Multi Zone Smart Thermostats

Soldato
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Interesting questions!

I have not seen any publicly available SDK or API, the only current connectivity is with Alexea.

How do the other systems deal with open window detection? Apparently this TRV does do open window detection but i dont know how or if there are any alerts that its detected an open window.

Cycling of TRV's not sure, but again they could stick that in the app to periodically cycle to TRV's?

Its all made in Britain..not sure if that's an bonus for the system!

Open window on Evohome works by detecting a sudden drop in temp, this can be adjusted for both drop and rise in temp within the trv menus. I get a symbol appear on the trv and the controler if a zone enters this mode, where it switches heating off for a set period or until the next scheduled change.

I think as time goes on that Wiser could be the best value setup. I would miss the extras though, for instance remote thermostats and for the bathroom the underfloor actuator instead of a trv.
 
Soldato
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Open window on Evohome works by detecting a sudden drop in temp, this can be adjusted for both drop and rise in temp within the trv menus. I get a symbol appear on the trv and the controler if a zone enters this mode, where it switches heating off for a set period or until the next scheduled change.

I think as time goes on that Wiser could be the best value setup. I would miss the extras though, for instance remote thermostats and for the bathroom the underfloor actuator instead of a trv.

Good spot with the Underfloor heating. Definitely good to hear the pro and cons of all systems. Glad there is more competition on the market.
 
Soldato
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Just checked out your blog, and you replaced a Danfoss 9000. Having one of these abominations installed in a really stupid place (thanks Mister House Builder!), is there any more posts or just the one?


I will be uploading a few more tonight, with pictures of the replaced programmer.
 
Soldato
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So i have uploaded a new video on You tube, just to show the components of the system, and hopefully i will show another one soon with it all in action. Be gentle i'm not so good at You Tube, any video requests of the system and i will be happy to make a video on it.

https://youtu.be/6lJjKxFmSTw
 
Caporegime
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Yes its all installed and up and running. Longest part was replacing the faceplate for the programmer, that's purely because of my lack of knowledge with heating diagrams.

In reality it was a straight swap, and worked instantly.

So far so good, 2 rooms have the smart TRV's, they work flawlessly (I little loud , but its only for 1 second), and i can control them from my phone or manually (my 3 year old daughter now knows how to increase the temperature in her room if she wants).

The main thermostat being wireless is great, its not fixed to on position and i can move it about as i like, currently its next to my fish tank.

And the hub on the wall that replaced the programmer is so simple, if my wife wants extra water all she needs to to is hold down water for three seconds without faffing about on the app.

For £200 compared to the competitor systems, it is so cheap and £200 got me a system that would have cost upwards of £300 for the tado. And it just works with no major bugs.

The app is in its infancy, it works with a few bugs, but it does what i need including individual timing options for each room. There is no Geo location like the competitors, but i am sure that can be programmed in. My hub keeps loosing wireless signal, but i think that's an environmental factor of my house rather than the equipment. I did the whole install in less than an hour (excluding my lack of ability to understand the wiring diagram initially).

I did record my install, and once i know how to edit videos i'll put it up.

Thanks, sounds really good and the sort of system i've been after for a few years now (individual room control, remote stat) etc, i care not for all the fancy features i just need something that works.

I take it the system will work OK when you have two rads in one room, i trust the valves won't simply fight against each-other and you can group them together in some way?

Looking to get into this with the 2-way pack and probably buy 6 extra TRV heads to get me started.
 
Soldato
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You set up rooms, and each room can have multiple components in them.

I do not know how it would take the median of all components in the room, but it does let you do it.

I'll be adding another video of it all in action and showing the app.

Here it is..cannot really see the app very well, but it does show the basics of it.

https://youtu.be/BJcsh2Fl5qE
 
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Soldato
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Not sure if serious. Have you read anything in here, not even the few previous posts.

I am an idiot.... In fact I just watched Sanjay vids on youtube. Looks ideal and a cheaper alternative to the evohome. Is there a need for the main thermostat Sanjay? Sure if all rooms have the smart ones its no longer required.
 
