Best Wifi enabled thermostat
Discussion
MiniMan64 said:
We had a wireless Honeywell thermostat put in with a new combi boiler nearly 9 years ago and it’s worked great for us. Unfortunately it now seems to failing, it works fine with the boiler but frequently ‘cuts out’ and loses track of the correct time. The buttons also appear to be failing, it often doesn’t respond with a proper mashing. The other half is getting rather frustrated as she lacks the necessary button mashing force.
It would seem therefore a replacement is required and Smart seems to be the way. We’ve an Alexa and a tele but nothing else smart-wise at the moment in the house.
a) what is the best option? Hive?
b) are there wireless smart options?
c) I assume the boiler is going to need some hardware added?
d) is this something I can have a go at myself?
I could have written that post!It would seem therefore a replacement is required and Smart seems to be the way. We’ve an Alexa and a tele but nothing else smart-wise at the moment in the house.
a) what is the best option? Hive?
b) are there wireless smart options?
c) I assume the boiler is going to need some hardware added?
d) is this something I can have a go at myself?
Had a honeywell thermostat fail after many years of good service, the clock just kept losing the correct time.
We we very happy with how it controlled everything. Basically combi boiler, with Drayton TRVs on all rads. Whole house very well balanced and easily controllable.
So just wanted a SMARTer version of what we had. After a bit of research finally decided on the Honeywell Lyric T6R wireless thermostat.
Maybe not as trendy as the other new kids on the block, but it works very well. It has a very familiar feel to their legacy thermostats, but with Wifi, Alexa, IFTTT, Geo gencing and warm up / down learning
I’m really pleased with it. Cost £155 from Amazon, the only additional cost a local electrician £40 to fit the receiver to the boiler, something I probably could have done but not worth the risk considering the costs involved.
The thermostat sits wherever you want, and connects easily directly or through an app.
If you want a straight forward smart thermostat that works, I recommended it. Very happy.
Edited by Ham_and_Jam on Friday 2nd October 23:42
Edited by Ham_and_Jam on Friday 2nd October 23:43
Ham_and_Jam said:
MiniMan64 said:
We had a wireless Honeywell thermostat put in with a new combi boiler nearly 9 years ago and it’s worked great for us. Unfortunately it now seems to failing, it works fine with the boiler but frequently ‘cuts out’ and loses track of the correct time. The buttons also appear to be failing, it often doesn’t respond with a proper mashing. The other half is getting rather frustrated as she lacks the necessary button mashing force.
It would seem therefore a replacement is required and Smart seems to be the way. We’ve an Alexa and a tele but nothing else smart-wise at the moment in the house.
a) what is the best option? Hive?
b) are there wireless smart options?
c) I assume the boiler is going to need some hardware added?
d) is this something I can have a go at myself?
I could have written that post!It would seem therefore a replacement is required and Smart seems to be the way. We’ve an Alexa and a tele but nothing else smart-wise at the moment in the house.
a) what is the best option? Hive?
b) are there wireless smart options?
c) I assume the boiler is going to need some hardware added?
d) is this something I can have a go at myself?
Had a honeywell thermostat fail after many years of good service, the clock just kept losing the correct time.
We we very happy with how it controlled everything. Basically combi boiler, with Drayton TRVs on all rads. Whole house very well balanced and easily controllable.
So just wanted a SMARTer version of what we had. After a bit of research finally decided on the Honeywell Lyric T6R wireless thermostat.
Maybe not as trendy as the other new kids on the block, but it works very well. It has a very familiar feel to their legacy thermostats, but with Wifi, Alexa, IFTTT, Geo gencing and warm up / down learning
I’m really pleased with it. Cost £155 from Amazon, the only additional cost a local electrician £40 to fit the receiver to the boiler, something I probably could have done but not worth the risk considering the costs involved.
The thermostat sits wherever you want, and connects easily directly or through an app.
If you want a straight forward smart thermostat that works, I recommended it. Very happy.
Edited by Ham_and_Jam on Friday 2nd October 23:42
Edited by Ham_and_Jam on Friday 2nd October 23:43
Any problems with range and losing connection?
MiniMan64 said:
That actually looks pretty good. I assume the actual temperature sensing thermostat bit is in the hard wired box connected to the boiler? For us that would be in the kitchen at the back of the house but the ‘smart’ bit that Alexa/iPhone connects to needs to be near or connected to a router? Which is at the front of the house for us.
