How big a job is it to implement multiple zones?

[Dan Robinson]

Pin 5 eh?

 

[Pin 5]

Pin 5 eh?

What can I say? I like ten-pin bowling

 

[DP]

A quick look sounds promising - a few quick queries if I may (tell me if I should contact them directly):

1. the individual valve controllers aren't WiFi but talk to a central controller, which IS WiFi?
2. Now presumably this will work regardless if I have one or multiple physical zones, for its smart-zoning? But multiple physical zones might allow it to do so more efficiently since sending hot water round the entire house to heat a single room?
3. I can have up to 12 smart zones as standard, typically equating to one per room... but I can have more than 12 valve controllers? e.g. my living room might have two radiators and I might e.g. have 11 rooms but 20 radiators in total.

Out of interest, are there more DIY systems out there for the nerds? For instance I can envisage those into Raspberry Pi putting their own system together if they can simply buy controllable TRVs and a way to talk to them. Are there any open systems or are they all private protocols?

What I say to my customers who propose to get the Evohome installed, is to fit HR 92 on radiators that need controlling. Not to control the bathroom or toilet rads because if someone is at home, these areas will be used any way so no point to going for the overkill.

While the system is expensive, you can take it with you should you move sometime later. This gif customers can be a big selling point.

 

[Doggit]

If it's an old system, do you have a room stat installed.

 

[Agile]

Yes, but using their standard TRV actuator more difficult to implement.

I did call their help line and the "answer" is that you can use up to FOUR controllers to get 48 rads.

When I asked why that was not mentioned on their web site had the reply that it was "unsupported territory"!

Tony

 

[Dan Robinson]

You can do more if you know how to read the manuls.

 

[Dan Robinson]

@Agile, bonus question..... Why is 48 the magic number? And no, 4x12 is not the answer.

 

[Pin 5]

Again its not 48 rads its 48 zones.

That would be down to the bdr Mr Robinson.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Ssssshhhhhhh its Tony's pop quiz .


Not that I'm holding my breath.

 

[rules&rulers]

Maybe consider exchanging your boiler for a condensing boiler (unless it already is). This would be the time to consider pipe alterations for separate zones.

The evohome starter kit is around £190 (bought 1 last month,so price varies). how many years will it take to recoup that initial outlay.?

how much hot water is used,how many baths/showers per day ?

As previously mentioned maybe just manually operate the existing trv's,its a tried and tested method.

Good luck with your project.

 

[DP]

Maybe consider exchanging your boiler for a condensing boiler (unless it already is). This would be the time to consider pipe alterations for separate zones.

The evohome starter kit is around £190 (bought 1 last month,so price varies). how many years will it take to recoup that initial outlay.?

how much hot water is used,how many baths/showers per day ?

As previously mentioned maybe just manually operate the existing trv's,its a tried and tested method.

Good luck with your project.

Fitted Evohome for a customer. He sees a saving of £45.00 per month
As far as replacing the boiler is concerned, my advice to customer always is to keep the present unless it is going to be BER. Often existing boiler will outlast a steamer. And who knows what kind of silly prices one will pay for spares for such a high tec appliance
Expensive Evohome can move with customer unlike a condensing boiler
Then there is ease of use and flexibility

Let the decision be based on all factors instead of a condensing boiler in every case. To say a condensing boiler will be more economical is not always true.

 

[rules&rulers]

Fitted Evohome for a customer. He sees a saving of £45.00 per month

Thats impressive . Is that a complete installation,except bogs and bathrooms ?.

The make/year of the boiler has not been mentioned so it could be one of the combis that is not so economical during hw production,there are a few,and a few condensing combis that dont condense very well in hw mode but due to design are slightly more efficient.

The portability of the evohome and similar products is a good idea.

Thanks for the info.

 

[John D v2.0]

Cheers for that. Yes absolutely increasing our efficiency in the house is important I was thinking whether zoning might additionally help. For instance heating just the bedroom in the morning, and more rooms at night.

It seems like smart TRVs might be worth looking at as an alternative to zoning though? e.g. if I can tell my existing TRV "be on 2 all day except 6pm-10pm then be on 5". I haven't investigated this much though I see some systems integrate with the boiler/controller... is it worth looking at or a gimmick? Certainly I don't want to be paying per month for it - as a computer nerd I'm wondering if I can rig something up, providing I can buy remote controllable valves/TRVs.

I'm doing the same, as our radiators were either rusted or too small for the condensing boiler and we were having the back of the house rebuilt, I actually used an underfloor heating manifold and the electric actuators. Once the rest of the high priority diy on the house is actually finished, I'm going to set up a raspberry pi with a schedule.
Overall doing things like that won't save you much money due to the up front cost, but if you want to do it as a hobby and appreciate the finer level of control it can work.
Our lights will be similarly controlled via a central relay box.
The only tricky part for interfacing will be the boiler itself - reducing the circulating water temperature is more efficient in condensing boilers but it's not easy to keep tweaking it manually.

 

[Agile]

I still need to be convinced that it saves money to have an expensive control system instead of manually adjusting TRVs.

OP is not very interested in saving money on heating as he has not answered my question about his loft insulation!

Limited to four controllers because of four inputs.

 

[vacemir]

I thought TRV's were only useful in commercial buildings?

a few years ago was gonna install TRV's in my home until I read this
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyl...-improvements-What-is-the-point-of-a-TRV.html

btw Jeff Howell is a expert on such things