Soldato
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I am an idiot.... In fact I just watched Sanjay vids on youtube. Looks ideal and a cheaper alternative to the evohome. Is there a need for the main thermostat Sanjay? Sure if all rooms have the smart ones its no longer required.
Probably works like evohome in that the trvs communicate to the control which then controls the boiler.
It must do otherwise you could have one requesting the boiler on and one not, it wouldn't know the load of the system as a whole.
 
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Soldato
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I am an idiot.... In fact I just watched Sanjay vids on youtube. Looks ideal and a cheaper alternative to the evohome. Is there a need for the main thermostat Sanjay? Sure if all rooms have the smart ones its no longer required.


Made me chuckle!

Interesting point, if all rads have a Smart TRV i think the thermostat would become redundant.

I believe it all connects to the hub rather than the thermostat (that would make sense as the thermostat is only battery powered). I have 16 more radiators to set up before i encounter this issue.
 
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I noticed this kit in screwfix last night, looks quite good

Our house being modern with good insulation heats quickly, but of all the rooms the one that feels cold is the lounge.
I have "normal" TRVs on all rads apart from I think the small one in the hall. If i was to put these supplied TRVs on the lounge rads are you saying they would keep calling for the heating to be on to get the room up to temp?

We have a wired stat in the hall so that switches off the heating when the lounge isn't warm enough so if these TRVs could control the heating that would be perfect (as the lounge is coldest room then all other rooms would get enough opportunity to heat by my logic...)?
 
Soldato
Joined
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2,701
I noticed this kit in screwfix last night, looks quite good

Our house being modern with good insulation heats quickly, but of all the rooms the one that feels cold is the lounge.
I have "normal" TRVs on all rads apart from I think the small one in the hall. If i was to put these supplied TRVs on the lounge rads are you saying they would keep calling for the heating to be on to get the room up to temp?

We have a wired stat in the hall so that switches off the heating when the lounge isn't warm enough so if these TRVs could control the heating that would be perfect (as the lounge is coldest room then all other rooms would get enough opportunity to heat by my logic...)?

The idea is each room is a zone. If a zone needs heat then it will fire the boiler up and heat it until the desired temperature on the smart radiator trv.
 
Soldato
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18 Oct 2002
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MK
I noticed this kit in screwfix last night, looks quite good

Our house being modern with good insulation heats quickly, but of all the rooms the one that feels cold is the lounge.
I have "normal" TRVs on all rads apart from I think the small one in the hall. If i was to put these supplied TRVs on the lounge rads are you saying they would keep calling for the heating to be on to get the room up to temp?

We have a wired stat in the hall so that switches off the heating when the lounge isn't warm enough so if these TRVs could control the heating that would be perfect (as the lounge is coldest room then all other rooms would get enough opportunity to heat by my logic...)?


This would make your wired thermostat redundant as it does not plug into anything.

You could then just stick the Wireless thermostat in the living room and only when the living room is hot enough will the heating turn off. The TRV's in your scenario are just a bonus, and yes the TRV's can request heat.
 
Joined
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This would make your wired thermostat redundant as it does not plug into anything.

You could then just stick the Wireless thermostat in the living room and only when the living room is hot enough will the heating turn off. The TRV's in your scenario are just a bonus, and yes the TRV's can request heat.

Thanks, thats exactly what I was thinking, and would work pretty well i think, as for sure over a period of time the room that loses most heat is the lounge, so all the other rads would get plenty of time to heat whilst the heat is on due to the lounge.
What i could do is stick a TRV on the hall rad, and stick the 2 new TRVs on the 2 rads at one end of the lounge. there is another at the other end, which I could have as the non-TRV rad.

Think this would also allow me to stick the time controlled rads into other locations so I can avoid heating things like the gym, spare rooms etc in the mornings when they will never be used

I will look in more detail tonight for boiler compatability :)
 
Soldato
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Stockton on Tees
I installed Tado for our two-zone system a few months ago. Downstairs we have the extension kit and thermostat, then upstairs we have a single thermostat.

This post shows the kit we had installed (new build) before I changed it all for the Tado system: https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/posts/30587898


So to create the zone upstairs is it just a case of adding another thermostat to the tado setup?
 
Hitman
Soldato
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So to create the zone upstairs is it just a case of adding another thermostat to the tado setup?

Assuming you already have a two-zone system with all the necessary pipe work then yes the second zone only requires a single thermostat. A single 'Extension Kit' controls all the thermostats. Hope that helps.
 
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