Any problems with range and losing connection?
No, you get 2 x items in the box. A hard wired receiver and a wireless thermostat.Any problems with range and losing connection?
The receiver replaces the one that you will have already hard wired next to your boiler. It just receives the wifi signal from the remote thermostat and requests the heating on / off.
The thermostat just plugs in to the mains socket, and has a touch screen display etc. You can put it anywhere and use the display to control the settings if you want. We use the app though as its just easier, and you can use that anywhere.
There is nothing plugged into the router, all wireless. As far as connection / stability goes, it connected first time (done through the app), and not had a single issue since. Rock solid.
Thr electrician who connected ours said he had the same model and sung its praises aswell.
Edit - They do a non wireless T6 and a wireless T6R version, so if you do go for it make sure it is the T6R wireless.
Edited by Ham_and_Jam on Saturday 3rd October 09:21
Thanks for the advice guys, it’s helping me clear up what I need to buy. I have an electrician booked in to do some other work so the controller will need to be done at the same time. However, I can buy the basics that he would need to fit and then wait and buy the rest of my kit around Black Friday/prime day and fit myself. Attached is the layout of my house - it’s a 1930s semi type thing. Boiler is situated in the downstairs utility/toilet room 
The 2nd story room with the en-suite is where I work from now and we have it set up as a spare bedroom. It has 1 radiator so my thoughts are to put a wireless temperature sensor and a smart trv and control the heat to just up there during the day when working.
Then a smart trv in each of the two main bedrooms as the smallest one is used as a dressing room for my wife so that can remain dumb. And perhaps a wireless temp sensor in the larger of the two rooms which is where we sleep. That or in the other one where my little one sleeps.
Then on the ground floor there is a rad in the conservatory, dining space, lounge and hallway so a smart trv on each of these. The thermostat is in the hallway currently but I would perhaps move it to the other side of the wall to the lounge to manage the heat and TRVs
Does that seem like a reasonable plan?
The 2nd story room with the en-suite is where I work from now and we have it set up as a spare bedroom. It has 1 radiator so my thoughts are to put a wireless temperature sensor and a smart trv and control the heat to just up there during the day when working.
Then a smart trv in each of the two main bedrooms as the smallest one is used as a dressing room for my wife so that can remain dumb. And perhaps a wireless temp sensor in the larger of the two rooms which is where we sleep. That or in the other one where my little one sleeps.
Then on the ground floor there is a rad in the conservatory, dining space, lounge and hallway so a smart trv on each of these. The thermostat is in the hallway currently but I would perhaps move it to the other side of the wall to the lounge to manage the heat and TRVs
Does that seem like a reasonable plan?
dmsims said:
Why do you need a wireless temperature sensor and a smart trv?
My understanding is that the trv being next to the radiator means the ambient temperature there is going to be much hotter much quicker than say further into the room where you would sit/sleep. So by having the wireless temp sensor you put this somewhere more sensible then this controls then TRVs for you. I have not found that to be the case. It might happen in a huge room with odd positioning
dodsi2000 said:
My understanding is that the trv being next to the radiator means the ambient temperature there is going to be much hotter much quicker than say further into the room where you would sit/sleep. So by having the wireless temp sensor you put this somewhere more sensible then this controls then TRVs for you.
dmsims said:
I have not found that to be the case. It might happen in a huge room with odd positioning
In my office 3.5 by 2.5 ISH rad reading 20.5 desk reading 25!dodsi2000 said:
My understanding is that the trv being next to the radiator means the ambient temperature there is going to be much hotter much quicker than say further into the room where you would sit/sleep. So by having the wireless temp sensor you put this somewhere more sensible then this controls then TRVs for you.
dodsi2000 said:
dmsims said:
Why do you need a wireless temperature sensor and a smart trv?
My understanding is that the trv being next to the radiator means the ambient temperature there is going to be much hotter much quicker than say further into the room where you would sit/sleep. So by having the wireless temp sensor you put this somewhere more sensible then this controls then TRVs for you. dmsims said:
Trustmeimadoctor said:
In my office 3.5 by 2.5 ISH rad reading 20.5 desk reading 25!
That's Tado for you......For the other guy, the wireless temperature sensor is ridiculously overpriced from Tado, it’s effectively a TRV without the motorised bits and yet they charge more for it.
I’ve heard of others simply buying additional TRVs simply to sit in the room to do that function.
