Hive thermostats

[Funkyfridays]

I have a 3 storey house with ufh downstairs which is on 4 zones controlled by 4 thermostats, and radiators on floors 2 and 3 with a thermostat controlling each so 6 thermostats in total. Would I be able to change the thermostats to hive ones and what would I need replace the control unit also please see pic

 

[stem]

It depends upon what the LP111 programmer is controlling. Usually with multizone installations each zone is controlled by a 'programmable' room thermostat that has both time and temperature control in the same device so a separate programmer giving on/off control is not fitted. Hive is such a device.

So you have either:

1. Basic room thermostats (temperature control only) for each zone, and the LP111 programmer (on/off time control only) wired to each of the room thermostats. In which case the LP111 would not be replaced it would be removed and the Hive's take over the time control functions.

2. Or, it's for control of heating stored hot water, and is nothing to do with the central heating. In which case it needs to stay. Or, alternatively one of the Hive's can be a dual channel version that includes hot water control and can replace it.

3. Something else altogether. You don't give us a lot to go on here.

You might want to check with Hive too, I'm not sure how many zones it can support. Two is the most I have come across. I seem to remember it can do more, but not sure how many.

 

[Funkyfridays]

Hi thanks for the advice, I did right there are zones downstairs for the ufh each operated with 3 thermostats downstairs then radiators on floors 2 and 3 with a thermostat operating each so 6 in all. Just another thought would I be able to turn the heating on and off via my phone when the hives are fitted with replacing the control unit as obviously at the minute I would have to operate manually? Thanks again Rick

 

[stem]

Are you saying that all of the existing room thermostats are just simple basic room thermostats with only temperature control (ie not programmable) and the on/off times for all of them are controlled by the Drayton LP111?

 

[Funkyfridays]

No sorry the thermostats for the ufh downstairs are programmable the ones for the radiators on floors 2 and 3 are not you just set the temperature. The main reason I'd like to change is the ufh thermostats aren't the easiest to set up so I end up just blasting the floor then turning it off which for ufh I know isn't the way to do it I want to be able to regulate it better

 

[stem]

So the LP111 is only controlling the on/off times for the radiators with the basic thermostats on floor 2 and 3 then. Is that correct?

 

[Funkyfridays]

Yes thats correct

 

[stem]

If you are leaving the basic thermostats for the radiators on floor 2 and 3 as they are now [ie you will only fit Hive's to the UFH] then the LP111 programmer will remain and control these radiators as it does now.

If you want to add Hive's to the radiators on floor 2 and 3 as well, then the LP111 programmer will become redundant, so you can either leave it in place and set to be permanently 'on' 24/7 which will then keep the Hive's permanently powered. Alternatively you can remove it, but it can't just be disconnected otherwise the wiring will be left 'open circuit' and the radiators won't work, a wiring modification is required to complete the circuit.

 

[Funkyfridays]

So I can use the programmer with hives for the ufh but not for the upstairs with hives?

 

[stem]

When I asked, you said that the LP111 programmer wasn't connected to the UFH heating.

So the LP111 is only controlling the on/off times for the radiators with the basic thermostats on floor 2 and 3 then. Is that correct?

Yes thats correct

When you have Hive's installed there is no need for a separate programmer. Hive is a PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTAT is has TIME and TEMPERATURE control in the same unit so the programmer becomes redundant. The only reason to keep the programmer would be if you were retaining the old basic thermostats for the radiators upstairs that don't have time control.

 

[ericmark]

EPL I think do thermostats designed to work as master/slave so multi-thermostats control one boiler, think limit is 10. The thermostat has duel outputs, hard wired to the motorised valves and I think wifi thermostat to thermostat and master hard wired to boiler OpenTherm control. I only know of the one make which can do this.

Drayton Wiser do a three channel thermostat, but in the main using motorised valves like this

today is old hat, as most gas boilers use the return water temperature to control output, so electronic heads on the TRV is the method used today, these are clearly motorised valves, the exception is UFH where these seem common, I would say your first job is to decide how to progress.

There are special TRV heads designed to work with Hive, the problem with the TRV control is it can't turn on a boiler when required without water flowing, so would need to cycle on/off all the time to know when needed. So having a wall thermostat in a down stairs room with not alternative heating, and no out side door, normally kept cool means boiler does not need to cycle.

Whole idea of Hive is as long as under 22°C TRV heads can send a demand for heat so keep boiler running even it the room it is in is warm enough. And to be fair it seems a good idea.

No domestic system seems to be all singing and dancing, each has good and bad points, and it seems hard to work out what they all do. Some times wonder if best option is blind fold and stick in a pin.

But the big thing is the home, mothers house hall always coldest room wall thermostat in that room worked well, last house no hall, open plan, and thermostat between living room and dinning room close to arch between the two also worked well, this house hall in centre of house, and is last room to cool, and I have realised it was not best location for wall thermostat. And my first house was hot air central heating and did not really matter where the thermostat was.

What I am saying there is no one system suits all.