on Saturday as my internet connection failed while I was asleep. This locked my heating in 'sleep' mode so woke up to a cold house and I couldn't change the temperature! They've replied today to say that it is a known issue when using an extension unit and they are working on a fix...

Do you have the V1 unit?

You can change the mode manually on the V2... or is that what locked?

[RossP]

jon- said:

RossP said:

I used Tado email support on Saturday as my internet connection failed while I was asleep. This locked my heating in 'sleep' mode so woke up to a cold house and I couldn't change the temperature! They've replied today to say that it is a known issue when using an extension unit and they are working on a fix...

Do you have the V1 unit?

You can change the mode manually on the V2... or is that what locked?

I have just upgraded from V1 to V2. Here's the content of the email from Tado support:
"For your heating setup there is unfortunately a disadvantage that if you don't have any internet connection it keeps the last mode and temperature you had (sleep mode in your case). You cannot change it on your Smart Thermostat as the Extension Kit is responsible for regulating the boiler while internet is disconnected. We are working on solution for your heating setup and internet disconnection fallback behaviour."

[jon-]

RossP said:

jon- said:

RossP said:

I used Tado email support on Saturday as my internet connection failed while I was asleep. This locked my heating in 'sleep' mode so woke up to a cold house and I couldn't change the temperature! They've replied today to say that it is a known issue when using an extension unit and they are working on a fix...

Do you have the V1 unit?

You can change the mode manually on the V2... or is that what locked?

I have just upgraded from V1 to V2. Here's the content of the email from Tado support:
"For your heating setup there is unfortunately a disadvantage that if you don't have any internet connection it keeps the last mode and temperature you had (sleep mode in your case). You cannot change it on your Smart Thermostat as the Extension Kit is responsible for regulating the boiler while internet is disconnected. We are working on solution for your heating setup and internet disconnection fallback behaviour."

That's crazy. On my V2 without extension kit I can override the settings with the button when the internet is down.

I'm adding the extension kit as my hot water controller went pop, so I'm actually downgrading.

I'm starting to wish I went nest!

[SMar]

jon- said:

RossP said:

jon- said:

RossP said:

I used Tado email support on Saturday as my internet connection failed while I was asleep. This locked my heating in 'sleep' mode so woke up to a cold house and I couldn't change the temperature! They've replied today to say that it is a known issue when using an extension unit and they are working on a fix...

Do you have the V1 unit?

You can change the mode manually on the V2... or is that what locked?

I have just upgraded from V1 to V2. Here's the content of the email from Tado support:
"For your heating setup there is unfortunately a disadvantage that if you don't have any internet connection it keeps the last mode and temperature you had (sleep mode in your case). You cannot change it on your Smart Thermostat as the Extension Kit is responsible for regulating the boiler while internet is disconnected. We are working on solution for your heating setup and internet disconnection fallback behaviour."

That's crazy. On my V2 without extension kit I can override the settings with the button when the internet is down.

I'm adding the extension kit as my hot water controller went pop, so I'm actually downgrading.

I'm starting to wish I went nest!

Nest doesn't control your hot water, it’s not comparable. If you want to use the Tado like a Nest then get a new controller for your Hot Water and then just use the Tado as before.

[jon-]

SMar said:

Nest doesn't control your hot water, it’s not comparable. If you want to use the Tado like a Nest then get a new controller for your Hot Water and then just use the Tado as before.

Point taken, but Nest has more home integration. Lighting, washing machines, cctv, and a lot more future scope thanks to the Google backing.

I only picked up a TADO as it was on offer, and I figure there must be new Nest hardware due out in the next 12 months which will move the game even further forward.

[SMar]

jon- said:

SMar said:

Nest doesn't control your hot water, it’s not comparable. If you want to use the Tado like a Nest then get a new controller for your Hot Water and then just use the Tado as before.

Point taken, but Nest has more home integration. Lighting, washing machines, cctv, and a lot more future scope thanks to the Google backing.

I only picked up a TADO as it was on offer, and I figure there must be new Nest hardware due out in the next 12 months which will move the game even further forward.

The market for home automation is starting to build momentum now, and it’s not easy to decide which horse to back, let’s hope someone like Google can start to lay down the standards that all the vendors can adopt, so we can all have choices.

[Pheo]

SMar said:

The market for home automation is starting to build momentum now, and it’s not easy to decide which horse to back, let’s hope someone like Google can start to lay down the standards that all the vendors can adopt, so we can all have choices.

