Replacing my broken Thermostat

Spike34

My current Thermostat is broken as I cant change the tempture and wondering if replacing my HoneyWell T6360B1028 with this 16A Weekly LCD Digital Programmable Central Heating Room Thermostat Touch Screen which can be found on ebay. (Site wouldn't let me send a link)

Will be ok?

I dont have a combi boiler just a old boiler.

pself

I am sure you could, however personally I would go for Tado if I was in your steps as I recently did. Some like Nest and Hive as alternatives but my view was the Honeywell system looked good but V expensive and Tado was better at geo location technologies to decide when to turn heating on etc.

CashStrapped

I would not bother with the overly expensive gadgets. They do little more than a standard wireless thermostat, except turn your heating on just as you get home. This wont help if your battery dies in your phone and/or some one else comes home who does not have the app. It also costs £200+ to install.

Furthermore if it is not branded and from a reliable source, I would not trust anything off ebay that relates to electronics.

This wireless thermostat from Plumbcenter is well regarded as a good budget wireless thermostat. It is a Honeywell (so good quality) model but re-branded for Plumbcenter.

http://www.plumbcenter.co.uk/product/center-radio-frequency-programmable-room-thermostat/

Need a guide?

http://www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics%3AHow-to-replace-a-room-stat

Does your current (old) boiler have it's own timer and hot water/heating buttons? If this is the case you leave the central heating on constantly as the 7 day thermostat will take over control for that (if set-up correctly).

Still set the hot water to timed. Although depending on the age/set up, your hot water may warm up with the central heating anyway.

zaax

Replacing a thermostat is very easy - just insure the power is off.

Spike34

Yeah replacing it isn't the problem. I just wanted to make sure I can just go swap my broken one with pretty much any other type, I know mine has 3 wires going in so I guess as longs as the new one is a mains volt it will be fine correct?

CashStrapped

yes - but don't get confused if some have batteries as well. The batteries are for the memory for the 7 day programme.

Check the guide I linked to in the last post.

System

CashStrapped wrote: »

I would not bother with the overly expensive gadgets. They do little more than a standard wireless thermostat, except turn your heating on just as you get home. This wont help if your battery dies in your phone and/or some one else comes home who does not have the app. It also costs £200+ to install.

I so disagree! I've had Tado for a couple of years and it works behind the scenes with no user intervention. Just make sure all members of the family have the Tado apps on their phones and the first one home, last one to leave causes the heating to come on/go off. There is a manual override on the thermostat - but I've never had to use it. If your phone battery dies (mine NEVER has) the system continues with the state it was already on. So if you were out, the heating was automatically off or reduced (your choice) you'd come home to a cold house and just turn the heating on manually while you charge your phone.

The great thing for me is that I can pop out for an hour or so, go away for the weekend, stay away for a few days and never have to worry that my boiler is consuming energy when I'm not there.

Regarding installation it is so easy to do yourself - I'm just a normal guy, not particularly into DIY and and manged to install the more advanced system which requires a sender connecting to the boiler enabling wireless access to the thermostat. If all you already have a wired thermostat it really is an easy job and Tado will supply you with tailored installation instructions.

CashStrapped

But that is what a normal wireless thermostat will do. You just have to reach out and ....turn the dial.

It depends on what your aim is. To save money with a more efficient system. Or, have a more convenient system/gadget, no matter the cost. The two are very different.

The cost of the Tado, compared to a simple wireless thermostat, means that it will take an age the recoup the outlay in savings from having a more efficient set-up. You are spending a lot of money so save (if you save anything) a tiny amount.

Furthermore, do you pay a monthly fee for the service? If so, that will more than out-way/wipe-out any savings from the apparent improved efficiency of the thermostat. Any advertised savings are usually compared to a property with no thermostat at all. Further inflating marketed savings with the set-up.

If you want the gadget for convenience and you have the money to spend, then that is no problem, you can do what you wish.

But....

If the aim of the exercise is to save money, then you have to look at the whole package. The savings, taking in to account of the outlay for the system and the ongoing monthly cost, does not make it a money saving device.

A simple wireless thermostat will do the same job, cost much less. And make an actual return in savings in a much shorter time.

I do not see the Tado doing that, especially with the monthly cost option.

I don't have to worry my boiler is not using energy when I am not there either. It is called a 7 day programmer and an off button (with auto frost protection).

System

No monthly cost unless you decide to rent it at £3.99 a month. To buy it is £199. You shouldn't need to 'turn the dial' - once your ideal temperature is set you leave well alone and the system takes care of itself. I just like the way it turns down/off when I leave the house and brings the temperature back up as you approach home - my old thermostat was a dumb thermostat and I used to always forget to turn off the heating when I went out. I would go away for the weekend and leave the heating on and there was nothing I could do about it. If you are organised enough I suppose you could turn it down/off every time you left the house but I prefer something a little more automatic and interesting which suits my lifestyle.

CashStrapped

You can always turn the dial or manually override the automated settings if you were going out or home early, is what I was referring to.

As I said, if it is for convenience, and you are prepared to spend the money, then great. I have no doubt you find it useful. I can certainly see it being useful if you have a hectic scheduled and a very inconstant work hours.

For saving money however, the payback on that £200 outlay could take a long time in comparison to a fairly simple wireless thermostat. That is the only point I am making.

[Deleted User]

Yep the £200 cost would pay my gas CH bill for one whole year.