Best Wifi enabled thermostat
Discussion
We have 'Wiser' controllers for our heating and hotwater and very happy with it, the app is basic but functional, the controller and thermostat just do what is on the tin. We don't have powered TRVs but could easily add them.
Its 'comfort mode' turns the heating on to bring it to temp for the set time dependant on how long it will take to get up to temp, eco mode ensures it doesnt fire heavily just before its due to shut off. Heat report graph allows you to see rate of heating and rate of heat loss.
Only thing I would like to able to do is export the heat report data to view on a computer.
Daniel
Its 'comfort mode' turns the heating on to bring it to temp for the set time dependant on how long it will take to get up to temp, eco mode ensures it doesnt fire heavily just before its due to shut off. Heat report graph allows you to see rate of heating and rate of heat loss.
Only thing I would like to able to do is export the heat report data to view on a computer.
Daniel
Trustmeimadoctor said:
Evohome is the best because it works better than the rest. Others a better featured but evohome have hinted at big updates coming to the system.
Honeywell (evohome) invented the thermostat so they do know what they are doing regarding heating control
So it’s the best despite others having better features because they may or may not upgrade stuff in future?Honeywell (evohome) invented the thermostat so they do know what they are doing regarding heating control
I have Tado and it’s better IMO than Evohome and also much cheaper if you buy it on Amazon today at only £30 per TRV.
House we’re moving into, has UFH and every radiator has a ‘smart’ end to it. Whole thing is run from a Honeywell evohome product. With 2 of the ‘room stats’ in the hall and lounge. The UFH heating manifold seems I could control each room at a time, there is a sensor per pipe
Is this going to be good enough? Or do I need to think about getting a better product in place?
Is this going to be good enough? Or do I need to think about getting a better product in place?
Edited by illmonkey on Monday 3rd February 12:32
kambites said:
dhutch said:
Only thing I would like to able to do is export the heat report data to view on a computer.
Yes, it'd be nice to be able to export the logs as a spreadsheet or something. We have a hot water tank upstairs and a condensing boiler in the garage, one main circuit / thermostat for most of the house and then a seperate 'stat in the lounge.
Currently looking at the Drayton Wiser system.
Would I be correct in thinking I need the 'kit 3'
ie: I need three channels, one for hot water, and one each for the two heating circuits?
Currently looking at the Drayton Wiser system.
Would I be correct in thinking I need the 'kit 3'
ie: I need three channels, one for hot water, and one each for the two heating circuits?
Dan_1981 said:
We have a hot water tank upstairs and a condensing boiler in the garage, one main circuit / thermostat for most of the house and then a seperate 'stat in the lounge.
Currently looking at the Drayton Wiser system.
Would I be correct in thinking I need the 'kit 3'
ie: I need three channels, one for hot water, and one each for the two heating circuits?
Yes correct. Although if you are fitting the Wiser TRVs the concept of zones is somewhat redundant so you could possibly use a kit 2 with a wiring mod to your zone valvesCurrently looking at the Drayton Wiser system.
Would I be correct in thinking I need the 'kit 3'
ie: I need three channels, one for hot water, and one each for the two heating circuits?
Current setup is a combi running radiators as a single zone with Tado controlling. Adding two new rooms to a loft conversion, one is relatively small and will be used as an office, so I'm looking at underfloor heating to keep flexibility int he room and as a separate zone so I can work at home and only heat one room.
Want to keep using Tado, can it work with the new setup and if so, how does it need to be setup?
As I understand it, I need to be able to control boiler demand for the different zones, but also over-ride the Tado heat request for the UFH if my blending valve/pump thing is turned off. Is that broadly correct or is there more to it than that?
Want to keep using Tado, can it work with the new setup and if so, how does it need to be setup?
As I understand it, I need to be able to control boiler demand for the different zones, but also over-ride the Tado heat request for the UFH if my blending valve/pump thing is turned off. Is that broadly correct or is there more to it than that?
paulrockliffe said:
Current setup is a combi running radiators as a single zone with Tado controlling. Adding two new rooms to a loft conversion, one is relatively small and will be used as an office, so I'm looking at underfloor heating to keep flexibility int he room and as a separate zone so I can work at home and only heat one room.
Want to keep using Tado, can it work with the new setup and if so, how does it need to be setup?
As I understand it, I need to be able to control boiler demand for the different zones, but also over-ride the Tado heat request for the UFH if my blending valve/pump thing is turned off. Is that broadly correct or is there more to it than that?
If I understand what you're saying correctly, you need a Tado TRV on the UFH manifold and a Tado Thermostat in your office.Want to keep using Tado, can it work with the new setup and if so, how does it need to be setup?
As I understand it, I need to be able to control boiler demand for the different zones, but also over-ride the Tado heat request for the UFH if my blending valve/pump thing is turned off. Is that broadly correct or is there more to it than that?
