[Closed] Hive (and other smart heating) tips/experiences

Have a Hive, it's been fine, easier to use than the old timer and thermostat.

Not sure we've saved a huge amount of money having it but it's nice to be able to drop the temperature without leaving the sofa.

Moved to british gas? I thought they were one of the most expensive utility companies available?

Had the exact same experience with our Honeywell one - you could just about use it manually but that kinda defeated the purpose... ended up getting a Nest, it's pretty good - the learning functions seems to work quite well & it looks quite nice, easy to use too. The missus likes to check the temperature during the day via the app in case the dog gets cold, another time some friends were staying at ours when we were away & set the temperature to about 26 - she turned it off... 😐

@hexhamstu - I think British Gas normally is, although most are outside of a deal, but I used the MoneySavingExpert mass switch thing and it works out to be the cheapest deal for me

Hive here, quite like it - easier programming than the 15 yr old thing it replaced. Also useful to control remotely when out, coming home from work early/late etc. We also have a couple of hall lights on it, which are good for security I guess

Nest is a bit of a faff to install (typical Apple inspired form-over-function on the Heatlink) but once in it mostly works. What doesn't work is the "Home / Away" tracking on the phone, which regularly reports that it can't get the phone's location.

Modified to use IFTTT instead.

Something I went through last week after weeks of research etc. Considered Hive but found that a true Weather Compensating unit the much better option. We live in a South facing detached house in South West Wales. Where there can be a range of temps if its sunny. Get the Heating Curve/Flow temp and balanced radiators and its amazing. (LPG so savings in this type of house is easily seen). Valliant 831 with the VR470f.

Its good, but I believe the learning function NEST has makes it possibly better. I am upgrading my HIVE to multi-zone at the moment.

It good to be able to switch the heating on from bed when you have forgotten to change the settings.

We like Hive. 🙂

Looks like my thermostat is packing in, it's a honeywell wireless one that still functions but the LCD screen is so knackered that you can't read it and don't know what it says

I like Nest.

However, I turned off the learning function as you'd turn the heating on via the smartphone app whilst driving back from a cold wet ride on Sunday afternoon, and then when you check the schedule three weeks later, you'll notice it's 'learnt' to come on every Sunday afternoon... Along with all the other times you wanted an unscheduled top up.

It may well have improved as that was a couple of years ago, but I'd rather it learned, and then suggested a change to the schedule.

I've had Honeywell EvoHome for the last 4-5 years, just moved house so have upgraded to the latest internet connected one. It's more expensive than Nest / Hive etc, but you have an electronic valve on every radiator, so you can control the temperature of every room individually.

When you get it set up it's great - as you only heat the rooms you need when you need them (eg. no point in heating the bedroom during the early evening, only in the late evening / overnight / morning, whereas you would want the sitting room warmer earlier in the evening). I reckon it paid for itself within 12-18 months in our old place due to lower fuel bills.

Latest version allows for room control from an app, is integrated with IFTT and external services such as Samsung Smarthings.

I've been looking at these for a while.

Nest - the "learning" thing seems hit and miss, especially if you do things to confuse it like work from home on the odd day. They also need power (no battery option) so if it's replacing a wireless thermostat you need to run wires or have it on a stand with an ugly USB power supply. No multi-zone, you have to buy one for each zone.

Hive - really a fancy thermostat with app control, but it can run off battery if you don't have wiring. Does do multi-zone although fairly pricey.

Evohome - nice but you do get room control. I'm a little leery of Honeywell as we have two wireless thermostats where the displays are dying after a couple of year.

Hmmm, those smart TRVs look like a great idea, not seen those

I like Honeywell system, looks like a clever idea. But while I did think the Honeywell controller I have now was great (had it since 2009), I'm disappointed it's knackered only 7 years in. It's also pretty expensive

The Hive set up would only cost me £200 including installation, which seems OK to me

got a nest.

Pros
it looks nice
it works ok as a thermostat
you can control it.

cons
it struggles with learning stuff.
the true radient thing is on paper brilliant but in practice crap
because of the above it puts the heating on more.

If i didnt have one i would buy one. Id like to try a hive though.

The nice thing with the Honeywell system is that you can do it in stages. The head unit and the boiler relay is £200, which gets you about the same as Hive - an internet connected Thermostat. Then you can add radiator valves as you see fit, or the hot water controller. I installed it myself both times - if you can wire a plug it's not that much harder to connect the relay to the boiler...

As for reliability - the old head unit is still fine after 5 years.

I only upgraded because the new one is shinier and the old one will go in the granny annex when it's converted 🙂

For those with Hive, can multiple users control it from different apps? I understand Geolocation might get a bit confused by multiple users

I've just discovered the active lights and plugs, which would actually be pretty handy. We can turn the odd light on/off and maybe even control things like leaving a light on for the kids and then turn it off remotely. 20% BG discount works on the accessories too...

Would immediately be useless if only 1 user can do it though. Anyone know what the limit is?

^^^^ different users can control it from separate devices as long as using the same login. Not sure what the device limit is though

I asked about Hive a year or so ago (will dig out thread). In the end I did not change anything. I wanted a remote thermostat I could move room to room and I wanted a system where I could via internet change temperature setting. My issue with Hive and Nest is it required both the thermostat and the controller to be changed - so cost, time and effort. My issue with Hive is it locked me into British Gas.

Old thread, there have been others

http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/british-gas-hive

Interesting to read updates above. With technology the longer you wait the more you get and for less money, always hard to know when to pull the trigger.

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I'm not in a rush to join the smart home movement.

I'm happy with my hive (mk1) having had it for a bit over a year. I bought it on Amazon so no tie in to British gas.

Check out a brand called Tado. I had one in my house and it was brilliant, very reliable and the app and system worked brilliantly. Don't think it reduced any bills as I was a complete heating nazi beforehand, but it definitely made the house more habitable.

We have the third gen Nest, we had the second gen before but it didn't control the hot water on our system. I installed both myself, it wasn't difficult. I'm not sure if my bills have reduced but at least it's easier to keep an eye on things now.
We also have the Nest protect smoke alarm and the Nest cam (I do like my gadgets). 😳

Done the research recently to go with my all new central heating, looks likely to be Honeywell evohome. The main reason is my ground floor is always several degrees colder than the 1st & 2nd floor, so getting the right temp balance has always been difficult with one thermostat. A controllable thermostat in every main room should mean I can get the temp right across the house. As someone said, you can buy it in stages, so you don't have to have a massive initial outlay. I'm not expecting to get my money back at all

+1 for Evohome.

As mentioned you can do it in stages

http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?13-Heating-Control

https://theevohomeshop.co.uk/forum

The key bit for us is that you can mix normal rads and underfloor heating zones in the same system. Honeywell have their own underfloor heating controllers but if you already have them you can just add/wire in a zone valve and wireless thermostat comb pack for about 80 quid to each zone.

It also learns the heating profile of each room/zone that it has. So it you want it to be 28 degrees at 07:30 it will (after a week or so of learning) be firing the boiler at the right time to get it 28degrees at 07:30. Thats not to say that during the learning period it's all over the place, its not, its all rather dignified.

As it constantly monitors each room it knows how best to get it to a required temperature and doesn't need an outside temperature sensor.

Whats really stealthy is that it just makes the house a nice temperature all the time without the yoyo that we used to have of rads pouring heat into the rooms and leaving us gasping.

Apart from that, it's shit.

PG.