Advanced Heating Controls

smartn

Anyone have experience or suggestions relating to advanced central heating controls? I wake up at various times ranging from 4.30 to 6.30 and would like some way of turning on my heating from maybe an android app or similar. I've also been looking at a product called dataterm from warmworld.co.uk which looks interesting but I don't think that would enable me to remotely switch the system on.

whasup

I looked into this a while ago and there are lots of apps around. Passivenergy app cpmes to mind. I didn't get around to working out what controls are needed in the house to set it up because my issue was at the other end of the day which was easier to resolve. We were often getting in late and I realised the heating was blasting away for hours with nobody there. I just set the heating to manual for the am period and nowI just click the button when I get in. It takes about 15 minutes to warm up and I know it's hard to compare because we've had such a mild Winter but I've used about a third of the gas compared to last year.

zeupater

Hi

What advantages are you looking to add to the system ....

I fitted a programmable thermostat to our system years ago which allows different time/temperature profiles for each day of the week with multiple temperature periods per day ..... probably a much cheaper option which will provide a simpler solution.

HTH
Z

smartn

zeupater wrote: »

Hi

What advantages are you looking to add to the system ....

I fitted a programmable thermostat to our system years ago which allows different time/temperature profiles for each day of the week with multiple temperature periods per day ..... probably a much cheaper option which will provide a simpler solution.

HTH
Z

I guess what I'd really like to be able to do is turn it on remotely via a phone. I get up at anytime between 04:30 and 06:30 on a work day and I dont really want to have to go downstairs in the cold to turn it on. I don't want to have the timer come on at 04:00 every day as we just don't need to heat the house every morning at that time and if I could turn it on remotely via my phone that would do the trick. Ideally I would also like to be able to monitor gas usage on my PC.

zeupater

smartn wrote: »

I guess what I'd really like to be able to do is turn it on remotely via a phone. I get up at anytime between 04:30 and 06:30 on a work day and I dont really want to have to go downstairs in the cold to turn it on. I don't want to have the timer come on at 04:00 every day as we just don't need to heat the house every morning at that time and if I could turn it on remotely via my phone that would do the trick. Ideally I would also like to be able to monitor gas usage on my PC.

Hi

If your house is anything like ours it takes quite some time for the heating to make much difference because of the thermal mass so if I needed to do that I'd be waiting a good while for the house to warm up ... however, due to the same thermal mass and loads of insulation it doesn't cool down much overnight either .... anyway, have a look for something like these (http://www.heatmisershop.co.uk/epages/Heatmiser.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/Heatmiser/Categories/WiFi_Thermostats&gclid=CIqKpKa_6K0CFQELfAodJArR7Q) ... they're probably just the type of unit you're looking for (random link - have a look around for similar products).

HTH
Z

Ben84

Wireless heating controls can be taken anywhere in the house to control the heating as they send a radio signal to a module attached to the boiler. You should be able to attach them to any existing system as there's a module attached to the boiler and the controls, so effectively they just replace the wiring between the controls and the boiler.

zeupater

Ben84 wrote: »

Wireless heating controls can be taken anywhere in the house to control the heating as they send a radio signal to a module attached to the boiler. You should be able to attach them to any existing system as there's a module attached to the boiler and the controls, so effectively they just replace the wiring between the controls and the boiler.

Hi

I'd reckon that you'd really need to leave the actual thermostat in one location so the the heat in the house is consistant, unless you have TRVs everywhere ...

In our house the heat rises upstairs and all of the upstairs radiators cut-out whilst the heating continues downstairs ... well that's the way I remember it working as, apart for about 1Hr over Christmas, we haven't had the heating on this winter ... :snow_grin:D:cool: ... therefore the heating would shutdown too soon if a portable thermostat was upstairs, or being held, or next to an early morning cup of tea ...

HTH
Z

Ben84

zeupater wrote: »

Hi

I'd reckon that you'd really need to leave the actual thermostat in one location so the the heat in the house is consistant, unless you have TRVs everywhere ...

In our house the heat rises upstairs and all of the upstairs radiators cut-out whilst the heating continues downstairs ... well that's the way I remember it working as, apart for about 1Hr over Christmas, we haven't had the heating on this winter ... :snow_grin:D:cool: ... therefore the heating would shutdown too soon if a portable thermostat was upstairs, or being held, or next to an early morning cup of tea ...

HTH
Z

Thermostat placement is important. Ideally you want a location in the house which is a good representation of the average indoor temperature (central, not in draughts or direct sunlight ever). Hallways are popular, but changing ours to the sitting room is working much better for us.

So, I would suggest finding a permanent location for the thermostat in the house based on these things. However, good things about the wireless thermostat is not having to run cables to the boiler and if the user has problems with the location, they can move it themselves and see what location works. They can also move it to any room with a radiator to make that room the one controlling heat demand, although it changes the heat output all over the house. Still, I think it is reasonable for the OP to take it upstairs at night time and use it in the morning to turn the heating on.

smitchy73

I had a guy out from solarpv who were quoting on passivenergy which seemed really good, until he quoted for the install of it, having already told us it would take no more than two hours, then quoted £2300 or through Barclays home finance it was only £26 per month, yeah ok, how many months said I, oh, er, ehm, 120 months reducing balance type finance deal, so I questioned further said once we get new kitchen in could be looking at it more, so he said well how about £22 pm, but I had to explain further that I didn't want a finance deal I wanted a cash price, don't need anymore DD's, he couldn't give me an answer and made a hasty exit, must obviously be making more from the finance deal than commission for selling the unit.
I also done a check on Which! all passivenergy would tell them was the retail price not the fully installed price as they only sell the equipment, was that it cost around £500 for the supply of the equipment, plus £60 per annum service charge.