Individual Room Temperature Control

The_Green_Hornet

matelodave said:

The_Green_Hornet said:

Heating Save appear to do wired thermostatic radiator valves.

Products

But he doesn't want wired operation, he wants externally powered ones with wifi capability.I'd do as Rodders suggests and fit Lithium cells which would probably last several years - I'm tempted to try them out in my wireless stats.

I use them in my smoke detectors and they are still OK after near enough 10 years. I used to use them in my camera and they lasted for ages

If the OP doesn't want them then he can simply ignore the post.

Grumpy_chap

Thank you for the comments.

Rodders says he would never consider mains or PoE powered TRV because of the wiring required so he thinks I am after a 'niche' product.  I disagree, primarily because all my TRVs can be easily-enough connected to mains power (and even ethernet ports a little less easily).  I also don't (didn't) think it would be that hard to find a product like the Drayton Wiser valves that has the option of battery or mains (USB) power via plug adaptor.  Lots of things do come with that type of option and is also 'de-skilled' installation.

Rodders suggests a valve manifold and room thermostats.  That would be probably the best solution from a technical point of view, but would mean completely re-wiring and re-plumbing the whole house so is not suitable retrofit option.

The Heating Save solution that Green Hornet linked does seem good, but having available bell-wire cabled around the house to be near each TRV is even more 'niche' than having mains power, IMO.  As I don't have the bell-wire, it is a major install project and not easily viable retrofit.

I was really hoping to find something like the Drayton system, but with mains power option.  I am happy enough to have the comms part over WIFI.  It looks like my hopes are not going to be fulfilled

dreamypuma

Emmia said:

dreamypuma said:

I'd suggest getting Dragon Wiser. We had this installed last year in our three floor home. It works well, allowing us to heat individual room on demand and in isolation. I've always worked from home, so from an energy efficiency perspective, this level of control is essential.

The TRVs are battery powered, and controlled wirelessly. After one year I have only changed the batteries on one of seven TRVs. So no real issue there. The TRVs are simple to install yourself.

The programmer is theoretically a DIY job, howerver we got our electrician to fit this. Literally took him 10mins.

Kits are currently on offer at Amazon starting at around £110. They are usually on offer during black Friday. Additional TRVs can be had for as little as £32 when on offer. (Reminds me, I need one more)

Do you mean Drayton Wiser?

Yes. Darn auto-correct. 

Although, possibly available on Wish. 

Grumpy_chap

Thank you for the comments, I think I am going to go for the Drayton Wiser system.  That was the one that I thought was the best last year and also the one that others have recommended in here.

I remain nervous about the battery power, but will just have to take my chances.  

Can those that have this system advise whether the Drayton TRV's come with complete new TRV valve bodies and replace in full the TRV's that are currently fitted?  I assume they are not just tops that fit onto the existing TRV's.  I hope not, as the existing TRVs are really stiff and it occurs to me that the electronic control could be a simple and low-resistance butterfly rather than the spring-loaded screw-down valves currently fitted.  The electronic valve, presumably, has no need for any of the mechanical thermal regulating parts.

matelodave

Looking at the online info the Wiser units are replacements for the existing valve heads and would operate the valve in the same way as the wax/fluid operated heads by pushing the plunger in. So you'd need to get replacement bodies if yours aren't operating correctly.
The valve actuators on my heating system use wax pellets heated by by ceramic heater operated by an external stat but I'd guess that battery operated devices would have a small motor of some sort to operate the plunger.
perhaps a peruse of this might give you some idea, he mentions battery life as being around nine months in a TRV

 https://www.automatedhome.co.uk/reviews/drayton-wiser-smart-heating-controls-review-part-4-1-year-older-much-wiser.html

[Deleted User]

Battery life in Honeywell HR92 TRVs was c.2 years. These devices are NOT in permanent communication with the controller. It is also worth pointing out that electronic TRVs are not to everybody’s liking. Many people find the whirring noise (amplified by panel radiators) intrusive and annoying. FWiW, having had 4 years with Evohome in my previous home, I haven’t gone for it again. Why - because, in truth, in a well insulated home the savings are illusory. Secondly, as my wife and I get older, these systems carry far too much risk for the elderly; eg, communications issues were a frequent occurrence. I say this knowing that Evohome has built in ‘failsafe’ systems. For example, if a TRV loses contact with the controller it will go into a pre-programmed open/shut cycle. Similarly, if a boiler demand relay loses contact with the controller, it will cycle the boiler.