Heating and Hot Water Controls Upgrade Advice

[superdon]

Next job in my massive list before the new baby arrives is to sort out the heating/hot water controls.

We have an Ideal Icos boiler with a hot water tank. The system has a programmer for both heating and hot water by the hot water tank and a separate thermostat on the hall at the top of the stairs.

The hot water tank/programmer is in an airing cupboard that can only be accessed through one of the bedrooms, which is the bedroom that will be the new nursery. So, the main idea behind the changes, is to allow us to make program changes without having to go into the airing cupboard through the bedroom! And hopefully to get a more reliable thermostat.

Hope that makes sense....

Heres what we currently have in the airing cupboard...

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• superdon
• 13 Jan 2014
• 1

Heres the programmer....

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• superdon
• 13 Jan 2014
• 1

And the back of the programmer...

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• superdon
• 13 Jan 2014
• 1

And the thermostat....

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• superdon
• 13 Jan 2014
• 1

Both programmer and thrermostat are wired into an easily accessible junction box and the wire runs to both thermostat and programmer are also easy to access/change/extend if required.

So, what would you change it for?

The plumber was here servicing the boiler the other day. He suggested changing the thermostat with a Honeywell CM907. Then keeping the current programmer for just hot water control. Does this sound like a good idea?

I think that would be an easy change over, but I am just concerned that then we have two programmers each of which is a potential failure point? In an ideal world, I would want to replace the thermostat with a good combined hot water/heating programmer and thermostat and ditch the existing kit. I don't know if that's possible or not?

Any help would be appreciated, sorry for the long post.

 

[dcawkwell]

I wouldn't worry about programmer and thermostat both look fine.
YOu can go for a wall mounted thermostat with time if you want.

I would worry more about the icos that will more than likely give up
at any moment.
They are awful boilers.

 

[mogget]

Simplest option would be to fit a wireless programmable thermostat and leave the existing programmer controlling the hot water, as your plumber has said.

Programmers tend to be quite reliable.

 

[mogget]

On the other hand (I shouldn't press the submit button so quick) If it's easy enough to route another cable, I would go for a wired stat personally.

 

[superdon]

Cheers.

Yep, I know the boiler ain't the best, but it's not been too bad for us.

I thought that if I just replace the current thermostat with something like a CM907' I wouldn't need new wiring?

Like I say, ideally I would replace the current stat with a combined heating/hot water and thermostat programmer. But I can't seem to find a recommended one.

 

[mogget]

I thought that if I just replace the current thermostat with something like a CM907' I wouldn't need new wiring?

D'oh! I got it into my head that you wanted your thermostat moved too. Sorry!

 

[superdon]

No probs.

I can see that replacing the current stat with a CM907 is possibly the cheapest and easiest way to do this. It's not a major problem having the hot water timer still in the airing cupboard, but it would be good to have them combined.

 

[mogget]

One other problem you have is that your earth wire appears to be used as a live conductor which is a bit of a no-no.

You could run new cables run from the junction box and locate the programmer wherever convenient. I'll be moving my own into the living room in the next couple of months.

for a Y-plan system, one twin and earth to supply the programmer, and one 3core and earth, suitably sleeved, to provide the outputs back to the junction box.

 

[superdon]

Cheers.

Is it the cable on the right into the programmer that's an earth being used for live? I an easily swap that section of cabling out to correct that.

Can you recommend a combined 2 channel programmer/thermostat? Possibly a wireless one that I could use in place of the existing programmer and thermostat.

 

[mogget]

Unfortunately I can't. Someone else on the forum may be able to. I had a Danfoss TP9 for a while and hated it.

You could re-use your existing programmer if you want and use a 2-wire thermostat.

I usually fit Drayton programmers and Digitat+ thermostats. The thermostat is battery operated but the batteries last several years.

 

[D_Hailsham]

So, the main idea behind the changes, is to allow us to make program changes without having to go into the airing cupboard through the bedroom! And hopefully to get a more reliable thermostat.

The plumber was here servicing the boiler the other day. He suggested changing the thermostat with a Honeywell CM907. Then keeping the current programmer for just hot water control. Does this sound like a good idea?

The plumber's suggestion is a good one, but it only solves the problem so far as heating is concerned, you would still have to go into the bedroom to override the HW settings.

Installation of the CM907 couldn't be easier. You just connect the two wires from the existing stat to A and B on the CM907 (either way round) and set the existing programmer so the heating is permanently on.

 

[superdon]

That's looking my favoured option at the moment. But any thoughts on how to solve the HW side?

 

[D_Hailsham]

any thoughts on how to solve the HW side?

Change the HW on times - seriously!

I have a similar system to you - minus the baby. Our HW times are:

2100 - On; 0030 - Off
1200 - On; 1400 - Off

Evening times ensure that the cylinder is hot enough for three evening showers and reheats the water afterwards, so there is hot water for the morning until lunch time. The afternoon makes up for any used during the morning. If there is a high use during the day, the timer is overridden for an hour or so.

Obviously your requirements will be different, but a well-insulated cylinder will keep the water hot for a very long time.

 

[superdon]

Yes, like you say maybe a non issue when you think about it.

Looks like CM907 it is then!

 

[Dan Robinson]

+1 - Like DH my hot water only comes on at 18:30. Goes off at 1am ish.

Stays hot enough over night and through hte next day.

Never had a problem.


Save your money for that heap of shit that is your boiler. .