Homekit from Apple might help a bit I think.

Tado were talking about releasing IFTTT integration and API a couple of months ago on kickstarter - check the blog out on there if its still up.

[Max M4X WW]

jon- said:

Nest has more home integration. Lighting

More info?

[Leithen]

currybum said:

It is basically a simple on/off switch…but the learning software behind it is very impressive, you could have multi zones but that is a whole lot of extra hardware for not that much more benefit.

It all depends on your house and how you use it. The more rooms you have and the more variety in use between the rooms may mean that being able to create more zones has real benefit.

[Grumpy old git]

Max M4X WW said:

More info?

Here you go https://nest.com/uk/works-with-nest/

[Leithen]

currybum said:

We have decent sized place ~300m^s with everything from a 14x7m family, kitchen, diner to several rooms that hardly ever get used. Once the thermostatic rad valves are set right everything gets to the right temp pretty well.

When you need to use one of the unused rooms adjust the rad valves and they become part of the system. Given the added complexity of individually controlled rooms,the hardware (and batteries) required I think I would rather get 95% of the effect with just a single controller.

If you have two heating systems you can use two nests.

Definitely down to personal preference I think - Nest appears to be simpler, and more intelligent in learning how the device is adjusted and used.

However, we are setting very different schedules for different rooms. Our living areas have different timings, bathrooms and bedrooms are being heated at different times too.

It was a bit daunting at first thinking about how to setup 12 zones, but over time we have gradually adjusted the system, and to be fair to Honeywell, it's very easy to do with the evohome controller.

I'll be interested to see how long the batteries last in the wireless TRVs and room stats.

It's great though that we as consumers now have much more choice and intelligent solutions as to how we can control what has been a very crude technology up till now.

[5678]

I think my tado temperature sensor has failed.

The system stopped recognising it yesterday, yet despite having it plugged in to charge for 12 hours it is still not being recognised.

I've mailed them for comment.

[SMar]

currybum said:

We have had Nest in since it came over here, the hot water tank is controlled on a timer and thermostat, the tank is new and very well insulated so the water doesn’t lose heat very quickly. The hot water comes on when we use it, I’m not sure how much benefit a smart controlled system would have on an extremely low loss tank system.

The heating control is brilliant, as in I haven’t had to think about it at all since it got colder, and the house is always warm when you want it, it has dealt with the added complication of the log burner without issue..looking at the heating usage stats it looks to run the heating just enough so the house is up to temp when you actually need it, it’s also learnt the days when one of us is working at home and adjust automatically. I will wait the full winter to compare but initially it looks to be making at least 25% savings.

It is basically a simple on/off switch…but the learning software behind it is very impressive, you could have multi zones but that is a whole lot of extra hardware for not that much more benefit.

This is exactly what I get from the Tado control system, but with the added control of the Hot Water. It may not save you much depending on your setup, but it’s definitely better than not having it integrated at all. I wanted a system with more intelligence, and one that gave me more control.

[paulrockliffe]

Just got my V2 now and made a start installing.

Got V1 removed and then discovered that Tado don't have specific instructions for my boiler yet.

Are there any generic instructions available anywhere, or can someone tell me roughly what I need to do?

I've got an extension box and the smart thermostat. Looking at the Relay Wiring 1 diagram N and L are an obvious swap over from the existing setup and the Earth doesn't need to be touched. I've then got pins 1,2,3 and 4 to deal with.

1 is labelled Com
2 is labelled NC
4 is labelled NO

The wiring I have is two wires from the combi boiler that are the trigger circuit.

Do I connect one wire to COM and the other to either NC or NO, depending on whether the boiler is voltage = On or voltage = off?

[smashie]

Just had my heating engineer call up to say that we will not be able to use the Wave as it is for Gravity fed systems and not system boilers/unveted cylinders. I am having my boiler replaced 18th December so have a bit of time to think about it, so has anyone got any suggestions for controlling the heating and hot water via a tablet/phone that will work with a system boiler and unvented cylinder? A nice to have would be a thermostat that we could move between rooms as well.
Any ideas from the knowledgeable on here?
Thanks

[paulrockliffe]

Also, can someone talk me through the pairing process for the various boxes?

I've got it powered up, both wireless thermostat and extension box, but they're not talking to the bridge. I've discovered that holding down the home button seems to put it in some sort of connection mode, but it doesn't seem to be connecting.

Thanks.