Smart Thermostat Recomendation

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Midwest

Midwest

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I'm having some issues in my new property, with the installed Danfoss programmer, Danfoss TP9000 trouble shooting - https://www.electriciansforums.co.uk/threads/danfoss-tp9000-trouble-shooting.168830/ for those curious.

When the developer has fixed the fault, I've decided to bin the Danfoss programmer etc, 'cos its too complicated by half.

So I might just replace with a standard fare set up, OR I might install a 'Smart Programmer'.

Not gonna ask you how to connect it up :), just your preferred choice, if you were installing one in your home.

I've seen the Nest, the Hive, Evohome, the Salus, the Honeywell Lyric etc etc. I would like one that is easy to operate, and saves me money (if thats possible in the long run).

I have a system boiler, S-Plan zone ground floor, where the main programmer and hall stat, zone on 1st floor, with an additional programmer.

I have asked before, but can't find the replies. What would be your preferences?
 
Have a read of this mate... It might help.

I haven't read it but I did remember a thread on the subject...
 
Midwest said:
Weren't many replies, perhaps people will have more to say about them now.
Click to expand...

Hope you get the answer you want mate...
I didn't even check how many replied were on the link...
 
I looked into this a while back and am going with the Drayton Wiser setup. I am quite biased against big yank corporations and British Gas though which has limited my choice!
 
Midwest said:
I was impressed you found it :)
Click to expand...

I usually remember threads on here, it's trying to find them, with the rubbish search engine, that's hard..
 
Use Hive on mine, it works fine but I guess they all do apart from the odd quirk. You may be planning this anyway but if you go for a 'smart' thermostat and already have a working controller, consider leaving it in place. That way when the broadband or remote server goes down you have a fallback option.
 
Shoei said:
Use Hive on mine, it works fine but I guess they all do apart from the odd quirk. You may be planning this anyway but if you go for a 'smart' thermostat and already have a working controller, consider leaving it in place. That way when the broadband or remote server goes down you have a fallback option.
Click to expand...

Read my other thread in #1. It will be skipped soon as.
 
Shoei said:
You may be planning this anyway but if you go for a 'smart' thermostat and already have a working controller, consider leaving it in place. That way when the broadband or remote server goes down you have a fallback option.
Click to expand...

I have little experience of the hive, but the nest continues to operate perfectly well without broadband or the connection to the server. I wouldn't put it past the hive to stop working though, after all it is. A British grasp product.
 
I like hive and sounds good for your setup with Hive multi zone. I’ve fitted bundles of Tado thermostats which are also good.

A few years back I started fitting Netatmo but they’re a load of balls in a skin bag :D

I’ve fitted lots of nests and I’m not that fond of them....I actually went round fitting Nests before they were released in the UK and had to sign a NDA. I’ve Probably fitted over 200 and could of put one in my house for free.....I didn’t though.
 
I thought the nest good based on ease of install and client feedback but would say the hive has more additional options with the plugs to control other items etc.

Argos had the Hive on sale at £80 last Friday.
 
I think there all pretty similar.
The concept of trying to control multiple rooms of differing specs with one stat is completely flawed anyway. Even if it the system is correctly balanced and TRVs fitted or whatever.

It wouldn’t make any difference to me if I had a nest, hive etc or a £15 hard wired room stat screwed to my wall.


Honeywell evohome is the only one I’ve fitted that makes any sense.
 
I think they are all much the same, I haven't installed the Honeywell but they look impressive.
The Salus range looks complicated, I had a bunch of samples to play with and even the IT guys struggled to help get it working.
Drayton are working on the Wiser range and making good inroads but are not there yet. Made in the UK.

Danfoss, don't bother.

Heatmiser, my favourite by far. UK manufacturer. Good app, flexible design allows wired and wireless to integrate together. Setup of the app and hub is painless and intuitive.

Just to note, i am slightly biased because I work with Heatmiser a lot but I have worked with all of the manufactures at some point. I have Heatmiser Neo controls in my house with no issues.
 
Just to add, no amount of smart control will save you money. The cost of the controls will outweigh any saving, payback will be years.

Better to get a cheapy and upgrade your boiler to weather compensation, install TRVs and service your boiler.

Still, we are geeks/engineers at heart and love gadgets and gizmos.
 
Interesting replies, I'd thought the Nest would be the leader of them all!

I've looked at the Honeywell evohome, but its seems you would need to install its TVR's for it to function efficiently, as mines a new build I already have TVR's, and don't want to waste money at this stage replacing them. Also it seems you have to be quite strict on closing off rooms for it to function efficiently.

I'm not looking to be that efficient, just want something that can adjust to our life style, something easy to operate, weather compensation, and turn it on off when we're out.
 
How old is the boiler and what make is it?

Most manufacturers have controls packages that can upgrade the boiler to weather compensation/load compensation. Then you needn't worry about Nest or Hive as it's done for you with the manufacturers controls and it will save some £££.
 
PJElectricalSW said:
How old is the boiler and what make is it?

Most manufacturers have controls packages that can upgrade the boiler to weather compensation/load compensation. Then you needn't worry about Nest or Hive as it's done for you with the manufacturers controls and it will save some £££.
Click to expand...

Haven’t looked at that. It’s a brand new boiler, can’t remember the make. Just keen to get rid of the ---- danfoss stuff.
 
The plumb centre bdr91 I think would be fine for you. I find placed in the hall on the table it gives good temps throughout and it’s what most plumbers I know Supply for fitting to their boilers.

I have the Honeywell version but its only a few extras thrown in that people don’t use.

If you don’t want smartphone control then it’s what I’d buy.
 
davesparks said:
I have little experience of the hive, but the nest continues to operate perfectly well without broadband or the connection to the server. I wouldn't put it past the hive to stop working though, after all it is. A British grasp product.
Click to expand...

As an aside davesparks, I understand you are a Nest installer. I was thinking of getting a Nest doorbell. Seems it needs a 12-24V AC supply? My current bell transformer is 8V, so I need a new one. Do Nest actually recommend a transformer, as everyone seems to making their own transformer & casing up. Mine can't be located in the CU, has to be on show in hall.
 
I'm just tagging this onto this thread, my own experience of fitting a Netatmo smart thermostat.

BTW, I am a registered Netatmo Pro installer, listed on their website and have the beanie hat and van stickers to prove it!

Customer contacts me to have Netatmo fitted... got my name off the website, so that's great. However, never fitted one before... cant be that difficult.

I got the thermostat from the wholesalers weeks ago.... familiarised myself with the product and read the paperwork cover to cover. - Didn't want to appear inexperienced in front of new customer.

Wired it in place of existing wireless thermostat... nice and easy to connect up... but the fixing screws are a bit soft - twisted one head off, had to use my own.

This is where the instructions let the product down. They say "press the button on the relay until you see a blue glowing light"
Ok.... but what they don't say is that as soon as you power it up, there's a blue flashing light.
I phoned their installer hotline for advice and left a message.

What it should say is "press and hold until you see a slowly flashing light"

So apart from that little hiccup, relay, thermostat and customers phone all speaking to each other.

Happy customer.

Still waiting for hotline to call me back.... 5 hours later
 

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