Replace old analogue heating timer

chris_h16

Hi
In the kitchen we have a Baxi combi 105e boiler and a Randall 103 timer next to it, also Sunvic TLX thermostat in the hallway.
We are wanting to replace the programmer system with a 7 day digital programmer.
What is the best way? Is the thermostat in the hallway hard wired back to the kitchen?
Do we get a new programmer in the kitchen and a new thermostat in the hallway or like in our previous house a wireless plate in the kitchen where the old programmer was and a new wireless 7 day programmer/thermostat in 1 in the hallway?

SGM1

Whatever you prefer, both quite straight forward jobs. I'd go for a wireless stat/programmer in hall. BG are doing Hives for about £150 I think if your an energy customer

chris_h16

Hi
So for that all the wiring gets done in the kitchen where the old timer is, and this will be where the wireless part goes? What would I do with the wires where the existing thermostat is?
How many wires should be at the existing analogue programmer?

SGM1

Where your timer is now the receiver will be wired into the boiler. You can leave the thermostat or fit the new wireless one in its place and just cut back the wires as they won't be doing anything

Ianwzzz

A Randall 103E7 will replace a 103 with no additional wiring.

getmore4less

You could just replace the thermostat with a programmable thermostat and set the current timer to fully on. This will be the simplest upgrade.

depending how good a programmable thermostat you want this would be quite cheap.

I was looking at the Honeywell 907 probably the best standalone programmable stat from a feature set.(7day, 6 settings a day, boost, holiday, and predictive ,
http://www.honeywelluk.com/Products/Programmable-Thermostats/TPI/CM907-7-Day-Programmable-Thermostat/
(£60-£70)

I though at this price the increment over the cheaper options was worth it


in the end we went for the Owl solution which is web based(we wanted hot water support).
http://www.theowl.com/
(£120 ish)

TADO was a good option when they had the £50 off discount deal as you could rent it and see if you liked it and saved money.
https://www.tado.com
http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/tado-smart-thermostat-2-82-rental-per-month-tado-1980797



There are quite a few other "smart" options which use apps and the web but check the extra features are things you will use.


Check the wiring for the thermostat as some are not powered(have neutral) and not all replacements are suitable.


Also download and read the user manuals for your shortlist some are not that simple if you might want to make regular changes to the times.

getmore4less

Just to clarify,
The significant advantage of changing to programmable thermostat over just a 7 day timer is you can have more than one temperature rather than just on/of times.

Cost is about the same so not much point in just changing the timer.

Once you go with thermostat upgrade it is then how far do you go and what features do you need and want.

If you have fairly constant life style(most do work/school) then you may get away with one of the cheaper ones.
adding boost functions, away to next time, holiday till XXX,, most now have the learning so will bring the temp up to match the time you want.

then do you want to go wireless for the relay if you have the wires and happy to keep the stat in the hall not much point.

Then do you want to go web/app/Wi-Fi based useful to control your heating on the move but do you go in/out at lots of variable times.

Then do you want to upgrade your heating to multiple zones, one way is programmable TVR Honeywell do a system but costs add up.

A simple upgrade could be around £50, right up to a few £100s for fully programmable TVR/web solution.

frankie

Hi Jack of thread!!

I have a firebird combi oil boiler. It has a timer for the central heating on the boiler. The boiler has a small hot water store so that means the boiler ignites when the water temperature drops at any time (including over night).

I have recently turned off power to the boiler in an attempt to use less oil. However, this would not work when I would need the heating on as the timer won't have a supply and hence loose time!

I was thinking of getting a timeguard to control the supply to the boiler but this would defunct the heating as no power to timer.

Now I'm thinking, replace thermostat with programmable type, insert power timer to boiler and leave boiler timer permanantly on, so in theory the timeguard will program the hot water and the stat will control the heating.

Would that work??

Hope it makes sense, all sensible ideas welcome!!

I have a thermostat for the heating in the hall and trvs on all rads.

So, having read this thread so far

getmore4less

You can get programmable water stats(no idea if you could retro fit the stat in your boiler)
(edit: probably not the design is likely to have that water at a set temp)

if you have a wiring diagram you could check.

I have one where you can set the water temps and times as part of my heating system using OWL I have seen others but not on the top of my head at the moment. it is also predictive so will try to get the water upto temp for a given time.
I will have a look to see if there is any info on your boiler.

getmore4less

which model,

looks like this one can have hot water timers

http://www.firebird.ie/images/Downloads/Enviromax_Manual_8.pdf


If the idea of the storage in the boiler is to give instant hot water, I don't think messing with that stat will work, need someway to override the keep that hot feature.

frankie

getmore4less wrote: »

which model,

looks like this one can have hot water timers

http://www.firebird.ie/images/Downloads/Enviromax_Manual_8.pdf


If the idea of the storage in the boiler is to give instant hot water, I don't think messing with that stat will work, need someway to override the keep that hot feature.

Its the slimline combi with the mechanical heating timer. The water temp in the boiler is pre set so cannot be changed.

I'm not sure that my original idea will work as I assume the intended programmable stat clock will need a power source which I assume will come from the boiler, so if I have a seperate power supply timer to the boiler, when the boiler goes off so will power to the thermostat?

Think I'll just have to have the boiler permanantly powered up and put up with using a bit extra oil.