Hive, should I?

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r2015
r2015 Posts: 1,136 Forumite
Home Insurance Hacker! Cashback Cashier
edited 16 November 2018 at 3:15PM in Energy
SG are offering me Hive fully fitted for £125.


Should I take them up on their offer?
At present I have a Bosch Digistat thermostat.
over 73 but not over the hill.

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  • Robin9
    Robin9 Posts: 12,103 Forumite
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    Hive looks pretty but unless you are out a lot and your coming home times changes in my opinion they do not save you money.

    In fact I would argue the contrary. My former programmer was set to come on at 0700 - my Nest switches itself on before then to ensure it reaches the target temp at 0700
    Never pay on an estimated bill
  • System
    System Posts: 178,094 Community Admin
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    Robin9 wrote: »
    Hive looks pretty but unless you are out a lot and your coming home times changes in my opinion they do not save you money.

    In fact I would argue the contrary. My former programmer was set to come on at 0700 - my Nest switches itself on before then to ensure it reaches the target temp at 0700

    As I have mentioned before, neither BEIS nor the Buildings Research Establishment are convinced that smart heating control devices actually save money. The problem appears to be is that there is a lack of international scientific research on which to draw on. Room zoning offers the greatest savings - but at significant capital cost (c.£50 per TRV). That said, no one disputes that smart heating controls can offer greater comfort and convenience.

    https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/650840/heating-controls-international-evidence.pdf
  • es5595
    es5595 Posts: 380 Forumite
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    I got my hive about two years ago and I’ve been really pleased I did.
    Heating and hot water are easy to adjust and control using the app, and if I’m coming home early or fancy a bath, I can easily boost the heating or hot water.

    If you’re going to get one, keep an eye out on amazon for Black Friday deals, as the door sensors, remote plugs etc are where hive is really great. When I’m coming home late, my lamps automatically come on when I open the front door, and the hive system gets my local sunset/sunrise times and turns lights on/off at a preset time before/after.

    So if they’re offering it at £125, yes, I highly recommend it!
  • st999
    st999 Posts: 1,574 Forumite
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    I have the same conundrum, should I spend £125 for a Hive that in all probability will not save me any money but may make my home more comfortable?

    If I got one will I be able to have different temperatures at different times of the day?

    19 deg C from 08:00 to 16:00 then 22 deg C till 24:00 then 18 deg C all night.

    Would that save gas compared to 21 deg C all day then no heating during the night?
  • Robin9
    Robin9 Posts: 12,103 Forumite
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    Yes its quite programmable as you describe. 18 deg at night you may find suffocating but your choice.

    There are threads on this forum about whether its better to have your heating on continuously or not
    Never pay on an estimated bill
  • Nick_C
    Nick_C Posts: 7,459 Forumite
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    I paid £200 for mine, three years ago, and I'm very happy with it.

    It saves me some money, but not enough to pay for itself.

    The scheduling is highly customisable which fits in with our unusual schedules. Setting different temperatures at different times of the day, and having the heating and hot water coming on at different times on different days of the week, is very simple to programme from the app.

    Coming home to a warm house and hot water in winter when you've been on holiday is a big advantage.

    Other Hive accessories - such as smart light bulbs - are still expensive, but prices are falling all the time, and I can see me making more use of hive in years to come.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,094 Community Admin
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    st999 wrote: »
    I have the same conundrum, should I spend £125 for a Hive that in all probability will not save me any money but may make my home more comfortable?

    If I got one will I be able to have different temperatures at different times of the day?

    19 deg C from 08:00 to 16:00 then 22 deg C till 24:00 then 18 deg C all night.

    Would that save gas compared to 21 deg C all day then no heating during the night?

    It depends on your boiler and the controller ‘fuzzy logic’. For example, I previously owned a property with Evohome zoning. The most efficient way to run the system (based on gas usage/15 mins) was to get the house up to temperature and leave it there. Why? Honeywell’s fuzzy logic demands max boiler temperature flow if any zone is more than 2C away from its set temperature. Condensing boilers are at their most efficient at low flow temperatures. Fiddling with temperatures led to higher gas usage.

    I confess that I have no idea what fuzzy logic is built into Hive.
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