You then link the Office Thermostat with the Office TRV in the Tado setup so it is the Office Thermostat and not the Office TRV that sets the temperature.
Obviously it doesn't matter where the UFH manifold is in your house, just that they are linked.
You then set your existing main house thermostat to a cold temp and the Office thermostat to your desired temp et voila.
ben5575 said:
paulrockliffe said:
Current setup is a combi running radiators as a single zone with Tado controlling. Adding two new rooms to a loft conversion, one is relatively small and will be used as an office, so I'm looking at underfloor heating to keep flexibility int he room and as a separate zone so I can work at home and only heat one room.
Want to keep using Tado, can it work with the new setup and if so, how does it need to be setup?
As I understand it, I need to be able to control boiler demand for the different zones, but also over-ride the Tado heat request for the UFH if my blending valve/pump thing is turned off. Is that broadly correct or is there more to it than that?
If I understand what you're saying correctly, you need a Tado TRV on the UFH manifold and a Tado Thermostat in your office.Want to keep using Tado, can it work with the new setup and if so, how does it need to be setup?
As I understand it, I need to be able to control boiler demand for the different zones, but also over-ride the Tado heat request for the UFH if my blending valve/pump thing is turned off. Is that broadly correct or is there more to it than that?
You then link the Office Thermostat with the Office TRV in the Tado setup so it is the Office Thermostat and not the Office TRV that sets the temperature.
Obviously it doesn't matter where the UFH manifold is in your house, just that they are linked.
You then set your existing main house thermostat to a cold temp and the Office thermostat to your desired temp et voila.
The Combi is supplying water at 80ish to the radiators and that needs to continue, but I need to limit the water temp in the UFH to 40. I can do that with a combined pump/blending valve that circulates water around the UFH and then maintains the UFH temp by letting warm water from the boiler either loop through the UFH, or loop back to the boiler. Those valves you set the max temp and they maintain it and *I think* I just need the Tado demand to turn the pump on.
Does the boiler regulate itself based on the return temperature, or will it run until the UFH room demand is satisfied?
If the boiler turns off on return temp, it'll maintain 80 degrees in the loop to the UFH manifold (and I'll need to isolate that from the radiators or they'll be on) and the UFH will regulate it's temp until the room is at the right temp, then the UFH pump will turn off.
To avoid the supply loop being maintained at temp for long periods, the boiler needs to be turned off when the blending valve is closed. Which could be achieved (I think) by wiring the demand from the tado via the valve to the boiler so both conditions are satisfied before the boiler fires.
Don't mind running the thermostat with wires, just need to make sure I understand how it all works and that it will work before I start buying stuff!
Yes sorry, I'm used to my system 
You're correct in that you would have to either manually switch off all of the house rads with either dumb or smart Tado TRVs. The latter being by far the better, albeit more expensive, option.
If you go for Tado TRVs everywhere else, then don't forget that you'll need to add one in the room (hall?) where your existing Tado thermostat is, otherwise you'll get a feedback loop where the other tado TRVs call for heat, which heats the uncontrolled dumb rad in the hall, which triggers the hall thermostat to cut the supply, which prompts the other TRVs to call for demand again and around you go.
You get around this by linking the hall tado trv to the hall thermostat, so that the hall thermostat controls the hall temp and simply tells the hall tado trv to switch on/off as required without affecting all of the other rooms/zones. This linked set up is essentially exactly what I was suggesting for the UFH control.
I'm not a plumber so unfortunately can't answer how all the valves work. I can't quite get my head around how a closed heating system can add cold water to cool it from 80 to 40, without the excess water being dumped somewhere?!
Either way, a smart TRV on the heating supply to the UFH, linked to a tado thermostat in the office, with trvs everywhere else will give you what you need from a Tado pov.
Ach sorry, ignore me. I now understand your point about the pump/return. My other point about the house rads remains correct however.
You're correct in that you would have to either manually switch off all of the house rads with either dumb or smart Tado TRVs. The latter being by far the better, albeit more expensive, option.
If you go for Tado TRVs everywhere else, then don't forget that you'll need to add one in the room (hall?) where your existing Tado thermostat is, otherwise you'll get a feedback loop where the other tado TRVs call for heat, which heats the uncontrolled dumb rad in the hall, which triggers the hall thermostat to cut the supply, which prompts the other TRVs to call for demand again and around you go.
You get around this by linking the hall tado trv to the hall thermostat, so that the hall thermostat controls the hall temp and simply tells the hall tado trv to switch on/off as required without affecting all of the other rooms/zones. This linked set up is essentially exactly what I was suggesting for the UFH control.
Ach sorry, ignore me. I now understand your point about the pump/return. My other point about the house rads remains correct however.
Edited by ben5575 on Tuesday 17th March 11:13
Had Hive installed this week a a discounted mates rate thing so it wasn't worth turning down.
Anyone persevered with the TRV's?
Understand they weren't great on release but firmware updates etc has made them pretty decent?