Ham_and_Jam said:
MiniMan64 said:
That actually looks pretty good. I assume the actual temperature sensing thermostat bit is in the hard wired box connected to the boiler? For us that would be in the kitchen at the back of the house but the ‘smart’ bit that Alexa/iPhone connects to needs to be near or connected to a router? Which is at the front of the house for us.
Any problems with range and losing connection?
No, you get 2 x items in the box. A hard wired receiver and a wireless thermostat.Any problems with range and losing connection?
The receiver replaces the one that you will have already hard wired next to your boiler. It just receives the wifi signal from the remote thermostat and requests the heating on / off.
The thermostat just plugs in to the mains socket, and has a touch screen display etc. You can put it anywhere and use the display to control the settings if you want. We use the app though as its just easier, and you can use that anywhere.
There is nothing plugged into the router, all wireless. As far as connection / stability goes, it connected first time (done through the app), and not had a single issue since. Rock solid.
Thr electrician who connected ours said he had the same model and sung its praises aswell.
Edit - They do a non wireless T6 and a wireless T6R version, so if you do go for it make sure it is the T6R wireless.
Edited by Ham_and_Jam on Saturday 3rd October 09:21
I’d looked at a few bits about it online and some of the images implied there were 3 boxes. A receiver on the boiler and then the main thermostat plugged in sounds about right and fairly simple.
The failing Honeywell unit in wall mounted in the hall but temperature varies greatly across our place.
Interesting two of our radiators need new valves at some point (needle keeps sticking) so I might worth an upgrade there too.
MiniMan64 said:
Bingo, gotta ya.
I’d looked at a few bits about it online and some of the images implied there were 3 boxes. A receiver on the boiler and then the main thermostat plugged in sounds about right and fairly simple.
The failing Honeywell unit in wall mounted in the hall but temperature varies greatly across our place.
Interesting two of our radiators need new valves at some point (needle keeps sticking) so I might worth an upgrade there too.
Ours also use to be in the hall, like most used to be.I’d looked at a few bits about it online and some of the images implied there were 3 boxes. A receiver on the boiler and then the main thermostat plugged in sounds about right and fairly simple.
The failing Honeywell unit in wall mounted in the hall but temperature varies greatly across our place.
Interesting two of our radiators need new valves at some point (needle keeps sticking) so I might worth an upgrade there too.
We put the new wireless thermostat in the living room as it’s the rad that’s last on our circuit and the room that’s used most.
It made a massive difference. The whole house is now pretty much at bang on the temperatures we set. Just remember to set the TRV to it’s highest setting in the room with the stat.
As far as TRVs go, I would recommend the Drayton TRV4.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/drayton-trv4-white-chro...
Very accurate (as far as TRVs) go, and well regarded by most. Just be careful near high footfall areas, as they have a weak point if knocked hard, the head will snap clean off. Easily replaced as you can buy the top bit separate and it just screws on and off. Wife did this with the bedroom one with a suitcase twice when packing to go on holidays!
shady lee said:
33q said:
Mattt said:
Are the towel rads on the CH circuit? Ours in the last 2 houses have been on HW circuit.
My bathroom rads come on with either hot water or central heating. I’m not a plumber but that is what I think was done. It works perfectly. And they are both on Hive TRVs.
33q said:
shady lee said:
33q said:
Mattt said:
Are the towel rads on the CH circuit? Ours in the last 2 houses have been on HW circuit.
My bathroom rads come on with either hot water or central heating. I’m not a plumber but that is what I think was done. It works perfectly. And they are both on Hive TRVs.
LocoBlade said:
C2Red said:
Programmable yes, but only by setting temperatures for times of day, so not in the conventional sense, I still don’t understand how it can swing the 3 way port to operate the water cylinder.
The boiler has separate temp control for central heating and water, so that’s easy, but in a Honeywell y plan (I think) there’s a 3 port to divert the boiler water; as part of their e- bus system, which apparently is built on the Netatmo devices, I am clueless about how it can divert the heat demand
What I meant is does it not have programmable channels for both heating and water? Is it one of these as this suggests it does both? https://www.vaillant.co.uk/homeowners/products/vai...The boiler has separate temp control for central heating and water, so that’s easy, but in a Honeywell y plan (I think) there’s a 3 port to divert the boiler water; as part of their e- bus system, which apparently is built on the Netatmo devices, I am clueless about how it can divert the heat demand
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