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We've just loved into a new house. The heating is in three seperately switched zones - One for each floor. (Yes 3 floors)
These are currently controlled by really crap timers which have to go, there one on each floor that switches a relay in the pipework upstairs that supplies each floor independently. These timers have no temperature control, all we have is TRVs in each room and it's a very poor way of controlling things.
Do I need a sperate thermostat for each floor (that's too expensive, silly money) or do they have one thermostat with three 'senders' or 'controllers' one on each floor? Or maybe one thermostat and 2 slave units to control the other 2 floors?
How would that work? Any ideas?
Tado and a controller on each radiator you need to control ?
No. I have 3 'thermostat'/timers. One on each floor. These are wired to 3 relays that open and close to divert hot water to each floor seperately. I need to take these 3 things off the wall and replace them with something else.
Reason is that there's about 5 radiators including 2 towel rails that never turn off otherwise as these timers are crap and have no temperature control. So whilst TRVs turn off the 7 room radiators (4 beds, 2 sitting rooms and a dining room), there's always 1 or 2 on each floor that never turn off unless the timer is off. And that's pissing gas up the wall. 🙂
A quick fix will be to fit 3 thermostats. They are £10 each, and can be ran with just 2 wires (plus earth) to each of the current programmers. It is an easy DIY job.
Or, get one programmer, with 3 thermostats.Wiring should be reasonably easy, as you already have wires going from the zone valves to the programmers on each floor. -The 'relays', do you mean the zone valves in the outgoing pipework?
Fitting thermostats, you will be saving money quickly, roughly £50 a year is a starting point.
I'm pretty good with heating systems, so follow up if you want to know more.
Cheapest way would be to replace what you have now with a thermostat just as it is, they’re not expensive. If it’s just a timer to each zone that should be fairly straightforward?
programmable room stat to control each zone should work
Three heatmiser Neos should do the trick and do it well.
I've got some of these left over from a job somewhere if you want them for a small fee...
Honeywell evohome. Job done.
I’d bite the bullet and get a full internet controlled 3 zone system like the Honeywell system. I love my Hive system (which I don’t think will work in 3 zones??) and being able to switch on and off remotely is fantastic.
aside - where's your new house? Still SE or moved away? Last time I saw you you were just finishing off a (very nice) kitchen, now you're starting again! Glutton for punishment, PP!
being able to switch on and off remotely is fantastic.
To a degree (see what i did there)
In the past the battle for the thermostat was easily controlled because t'wife had to get up and go into the dining room to turn it up and I'd know why she'd gone.
Now she's just faffing on her phone, as she always is, and before i realise it it's like a sauna and the money's tumbling out of my account like water through a sieve.
Progress schmogress.
It would be worth having all three on separate temperature controls.
Then different times and temperatures can be set per zone, useful for staggering heat demand on the boiler.
Danfoss TP5000M SI (mains) or 5000 SI (battery) units have time and temperature control built in.
Ebay is your friend, between £15 and £40 each.
Should be a direct(ish) replacement for the existing timeclocks.
They have many functions, set in a high level menu system, one useful feature is a maximum temperature that can be set by the user.
Re-reading the post, it would probably need the Danfoss TP5000SI RF units to do the job wirelessly, sender and receiver units can be located remote from each other.
About £40 ish off Ebay.
Honeywell evohome. Job done
Seems like expensive overkill in a house that's already split into 3 zones. I'd just go with 3 cheap thermostat/timer ie take Bear up on the kind offer.
Honeywell EvoHome is the best no cost option.
I'd suggest the [url= http://www.salus-tech.com/products/rf-thermostats/rt510rf/ ]Salus RT510RF[/url]
We recently installed their predecessors the RT500, not wifi, "merely" RF but work seemlessly in our 4 zone house, along with the Nest (sigh should have got the EvoHome)
Will need a plumber to install, unless you're particularly au-fait with wiring etc
side - where's your new house? Still SE or moved away? Last time I saw you you were just finishing off a (very nice) kitchen, now you're starting again! Glutton for punishment, PP!
180 miles away. Sheffiield. 🙂
The house is brand new, a one-off rather than a housing estate home. It’s big. Very big. Probably around 50-60% bigger than our last place
We don’t actually need to do much as you might imagine but we need to get things as we want them. Most of the place is very well specced but these cheap timers have to go.
Cheapest way would be to replace what you have now with a thermostat just as it is
Yes I know and I may do that. But I’d like to look at something more modern too.
Rob, i was reading a lot last night and it seems the new Hive kit can control three zones exactly like we have. I’m going to look into it.
Three heatmiser Neos should do the trick and do it well
They look decent to be fair. Apple Home Kit compatible too.
I shall look Into those, Thanks for the tip 🙂
Rob, i was reading a lot last night and it seems the new Hive kit can control three zones exactly like we have. I’m going to look into it.
Not Apple HomeKit enabled though yet. Not a problem for me to be honest and can be controlled by Alexa if you want.
Netatmo trvs zoneable + apple home kit compatible
(Not cheap)
Will need a plumber to install, unless you're particularly au-fait with wiring etc
If you’re just changing a wall timer/thermostat you can do it yourself, simple as changing a light switch.
Netatmo trvs zoneable + apple home kit compatible
Read the OP, already has zones and TRV’s needs a method to switch the zones on and off. New TRVS completely unnecessary and you’d still need the zone switches.
Nice......
As with Natatmo (?), Evohome, Tado . there's no point (unless you really want to) in controlling every radiator, as the house central heating is already zoned or zone capable. However, I think Evohome is a bit more versatile than what it's mostly known for (controlling every radiator individually).
You need the speak to Evohomeshop people about this and/or other options ie Honeywell Lyric, but I believe this might offer an alternative to Hive for you to consider and investigate.
1 of these [url= https://theevohomeshop.co.uk/honeywell-connected-thermostats/11-honeywell-evohome-connected-thermostat-pack-atp921r3100.html ]Evohome controller / internet gateway / wireless relay box[/url]
talking to 3 of these controlling each motorised valve [url= https://theevohomeshop.co.uk/honeywell-evohome/26-honeywell-single-zone-thermostat-y87rf2024.html ]Single zone thermostat and wireless relay box[/url] the thermostat can be put anywhere on that floor and remotely talk to the relay box wired to a motorised valve.
All the info for each thermostat will also be displayed on your controller downstairs (and presumably on the app and website). The total cost is going to be something like £500 and I'm not absolutely certain that it'll work, as Evohome is usually something different to most people, including me, so phone the people at evohomeshop for proper advice.
Just as an aside for comparison and help making an informed decision, for ^that money (assuming I'm right) you could buy an Evohome controller and 6 HR92 (ie control 6 rads individually), [url= https://www.plumbarena.co.uk/product/honeywell-hr92uk-Evohome-radiator-controller/?gclid=CjwKCAjwhOvPBRBxEiwAx2nhLn-XqQmKEluoNgHMsDue_igGe_0oEy8-adGgFpftC9IxwFo5FQoaPBoCEoIQAvD_BwE#.WfuFz4-0P3g ]HR92's are still available for £50, but probs not for long[/url] would make your current motorised valves redundant, but ultimately puts you part way on the path to central heating nirvana (which is why some raving about it above).