Which of the other bits & pieces should I think about - quite like the lights, linked to a door sensor etc - but how do they know if you are coming in or going out? or do they link to the geolocation thing too?
Anyone persevered with the TRV's?
Understand they weren't great on release but firmware updates etc has made them pretty decent?
Which of the other bits & pieces should I think about - quite like the lights, linked to a door sensor etc - but how do they know if you are coming in or going out? or do they link to the geolocation thing too?
Dan_1981 said:
Had Hive installed this week a a discounted mates rate thing so it wasn't worth turning down.
Anyone persevered with the TRV's?
Understand they weren't great on release but firmware updates etc has made them pretty decent?
Which of the other bits & pieces should I think about - quite like the lights, linked to a door sensor etc - but how do they know if you are coming in or going out? or do they link to the geolocation thing too?
I've had Hive for last 5 years. 2 at a flat and now last 3 years in my 5 bed house. Works a treat. I've got a lot of Hive light bulbs and plugs (all controllable via Amazon Alexa). So useful as for example my 3 year old can't reach the kitchen light switch and can just say "Alexa turn on the kitchen"Anyone persevered with the TRV's?
Understand they weren't great on release but firmware updates etc has made them pretty decent?
Which of the other bits & pieces should I think about - quite like the lights, linked to a door sensor etc - but how do they know if you are coming in or going out? or do they link to the geolocation thing too?
I did try their sensors but weren't that great tbh.
I've been very tempted to go down the Hive TRV route after reading about all the potential controllable goodness on this thread but haven't bit the bullet yet as happy with current setup tbh.
If anyone is looking to update an existing system by changing ordinary radiator valves to TRVs with intelligent heads I found a place online that does the bare Drayton EB15 valve body (no TRV head but with radiator tail) for £4.79:
https://www.monsterplumb.co.uk/drayton-trv-angled-...
https://www.monsterplumb.co.uk/drayton-trv-angled-...
Also had Hive for about a year, very simple to install (with PH help) and even easier to manage. Added a few bulbs and sockets which is usefull, will add more in time. Not sure TRVs would help with our setup but the net result is that it has paid for itself in a year. Our monthly direct debit has gone from £144 to £120.
We've had Hive for about 5 years in a 3 bed semi with radiators and then more recently added single underfloor zone following an extension build. Generally it works fine, the only really basic functionality missing (and what a "smart" thermostat should be all about) is a lack of learning algorithm in the stats so they don't overshoot the desired temperature.
With most modern stats they get to know how quickly the room temperature rises when heat is called so over time learn to start trimming off the boiler demand as the set temperature is approached with the aim of reaching the desired temperature with residual heat in the rads / floor, and likewise call for heat on the cooldown slope before the temperature drops too far. Hive on the other hand will keep calling for heat until the desired temperature is actually reached and only then will it shut off, and likewise will wait until it's (I think) 1c below the desired temp before firing back up again to heat back to the set temperature. That means you can get quite a fluctuation in temperature even if you set the house to be the same temperature all day etc.
This behaviour isn't particularly noticable with a conventional radiator setup as the room temperature doesn't tend to continue climbing much once the boiler switches off so you end up perhaps just setting it half a degree below what you'd otherwise have chosen anyway, but for a solid slab underfloor system there's a large amount of residual heat left in the concrete slab that continues to heat the room for several hours after the boiler switches off, meaning the temperature can over and under shoot quite considerably. For example, if set to maintain the same temperature as the house, our study with underfloor is usually a good 1.5-2c above the rest of the house. To combat that I've had to drop the temperature and add a as many small timeslots in the program during the day as Hive allows so it tops up little and often rather than being left to it's own devices as you should be able to do.
With most modern stats they get to know how quickly the room temperature rises when heat is called so over time learn to start trimming off the boiler demand as the set temperature is approached with the aim of reaching the desired temperature with residual heat in the rads / floor, and likewise call for heat on the cooldown slope before the temperature drops too far. Hive on the other hand will keep calling for heat until the desired temperature is actually reached and only then will it shut off, and likewise will wait until it's (I think) 1c below the desired temp before firing back up again to heat back to the set temperature. That means you can get quite a fluctuation in temperature even if you set the house to be the same temperature all day etc.
This behaviour isn't particularly noticable with a conventional radiator setup as the room temperature doesn't tend to continue climbing much once the boiler switches off so you end up perhaps just setting it half a degree below what you'd otherwise have chosen anyway, but for a solid slab underfloor system there's a large amount of residual heat left in the concrete slab that continues to heat the room for several hours after the boiler switches off, meaning the temperature can over and under shoot quite considerably. For example, if set to maintain the same temperature as the house, our study with underfloor is usually a good 1.5-2c above the rest of the house. To combat that I've had to drop the temperature and add a as many small timeslots in the program during the day as Hive allows so it tops up little and often rather than being left to it's own devices as you should be able to do.
Edited by LocoBlade on Saturday 19th September 20:09
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